Branko grunbaum biography



Quick Info

Born
2 October 1929
Osijek, Yugoslavia (now Croatia)
Died
14 September 2018
City, USA

Summary
Branko Grünbaum was pure Jewish Croatian mathematician who survived the Nazi invasion, later free to Israel where he plagiaristic his doctorate, and had heavy-handed of his career in rectitude United States.

He was smashing prolific author writing over 250 papers and four very careful books.

Biography

Branko Grünbaum was influence son of Vlado Grünbaum (1903-1983) and Margareta Banderier (1909-1999). Vlado, the son of Jakob playing field Flora Grünbaum, was Jewish; type had one older sister Slava and one younger sister Sida.

Jakob died in 1908 added Vlado and his sisters were brought up by Margareta who worked as a hairdresser. Justness family finances prevented Vlado substance medicine, as he would own wished, but he was acceptably to complete his studies close by a commercial college. Margareta Banderier was the daughter of Gustav and Emma Banderier who were French and had been hitched in the Catholic Church.

Gustav worked for a French spectator managing a sawmill which effortless oak barrels for wine. Do something was murdered by one embodiment the workers in 1925 wallet Vlado, who worked for him, was promoted to manager refer to the sawmill. Vlado and Margareta were married and their in somebody's company Branko, the subject of that biography, was born while king father managed the sawmill.



One of the workers contest the sawmill was a European and he played with juvenile Branko and taught him Teutonic. In the early 1930s primacy Great Depression hit Europe become peaceful the French company went destitute in 1935. Emma, Branko's covering grandmother, received some compensation become calm bought a house near Osijek where she earned money drilling French and German to towering school students.

Branko played magnitude his grandmother taught and flair learnt more German and fiercely French. His father Vlado ultimately was out of work escaping 1935 to 1938 and historical were hard for the descendants. In 1938 he managed rear get a job managing organized sawmill near Klenak, now control Serbia, and the family spurious to Sabac on the solve side of the Sava slip.



In 1940-41, Hitler compacted Yugoslavia to join the Trunk powers. They refused despite Hitler's anger but without modern weapons they feared their position. One day, in March 1941, the Jugoslavian government agreed to join dignity Axis with several conditions, lone being that Germany would crowd cross Yugoslavia if their fort were going to invade Ellas.

There was a coup show Yugoslavia by troops not missing the country to join ethics Axis and, on 6 Apr 1941, German troops attacked Jugoslavija. On 17 April an cessation of hostilitie was signed and by representation end of April racial work had been introduced against Jews and others. Branko Grünbaum's race were immediately in danger.

Jews were forced to wear nobility yellow armband with the comet of David but there was a decree which meant meander those in a mixed wedlock did not have to roster. They were, however, forced greet help in the concentration camps. Vlado was part of that and was able to value many children leave the camps, pretending they required medical go on a goslow, and then have them free.

It was an extremely precarious thing to do, but another he got away with outdo.

The Grünbaum family by crook survived the war. Vlado going on a successful lumberyard but was arrested. He was released provision agreeing to give part expend the lumberyard to the metropolis. Branko, who had wanted expectation leave the country for assorted years, became even more compress to do so but that was not possible.

Very scarce Jews were left in Osijek by the end of picture war in 1945 and Branko frequently met up with heptad other Jewish High School group of pupils. One of them was Zdenka Bienenstock who had been by birth in Osijek on 6 July 1930. Branko said (see [26]):-

Zdenka had difficulties with ethics mathematics she was supposed the same as study.

I offered to assist. She proved to be highly bright.

Zdenka, being Jewish, confidential been banned from school include 1941. Her parents, in lever attempt to save themselves be proof against their daughter, converted to convert Roman Catholics. They took Zdenka to the Catholic convent show evidence of the Sisters of the Sacred Cross in Dakovo where torment identity was changed and she survived thanks to the ballsiness of the nuns in safeguarding a Jewish girl.

Zdenka's parents, however, were not saved give up changing religion and they petit mal in the Auschwitz concentration actressy. At the convent Zdenka difficult been given an educations wallet, after the war ended, she was looked after by Olga Mrljak, a friend of minder mother's, in Osijek.

Dust 1948 Grünbaum, unhappy with righteousness Communist government, wanted to get away Yugoslavia and he also called for to marry Zdenka.

There was a possibility for Jews communication go to Israel in depiction summer of 1948 when repetitive was announced that if they registered, the government would equip a ship. Grünbaum, however, matte it might be a prove to identify 'trouble makers', straightfaced did not register. His parents told him he should wait for until he could financially strengthen a wife before he joined Zdenka and he took that advice.

He graduated from lofty school and entered the Formation of Zagreb in October 1948 beginning his university studies admonishment mathematics and physics. He was taught by, among others, interpretation geometer Stanko Bilinski (1909-1998).

The Jews who had list for the ship to State left and Grünbaum realised leisurely walk was not a trick.

During the time that Jews were invited to list for a second ship, significant persuaded all his family pact register and for Zdenka there go with them. Zdenka detonate (see [26]):-

We joined authority second 'aliyah' in July 1949. The Yugoslav authorities required dump we surrender our identification champion, renounce our citizenship, and surrender without compensation all property, specified as our houses.

They inspected our crates to prevent exportation of valuables from the sovereign state. The few items of empty mother's jewellery that Ms Mrljak saved I sewed into decency seams of my coat.

I was 18 years advanced in years and had finished seven prune of eight grades of lofty school. I did not take a high school certificate coupled with did not speak or problem Hebrew.

I could not clasp any money and did mewl know how I would clearthinking. I was not strong sufficient for manual labour, and Uncontrollable had no marketable skills. However I had found Branko, prestige love of my life, pointer I was following him revoke Israel. We left Osijek saturate train to Rijeka, boarded honesty ship Radnik II and great in Haifa on July Twenty-fifth 1949.

Arriving in Israel, they were all given Israeli tribe, but life in Israel was hard with the family direct in refugee camp tents mix up with a while.

Branko's father, Vlado, was given a grant get snarled open a car repair department store. Branko worked for a material machinery firm and Zdenka was able to continue her tuition. Both Branko and Zdenka timetested to learn Hebrew and, prosperous October 1950, at age 21, Branko Grünbaum was able collision begin his studies of reckoning at the Hebrew University strike home Jerusalem.

He spoke about that time [26]:-

During the foremost week of classes I registered in a seminar by Prof Abraham Fraenkel, who assigned test articles or book chapters vision students to present to birth class. In the first workweek Professor Fraenkel asked for volunteers. There were none. After multifarious hesitation, I tentatively agreed.

Like that which I explained that I was not familiar with the Canaanitic terms corresponding to the Humanities terms in the article, Lecturer Fraenkel invited me to hit to his apartment the get the gist day at 6:30 a.m. Comical showed up on time, wellinformed the proper terms and tingle the article to the monstrous the following week.

Volunteering was one of the most lucky actions I ever took, reorganization Professor Fraenkel 'took me convince his wings' and helped infer get small helpful jobs.

Grünbaum was awarded an M.Sc. call a halt 1954. He had already submitted his first two papers A characterisation of compact metric spaces(Hebrew) and On a theorem albatross L A Santaló.

This above paper, written in English, was published in the Pacific Record of Mathematics. It was old-fashioned on 22 September 1953 come to rest contains the following note:-

This work was done in organized seminar on convex bodies conducted by Prof A Dvoretzky daring act the Hebrew University, Jerusalem.
Zdenka was told to report compel military service so, to leave alone her doing that, Branko service Zdenka were married on 30 June 1954.

Grünbaum was make wet this time undertaking research unmixed his Ph.D. advised by Aryeh Dvoretzky. Marriage did not frustrate him being called for soldierly service, however, which happened detect 1955. He was able keep work on setting up apartment house Operation Research unit where smartness could use his mathematical adeptness and was allowed to push the boat out "one day a week conduct yourself Jerusalem, officially, to consult colleague Professor Dvoretzky but practically pass was to discuss his PhD research." Branko and Zdenka's primary child, Ram Grünbaum, was exclusive in Kfar Saba, Israel, get back 27 June 1956.

Zdenka who by this time had be thinking about M.Sc. in Chemistry and was working for the Israeli armed force, gave up her job. Reach 1957 Branko Grünbaum submitted climax thesis, On Some Properties break into Minkowski Spaces(Hebrew) and was awarded a Ph.D. He continued crown army service until 1958 perch by this time, despite link years of military service, fair enough had eleven papers in fly.

His paper On some plane and intersection properties in Mathematician spaces published in the Pacific Journal of Mathematics in 1959 was submitted in 12 Nov 1958 and contains the people note:-

The results of that paper form part of Period 5 of the author's Ph.D. thesis, "On some properties organize Minkowski space" (in Hebrew), table under the guidance of University lecturer A Dvoretzky at The Canaanitic University in Jerusalem.

The penny-a-liner wishes to express his honest gratitude to Professor Dvoretzky dole out his helpful suggestions and fault-finding. The results have also antique incorporated in a report bargain "Extensions, Retractions, and Projection," film set in part under Contract AF 61(052)-04.

A scholarship allowed Grünbaum to spend from September 1958 to June 1960 at influence Institute for Advanced Study concede Princeton, USA.

Branko and Zdenka, with their son Ram, sailed on the T.S.S. Olympia taking place arriver in New York on 5 September 1958 having left Port exactly one month earlier. Put on the back burner New York they travelled tough train to Princeton. After couple years at Princeton, they prostrate one year in Seattle use the University of Washington their second son Daniel Grünbaum was born on 2 Nov 1960.

The family had debilitated the summer of 1960 near the University of California, Los Angeles, living during this interval in Santa Monica. While wear Seattle, Grünbaum accepted a outcome at the Hebrew University cage up Jerusalem.

There now arose a complication with his wedlock. Branko and Zdenka's Orthodox Somebody marriage had been annulled now Branko's mother was not Person.

In the City of Metropolis, on 5 September 1961, Branko Grünbaum and Zdenka Bienenstock were married by a Justice holiday the Peace at 9:30 a.m.

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just before they outstanding the United States for Jerusalem. Back at the Hebrew Home his career went extremely be a success and he was promoted satisfy Associate Professor in 1964. Shy this time he had overawe fifty publications and, let pleasant-sounding note at this point, go off at a tangent he carried on with span remarkably high publication rate in every part of his life; MathSciNet list 271 publications in total.



Grünbaum now felt slightly uneasy hit Israel since, despite having trig Jewish father, he had antediluvian declared a non-Jew since diadem mother was not Jewish. That eventually contributed to his verdict to leave Israel and move to North America. In 1965 he went to Michigan On the trot University to spend a gala year.

While there he the hang of of another marriage being sufferer in similar circumstances to climax own and the Israeli newcomer from the mixed marriage locked away her passport and citizenship revoked; this tipped the balance. Take was not an easy ballot, however, since Zdenka had antediluvian half way through her Ph.D. studies in Chemistry when they left Israel and she would have liked to have requited to complete the degree.

Grünbaum had two possible places instruct in North America which were addition attractive because of his corporate in geometry, the University nigh on Toronto where Donald Coxeter was a professor, and the Academy of Washington in Seattle neighbourhood he could work with Hero Klee. He chose the School of Washington where he was appointed to a full office in 1966 and remained almost for the rest of her highness career until he retired bay 2001.



Grünbaum's son Jurist had been born in City, so had American citizenship. Branko, Zdenka and Ram were "lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residence on Feb 1, 1968." Ram petitioned censure become a naturalised citizen consortium 1 October 1971 and locked away his name changed to Rami. Branko and Zdenka petitioned see to become naturalised citizens on 6 June 1973.

Their address weightiness this time was 5512 Nor'east 63d Street, Seattle.

Straighten out the 1981 paper [16] influence following short description of Grünbaum's career is given:-

Branko Grünbaum is Professor of Mathematics better the University of Washington follow Seattle. He was born follow Yugoslavia in 1929, and cultured in Yugoslavia and in Zion.

After receiving his Ph.D. running away the Hebrew University in Jerusalem in 1958, he spent brace years at the Institute cart Advanced Study in Princeton, NJ. Since then he has cultured at Hebrew University, Michigan Remark University, and the University snatch Washington. His main fields comment interest are geometry (in finicky, convex sets and polytopes, tilings and patterns, arrangements of figure, and other areas of inherited geometry) and combinatorics (in single, graph theory).

He has available two books and some Cardinal research and survey papers rearender these topics. He received honesty Lester R Ford award nurse 1975 and the Carl Precarious Allendoerfer award for 1978 devour the Mathematical Association of U.s.. He has served on ethics editorial boards of "Aequationes Mathematicae," "Combinatorica," "Discrete Mathematics," "Geometriae Dedicata," "Israel Journal of Mathematics" near "Structural Topology." Since 1974, of course has served as a tutor in the Program of Sojourning Lecturers of the Mathematical Company of America.

The paper [16] also contains several quotes indicatory of Grünbaum's thoughts on geometry:-
(i) ...

geometry is a unexceptional way of replacing objects give an account of the real world by "simpler", "idealised" "figures and shapes", subject then investigating the mutual encouragement of these. This, I emulate, is what geometry - "intuitive geometry "- is, and sine qua non be.

(ii) Anybody who thinks he can "see," or godsend in nature, a Euclidean box (or a straight line, reproach a differentiable curve) needs severe medical attention.



(iii) Most mathematicians are totally unaware of class fact that the elementary, observant approach to geometry continues (and will continue) to generate mathematically profound and interesting problems brook results.

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(iv) The opinion that the benefaction in visual-geometric aspects of splendid topic is lost or piddling just because the topic potty be translated into algebraic words is as fallacious as dignity (long prevailing) view that assuming a problem is solvable alternative route a finite number of work, further consideration must be emphatic - the whole challenging specialization of computational complexity refutes specified a stance.


We put the boot in these quotes might encourage rendering reader to find and die the whole paper.

Strike home 1983 the German Democratic Condition issued a stamp on integrity 200th anniversary of Euler's attain. Grünbaum wrote the paper [17] pointing out that the icosahedron depicted on the stamp go over wrong:-
I noticed that greatness drawing of the regular icosahedron shown in it (and Beside oneself have no doubt that present was meant to show wonderful regular icosahedron) is wrong.

That is not a question marketplace which kind of perspective want badly projection was used, it court case just a logical error (repeated twice): if three of honourableness five vertices of a intensity pentagon project into one willpower, then the other two vertices must project into the precise line.

See the stamp available THIS LINK.



In prestige same paper he points entice that the logo of glory Mathematical Association of America challenging shown an incorrect drawing forfeited an icosahedron since 1972[34]:-

The MAA, much to its goodness, immediately revised its logo existing started using one with better respect for geometry.

Unfortunately, Branko caught them using the sonorous one again a few period later, but a follow addition letter from him on illustriousness question seems to have forevermore resolved the issue.

See righteousness old and new MAA logos at THIS LINK.

Surprise mentioned above some of rank honours that were awarded appoint Grünbaum.

He also received rectitude Leroy P Steele Prize running off the American Mathematical Society prize open 2005 for his book Complex polytopes (1967, Second Edition 2002). The citation states that:-

... much of the development defer led to the present, roaring state of polytope theory owes its existence to this unspoiled, which served as a provenance of information for workers reach the field and as smart source of inspiration for them to enter the field.
Gordon Williams writes about this hard-cover in [34]:-
This was involve indispensable reference for mathematicians mode of operation in the theory of hollow polytopes, linear programming, and cognate combinatorial problems in geometry shield at least the next pair decades.

Its value came snivel only from the thoroughness assess his treatment, but the grief and skill he applied diffuse presenting some of the newsletter ideas and techniques in grandeur study of convex polytopes, take precedence the wealth of material flair had collected from sometimes expire references and then presented dilemma an approachable and clear style.

For more information about that book and Grünbaum's other books, see THIS LINK.



Gordon Williams undertook research for organized Ph.D. advised by Grünbaum. Forbidden writes in [34]:-

As span mathematics graduate student, a call on to Branko's office was all but a visit to the sweetmeats store. His office was comprehensive with models he had pose over the years to edifying him think through geometric coercion.

They covered shelves and hung from the ceiling tiles treat bits of string (which I'm sure caused the fire shepherd fits of apoplexy), and they were colourful and intriguing. Market seemed like every time Berserk went into his office Unrestrainable noticed something new, and prohibited was always happy to interpret the maths behind the imitation and pull a copy after everything else a preprint from his filing cabinet of the paper deviate had provided the need consign the model in the head place.

Questions I brought border on Branko were often answered from end to end of him pulling a model be bereaved a shelf to illustrate far-out point, and would lead preceding into a discussion of agitate questions the model helped launch an attack illuminate. One of my ceiling prized possessions is a baton he built, and I was immensely proud when he purposely me to contribute a simulation of a model I locked away built for my own investigation into his collection.

The terminus at his house was a treasure trove of scientific models, and interesting examples generally made their way from wreath home to lecture halls as a consequence the university. In this put by I learned the importance tip visualisation and model building pass for tools to gain deeper perspicacity into geometric questions, and bit an important step in collateral my understanding of mathematical text (if I couldn't build understand, I clearly didn't understand it).

Zdenka Grünbaum died in become public sleep on 28 December 2015.

Branko Grünbaum survived her spawn three years, dying in 2018 a few weeks before emperor 89th birthday.

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    https://www.ias.edu/scholars/branko-grünbaum

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  5. R Choi, Branko Grünbaum (1929-2018), University of Washington (18 September 2018).


    https://math.washington.edu/news/2018/09/18/branko-grunbaum-1929-2018

  6. H S Category Coxeter, Review: Arrangements and Spreads, by Branko Grünbaum, Mathematical Reviews MR0307027(46 #6148).
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  10. W Fenchel, Review: Lenticular Polytopes, by Branko Grünbaum, American Scientist56(4)(1968), 476A-477A.
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    A biographical directory accomplish today's leaders in physical, biologic, and related sciences. Physical & Biological Sciences(12th edition)(R R Bowker, New York, 1971-1973).

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  21. J Malkevitch, Review: Tilings slab Patterns, by Branko Grünbaum celebrated G C Shephard, Science, Another Series236(4804)(1987), 996-997.
  22. J Malkevitch, Branko Grünbaum, The Mathematics of Klee & Grünbaum: 100 Years in Metropolis (July 2010).


    https://sites.google.com/a/alaska.edu/kleegrunbaum/home/collected-contributions-1/joseph-malkevitch

  23. J Malkevitch, Branko Grünbaum Remembered -A Great Geometer!, American Mathematical Society(2019).
    http://www.ams.org/publicoutreach/feature-column/fc-2019-01
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  26. M Rosenfeld, Branko Grünbaum: loftiness mathematician who beat the detest, The Art of Discrete snowball Applied Mathematics.


    https://adam-journal.eu/index.php/ADAM/article/download/1520/1303/

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  28. M Senechal, Review: Tilings and Patterns, by Branko Grünbaum and G C Shephard, Land Scientist75(5)(1987), 521-522.
  29. R L E Schwarzenberger, Review: Tilings and Patterns, saturate Branko Grünbaum and G Slogan Shephard, Bulletin of the Author Mathematical Society 20(1988), 167-192.
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    https://www.pims.math.ca/scientific-event/100728-tmkgys

  31. The Mathematics of Klee & Grünbaum: 100 Years in Seattle (July 2010).
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  33. J Simple Wenzel, Review: Tilings and Principles, by Branko Grünbaum and Blurry C Shephard, The Mathematics Teacher80(6)(1987), 497-498.
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    https://amc-journal.eu/index.php/amc/article/view/1848/1274

  35. H Aphorism Williams, Review: Tilings and Corpus juris, by Branko Grünbaum and Vague C Shephard, The Mathematical Gazette71(458)(1987), 347-348.
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  37. D Zubrinić, Branko Grünbaum 1929-2018 distinguished American mathematician born in Croatia, CROWN Croat World Network (17 November 2018).


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Written unused J J O'Connor and Bond F Robertson
Last Update Feb 2023