English
In winter 1923, Albert Einstein came to Barcelona. As Nobel Prize winner in 1921 he travelled the world giving lectures, in Europe, America and Asia.
“I do not need to know everything; I just need to know where to find what I need when I need it”. This is what he modestly said, because as we all know, this genius knew many things. Indeed, this wise man visited Barcelona to give a lecture on relativity at the University of Barcelona, a few months before Miguel Primo de Rivera, militaristic, nationalist and authoritarian ideals, gave a coup (Sept. 13) and plunged Spain into a dictatorship.
Einstein who, apart from science, was also interested in these themes, said “this situation is due more to the stupidity than to of evilness”.
Einstein was not travelling alone, he was accompanied by Elsa, his second wife; when arriving at Barcelona they were greeted with great fanfare, after hearing the welcome speech from the mayor, they were taken to his room at the Ritz Hotel; located in Roger De Lluria Street, in a charming historic building in neoclassical style and dated from 1899.
Since he was 5 years old, Einstein received violin lessons, which were imposed by Mrs Pauline Koch, his mother. But after a while the genius was bored rigid instruction, and it is said that he threw a chair at the teacher and expelled her from the house. Pauline was armed with patience and just hired another teacher.
Einstein, with the patience that characterizes every genius, endured the violin lessons his mother imposed. Thanks to the persistence of Pauline it eventually bore fruit. At 13, little Albert discovered Mozart and his interest in music took a 180 degree turn and began playing the piano with his mother. The music had become a fundamental part of his life.
Once left alone in his hotel room, the Einstein took their two small suitcases and the case where Einstein kept his violin and fled into the lift to then get lost in the Rambles.
They soon realized that the couple had quickly escaped and manager of the Hotel Ritz gave made it notice to the police who immediately began to look all over Barcelona.
After several hours, police hunted them in a damaged and poor quality hotel in the old town. The hotel receptionist informed the police that a German couple had recently reached the hotel and the man, just after entering the lobby and greeting politely, started to play the violin.
Shortly before that afternoon Einstein gave his speech, the Mayor intrigued asked him the reasons for his flight, to which Einstein replied politely: “I am a humble citizen and I rented a room that belongs to my category”.
Carlos Rosas
If you want to be like Einstein, do not go to the Ritz, rent Barcelona accommodation and so the police do not have to search you around the streets of Barcelona
