Russian muse of Albert Einstein: the love story of a genius physicist and a Soviet intelligence officer
Russian muse of Albert Einstein: the love story of a genius physicist and a Soviet intelligence officer

Video: Russian muse of Albert Einstein: the love story of a genius physicist and a Soviet intelligence officer

Video: Russian muse of Albert Einstein: the love story of a genius physicist and a Soviet intelligence officer
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Margarita Konenkova and Albert Einstein
Margarita Konenkova and Albert Einstein

About great scientific discoveries Albert Einstein much is known, but the details of his personal life for a long time remained a secret with seven seals. The genius said about himself that he survived two wars, two wives and Hitler. However, there was another page in his life, about which he preferred to remain silent - a secret romance with Soviet intelligence officer Margarita Konenkova.

Portraits of Margarita Konenkova
Portraits of Margarita Konenkova

Margarita Konenkova lived a bright and extraordinary life. In her youth, she lived in the house of Ivan Bunin, was familiar with many outstanding cultural figures - with Vsevolod Meyerhold, Fyodor Shalyapin, Isadora Duncan, Sergei Yesenin, etc. Her husband was the famous sculptor Sergei Konenkov, whose work is often put on a par with Rodin. True, the decision to marry was not easy for Margarita, Konenkov was 21 years older than his chosen one.

Margarita Konenkova and Albert Einstein
Margarita Konenkova and Albert Einstein

After the wedding, the young did not live a year in the USSR, they left for an exhibition of Russian art in New York. It was planned that the trip would take at most a month, but it turned out that the couple stayed in America for 22 years. Here Konenkov continues to work, Margarita becomes her husband's muse, she often poses naked for his sculptures. All works found a lively response from the American public.

Margarita was the muse of her husband Sergei Kolenkov
Margarita was the muse of her husband Sergei Kolenkov

The year 1935 was fatal for Margarita Konenkova. At this time, Princeton University took the initiative to order a sculptural portrait of the outstanding scientist. The choice fell on a Russian sculptor, and soon Margarita met Albert Einstein in Konenkov's studio. The 39-year-old beauty 56-year-old genius conquered at first sight, she even left a diary entry that Einstein, posing, enthusiastically talked about the theory of relativity, and it was obvious that Margarita's attention flattered him.

Margarita Konenkova and Albert Einstein
Margarita Konenkova and Albert Einstein

For a long time nothing was known about the novel by Konenkova and Einstein. Many years later, in 1998, a lot appeared at the Sotheby's auction, which caused a heated discussion - love letters of a genius physicist. From them it became known that the couple had no friendly relations at all. The couple spent a lot of time together, vacationing in Priston at Albert Einstein's cottage. To lull Konenkov's vigilance, Einstein even resorted to a trick: he sent him a notification about Margarita's illness with a medical recommendation to spend as much time as possible in Saranac Lake.

The watch presented to Margarita Konenkova by Einstein
The watch presented to Margarita Konenkova by Einstein

We will never know if Sergey Konenkov knew about his wife's betrayal. Albert Einstein, in the days of separation, yearned for his beloved, wrote her sincere letters, in which he said that their cozy "nest" was completely empty, called their union Almar. Perhaps the most sincere manifestation of his feelings was the amazing stanzas dedicated to the muse.

Konenkova together with Albert Einstein, his second wife Elsa, adopted daughter Margot and physicist Robert Oppenheimer
Konenkova together with Albert Einstein, his second wife Elsa, adopted daughter Margot and physicist Robert Oppenheimer

Scientists have spent many years deciphering these lines:

Two weeks tormented you And you wrote that you were dissatisfied with me But understand - I was also tormented by others Endless stories about myself

You cannot escape the family circle This is our common misfortune Through the sky is inevitable And our future is truly visible

My head is buzzing like a beehive, my heart and my hands are weak, come to me at Princeton

We will read Tolstoy, and when you get tired of it, you will raise your eyes full of tenderness to me, And I will see a reflection of God in them

You say that you love me, But this is not so. I call for Cupid's help, To persuade you to be merciful to me.

A. E. Christmas. 1943 g.

As for Margarita herself, a difficult task was entrusted to her - to be an informant. During these years America was working on the creation of a nuclear bomb, and the genius physicist, of course, had certain information. Through the efforts of Konenkova, Einstein met with the deputy Soviet consul in the states - Pavel Mikhailov. He did this, of course, out of love for his muse, he understood what threatened her for not completing the task. By the way, Einstein helped free Margarita when she was arrested by the FBI. In 1945, the Konenkov couple received an order to return to the USSR, on this the love story of the intelligence officer and the brilliant physicist was over.

Portrait of Sergei Konenkov
Portrait of Sergei Konenkov
Margarita and Sergey Konenkov
Margarita and Sergey Konenkov

It was hard to resist Einstein's charm, because he was not only a physicist, but also a subtle lyricist and philosopher. You can verify this by reading "10 tips"that genius left to future generations.

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