Raymond Geist is a recurring character on the first season of Genius. He was the Deputy Counsel General of the United States in Berlin, and known for having issued over 50,000 US visas during his tenure to Jews escaping Nazi persecution in Germany.
He is portrayed by Vincent Kartheiser.
Biography[]
1932[]
Raymond Geist meets Albert and Elsa Einstein upon them coming to the United States embassy in Berlin. 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. The Deputy Counsel General 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 abd 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 their questions are answered.