Emil Artin
An architect of modern algebra who reshaped number theory and field theory with his elegant, structural approach.
1898–1962 (age 64)·Austrian mathematician·Birthday: March 3·The Lost Generation
Biography
Born in Vienna to a family with Armenian roots, Emil Artin's mathematical talent emerged early and flourished in the intellectual ferment of 1920s Germany. His work possessed a crystalline clarity, stripping complex ideas to their essential architecture. He revolutionized class field theory, providing a more conceptual understanding of how prime numbers behave in algebraic number fields. Artin's name is permanently attached to fundamental concepts: Artin L-functions, the Artin reciprocity law, and the Artin–Wedderburn theorem. He was a magnetic teacher, first at the University of Hamburg and later, after fleeing the Nazis, at Princeton and Indiana University, before returning to Hamburg. His lectures, particularly on Galois theory and braid groups, were legendary for their precision and depth, influencing generations of algebraists who sought to emulate his style of thinking.
The Lost Generation
1883–1900
Came of age during World War I. Disillusioned by the carnage, they rejected the certainties of the Victorian era and built modernism from the wreckage — in art, literature, and politics.
Emil was born in 1898, placing them squarely in The Lost Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Emil Was Born
The biggest hits of 1898
Emil's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1898Born
Spanish-American War; US emerges as a world power
President: William McKinley
1903Started school
Wright brothers achieve first powered flight
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1911Became a teenager
Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire kills 146 in New York
President: William Howard Taft
1914Could drive
World War I begins
President: Woodrow Wilson
1916Could vote
The Battle of the Somme claims over a million casualties
President: Woodrow Wilson
1919Turned 21
Treaty of Versailles signed; Prohibition ratified
President: Woodrow Wilson
1928Turned 30
Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin; Mickey Mouse debuts
President: Calvin Coolidge"Ol' Man River" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: Wings
1938Turned 40
Kristallnacht and the escalation toward WWII
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $2,850Min wage: $0.25/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Begin the Beguine" — Artie ShawBest Picture: You Can't Take It with You
1948Turned 50
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1958Turned 60
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1962Died at 64
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
Key Achievements
- Proved the general law of reciprocity, a cornerstone of class field theory.
- Developed the theory of braid groups, now fundamental in topology and mathematical physics.
- Made significant contributions to the theory of rings with the Artin–Wedderburn theorem.
- Introduced the Artin L-series, a powerful tool in number theory.
- Authored influential texts on Galois theory and algebraic numbers.
Did You Know?
He was married to fellow mathematician Natascha Artin, a prominent figure in her own right.
Artin was an accomplished pianist with a particular love for the works of Bach.
He turned down a permanent position at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton to return to post-war Hamburg.
His son, Michael Artin, is also a distinguished mathematician at MIT.
“Our whole civilization is based on numbers; that is why I think mathematics is so important.”
