Jakob Rosanes (also Jacob; 16 August 1842 – 6 January 1922) was a German

mathematician A mathematician is someone who uses an extensive knowledge of mathematics in their work, typically to solve mathematical problems. Mathematicians are concerned with numbers, data, quantity, mathematical structure, structure, space, Mathematica ...

who worked on

algebraic geometry Algebraic geometry is a branch of mathematics which uses abstract algebraic techniques, mainly from commutative algebra, to solve geometry, geometrical problems. Classically, it studies zero of a function, zeros of multivariate polynomials; th ...

and

invariant theory Invariant theory is a branch of abstract algebra dealing with actions of groups on algebraic varieties, such as vector spaces, from the point of view of their effect on functions. Classically, the theory dealt with the question of explicit descr ...

. He was also a

chess master A chess title is a title regulated by a chess governing body and bestowed upon players based on their performance and rank. Such titles are usually granted for life. The international chess governing body FIDE grants several titles, the most pres ...

Life and career

Rosanes was a grandson of Rabbi

Akiva Eiger Akiva Eiger (, also spelled Eger; , ), or Akiva Güns (8 November 1761 – 12 October 1837) was a Talmudic scholar, halakhic decisor and leader of European Jewry during the early 19th century. Eiger is considered one of the greatest Talmudic ...

, one of the most revered Jewish religious scholars of the

Talmud The Talmud (; ) is the central text of Rabbinic Judaism and the primary source of Jewish religious law (''halakha'') and Jewish theology. Until the advent of Haskalah#Effects, modernity, in nearly all Jewish communities, the Talmud was the cen ...

and ''halachic'' decisors of the 18th century. Eiger's daughter Baila was Rosanes' mother. Rosanes grew up during a period when the Enlightenment and increasing opportunities for social, academic and economic advancement for culturally assimilated Jews influenced large numbers of Jews to reconsider their faith. He was not religiously observant, and his children converted to

Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion, which states that Jesus in Christianity, Jesus is the Son of God (Christianity), Son of God and Resurrection of Jesus, rose from the dead after his Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion, whose ...

. Rosanes studied at

University of Berlin The Humboldt University of Berlin (, abbreviated HU Berlin) is a public research university in the central borough of Mitte in Berlin, Germany. The university was established by Frederick William III on the initiative of Wilhelm von Humbol ...

and the University of Breslau. He obtained his

doctorate A doctorate (from Latin ''doctor'', meaning "teacher") or doctoral degree is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities and some other educational institutions, derived from the ancient formalism '' licentia docendi'' ("licence to teach ...

from Breslau (

Wrocław Wrocław is a city in southwestern Poland, and the capital of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship. It is the largest city and historical capital of the region of Silesia. It lies on the banks of the Oder River in the Silesian Lowlands of Central Eu ...

) in 1865 and taught there for the rest of his working life. He became

professor Professor (commonly abbreviated as Prof.) is an Academy, academic rank at university, universities and other tertiary education, post-secondary education and research institutions in most countries. Literally, ''professor'' derives from Latin ...

in 1876 and rector of the university during the years 1903–1904. In his ‘inspiring’ rectorial speech on 15 October 1903, he described the development of mathematics in the nineteenth century. Rosanes made significant contributions in Cremona transformations.

Notable chess games

Jakob Rosanes vs Adolf Anderssen, Breslau 1862, Spanish Game: Berlin Defense. Rio Gambit Accepted (C67), 1-0
Sometimes, Rosanes was able to beat even one of the best masters of his time,

Adolf Anderssen Karl Ernst Adolf Anderssen (6 July 1818 – 13 March 1879)"Anderssen, Adolf" in ''Encyclopædia Britannica, The New Encyclopædia Britannica''. Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 15th edn., 1992, Vol. 1, p. 385. was a German chess master. ...

...
Jakob Rosanes vs Adolf Anderssen, Breslau, 1863, King's Gambit: Accepted. Kieseritzky Gambit Anderssen Defense (C39), 0-1
...but as shows this beautiful game, the opposite result was probably quite usual in their games.

References

External links

* * 1842 births 1922 deaths People from Brody 19th-century Austrian Jews 19th-century German mathematicians 20th-century German mathematicians 19th-century Polish mathematicians 20th-century Polish mathematicians Jewish German scientists Algebraic geometers Jewish chess players Immigrants to the Kingdom of Prussia Mathematicians from the Austrian Empire Jews from Galicia (Eastern Europe) 19th-century German chess players 19th-century German sportsmen {{Poland-mathematician-stub