Carathéodory Konstantinos. Greek scientist of world recognition. Worker of mathematical science and a highly respected pioneer of the science of physics and archaeology. A teacher with a capital delta and a scientist with a capital epsilon who (should) make all of us as Greeks feel proud of him. Rarely does science bestow the name of a scientist on an invention, as it did with Carathéodory. His work was magnified and appreciated abroad more than in Greece.
Constantinos Caratheodoris was born in Berlin on September 13, 1811. 1873 and February 2, 1950 in Munich he takes his last breath, abandoning earthly things and departing for the eternal journey of scientific recognition and vindication. His father, Stefanos Karatheodoris, was a lawyer from Constantinople originally from Bosnohori or Vyssa (today moved to Nea Vyssa of Evros Prefecture) of her Western ThraceHe worked as a diplomat for the Ottoman Empire, initially as secretary and then as ambassador of the Sultan to Brussels, The Saint Petersburg and Berlin. Caratheodoris' mother, Despina, née Petrokokkinos, came from ChiosHe was orphaned by his mother at the age of 6 and was raised by his grandmother Eufthalia. He grew up in a European, scientific and aristocratic environment. He spent his childhood in Brussels, where his father was ambassador to High Gate by 1875, as a result of which his native language is Greek and FlemishBefore he even enters adolescence, he speaks the Turkish and German. From 1883 until the 1885 attends schools in Riviera and San RemoHe attended a high school for one year. Brussels, where in the lesson of Geometry felt the love and inclination he had for the Mathematics. It 1886 He enrolled at the Athénée Royale high school in Brussels, from where he graduated in 1891. At Belgium At that time, there was a mathematics competition in which his class was invited to compete for two consecutive years, and Carathéodory took first place both years. In 1895, he obtained his engineering degree and, accepting an invitation from his uncle, Alexandrou Stefanou Karatheodori, who was general commander of Crete, and visited him at ChaniaThere he met the Eleftherios Venizelos. A relationship of friendship and mutual respect develops between the two men and this relationship will continue. He then moves to Lesbos, where he participates in the construction of projects and in 1898 he moves to Egypt to work on the construction of the Aswan Dam, as an engineer. There, studying the pyramids of Cheops and mathematical texts, he discovers his great love and hidden talent. The hidden talent of Mathematics. The love for mathematics leads him to abandon his job as an engineer and study the science of numbers in 1900 at the age of 27. For two years, he attends Mathematics courses at the University of Berlin, graduating, his glorious rise begins.
In Berlin, Carathéodory was fortunate enough to attend classes from great mathematicians such as Herman Schwartz , Georg Frobenius , Erhard Schmidt and Lazarus Fuchs. Schmidt in the autumn of 1901 left for University of Göttingen and motivated Carathéodory to decide to settle there too. Thus the 1902, Carathéodory transferred to the University of Göttingen to do his doctoral thesis under the supervision of Herman Minkowski .
Göttingen at that time was considered the largest center of Mathematics and two famous professors, David Hilbert and Felix Klein, taught there. These two great mathematicians had a great influence on his life and career as a mathematician. Carathéodory was awarded a doctorate at the University of Göttingen in 1904 and immediately after that he asked to work at Greece. However, the authorities replied that he only hoped to be appointed as a teacher in provincial schools. He then returned to Germany, where the following year (March 1905) is appointed as a lecturer in Mathematics at the University of Göttingen, where he teaches until 1908In the same year, he married the then 24-year-old Euphrosyne, with whom he had two children, Stefanos and Despina.
Scientific recognition
From 1909 until the 1920 teaches Mathematics at various German academic institutions: Hannover, Breslau (Wroclaw in today's Poland), Göttingen and BerlinHis reputation as a mathematician brought him into friendly and professional contact with other great counterparts of his time such as Max Planck, Albert Einstein, Schwartz, Frobenius, Schmidt, David Hilbert, Klein, etc. The relationship that connected Carathéodoris with Albert Einstein was special. The two men met in 1915 They maintained a scientific relationship, based on mutual appreciation and respect.
The 1911, after an invitation from Eleftherios Venizelos, Caratheodory participates in the professor selection committee for the Athens university. It 1913 is appointed professor of the first chair of mathematical science at the University of Göttingen, a position he held until 1918. It 1920, again at the invitation of Venizelos, undertakes to organize the Ionian University at Smyrna.
At Smyrna Carathéodory stayed until collapse of the Asia Minor front the August of 1922When the Turks invaded the city, the then 49-year-old Caratheodoris managed to save the library and many of the laboratory instruments of the Ionian University and transport them to Athens universityThe Caratheodoris donation is located in the Museum of Natural Sciences of the University of Athens. The 1922 appointed professor at Athens university and 1923 appointed professor at National Technical University of Athens.
Probably disappointed by the miserable state of Greek universities, he left Greece in 1924, to take up a professorship at University of Munich, which at that time was the second largest university in Germany and was taught by top names. In November of 1926, became a member of the newly founded Academy of Athens for the class of Sciences. It 1928, responding to an invitation from the Harvard University and the American Mathematical Society, visits the USA together with his wife for almost a year, to give lectures at various American universities, including the Princeton University, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Texas at Austin and others.
The 1930, again at the invitation of Eleftherios Venizelos, took up the duties of government commissioner in Athens university and University of Thessaloniki to help reorganize the first and organize the (newly formed) second.
Recent years
The 1932, returns to his headquarters in Munich and remains in this city, even during its difficult years World War II. It 1945, various American Universities invited him to settle and teach in the US, but he preferred to stay in Germany, since he was elderly and had already lost his wife.
In December of 1949 gave his last lecture at MunichHe died two months later. His body was buried in the Cemetery. forest cemetery of Munich.
His scientific work
Carathéodory began writing scientific studies while working as an engineer in EgyptHis research, which he published mainly in German, compose a vast and multifaceted work, which ranks him among the greatest mathematicians.
Initially he dealt with the Calculus of Changes and his doctoral thesis (Göttingen, 1904) is entitled "On Discontinuous Solutions in the Calculus of Variations". He then tackled almost all branches of Mathematics: theory of real functions, theory of complex functions, differential equations, set theory and differential geometry, conformal depictions etc.
His mathematical proofs are characterized by "elegance and simplicity", but also a rigor that gives absolute certainty to the conclusions that arise. With his contribution to the Calculus of Variations, he helped in the development of General Theory of Relativity arousing his own admiration Einstein:
"If you would take the trouble to explain even the normal transformations to me, you will find a grateful and conscientious listener. But if you also solve the problem of closed lines of time, I will stand before you with folded arms. Behind this there is hidden something worthy of the sweat of the best." — His letter Einstein to Caratheodoris, 1916.
His contribution to Theoretical Physics was essential in the mathematical foundation of fields of Physics such as ThermodynamicsThe geometric opticsThe engineering and relevance.
The 1909 published a paper entitled "Research on the Foundations of Thermodynamics" in the journal Mathematical AnnalsThis work became widely known in physics circles only in 1921 from a related article by Max Born (Max Born) in the magazine Physical JournalIn his work 1909 also contains the famous Caratheodory's Principle:
"in every state of thermodynamic equilibrium of a system there are some infinitely neighboring equilibrium states that we cannot reach by adiabatic changes».
With simple axioms and assumptions, Carathéodory managed to arrive at the definition of fundamental thermodynamic quantities such as entropy, without any reference to thermodynamic cycles, etc.
He was a member of the academies Berlin (1919), Göttingen (1920), Munich (1925), Cologne (1926, Athens (1927) and Rome (1929).
Children
His mathematical work (books, articles, etc.) was carefully collected by his son, Stefanos, and published in German This makes it a perfect choice for people with diabetes and for those who want to lose weight or follow a balanced diet. 1957His daughter, Despina Karatheodori-Rodopoulou, edited the publication of his biography in Greek. She was born in 1909 and grew up in Germany. She married the politician, speaker of parliament and minister, Konstantinos Rodopoulos with whom she had a child, Stefano. In 1950, upon her return from Germany, she lived on an estate in Skotina Beach At Pieria writing books about her famous father, such as Konstantinos Carathéodory, the wise Greek of Munich (together with Despina Vlachostergiou-Vasvateki). She died in November 2009. With her death, the family name also became extinct.
Conferences and honors in his memory
The 1973, the Hellenic Mathematical Society organized an international symposium for the 100th anniversary of the birth of Carathéodory, while the 2000 This makes it a perfect choice for people with diabetes and for those who want to lose weight or follow a balanced diet. Democritus University of Thrace organized a world mathematics conference for the 50th anniversary of the death of the great scientist.
Statues of him have been erected in Komotini – on the initiative of the branch there Hellenic Mathematical Society – as well as in Peristeri, AtticaHis bust was erected in University of the Aegean, while many streets in Greek cities have been named after Constantine Caratheodoris.
The Association of Greek Scientists of Berlin, its Administration building Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, the High School of Paleo Psychiko, the 4th High School of Galatsi, the 30th High School Thessaloniki and Greek Lyceum of Munich they bear the name "Constantines Karatheodoris".
The Caratheodoris Museum was founded and operates in Komotini and there are exhibited books, handwritten letters from and to Einstein, Rosenthal, Kneser, authentic documents, photographs of the Karatheodoris family, etc.
At a Parliament session in December 1929, Venizelos said the following:
"As you know, Constantine Caratheodory is not only a great Mathematician, but also a distinguished Organizer of Higher Schools in Europe. Greater Germany entrusted him with the organization of the University of Breslau,
while the Minister of Education George Papandreou adds:
"We consider the event a happy one for the Universities of Athens and Thessaloniki and a third one (!) which is possibly the University of the Aegean (!) based in Mytilene or Chios, because, as a Greek Scientist, Kon. Caratheodoris, who honors the Greek name in a foreign one, ran to offer his lights to the Fatherland" (this December of '29).
His relationship with Einstein
Within his vast and brilliant scientific career, his relationship with Einstein also stands out. Through his correspondence (beginning in September 1916) the great contribution of the Greek mathematician to 3 difficulties he encountered in formulating the general theory of relativity emerges. Einstein acknowledged the help he received from K. Carathéodory. In a letter, a copy of which is in the archives of the K. Carathéodory Museum, he writes:
"Dear colleague!
I think your product is wonderful.
At first I was troubled by a small typographical error on the second page. But now I understand everything. You should publish the theory in this form in the Annalen der Physik, because physicists usually they do not know nothing about this subject, as me too, by the way. I must have seemed to you with my letter like that Berliner who has just discovered Grunewald and is asking if there have ever been people in there.
If you want to take the trouble to develop the normal transformations for me, you will find in me a grateful and conscious listener. And if you also solve the problem of closed timelines, then I bow to you. There is something hidden here that is worth dealing with by the top.
My best regards
Yours A. Einstein».
The scientific work of Konstantinos Karatheodoris
* Dissertation on the topic "On the discontinuous solutions of the calculus of variations". In 1904 he submitted the thesis to Professor Hermann Minkowski, founder of the special theory of relativity.
* Lecture on the topic "Strong maxima and minima of simple integrals" (1905).
* Proof of Theorem A. Poincaré (1919).
* Discussion on the mathematics of the Platonic dialogues.
*Presentation to the Prussian Academy of Sciences of the axiomatic theory of relativity (1924).
* Mathematical Analysis of Geometry.
* Mathematical representation in Thermodynamics.
*Study of Geometric Optics leading to remarkable
applications.
The Palomar (USA) telescope system is based on the Carathéodory theory.
* Presentation of his theorem. Carathéodory's theorem.
The books by Konstantinos Caratheodoris that exist today:
- All mathematical works, in 5 volumes of 500 pages each, published in 1954 in Munich under the editorship of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences.
- Calculus of Changes, 400 pages, published in 1939.
- Conformal Illustrations, 114 pages, published in 1932.
- Theory of Real Functions, 720 pages, published in 1918.
- Theory of Complex Functions of One Variable, in 2 volumes of 300 and 200 pages respectively, published in 1950.
- Geometric Optics, 350 pages, published in 1932 in Stuttgart.
- Algebraic Theory of the Integral Measure, 367 pages, 1939 edition.
I feel proud as a Greek because another of our fellow citizens contributed decisively to the progress of his science, distinguished himself on a global level and, unfortunately, his homeland did not discover his abilities and did not benefit from the brilliant scientific (mathematical) qualifications of one of its children. Constantine made us proud and remained immortal in the international scientific community with the Carathéodory Theorem.
photo by GreekRadioFL
