Einstein married Mileva Maric on 6 January 1903. They had two sons but their daughter Lieserl died in childhood. At the time of Mileva's death in 1948 her eldest son Hans Albert was a Professor in Hydraulic Engineering at the University of California, Berkley. Mileva Maric, a Serbian mathematician, was Einstein's companion, colleague and confidante whose influence was enormous during Einstein's most creative years.

At the age of 21, Mileva enrolled with the Swiss Federal Polytechnic in 1896, the same year as Einstein, who was three-and-a-half years younger than Mileva. Then, she was the only woman studying in the mathematical section of the School for Mathematics and Science teachers.

Newly married Einstein was working 6 days a week at the Patent Office, and the rest of his time was spent on physics. Mileva tried to cope with the loss of her career and the loss of her daughter. Just before their second wedding anniversary, Marie and Pierre Curie were awarded Nobel Prize in Physics. A stinging reminder that Mileva once hoped for a career.

The following year went well. Albert got a raise and Mileva gave birth to Hans Albert.

In 1905, at the age of 26, Einstein published fundamental contributions to three different areas of physics, a unique event in the history of science. In 1921, Einstein was nominated for the Nobel Prize for those contributions, but received the Prize in 1922.

Mileva came into Einstein's life in a crucial period of his scientific achievements and helped him in his endeavor. This marriage was an intellectual partnership. Einstein admired Mileva's calm independence and intellectual ambitions. He considered himself lucky to have “a creature who is my equal and who is strong and independent as I am”.

In 1909, Einstein resigned from the University of Bern, quit his job at the Patent Office, and became a Professor in Zurich. There were some marital problems and to restore peace, the Einsteins went on vacation. Their second son, Eduard, was born in 1910.

The following year, Albert moved with his family to Prague. It was a horrible experience and in 1912, they returned to Zurich, but not to happiness.

The crisis comes during 1914, when Albert accepts a job in Berlin; and Mileva, at first, refused to join him. Finally, she joined him in April and Albert delivered a long list of rules to Mileva to follow. In July, the situation did not work and she takes the boys back to Zurich.

The onset of the Einstein's family feud coincides with the start of World War I. Mileva and her sons stay in a boardinghouse, waiting for Albert's return. During that period, Albert completes his General Theory of Relativity.

In 1916, he demands a divorce, where Mileva breaks down and is hospitalized. In August, Mileva's friend, Helene Savic comes to check on her and finds her bedridden. Helene takes the boys for a month, giving Mileva time to recover. In October, still ill, her sister, Zorka, is sent to take care of the boys, but she too has a medical problem.

The family feud finally ends, and Mileva agrees to a divorce, on the condition that any future Nobel Prize money will be hers. Oddly enough Albert agrees.