Walther von Dyck (1856-1934): Mathematik, Technik und Wissenschaftsorganisation an der TH Munchen (review)

With 663 pages of text (excluding back matter), 94 pages of bibliography, and 3,938 footnotes, this is a brick of a book. Ulf Hashagen has seemingly read practically everything about the history of mathematics around the turn of the twentieth century, about the politics of German higher education, and, of course, about the life and career of mathematician and science organizer Walther von Dyck. Von Dyck's mathematical accomplishments spanned many fields—group theory, topology, and theory of differential equations, among others—although he was not the leading figure in any one of them. As an administrator he also accumulated an impressive curriculum vitae as the longtime rector of the Technische Hochschule (TH) Munich, member of various governmental advisory commissions, officer of several professional associations, and coeditor of a leading journal and reference work.

In both arenas, however, von Dyck seemed (then and since) to stand in the shadow of his formidable mentor, Felix Klein. If the genre of scientific biography is supposed to function as a kind of hall of fame, von Dyck thus represents a problematic figure. But this assumption about the canons of scientific biography is a big "if," and Hashagen argues for the value of a biography that goes beyond the limited roster of premier researchers. Indeed, a continuing sense of unease about these canons of scientific reputation was part of von Dyck's own professional identity, according to Hashagen. Even as von Dyck ascended the ladder of professional success as an organizer of science, he repeatedly bemoaned a lack of progress on research projects. Likewise, von Dyck alternately served loyally as Klein's protégé and chafed at the perception that he was Klein's instrument. Although these themes emerge clearly in the wealth of detail, they could be analyzed even more explicitly.

The seven parts of the book follow a chronological sequence, while chapters within each section treat different aspects of von Dyck's work during a given period. This leads to a certain amount of backtracking, but gives the reader a clearer sense of the diverse range of von Dyck's activities. Part 1 takes us up to von Dyck's receipt of his doctorate, after which he became Klein's assistant. Part 2 looks at the messy professional infighting and string-pulling through which this assistantship was translated into a professorial appointment at the TH Munich. Parts 3 and 4 concern von Dyck's activities as teacher and researcher there; while recording his disappointment at being unable to move to a more prestigious university appointment, they also reflect his growing role in curricular reform, development of the TH Munich, and efforts to gain for it generally a status equivalent to the traditional German universities. Part 5 is devoted to von Dyck's professional activities beyond his home institution: as member of the editorial board of the Mathematische Annalen, founding secretary of the German Mathematicians Union, and co-editor of the Enzyklopädie der mathematische Wissenschaften. This section makes clear the tension between von Dyck's growing professional and political prominence and the lingering sense that he remained in Klein's shadow.

Part 6 presents one of the most intriguing aspects of the story: von Dyck's function as consultant to the German occupation authorities in Belgium as they sought to convert the University of Ghent into a Flemish-speaking institution during World War I. The unreflective conservative nationalism that led von Dyck to contribute to this project (he seems to have been somewhat surprised at the resistance it generated among the Belgians!) came increasingly to the fore during the Weimar Republic, the era covered in the seventh and final section. Continuing as rector, and in new roles such as vice-president of the Notgemeinschaft research endowment, von Dyck struggled against what he saw as political interference by the primarily liberal-socialist administrations in Berlin.

This impressively thorough biography does not take...