TABLE OF CONTENTS
Descriptive Summary
Biographical Note
Scope and Contents
Restrictions
Index Terms
Administrative Information
Description of Series
Biographical
Clippings
Correspondence
Lectures
Manuscripts
Notes
Published Material
Photographs
Artwork
Wilhelm Magnus
Ernst Hellinger
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A Guide to the Max Dehn Papers, 1899-1979
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Creator |
Dehn, Max, 1878-1952 |
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Title |
Max Dehn Papers |
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Dates: |
1899-1979 |
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Abstract |
Collection documents the career of Max
Dehn (1878-1952), relating chiefly to his research in geometry, topology, group
theory, and the history of mathematics. |
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Accession No. |
86-4; 93-476; 2003-093; 2007-072 |
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Extent |
2 ft., 2 in. |
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Languages |
Collections materials are written in English, French and German. |
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Repository: |
Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The
University of Texas at Austin |
Max Dehn (1878-1952) was a German mathematician known for his contributions to
geometry, topology, group theory, and the history of mathematics. Born in Hamburg,
Germany, he studied mathematics in Freiburg and Göttingen, where he earned his
doctorate under the supervision of David Hilbert in 1900. In 1901, he solved
Hilbert's third problem, posed at the International Congress of Mathematicians. Dehn
began his teaching career at the University of Münster in 1901, and, after teaching
at several institutions, he landed at Frankfurt University (1921-1935). In 1935, the
Nazis forced him to leave his post; he and his wife fled Europe for the United
States in 1941. After teaching in several universities, he found a permanent
position at Black Mountain College in North Carolina in 1945. Dehn remained at the
college until he retired in 1952.
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The Max Dehn Papers document the career of Max Dehn (1878-1952) and relate chiefly to
his research in geometry, topology, group theory, and the history of mathematics.
Most of the papers are from Dehn's years at Frankfurt University and, after his
immigration in 1940 to the United States, Black Mountain College in North Carolina.
Included are correspondence, notebooks, manuscripts of publications, reprints,
lecture and course notes by Dehn, remembrances written by his daughter, colleagues
and students, and lecture notes by Ernst Hellinger. Correspondents include Emil
Artin, Otto Blumenthal, Harald Bohr, Samson Breuer, Constantin Carathéodory, David
Hilbert, Adolf Kneser, Emmy Noether, Moritz Pasch, Otto Toeplitz, and Ernst Zermelo.
The majority of the materials are written in German, with some English and
French.
Forms part of the Archives of American Mathematics.
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Access Restrictions
Unrestricted access.
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Subjects (Persons) |
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Dehn, Max, 1878-1952.--Archives |
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Artin, Emil, 1898-1962 |
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Blumenthal, Otto, b. 1876 |
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Breuer, Samson, 1891- |
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Carathéodory, Constantin, 1873-1950 |
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Hellinger, Ernst, b. 1883 |
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Hilbert, David, 1862-1943 |
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Kneser, Adolf, 1862-1930 |
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Noether, Emmy, 1882-1935 |
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Pasch, Moritz, 1843-1930 |
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Toeplitz, Otto, 1881-1940 |
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Zermelo, Ernst, 1871- |
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Subjects |
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Geometry |
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Group theory |
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Mathematics--History |
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Topology |
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Mathematics historians |
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This collection was previously housed at the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center
(HRC).
Max Dehn Papers, 1899-1979, Archives of American Mathematics, Dolph Briscoe Center
for American History, University of Texas at Austin.
Serial numbers were assigned to shipments that arrived at the HRC before the
collection was transferred to the Briscoe Center in 1984. Although the material has
been rearranged, the original serial numbers have been placed in brackets on the
folders for the convenience of researchers who are familiar with the original
inventory. See original finding aid in holding record for more information.
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Note on abbreviations:
ALS = Autograph (handwritten) Letter Signed (in the hand of the author)
TLS = Typed Letter Signed (by the author)
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Biographical |
| Box |
| 4RM128 |
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Memorial address, delivered by Wolfgang Franz, director of the
mathematical seminary in Frankfurt, on Dehn's death, July 16, 1952 |
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Memorials to Dehn. Includes reminiscences by his daughter, Maria
Peters, Ruth Moufang, C. L. Siegel, Wilhelm Magnus, R. B. Sher, Joe
Engel, John Stillwell, Mildred Harding, Benjamin Yandell,
1952-2002 |
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Recollections of Ruth Moufang of Dehn’s sayings, [photocopy],
undated |
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From the Collected Papers of André
Weil, photocopy of page 460-461, about lecture concerning
Dehn, undated |
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"Biographische Notizen," biographical statement on Dehn, undated |
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Clippings |
| Box |
| 4RM128 |
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"Der Goldene Schnitt in Der Natur," from German newspaper, April 5, 1939 |
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[Includes other printed material], various newspaper clippings on
Dehn and an announcement of a memorial lecture, 1940, 1952 and undated |
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Describing Dehn's difficulties with the German government [two
clippings], and obituary, all in German, described by Magnus, 1952 |
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Correspondence |
| Box |
| 4RM128 |
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To Dehn from Ernst Zermelo, [one letter, 8 pp., and one
postcard], September 25, 1900 and October 27, 1904 |
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To Dehn from David Hilbert (postcard, 2 brief letters), in
German, 1905, 1909, 1931 |
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Documents and letters of academic appointments; letter of thanks,
June 12, 1915, for aid to "Nationaler Frauendienst;" documents and
letters concerning retirement, move to Norway, and pension; and clipping
from Oslo's Tidenstign, May 22, 1931,
featuring Dehn and Hegaard, 1905-1941 |
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Letters and documents relating to Dehn's professional life,
[mostly photocopies], 1911-1952 |
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Postcard from Detlef Cauer, August 25, 1912 |
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To Dehn from Emmy Noether, regarding a mathematical question
raised by Dehn, July 8, 1920 |
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Between Max and Toni Dehn and German publishers Springer-Verlag
and Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft regarding Dehn's publications,
[1936 "Scientia" paper and 1926 Pasch-Dehn book], 1925-1929, 1971-1978 |
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To Dehn from Moritz Pasch, 3 pp., July 7[?], 1926 |
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Between Dehn and Hellmuth Kneser about Dehn's lemma, 1929 |
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Between Dehn and Kneser, 1929 |
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To Kneser [incomplete] with mathematical notes, September 6, 1929 |
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To Dehn from Leo Frobenius, November 3, 1932 |
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Handwritten copies [by?] of letters of recommendation for Dehn,
addressed to Professor Hegaard for a position in Oslo, Norway, written
by Jakob Nielsen, E. Cartan, Heinz Hopf, J. H. C. Whitehead, Dvan [?]
Dantzig, and Karol Borsok, 1938 |
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To Dehn from Samson Breuer, written several days before Dehn went
into hiding in the house of Hilly Hartner, 2 pp., November 6, 1938 |
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To Dehn from Otto Blumenthal and Otto Toeplitz on Dehn's 60th
birthday, 3 pp., November 11, 1938 |
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Photocopies of documents from Idaho State University Special
Collections regarding Dehn's move to the U. S. and work as a professor
there [formerly University of Idaho, Southern Branch], 1938-1949, 1986, and undated |
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Postcard to Dehn from Constantin Carathéodory, January 27, 1940 |
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Birthday letters to Dehn on his 70th birthday [November 13,
1948], 1948-1949 |
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Letters and documents, including an invitation to join "Deutsche
Mathematiker-Vereinigung im französich besetzten Gebiet Wüttembergs,"
June 15, 1948; and Dehn's refusal, August 13, 1948, 1948-1949 |
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To Dehn from Harald Bohr, in Danish, December 15, 1949 |
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Dehn to Emil Artin, photocopy of ALS, 2 pp., April 6, 1950 |
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Birthday letters to Toni Dehn on Max Dehn's 100th birthday, 1978-1979 |
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Between Wilhelm Magnus and Toni Dehn regarding Max Dehn's papers, 1979 and undated |
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Lectures |
| Box |
| 4RM128 |
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"Übersicht Über Probleme und Resultate bei Untersuchungen Über
Allgemeine Diskontinuierliche Gruppen…," Breslau, 4 pp., mimeographed, December 11, 1920 |
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"Über Kurvensysteme auf Zweiseitigen Flächen mit Anmerkung auf
das Abbildungsproblem. Vortrag (ergänzt) im Math. Kolloquium," Breslau,
11.2.1922," 12 mimeograph-type pages, February 11, 1922 |
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"Über Kurvensysteme…," mimeographed, three copies, Breslau, November 2, 1922 |
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Brussels lecture [on group theory?], in French with some notes in
German, 1932 and undated |
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Copenhagen [notes], 1934 |
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Given by Dehn in Pocatello, Idaho, describing his flight from
Norway to the USA via Sweden, Moscow, Siberia, and Japan, typed carbon,
8 pp. [described by Magnus], 1941 |
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History of mathematics, third and fifth lectures, two
mimeographed pages, 1948-1949 |
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"Notes on History of Calculus with Implications for our
Teaching," at annual meeting, Illinois Section, MAA, [was foldered with
1928 Schoenflies Festschrift], May 14, 1948 |
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| 4RM129 |
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Preparation for the 2nd, 3rd, and 6th lectures on the history of
mathematics, mimeograph with handwritten notes, 5 pp., 1949 |
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"Gruppentheorie," 170 numbered pages in hardbound notebook, [note
by Magnus, "lecture notes for a course on group theory, given by Max
Dehn, time, place and writer unknown"], includes diagrams, undated |
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Notes from a course given by Dehn in group theory, author unknown
[photocopy], undated |
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Manuscripts |
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"Beitrage zur Analysis Situs. Prinzipien der Geometrie,"
unpublished manuscript, photocopy
ca.1899 |
| Box |
| 4RM129 |
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"Beweis des Satzes, das Jedes Geradlinige Polygon Ohne
Doppelpuntke 'Die Ebne in Zwei Teile Teilt,'" unpublished manuscript, in
cardboard folder labeled, "Dehn Beitrage zur Analysis Situs Principien
der Geometrie, Göttingen" ca. 1899. Note: this manuscript is discussed in a
paper by H. Guggenheimer, in 4RM132, folder: "Published Material –
by others" |
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"Vortrag in Münster [?] '/w. d.6. Juni 1911, Über die Lehre vom
Inhalt," loose pages, numbered 1-20, 1911 |
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"Über Topologie und Allgemeine Gruppentheorie, Frankfurt a/M.
Vortrag (Bericht) Gehalten auf der Jahresuersammlund d. Deutsche Math.
Ver., Leipzig 1922," 1922 |
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Festschrift for Artur Schoenflies, "Artur Schoenflies Zum 70.
Geburtstag," includes work by Dehn, P. Epstein, Karl Reinhardt, C. L.
Siegel, and Otto Szairs, bound, April 17, 1923 |
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Festschrift for Max Dehn, "Dem Freunde Max Dehn zur Beendigung
Feines 50. Dozenten-Semesters," handwritten in different hands, bound,
includes printed article by Schoenflies and loose sheet by Ernst
Hellinger, November 1, 1926 |
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Festschrift for Artur Schoenflies - in paper folder, includes
article by C. L. Siegel with caricature, November 6, 1927, article
by Dehn, and 1928 article by Siegel, all handwritten April 17, 1928 |
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[Lecture?] "Probleme des Mathematischen Hochschulunterrichts,"
Vortrag in Nauheim, typed, September 23, 1932 |
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Two manuscripts by Dehn addressed to Ernst Hellinger on his
birthday, originally found with 1923 Schoenflies
Festschrift, September 30, 1933 and September 30, 1943 |
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Various incomplete manuscripts and notes, includes outline of
"Psychology of Mathematical Activity," letter dated March 24, 1945 from
W. Köhler, 1942-1945 and undated |
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"Determination of the element by the series of KaN is the
Development," and "On Hyperabelian Groups," ca. 1949 |
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"Die Stetigen Beziehungen Einer Fläche auf Sich Selbst…," loose
sheets numbered 1-15 , with corrections and notes, undated |
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"Die Veränderung der Mathematischen Methodik Durch die Entdeckung
der Nicht-Euklidischen Geometrie," loose sheets numbered 1-24, [with
corrections], undated |
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Untitled, handwritten pages numbered 55-255, on the relationship
between mathematics and ornamentation [?], described by Magnus, undated |
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"Animi sui Complicatum…," typed manuscript and carbon copy, each
with annotations, ca. 60 pages total, on the psychology of mathematics, undated |
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| 4RM130 |
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"Festschrift zum [?]] Bestchur des L[?] Seminar," handwritten
manuscript and photocopy, undated |
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Notes |
| Box |
| 4RM130 |
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Loose sheets, one with "Magnus" at top, and notebook, "Einleitung
in die Höhere Analysis, Kiel [?] w.s. 1911/12. Heft I," Letters "G R"
cut out of back cover, ca. 1911-1912 and undated |
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Notecards and drawings, ca. 1914 and undated |
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"Schnee, Breslau Technische Hochschule, nach 1918," 1914-1918 |
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Notebooks |
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Notebook and loose pages, "d. 29.5.14," 1914 and undated |
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"Variationsrechnng (Fortsetzung)," 1916 |
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Notebook and loose sheets, "Gruppen mit
Relationem...," 1921 and undated |
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"Geometrie I, Frankfurt [?], s. s. 22," "Dehn, Frankfurt
9/17[?], Kettin [?] 105," 8"X5", blue/black cover, [1922?] |
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"Zahlensysteme S. S. 22," 1922 |
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"Seminar," 1922-1925 |
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"Topologie und Allgemeine Gruppentheorie W. S. 23/24," [no
cover, with loose sheets that were taped in the back], 1923-1924 |
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"Geometrie II. Fortz. Geometrie III," ca. 1923-1925 |
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"Höhere Algebra, w.s. 1924/25," 1924-1925 |
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"Mechanik, w.s. 1924-25," and loose sheets, 1924-1925 |
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"Geometrie III. Fortz," [ca. 1925?] |
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"Differentialgleichungen im Heben [?] Gebiet, w.s. 25/26," 1925-1926 |
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"Variationsrechnung I., s.s. 26," 1925-1926, 1931-1932 |
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"Linear…[?], s.s. 26," 1926 |
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"Gruppentheorie, w.s. 1926-27, s.s. 1931," "Linear groups,"
and "Group theory," 1926-1935, 1949 |
| Box |
| 4RM131 |
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"Höhere Analysis I., s.s. 1927," and "Höhere Analysis II.,
w.s. 1927-1928," 1927-1928 |
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"Grundlagen (?) der Geometrie," 1928-1929 |
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"Algebra… [?], w.s. 1929-1930," 1929-1930 |
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"Analysis II., 1933" and "Grafische und Analytiche [?] der
[?], w.s. 26/27," 1933 |
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"Diffgl. II… w.s. 33/34," 1933-1934 |
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"Zusätze. 1. Diff. Geometrie 34/35," 1934-1935 |
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Notes for history of mathematics articles, 1943 |
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"Aristotle," probably notes for article in American Mathematical Monthly,
1950 |
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"Durchschreibeblock," in shorthand and English, some
mathematics, mostly philosophy, undated [after 1950] |
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"x'=l, (x, y)…," undated |
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Miscellaneous loose sheets, 1934 and undated |
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Untitled manuscript and mathematical notes, originally found with
1923 Schoenflies Festschrift, undated |
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"Mapping," folder containing about 100 pages of topological
diagrams and notes, [mostly in English], undated |
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Unidentified mimeographed notes, undated |
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Envelope labeled "Zettelkatalog zu Psychologie," containing slips
of notes, undated |
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Published Material |
| Box |
| 4RM131 |
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By Dehn: 1907-1950, undated |
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Articles by Dehn (2 folders), includes later reprints
1907-1936, 1975, undated |
| Box |
| 4RM132 |
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Articles by Dehn, includes article co-written with E. D.
Hellinger, 1940-1950, undated |
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By others |
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G. Hessenberg, H. Guggenheimer, 1905, 1977. Note: includes
“The Jordan Curve Theorem…” by Guggenheimer, which discusses “Beweis
des Satzes…” by Dehn, in box 4RM129 |
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Photographs |
| Box |
| 4RM203c |
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Photographs, with letter from the Institute of Advanced Study,
signed by John Von Neumann, Carl Ludwig Siegel and others, three photos
of architectural details of tigers on buildings, one attached to letter,
March 28, 1935 |
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Artwork |
| box |
| 4RM132 |
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Drawings - "Geometry for Artists class, Black Mountain College,
Winter & Spring," 1948 |
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Drawings, sketches, undated |
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Wilhelm Magnus |
| Box |
| 4RM132 |
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Photocopies of Dehn correspondence and printed material, includes
article "The Mathematician's Art of Work," by J. E. Littlewood, 1900-1920, 1932, 1949-1967 |
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Photocopies of material from Dehn Papers, annotated by Magnus, 1920-1949 and undated |
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Lists of Dehn's books with Magnus correspondence, September 1952 and undated |
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Correspondence, notes, and printed material about Dehn, 1954-1959, 1977-1980 and undated |
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File on Hellinger, includes correspondence, research material and
drafts relating to Magnus' entry on Hellinger in the Dictionary of
Scientific Biography, 1968-1971 and undated |
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Samples of flourishes which Dehn used to sign his letters,
[photocopy, described by Magnus], undated |
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Ernst Hellinger |
| Box |
| 4RM132 |
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Lecture notes by Hellinger [with folder], 1922-1928 |
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Four sets of lecture notes, "Beispiele u. Rechnungen m-
operatoren, "Seminar Über Unendl. Matrisen [?]" dated 1933, "Liter. U-
Operatoren;" "Differesengleichungen," 1929-1938 and undated |
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