Born: 1893 (Vienna, Austria)
Died: 1973
Biography:
Hilda Geiringer (28 September 1893 – 22 March 1973), also known as Hilda von Mises and Hilda Pollaczek-Geiringer, was an Austrian mathematician. Geiringer was born in 1893 in Vienna, Austria into a Jewish family. Her father, Ludwig Geiringer, was born in Hungary, and her mother, Martha Wertheimer, was from Vienna. Her parents had married while her father was working in Vienna as a textile manufacturer.
Even during her time in high school, Geiringer displayed exceptional mathematical aptitude. Recognizing her talent, her parents supported her financially so that she could study mathematics at the University of Vienna. After completing her undergraduate degree, Geiringer continued her mathematical pursuits at the same university. In 1917, she received her Ph.D. under the guidance of Wilhelm Wirtinger, presenting a thesis on Trigonometrische Doppelreihen focusing on Fourier series in two variables.
For two years following her doctorate, Geiringer worked as Leon Lichtenstein’s assistant, editing the Jahrbuch über die Fortschritte der Mathematik, a renowned mathematics review journal. In 1921, she relocated to Berlin and joined the Institute of Applied Mathematics as an assistant to Richard Edler von Mises. During this time, she married Felix Pollaczek, who, like Geiringer, hailed from Vienna and belonged to a Jewish family. Pollaczek completed his doctorate in 1922 and pursued a career in the Berlin Reichspost, applying mathematical methods to telephone connections. Together, Hilda and Felix had a daughter named Magda in 1922, but unfortunately, their marriage ended in divorce. Despite the challenges faced as a single mother, Geiringer persisted in her work at the Institute of Applied Mathematics while raising her child.
While initially trained as a pure mathematician, Geiringer gradually shifted her focus to applied mathematics, aligning with the research conducted at the Institute. Her work encompassed statistics, probability theory, and the mathematical theory of plasticity. Geiringer submitted her thesis for Habilitation to qualify as an instructor at the University of Berlin, but due to unfortunate circumstances, it was not immediately accepted. In December 1933, she lost the right to teach at the university, compelled by the implementation of the Civil Service Law, which prohibited Jews from holding governmental roles, including teaching positions. Despite having been proposed for the appointment of an extraordinary professor in 1933, Geiringer’s prospects were halted by this discriminatory law.
Following her dismissal from the University of Berlin, Geiringer left Germany and, accompanied by her daughter Magda, relocated to Brussels. There, she joined the Institute of Mechanics and delved into the application of mathematics to the theory of vibrations. In 1934, Geiringer followed von Mises to Istanbul, where she secured a position at the institute. During her time in Istanbul, she expanded her research and contributed to the advancement of mathematical understanding.