Hans Zassenhaus

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Hans Julius Zassenhaus
Zassenhaus formula
Zassenhaus group
Zassenhaus lemma
Zassenhaus neighbourhoods
Berlekamp–Zassenhaus algorithm
Cantor–Zassenhaus algorithm
Schur–Zassenhaus theorem
AwardsJeffery–Williams Prize (1974)
Lester R. Ford Award (1968)
Scientific career
FieldsMathematics
InstitutionsUniversity of Rostock
McGill University
University of Notre Dame
Ohio State University
Doctoral studentsJoachim Lambek

Hans Julius Zassenhaus (28 May 1912 – 21 November 1991) was a German mathematician, known for work in many parts of abstract algebra, and as a pioneer of computer algebra.

Biography

He was born in Koblenz in 1912. His father was a historian and advocate for Reverence for Life as expressed by Albert Schweitzer. Hans had two brothers, Guenther and Wilfred, and sister Hiltgunt, who wrote an autobiography in 1974. According to her, their father lost his position as school principal due to his philosophy. She wrote:[1]: 21, 2 

Hans, my eldest brother, studied mathematics. My brothers Guenther and Wilfred were in medical school. ... only students who participated in Nazi activities would get scholarships. That left us out. Together we made an all-out effort. ... soon our house became a beehive. Day in and day out for the next four years a small army of children of all ages would arrive to be tutored.

At the University of Hamburg Zassenhaus came under the influence of Emil Artin. As he wrote later:

His introductory course in
theoretical physicist to a mathematician.[2]

When just 21, Zassenhaus was studying

butterfly lemma that provides a refinement of two normal chains to isomorphic central chains. Inspired by Artin, Zassenhaus wrote a textbook
Lehrbuch der Gruppentheorie that was later translated as Theory of Groups. His thesis was on
stabilizers. These groups are now called Zassenhaus groups. They have had a deep impact on the classification of finite simple groups
. He obtained his doctorate in June 1934, and took the teachers’ exam the next May. He became a scientific assistant at University of Rostock. In 1936 he became assistant to Artin back in Hamburg, but Artin departed for the USA the following year. Zassenhaus gave his Habilitation in 1938.

According to his sister Hiltgunt, Hans was "called up as a research scientist at a weather station"[1]: 55  for his part in the German war effort.

Zassenhaus married Lieselotte Lohmann in 1942. The couple raised three children: Michael (born 1943), Angela (born 1947), and Peter (born 1949). In 1943 Zassenhaus became extraordinary professor. He became managing director of the Hamburg Mathematical Seminar.

After the war, and as a fellow of the

leaves of absence to the Institute for Advanced Study (1955/6) and California Institute of Technology (1958/9). There he was using computers to advance number theory. In 1959 Zassenhaus began teaching at University of Notre Dame
and became director of its computing center in 1964.

Zassenhaus was a

U Montreal (1977/78), Saarbrücken
(1979/80).

He served as editor in chief of the

Lester R. Ford Award in 1968.[3]

Hans Zassenhaus died in Columbus, Ohio on November 21, 1991. His doctoral students include Joachim Lambek.

Important publications

  • Hans Zassenhaus (1937), Lehrbuch der Gruppentheorie ("Textbook of group theory"),[4] 2nd edition (1960),The theory of groups.[5]

A famous group theory book based on a course by Emil Artin given at the University of Hamburg during winter semester 1933 and summer semester 1934.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Hiltgunt Zassenhaus (1974) Walls: Resisting the Third Reich, Beacon Press
  2. doi:10.1305/ndjfl/1093957731
    .
  3. JSTOR 2314875
    .
  4. doi:10.1090/s0002-9904-1938-06763-8
    .
  5. doi:10.1090/S0002-9904-1960-10414-4
    .
  6. doi:10.1090/S0273-0979-1993-00392-6
    .

External links

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