Richard Courant
| Richard Courant | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
January 8, 1888 Lublinitz, German Empire |
| Died | January 27, 1972 (aged 84) New Rochelle, New York |
| Nationality | German American |
| Fields | Mathematics |
| Institutions |
University of Göttingen University of Münster University of Cambridge New York University |
| Alma mater | University of Göttingen |
| Doctoral advisor | David Hilbert |
| Doctoral students |
Herbert Busemann Paul Bailyn Yu Why Chen William Feller Kurt Friedrichs Fritz John Joseph Keller Edgar Krahn Martin Kruskal Anneli Lax Hans Lewy Otto Neugebauer Franz Rellich |
| Known for |
Courant number Courant minimax principle Courant–Friedrichs–Lewy condition |
Richard Courant (January 8, 1888 – January 27, 1972) was a German American mathematician. He is best known by the general public for the book What is Mathematics?, co-written with Herbert Robbins.
Courant was born in Lublinitz, in the Prussian Province of Silesia. His parents were Siegmund Courant and Martha Courant née Freund of Oels. Edith Stein was Richard's cousin on the paternal side. During his youth his parents moved often, including to Glatz, then to Breslau and in 1905 to Berlin. He stayed in Breslau and entered the university there, then continued his studies at the University of Zürich and the University of Göttingen. He became David Hilbert's assistant in Göttingen and obtained his doctorate there in 1910. He was obliged to serve in World War I, but was wounded shortly after enlisting and therefore dismissed from the military. He continued his research in Göttingen and then engaged a two-year period at the University of Münster as professor of mathematics. There he founded the Mathematical Institute, which he headed as director from 1928 until 1933.
Courant left Germany in 1933, earlier than many Jewish escapees. He did not lose his position due to being Jewish, as his previous service as a front-line soldier exempted him; however, his public membership in the social-democratic left was reason enough (for the Nazis) for dismissal.
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