Early Life and Family Background:
- Born Julius Robert Oppenheimer on April 22, 1904, in New York City.
- From a non-observant Jewish family; mother Ella (née Friedman) was a painter, and father Julius Seligmann Oppenheimer was a successful textile importer.
- Younger brother Frank also became a physicist.
- Father immigrated from Hanau, Hesse-Nassau, in 1888, starting without money or English and eventually became wealthy.
- Family moved in 1912 to an apartment on Riverside Drive, Manhattan, known for its luxurious mansions and art collection.
Education:
- Attended Alcuin Preparatory School and then Ethical Culture Society School founded by Felix Adler.
- Excelled academically, skipping grades and showing interest in English, French literature, and mineralogy.
- Took private music lessons from French flutist Georges Barrère.
- Developed an interest in chemistry during his final year of school.
- Graduated in 1921; delayed further education by a year due to an illness contracted during a family vacation in Czechoslovakia.
Higher Education:
- Entered Harvard College in 1922, majoring in chemistry.
- Took six courses each term to compensate for the delayed start and bypassed basic courses in favor of advanced ones.
- Admitted to Phi Beta Kappa and granted graduate standing in physics.
- Developed an interest in experimental physics through a thermodynamics course taught by Percy Bridgman.
- Graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in 1925 after only three years of study.
