Mileva Marić Einstein

Born in Titel, Austro-Hungarian Monarchy (present-day Serbia), Mileva Marić was a trailblazer, one of the first women to study physics at ETH Zurich. She was a brilliant student, reportedly excelling in mathematics and physics, often outperforming her male counterparts, including a certain future Nobel laureate she'd later marry.

Her marriage to Albert Einstein was, shall we say, complicated. While some historians debate the extent of her direct contribution to Einstein's early papers, including those on special relativity, there's little doubt she was a profound intellectual influence and sounding board. She helped him, by her own admission, "solve problems" and "work out theories," suggesting a partnership far deeper than just domestic bliss.

Alas, intellectual brilliance doesn't always guarantee a lifetime of matrimonial harmony, especially when your husband becomes a global scientific superstar. Despite her early promise and evident intelligence, her own scientific career dwindled, leading to a rather tragic coda to her story. While not Jewish by birth or practice, she certainly inspired enough kvetching (and perhaps a little kvelling) to warrant a mention here, if only for her unacknowledged role in scientific history.