Philippe Pétain · Albert Einstein Were Philippe Pétain and Albert Einstein alive at the same time? Yes. Philippe Pétain and Albert Einstein were alive at the same time for 72 years, from 1879 to 1951. Philippe Pétain was 22 when Albert Einstein was born.Albert Einstein was 72 when Philippe Pétain died, aged 95. Philippe PétainFrench military and political leaderBorn 24 April 1856 · died 23 July 1951, aged 95Albert EinsteinGerman-born theoretical physicistBorn 14 March 1879 · died 18 April 1955, aged 76 Karl MarxPhilippe PétainAlbert EinsteinAdolf HitlerRonald ReaganDonald TrumpVladimir Putin Philippe Pétain and Albert Einstein in bold, with some of their best-known contemporaries. Drag across to see the age each reached in any year. Faded ends mark uncertain dates.