1 8 6 C H R O N O L O G Y , 1 9 0 7 – 1 9 0 8
Jun 17 Makes first formal attempt to obtain Privatdozentur at the
University of Bern.
Aug 1–10 Vacations with wife and son in Lenk, canton of Bern.
second half of Aug Publishes review of J. J. Weyrauch, An Outline of the The-
ory of Heat. With Numerous Examples and Applications.
Part 2 (Vol. 2, Doc. 46).
Oct 28 Decision on Privatdozentur at the University of Bern is
postponed until Einstein submits a Habilitationsschrift.
Dec 4 “On the Relativity Principle and the Conclusions Drawn
from It” (Vol. 2, Doc. 47), in which Einstein first formulates
the equivalence principle, an idea that he would later call
“the most fortunate idea of my life” (Vol. 7, Doc. 31, p. 265)
Dec 14 Inquires about a position at the Kantonsschule Zurich.
1908
early Jan Submits Habilitationsschrift: “Consequences for the Consti-
tution of Radiation of the Energy Distribution Law of Black
Body Radiation” to the University of Bern.
Jan 20 Applies for a position at the Technikum Winterthur.
Feb 15 “A New Electrostatic Method for the Measurement of Small
Quantities of Electricity” (Vol. 2, Doc. 48).
Feb 24 The Philosophical Faculty II of the University of Bern
approves Privatdozentur for Einstein.
Feb 27 Delivers inaugural lecture at the University of Bern, “On the
Limit of the Validity of Classical Thermodynamics.”
ca. Feb 28 Receives venia docendi for theoretical physics and becomes
Privatdozent at the University of Bern.
Mar 3 “Corrections to the Paper: ‘On the Relativity Principle and
the Conclusions Drawn from It’” (Vol. 2, Doc. 49).
April Begins a three-week collaboration with Jakob Laub.
Apr 1 “Elementary Theory of Brownian Motion” (Vol. 2,
Doc. 50).
Apr 21 Summer semester at the University of Bern begins: Einstein
teaches a course in the molecular theory of heat.
May 2 “On the Fundamental Electromagnetic Equations for Mov-
ing Bodies” (with Jakob Laub) (Vol. 2, Doc. 51).