Elsa Einstein is a main character on the first season of Genius. She was the second wife and cousin of Albert Einstein.
She is portrayed by Emily Watson and Gwendolyn Ellis.
Biography[]
1922[]
At home, Elsa comforts Albert as he mourns his recently deceased friend Walther Rathenau who was planning on coming to dinner days later. The phone rings and Elsa answers, discovering it to be Mileva Marić, but Albert geos to his office before being told by Elsa to not busy himself in work, but mourn the death of his friend.
Later that day, the Einstein's are informed by the police of Albert's name being on Rathenau's assassins' hit list, and told to be weary of the growing nationalist, anti-Semitic movement in Germany. Elsa thinks that they should leave for America, but Albert does not want to leave Germany, stating that his life and work is in Germany.
During a parade for the mouring of Walther Rathenau's death, Elsa watches as Albert is noticed by Jewish citizens and praised for appearing at the observation. However, the parade is interupted by Nazi brownshirts yelling to the crowd that Rathenau's assassins were German heroes. Elsa again tells Albert that they should leave Germany, but the latter states that if they leave the Nazi's will win.
1932[]
Elsa informs Albert of more reasons for why they should leave: reasons being that though Hitler didn't win the Federal election, he did gain 230 seats in the parliament. Later, after watching in horror as a Jewish business man is beaten by Nazi brownshirts, Albert goes to Elsa and tells her it's finally time for them to leave Germany.
While the Einstein's are packing the phone rings and Elsa tells Albert that she thinks it must be Mileva calling for him, but Albert dismisses the call, stating that he doesn't want to hear more bad news from her. Elsa tells him to answer the phone, and he does but it isn't Mileva, but the United States embassy wanting to ask Elsa and Albert some questions.
At the embassy, the Einstein's meet Raymond Geist, the Deputy Counsel General, and Elsa, who is surprised by their summoning, asks Geist why they need visas if they had already been to the U.S. three times. Geist asks what the purpose for them travelling to the U.S. was, and Albert tells him that he is giving lectures at the California Institute of Technology, and tells Geist that he should have already known that. Geist then asks what political affiliation Albert is apart of, which the scientist thinks is a joke and tells him that it's none of his business. Geist then brings up Mileva Marić and asks if he's in contact with her, but Elsa abruptly asks what she has to do with anything, and Geist states that her political backgroud is "radical" and that Albert's history is full of controversy, putting into question his loyalties for the sake of the United States. Albert however tells Geist to take notice of the growing Nazi movement and the anti-Semitic slang directed towards himself and others. Geist ensures Albert that the Nazi's are not in power and informs him that the reason why he's asking all these questions is due to J. Edgar Hoover, who is interested in Albert's controversy and politics and who will not let the Einstein's in America until his questions are answered.