From 19 April to 8 September 2024, the Red Star Line Museum of (e)migration in Antwerp hosts the temporary and free exhibition ‘Een gewilde vluchteling: Einstein en Red Star Line‘. ‘A desirable refugee: Einstein and Red Star Line‘.

Quick note: I don’t know how the Red Star Line Museum will translate the name of the exhibition. ‘Gewild‘ is ‘desired’, ‘desirable’, but also ‘wanted’. Not in the criminal sense of the word, ‘wanted: dead or alive’, but as actually wanted. 

As a world-famous scientist, Albert Einstein (1879-1955) traveled several times on the ships of the Belgian Red Star Line shipping company. In 1933, during his return from New York on the Belgenland, he received the bad news that Nazis had plundered his summer home. As a Jewish scientist he was not liked by them. 

Einstein decides not to travel further to Germany for safety reasons, submits his resignation to the Prussian Academy of Science and renounces his German nationality. He is welcomed in Belgium by befriended scientists and artists. This is how the world star turned into a privileged and sought-after refugee, compared to many other Jewish refugees who found it much more difficult to find safe shelter. A few months later, Einstein boarded the Red Star Line again to move permanently to the America where he took his oath as an American citizen in 1940.

The exhibition shows unique objects including the original passenger list with Einstein on the Belgenland, photos of his wife by Germaine Van Parys, of Einstein on the Rijnkaai in Antwerp, a photo of Einstein with James Ensor… 

You will also discover the close ties between Albert Einstein and Antwerp, Belgium and the Red Star Line. On which ships of the Red Star Line did he travel and what did his cabin look like? In which Antwerp hotels did he stay and how did he appear in the Antwerp press? Einstein also stayed briefly in Cantecroy castle in Mortsel, what was it like there? And what did Einstein actually think of the United States?

Practical

The exhibition runs from 19 April to 8 September 2024. 27 June is ‘Einstein day‘. On 2 May there is a lecture on Einstein, in Dutch. 

Art and museums in Antwerp

• A visit of the Flemish Tram and Bus Museum – Vlaams Tram- en Autobusmuseum (VlaTAM) in Antwerp.
• MUSEUM AAN DE STROOM | ‘City at war, Antwerp 1940-1945’.
• ANTWERP | M HKA modern art museum presents first half of 2024 activities.
• ANTWERP | Discovering queer(ed) art with the Queer Tour at the KMSKA fine arts museum.
• REVIEW | Illusion Antwerpen, an active and photogenic museum.
• Antwerp museums and sports facilities team up with European Disability Card for accessible leisure activities.
• FOMU 2023 | Reimagined collection, strippers – Nicaragua – Kurdistan and people touching each other.
• ANTWERP 2023 | MoMu fashion museum presents IO Van Oostveldt and Man Ray exhibitions.
• Inside the KMSKA or Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp.
• Museum Mayer van den Bergh.
• ANTWERP | ‘Stories of Refuge’ exhibition at Red Star Line Museum.
• 2024 at Royal Museum of Fine Arts of Antwerp (KMSKA): Rubens, James Ensor, Jules Schmalzigaug and many more.
• 2024 at the museums of Antwerp ft. Ensor Year.
• 2023 at the museums of Antwerp.
• 2022 in the museums of Antwerp.
• ANTWERP | ‘Stories of refuge’ exhibition at Red Star Line Museum.
• ANTWERP | Inside Rubens House.
• ModeMuseum MoMu – Fashion Museum Antwerp 2021.
• ModeMuseum MoMu – Fashion Museum Antwerp 2022.
• Museum Plantin-Moretus in Antwerp.
• ANTWERP | Museum Vleeshuis up for restoration.
• BOOK | ‘Antwerp. An Archaeological View on the Origin of the City’ by Tim Bellens.
• Red Star Line Museum.
• Paleis op de Meir. 
• DIVA, Antwerp Home of Diamonds.
• ANTWERP | Red Star Line Museum of (e)migration.
• ANTWERP | Museum Mayer van den Bergh is expanding into former District Hall.