Albert Einstein FBI File: What's Actually in the Declassified Records

The FBI's interest in Einstein began in the early 1930s, even before he permanently emigrated to the United States in 1933. As a prominent European intellectual with known pacifist and socialist sympathies, Einstein drew Hoover's attention from the start. The Bureau investigated his affiliations with organizations it considered subversive, monitored his friendships with left-leaning intellectuals, and tracked his political activities. Einstein's celebrity only intensified the scrutiny — his public statements on civil rights, his criticism of McCarthyism, and his appeal for clemency for Julius and Ethel Rosenberg in the 1950s all generated additional FBI attention. Agents monitored his phone, went through his trash, and investigated his associates and colleagues hoping to find evidence of Communist ties. The Woman Patriot Corporation, a conservative group, even submitted a 16-page letter to the State Department in 1932 trying to prevent Einstein's entry into the U.S., calling him a Communist. The FBI investigated and found no grounds to block him. The file continued to grow until Einstein's death in April 1955.

• ▸Investigation into Einstein's political affiliations and alleged ties to Communist organizations beginning in the 1930s
• ▸The Woman Patriot Corporation's 16-page letter attempting to block Einstein's entry into the United States in 1932
• ▸Surveillance of Einstein's phone calls, mail, and associates over two decades
• ▸Reports on Einstein's public statements against racism, nationalism, and nuclear weapons
• ▸FBI monitoring of Einstein's appeal for clemency for Julius and Ethel Rosenberg
• ▸Investigations of Einstein's associates and colleagues for Communist ties
• ▸Reports documenting Einstein's involvement with organizations the FBI considered subversive

• ✗"Einstein was a Soviet spy." The FBI spent over two decades and 1,427 pages trying to prove this and never found any evidence of espionage.
• ✗"The FBI file is about his scientific work." The file is almost entirely about his political activities, associations, and public statements — not his physics.
• ✗"Einstein was unaware of the surveillance." Einstein was well aware the FBI monitored him and publicly criticized the Bureau's tactics during the McCarthy era.
• ✗"The investigation was brief." The FBI maintained its file on Einstein for over 20 years, from the early 1930s until his death in 1955.

1. 1932
   The Woman Patriot Corporation submits a letter to the State Department attempting to block Einstein's entry to the U.S., calling him a Communist.
2. 1933
   Einstein emigrates permanently to the United States, settling at Princeton. FBI monitoring increases.
3. 1940s
   FBI investigates Einstein's associations with organizations it considers subversive. Surveillance of phone calls and mail expands.
4. 1950s
   Einstein's criticism of McCarthyism and his appeal for Rosenberg clemency intensify FBI scrutiny.
5. 1955
   Einstein dies on April 18 at age 76. File activity effectively ends.

Why did Albert Einstein have an FBI file?

Einstein's FBI file reflects Cold War-era concern over his political activism, pacifism, civil rights work, and alleged communist associations.

Was Albert Einstein considered a security risk?

FBI records show that the Bureau collected extensive material on Einstein and his political associations, though allegations in files should not be treated as proven fact.

What is in Albert Einstein's FBI file?

The file includes political allegations, surveillance-related material, correspondence, and records tied to his activism and public influence.

Where can I read Albert Einstein's FBI file?

The original source is linked on this profile.

Always consult the primary source. Public records may include redactions, allegations, and unverified informant claims.