A S P E C I A L R E P O R T ALBERT EINSTEIN (1879-1955) physicist, born in Germany STATELESS FROM 1896 TO 1901 It is well-known that Einstein was a refugee, but he was also stateless for five years at the end of the 19 th century, after renouncing his German nationality. Although Einstein initiated his own statelessness, it was short-lived thanks to his naturalisation as a Swiss citizen in 1901. Ending Statelessness Within 10Years