Objects

Hugo Steinhaus, 1970

Gierałtowski, Krzysztof (1938- )

"Mathematics mediates between spirit and matter" – these words of Hugo Steinhaus (1887–1972), according to his wife's will, were carved on his grave in Wrocław. Steinhaus, was a mathematician, professor at the University of Jana Kazimierza, one of the representatives of the Lviv school of mathematics, frequenter of the famous Szkocka cafe at Akademicka Street. After World War II, which he and his family survived under a false name, he lectured at the University of Wrocław. He was a co-founder and editor of the journal Studia Mathematica. In 1980, a selection of his aphorisms was published under the title Słownik racjonalny (Rational Dictionary). In 1992, Steinhaus's diaries, Wspomnienia i Zapiski (Memoirs and Notes), were published. He was a mathematician, aphorist, humanist, man of great wit and no less courage. When, in 1952, the members of the Polish Academy of Sciences, who were absent at the inaugural meeting, were asked to provide written reasons for their absence, Steinhaus replied that "he justifies his absence by the fact that those present were unable to justify their presence". He wrote about Poland in the late 1960s: "There is only one thing I like in this country: to stay...". The portrait was made in Duszniki Zdrój in 1970. Renata Piątkowska

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Information about the object
Author / creator
Gierałtowski, Krzysztof (1938- )
Object type
photography
Time of creation / dating
21st century
Place of creation
Duszniki Zdrój (Dolnośląskie Province)
Technique
black-and-white photograph
Material
photographic print paper
Keywords
Copyright status
contact the Museum
Owner
POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews
Identification number
MPOLIN-M734
Localization
The object is not currently on display