Alexander Aigner

Alexander Aigner (* 18 May 1909 in Graz, † 1988 in Graz) was a full university professor for mathematics at the Karl Franzens University[1] in Graz, Austria. During World War II he was part of a group of five mathematicians, which was recruited by the military cryptanalyst Wilhelm Fenner, and which included Ernst Witt, Georg Aumann, Oswald Teichmueller and Johann Friedrich Schultze, to form the backbone of the new mathematical research department in the late 1930s, which would eventually be called Section IVc of Cipher Department of the High Command of the Wehrmacht. (abbr. OKW/Chi).[2][3] The group was led by the German professor of mathematics Wolfgang Franz.

Alexander Aigner
Aigner in discussion (1970).
BornMay 18, 1909 (1909-05-18)
Graz
DiedSeptember 2, 1988(1988-09-02) (aged 79)
Graz
CitizenshipAustrian
Alma materKarl Franzens University
Known forNumber theory
Being one of the original cryptanalysts at the OKW/Chi
Scientific career
FieldsMathematics
Physics
InstitutionsKarl Franzens University
Doctoral advisorTonio Rella
Karl Brauner

Life

Alexander Aigner was the son of noted medical doctor Oktavia Aigner-Rollett and grandson of noted physiologist and histologist of Alexander Rollett. He studied mathematics and physics in at the University of Graz. In 1936, he was put forward by Dr. Karl Brauner for promotion to Dr. Phil, with Dr. Tonio Rella advising, with a thesis titled: Mathematical treatment of the hermit game in the plane and in space. About the possibility of in square bodies (German: Mathematische Behandlung des Einsiedlerspieles in der Ebene und im Raume. Über die Möglichkeit von in quadratischen Körpern).[4][1] He was offered a position as assistant at the 2nd Chair (Lehrkanzel) for Mathematics at Karl Franzens University. During World War II, he was recruited along with a number of other mathematicians to make up the backbone of a new cipher bureau for the German Army. He would eventually work at the mathematical research department IV/Section IVc of OKW/Chi under Erich Hüttenhain in the deciphering of complex foreign encryption systems.[2][3] In 1947 he qualified as a professor at the Karl Franzens University in Graz, where he received an assistant position from Georg Kantz. In 1957, he became an extraordinary professor (Academic ranks in Germany) and finally a full professor. Even after becoming professor emeritus in 1979 he continued to give lectures about the theory of numbers, his primary focus. In addition to his professional activities, he also developed a literary interest. He was a member of the Styrian Writers' Union and the confederation of Styrian home poets. After two volumes of poetry, in 1978 he published a collection of cheerful mathematical poems titled Tangents to the Frohsinn (Tangenten an den Frohsinn), a special edition of the reports of the Mathematical-Statistical Section at the Research Center Graz.

Publications
  • Literature from and about Alexander Aigner in the catalog of the Deutsche Nationalbibliothek.[5]
  • Alexander Aigner: Number theory. Berlin, New York: de Gruyter 1975; ISBN 3-11-002065-3 .
  • Alexander Aigner: Tangents to the joy. Graz, 1978. Special number of the reports of the Mathematical-Statistical Section at the Research Center Graz.
gollark: You simultaneously sold a thing for less and took away much of the value of the thing?
gollark: I mean, I kind of doubt said person will let you trade with the villager for free.
gollark: That might be good, I guess, though I am not familiar with the enchants market.
gollark: Wow! At that price, I must immediately buy all of such a useless commodity!
gollark: I am kind of considering moving the giant cube to the end.

References
  1. Alexander Aigner at the Mathematics Genealogy Project
  2. "Army Security Agency: DF-187 The Career of Wilhelm Fenner with Special Regard to his activity in the field of Cryptography and Cryptanalysis (PDF)". Google Drive. 1 December 1949. p. 7. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
  3. TICOM reports DF-187 A-G and DF-176, ‘European Axis Signal Intelligence in World War II’ vol 2
  4. Speech by Prof. Franz Halter-Koch about Alexander Aigner:" Tonio Rella, who was known by Alexander Aigner as his most important academic teacher, was no longer in Graz at that time, and therefore the doctorate did not deal with a theory of numbers With Karl Brauner with a theme from the combinatorial geometry. " In: News from the Austrian Mathematical Society, No. 181, August 1999, Vienna. Page 75
  5. "Alexander Aigner @ Catalog of the German National Library". Deutsche Nationalbibliothek. Deutsche Nationalbibliothek. Retrieved 15 April 2017.
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