The title is somewhat dry and not particularly spectacular. In March 1905 Albert Einstein's "Über einen die Erzeugung und Verwandlung des Lichtes betreffenden heuristischen Gesichtspunkt“ appeared in the Annalen der Physik, for which work he was eventually awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics 1921. The work laid the foundation of the photon theory of light.

Einstein at the piano in Hotel Nara in Japan, 1922. large

A month later Einstein submitted his doctoral thesis at the University of Zurich entitled "Über eine neue Bestimmung der Moleküldimensionen“, in May followed the publication of his work on the Brownian movement of molecules, in June he published the "Elektrodynamik bewegter Körper“ (his Special Theory of Relativity), and shortly afterwards, in November, an addendum to the already published theory of relativity, which contains what is probably the most famous formula: E=mc2. These five pieces of work fundamentally changed the world of the physicists. "For two and a half centuries, Newton's Principia Mathematica had been taken as the irrevocable foundation of all physics“, writes Ze’ev Rosenkranz in his recently published book, "Albert Einstein. Private and very personal“ (1). At the end of the 19th century, however, this edifice of theory had started to show cracks; experiments revealed the wave character of light. Einstein investigated the issue and constructed a new, elegant theory that is still valid today. Reason enough for UNESCO to declare 2005 the World Year of Physics (2) to coincide with Einstein's "miraculous year". In Switzerland, events are being co-ordinated by the Swiss Physical Society(3).

Albert Einstein's Swiss passport, issued on 23rd June 1923. Born in Ulm, Germany, Einstein was granted Swiss citizenship in 1901 and held on to it until the end of his life. large

Albert Einstein in Princeton, 1941. Picture from "Albert Einstein. Privat und ganz persönlich“, NZZ Buchverlag large

At ETH Zurich–where Einstein was professor of theoretical physics from 1912 to 1914–the miraculous year will be celebrated with an Einstein Symposium (4). Renowned physicists will be congregating in ETH's Auditorium Maximum from 7th to 11th June and their number will include Nobel laureate Boris Altshuler from Princeton University, Claude Cohen-Tannoudji from the Ecole Normale Superieure in Paris, David J. Gross from the University of California in Santa Barbara, Wolfgang Ketterle from MIT in Cambridge and Kurt Wüthrich from ETH Zurich. The symposium is being organised by ETH Zurich and the University of Zurich together with the Latsis Foundation.

Further an exhibition "Einstein in Zurich–Einstein yesterday, today, tomorrow" will be on show in the main building at ETH from 1st to 29th October.

Embedded within the 150 Year Jubilee of ETH are the Nights of Physics (17th and 18th June) as well as visiting days for schoolchildren (primary schools, 14th–18th March) and secondary pupils (7th–11th March).

A whole series of events will be taking place in Berne (5). Amongst others, Berne's Historical Museum will have a special exhibition of the works of Albert Einstein running from 16th June 2005 to 17th April 2006. And an "Einstein Route" will illuminate the years the physicist spent in Berne.

Thus, Einstein will be at the centre of numerous events this year.

Simultaneously with the World Year of Physics 2005 will also see events planned for the "Year of Technology" in Switzerland. "The Year of Technology is a loose and temporary pooling in 2005 of diverse organisations lobbying for technology and research with a wealth of technology oriented congresses, anniversaries and events that provides them with a common platform," it says on the homepage of the organising association (6). A host of anniversaries, for example, Swiss Engineering STV (100 Years), ETH Zurich (150 Years), EMPA (125 Years) and Swissmem (100 Years), fall this year and congresses, such as "Science et cité“ will also take place. Ruedi Noser, member of the the Swiss Parliament for Canton Zurich and President of Swiss Engineering STV, says, "We need more people, again who make watches and fewer who tell us how late it is: technological developments are a solid fundament for innovation, growth and affluence."