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layout: person nodeid: bookofproofs$Borsuk categories: history,20th-century parentid: bookofproofs$604 tags: origin-poland,topology orderid: 1905 title: Borsuk, Karol born: 1905 died: 1982 keywords: karol borsuk,borsuk description: Karol Borsuk was a Polish mathematician who made important contributions to topology. references: bookofproofs$6909 contributors: @J-J-O'Connor,@E-F-Robertson,bookofproofs

Borsuk.jpg

Karol Borsuk was a Polish mathematician who made important contributions to topology.

Mathematical Profile (Excerpt):

  • When Borsuk entered the University of Warsaw to study mathematics it was an exciting centre for research in topology; Saks and Mazurkiewicz were both teaching at the University and making major advances in the topic.
  • Borsuk obtained his master's degree from the University of Warsaw in 1927 and then, from 1929, he taught at the University.
  • Borsuk visited there and during one such visit began a collaboration with Ulam.
  • It was a joint paper with Borsuk, published in the Bulletin of the American Mathematical Society.
  • In Lwów Borsuk joined the mathematicians in the Scottish Café and contributed to the open problems which they wrote down in the famous book.
  • Borsuk's career was of course about to be interrupted by the start of World War II.
  • During the Nazi occupation Borsuk tried to keep the University of Warsaw functioning in the way that Kuratowski describes in the quote above.
  • Borsuk, however, escaped and was able to survive by remaining in hiding throughout the rest of the war.
  • Borsuk and Kuratowski both played important roles in this reconstruction.
  • Borsuk continued in his post in the University of Warsaw, a post he held throughout his career, being promoted to professor in 1946.
  • In Warsaw, Borsuk led a seminar in which he developed a unique atmosphere of successful international cooperation.
  • The notion had immediate impact on other topologists, and in particular on Borsuk's own students.
  • Many honours were given to Borsuk for his remarkable contributions.

Born 8 May 1905, Warsaw, Russian Empire (now Poland). Died 24 January 1982, Warsaw, Poland.

View full biography at MacTutor