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A young Romanian Jew, Maurice Solovine, also came across the advert as he read his newspaper walking down the street. A philosophy student at Bern University, Solovine was also interested in physics. Frustrated that a lack of mathematics was preventing him from gaining a deeper understanding of physics, he immediately made his way to the address given in the newspaper. When Solovine rang the bell, Einstein had found a kindred spirit. The student and tutor talked for two hours. They shared many of the same interests and after spending another half hour chatting in the street, they agreed to meet the following day. When they did, all thoughts of a structured lesson were forgotten amid a shared enthusiasm for exploring ideas. 'As a matter of fact, you don't have to be tutored in physics', Einstein told him on the third day.39 What Solovine liked about Einstein, as the two quickly became friends, was the care with which he outlined a topic or problem as lucidly as possible.

Before long, Solovine suggested that they read a particular book and then discuss it. Having done the same with Max Talmud in Munich as a schoolboy, Einstein thought it an excellent idea. Soon Conrad Habicht joined them. A friend from Einstein's aborted stint teaching at the boarding school in Schaffhausen, Habicht had moved to Bern to complete a mathematics thesis at the university. United by their enthusiasm for studying and clarifying the problems of physics and philosophy for their own satisfaction, the three men started calling themselves the 'Akademie Olympia'.

Even though Einstein came highly recommended by a friend, Haller had to make sure he was capable of doing the job. The ever-growing number of patent applications for all manner of electrical devices had made the hiring of a competent physicist to work alongside his engineers a necessity rather than a favour for a friend. Einstein impressed Haller sufficiently to be provisionally appointed a 'Technical Expert, Third Class' with a salary of 3,500 Swiss francs. At eight o'clock in the morning on 23 June 1902, Einstein reported for his first day as a 'respectable Federal ink pisser'.40

'As a physicist,' Haller told Einstein, 'you haven't a clue about blueprints.'41 Until he could read and assess technical drawings, there would be no permanent contract. Haller took it upon himself to teach Einstein what he needed to know, including the art of expressing himself clearly, concisely, and correctly. Although he had never taken kindly to being instructed as a schoolboy or student, he knew that he needed to learn all he could from Haller, 'a splendid character and a clever mind'.42 'One soon gets used to his rough manner', Einstein wrote. 'I hold him in very high regard.'43 As he proved his worth, Haller likewise came to respect his young protégé as a prized member of staff.

In October 1902, aged only 55, his father fell seriously ill. Einstein travelled to Italy to see him one last time. It was then, as he lay dying, that Hermann gave Albert his permission to marry Mileva – a prospect that he and Pauline had long opposed. With only Solovine and Habicht as witnesses, Einstein and Mileva married the following January in a civil ceremony at the Bern registrar's office. 'Marriage is,' Einstein said later, 'the unsuccessful attempt to make something lasting out of an incident.'44 But in 1903 he was just happy to have a wife that cooked, cleaned, and simply looked after him.45 Mileva had hoped for more.

The Patent Office took up 48 hours a week. From Monday to Saturday Einstein started at eight o'clock and worked until noon. Then it was lunch either at home or with a friend at a nearby café. He was back in the office from two until six. It left 'eight hours for fooling around' each day, and 'then there's also Sunday', he told Habicht.46 It was September 1904 before Einstein's 'provisional' position was made permanent with a pay rise of 400 francs. By the spring of 1906 Haller was so impressed with Einstein's ability to