Deutsche Mathematik

Deutsche Mathematik  

Discipline	Mathematics, Nazi propaganda
Language	German
Edited by	Theodor Vahlen
Publication details
Publisher	Leipzig: S. Hirzel (Germany)
Publication history	1.1936 — 3.1942[1]
Frequency	bimonthly (delays in vol.6-7)

Deutsche Mathematik (German mathematics) was a mathematics journal founded by Ludwig Bieberbach and Theodor Vahlen in 1936. Vahlen was publisher on behalf of the German Research Foundation (DFG), Bieberbach was chief editor. Permanent editors were Fritz Kubach, Erich Schönhardt, Werner Weber^(de) (all volumes), Ernst August Weiß (vol. 1-6), Karl Dörge, Wilhelm Süß (1-5), Günther Schulz Berlin, Erhard Tornier (1-4), Georg Feigl, Gerhard Kowalewski (2-6), Maximilian Krafft, Willi Rinow, Max Zacharias (2-5), and Oswald Teichmüller (vol. 3-7).^[2] In Feb 1936, the journal was declared the official organ of the German Student Union (DSt) by its Reichsführer; all local DSt mathematics departments were requested to subscribe and to actively contribute.^[3]

Deutsche Mathematik is also the name of a movement closely associated with the journal whose aim was to promote "German mathematics" and eliminate "Jewish influence", similar to the Deutsche Physik movement. As well as articles on mathematics, the journal also published propaganda articles giving the Nazi viewpoint on the relation between mathematics and race (though these political articles mostly disappeared after the first two volumes). As a result of this many mathematics libraries outside Germany did not subscribe to it, so copies of the journal can be hard to find. This caused some problems in Teichmüller theory, as Oswald Teichmüller published several of his foundational papers in the journal.

Quotation by Ludwig Bieberbach

"In the intellectual sphere the race shows in the manner of creation, the evaluation of the results, and I guess also in the standpoint considering foundational questions. … Formalism wants to build a realm of mathematical truths which is independent of man, whereas Intuitionism is based on the idea that mathematical thinking is a human endeavor and thus cannot be separated from man."^[4]

References

1. Record at Technical University Berlin library
2. Volume tables of contents
3. Vol.1, issue 2, p.122-123, Communication of the DSt's Reichsfachabteilung mathematics by Fritz Kubach
4. Stilarten mathematischen Schaffens, i.e. Styles of mathematical creation/endeavour, De Gruyter, ISBN 978-3-11-202037-1, p. 357

• Mehrtens, Herbert (1987), "Ludwig Bieberbach and "Deutsche Mathematik"", in Phillips, Esther R., Studies in the history of mathematics, MAA Stud. Math. 26, Washington, DC: Math. Assoc. America, pp. 195–241, ISBN 978-0-88385-128-9, MR 913104
• M. A. H. N. (1936), "Deutsche Mathematik" (PDF), Nature 137 (3467): 596–597, doi:10.1038/137596a0, Book review
• Segal, Sanford L. (2003), "Chapter seven: Ludwig Bieberbach and Deutsche Mathematik", Mathematicians under the Nazis, Princeton University Press, pp. 334–418, ISBN 978-0-691-00451-8, MR 1991149
• The title page, the table of contents, and some article pages of the journal's volume 1, issue 2 (1936) are linked from the blog Mathematicians are human beings (scientopia.org, 19 Sep 2011).
• Moritz Epple and Volker Remmert and Norbert Schappacher, ed. (2010). History of Mathematics in Germany, 1920—1960 (PDF) (Report). Mathematisches Forschungsinstitut Oberwolfach. pp. 109—140. In particular: Philipp Kranz, The journal "Deutsche Mathematik" (1936-1942/44), p. 132—134.