Mathematicians from Polish territories in WWI
speaker: Stanisław Domoradzki (Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences University of Rzeszów)abstract: In the talk we will present the fates of Polish mathematicians who during World War I were conducting their research or actively fought for freedom of their homeland. Recall that from the end of 18th century until the end of WWI there was no Poland on the political map of Europe; the country was divided among three occupants: Austro-Hungary, Prussia and Russia. The scientific activity, including the field of mathematics, took place primarily under the Austrian occupation—in Kraków and Lwów; also under the Russian occupation—in Warsaw. There were no academic institutions under the Prussian occupation. Kraków as a fortress struggled with provisioning problems, continual marching of armies, deportations of people and constant fears of the Russian attack. Nevertheless, the Jagiellonian University opened the (shortened) academic year 191415, starting with the summer semester. Moreover, the Academy of Skills functioned: it was held in such esteem that its immovable were not requisitioned for the needs of military operations. In the summer semester of the academic year 191617 W. Nikliborc (1899-1948) started his studies in mathematics; he obtained valuable results in 1920s and 1930s. The function of the rector was held by Kazimierz Żorawski (1866-1953), who took it over after the death in 1917 of the prominent physicist M. Smoluchowski (1872-1917). Also, S. Zaremba (1863-1942) continued to develop in Krakow (from the beginning of the century) the first modern mathematical center in Polish territories. W. Wilkosz (1891-1941), who studied in Turin, was prevented by the war from formalizing his PhD under the direction of G. Peano (1858–1932). It was during the war in Krakow that H. Steinhaus (1887-1972) made one of his most important discoveries—the discovery of mathematical talent of S. Banach (1892-1945), who just completed two years of engineering studies at the Polytechnic School in Lwów. Soon after WWI, in 1919 a Mathematical Society was created in Krakow, later transformed into Polish Mathematical Society. In Lwów special attention should be paid to Professor J. Puzyna (1856-1919), who thought ahead about hiring the university faculty: W. Sierpiński (1882-1969), Z. Janiszewski (1888-1920), S. Mazurkiewicz (1888-1945), H. Steinhaus—later professors who had an extraordinary role in Polish Mathematical School. The talk will discuss how WWI influenced their lives. At the beginning of WWI Lwów was conquered by Russians, who, among other things, interned in Russia W. Sierpiński, a professor of mathematics in Lwów and a subject of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. Lwów was also the seat of the Polytechnic School—the only polytechnics where Polish was the language of instruction in the time of partitions and where mathematics was taught at an advanced level. Mathematicians who worked there had very good research results. One of the professors of the Polytechnic School, Z. Krygowski (1872-1955), became in 1919 a professor of the newly created university in Poznan. Three students of mathematics at this university – M. Rejewski (1905-1980), J. Różycki (1909-1942), H. Zygalski (1908-1978) – had great success towards breaking the Enigma code. It is worth adding that during WWI in Lwów a Mathematical Society was established, which was later transformed into a branch of the Polish Mathematical Society. In Warsaw many institutions supporting science operated dynamically. Among others, there were Mianowski’s Fund, Mathematical-Physical Circle, Mathematical-Physical Library journals published with private funds from S. Dickstein (1851-1939): Wiadomości Matematyczne, Prace Matematyczno-Fizyczne, as well as others, e.g., Wektor. One hundred years ago, in 1915, the front of WWI moved eastwards. Warsaw fell under the rule of Germans (earlier it belonged to the Russian partition), who in an attempt to win the support of Poles restored the activities of the university (the Russian imperial university was evacuated to Rostov-on-Don). Many scholars and students from the Austrian, Prussian and Russian partitions as well as from abroad came then to Warsaw; among them there were mathematicians S. Mazurkiewicz i Z. Janiszewski. The talk will also mention Polish organizations in many European cities, e.g., Paris, Saint Petersburg, Moscow, Odessa, Kharkov, which had influence on Polish mathematics during WWI. (with the cooperation of Małgorzata Stawiska, Mathematical Reviews)
timetable:
Sat 23 May, 9:00 - 9:45, Sala Stemmi
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