The Mathematician Sophus Lie

It Was the Audacity of My Thinking

by Arild Stubhaug

translated from the Norwegian by Richard H. Daly

Springer, 2002, 3540421378, Hardcover, Dust Jacket, Fine/Fine condition, no marks, no underlining, no highlighting, like new condition. 555 pages.

With 105 figures, 8 in color

Sophus Lie (1842-99) is undoubtedly one of the greatest scientific talents fostered by Norway. His path-breaking mathematical works have brought him no less fame than has been accorded Norway's other well-known mathematician, Niels Henrik Abel. The concepts "Lie groups" and "Lie algebra" are today part of the standard mathematical vocabulary. In his rich and nuanced biography, the writer Arild Stubhaug allows us to experience up close both the man, Sophus Lie, and his age. We follow him through childhood at the vicarage in Nordfjordeid on the west coast of Norway, and his further growth in the town of Moss, his schooldays and his student life in Christiania, his travels in Europe and contact with the leading mathematicians of the day, the academic and scientific career that drew Lie from Christiania to Leipzig as professor, before he was successfully called back to Norway at the moment his country was standing on the threshold of national independence.

Sophus Lie in a letter to Bjornstjerne Bjornson, spring 1893:

"In our Days, it is our Poets who impress the greater World with the Audacity of their Thinking and the Brilliance of its Form. Do not think ill of me when I make a claim upon a little of the same Blood. Without Phantasy one would never become a Mathematician, and what gave me a Place among the Mathematicians of our Day, despite my Lack of Knowledge and Form, was the Audacity of my Thinking."

 

 

CONTENTS

PART I

The Measure of a Life Tracking Him Down: A Torrent of Stories

PART II

Family Background and Upbringing
The Family Tree
The Priestly Family at Nordfjordeid
Father's Home in Moss

PART III

School and Education
Nissen's School. Examen Artium
Student Life
The Lack of a Calling

PART IV

In Tune with the Times
Into Mathematical History
There was a Mathematician in Him
The First Tour Abroad
Parliamentary Professor

PART V

Professor in Christiania
"My Inner Life Has Been Most Mighty"
"My Life's Good Fortune"
Marriage at Last.
Herr Professor mit seiner Gemahlin
In the Lee of "the Modern Breakthrough
A Steady Stream of Works
The Mathematical Milieu at Home and Abroad
"It is Lonely, Terribly Lonely"
Summoned to Leipzig

PART VI

Professor in Leipzig
The Coming Period: A More Difficult Balancing Act
In the Big City of Leipzig.
Breakdown
Fame
Conflicts
Norwegian Students.
Back to Norway

PART VII

At the End of the Road The Final Years.
Appendices
Chronology.
Notes and Commentaries
Sophus Lie's Descendants
Chronological Bibliography of Sophus Lie's Published Works
Acknowledgements
List of Literature
Index of Names

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Sophus Lie and his wife Anna. Tinted photo: Ragnhild Thrane
The old vicarage at Eid. From the book Eid kyrkje, 150 dr, edited by Eid Soknerad. Nordfjordeid 1999
Nordfjordeid seen from the vicarage (top). From the book Eid kyrkje, 150 dr, edited by Eid Soknerad. Nordfjordeid 1999
Sophus Lie's father, Johan Herman Lie (bottom). Herman Lie's Nachlass
Sophus Lie's eldest brother, Fredrik Gill Lie (top left). Photo: A. Eersberg / Herman Lie's Nachlass
Sophus Lie's sister, Laura (top right). Herman Lie's Nachlass
Sophus Lie's brother, John Herman and family (bottom). Herman Lie's Nachlass
Science candidate Sophus Lie (top left). Photo: Frederik Klem/ Joronn Vogt

Family of Sophus Lie's sister, Mathilde and her husband. Dr. Fredrik Vogt (top right). Joronn Vogt Moss, circa 1890 (bottom). Postcard from Herman Lie's Nachlass
Family photo at wedding of Sophus Lie's sister, Dorothea. Joronn Vogt
Nissen's Latin and Grammar School. Photo: Kammerherre Christensen / Oslo City Museum.
Sophus Lie while he was considering a military career (top). Herman Lie's Nachlass
Gymnastics hall. University of Oslo, dating to 1856 (bottom). Photo: Bente Geving
Ole Hartvig Nissen, school reformer (top left). Norwegian State Archives
Carl Anton Bjerknes, mathematics professor (top right). Photo: L.Abel and Comp. 1890 / Norwegian National Library, Oslo
Ole Jacob Broch, Professor of Mathematics and Prime Minister (bottom). Photo: Eng. Pirov, Paris. 1880 / Norwegian National Library, Oslo
Ludvig Sylow (top left).Folkebladet I Hansen / Norwegian National Library, Oslo.
Kristofer Janson (top right). Jens Munthe Svendsen / Norwegian State Archives
Axel Blytt (bottom left). W. Holter, 1901 / Norwegian State Archives / Photo: O.Vaering.
Gerhard Armauer Hansen (bottom right). Olav Rutli / Norwegian State Archives / Photo: Jan H. Heim
Members of "The Green Room" 1866-73. Norwegian National Library, Oslo

From Berlin, 1867. Berlin from the old Konigsbriicke, 1867, wood block print or drawing by Robert Geissler / Bildarchiv Preussischer Kulturbesitz
Hermann von Helmholtz. Hermann von Helmholtz's last lecture, 1893. UUstein Bilderdienst.
Karl Weierstrass (top). Ullstein Bilderdienst Leopold Kronecker {bottom left).
Academie des Sciences, Paris / Jean-Loup Charmet.
Ernst Eduard Kummer {bottom right). Heliograph, 1890, Bildarchiv Preussischer Kuturbesitz
Ecole Normale Sup6rieure, Paris. Bibliotheque des Arts decoratifs / Jean-Loup Charmet
Charles Hermite (top left). Jean-Loup Charmet
Camille Jordan (top right). Jean-Loup Charmet
Emile Picard {bottom left). Mathematical library. University of Oslo, Blindern
Gaston Darboux {bottom right). Herman Lie's Nachlass
Dagbladet on Lie's arrest as a German spy in France (top).
Dagb/fldet/Norwegian National Library, Mo i Rana
A Sophus Lie travel sketch {bottom). Herman Lie's Nachlass,
Studenterlunden and University, Karl Johans gate.
Joachim Frich, University of Oslo, 1854
Sophus Lie, oil portrait by Erik Werenskiold, 1902. Erik Werenskiold / BONO 2000 / Photo: O. Veering
Ernst Motzfeldt, high court judge and cabinet minister (top left). Herman Lie's Nachlass

Axel Lund, Sophus Lie's doctor (top right). Photo: Lindegaard, 1867 / Norwegian National Library, Oslo
Professor Georg Ossian Sars, zoologist {bottom) Elif Peterssen, 1915 / Photo: O. Vsering
Geologist, writer and professor Amund Helland (top), oil painting by Erik Werenskiold, 1885. Oil on canvas, 101 x 76 cm. © Erik Werenskiold / BONO 2000 / National Gallery of Norway / Photo: J. Lathion.
EUing Hoist {bottom left). Photo: Rude / Norwegian National Library
Professor Axel Thue {bottom right). Jo Piene, 1929 / Norwegian State Archives / Photo: 0. Vsering.;.
Bjornstjerne Bjornson (top left). Photo: Riffert Meisenbach, ca. 1892 / Norwegian National Library
Edvard Grieg (top right). Photo: Axel Leverin, ca. 1880 / Norwegian National Library
Fridtjof Nansen (bottom). Woodcut: Johan Nordhagen, 1897/ Bildarchiv Preussischer Kulturbesitz.
Anna Birch (top). Norwegian National Library, Oslo. Manuscript Collections Sophus Lie's letter of proposal to Anna Birch {bottom). Herman Lie's Nachlass

Albert Viktor Backlund, professor in Lund (top). Kr. Anderberg, Royal Library, Stockholm.
Hieronymus Georg Zeuthen, professor in Copenhagen {bottom left). Herman Lie's Nachlass

Luigi Cremona, professor in Milan {bottom right). Mathematics Library, University of Oslo
Front page, Archiv for Mathematik og Naturvidenskab {top left). Mathematics Library, University of Oslo

Front page. Acta Mathematica {top right). Mathematics Library, University of Oslo
Costa Mittag-Leffler {bottom). Allers 1910 / Norwegian National Library, Oslo
Front page of Ny illustreret Tidende on Lie's summons to Leipzig. Ny Illustreret Tidende

Landscape between Crungedal and Haukeli, Telemark, oil painting
by Catherine Hermine KoUe c.1840. Culture History Collection. University of Bergen
Landscape near Risor, oil painting by Jacob Munch, 1821. Royal Farm, Bygdoy/ Photo: Teigens fotoatelier
Romsdalshorn, oil painting by Johan Fredrik Eckersberg, from 1865. Painting Collection of the City of Lillehammer.
Landscape from Switzerland, oil painting by Knud Andreassen Baade in 1850. Oil on paper, wood-backed, 42x58 cm/ National Gallery of Norway / Photo: J. Lathion
The high mountains of Norway: landscape by the German painter Walter Leistikow, ca. 1897. Watercolour on paper, 103 x 130 cm. Berlinische Calerie, Bildarchiv Preussischer Kulturbesitz / Photo: Jiirgen Liepe Leipzig University, 1890. Universitatsarchiv, Leipzig

View of Paris, painted by Frits Thaulow in 1879. Oil on wood, 34x56 cm. National Gallery of Norway / Photo: J. Lathion
"Melancholy" at Asgardstrand, oil painting by Edvard Munch, 1892. Oil on canvas, 64 x 96 cm. © Much-Museet / Munch-Ellingsen Croup / BONO 2000 / National Gallery of Norway / Photo: J. Lathion.
Seeburgstrasse, Leipzig, 1890. Stadtgeschichtliches Museum

Felix Klein {top left). Herman Lie's Nachlass.
Adolf Mayer (top right). Herman Lie's Nachlass
Ceorg Scheffers {bottom left). Herman Lie's Nachlass
Friedrich Engel {bottom right). Herman Lie's Nachlass.
Mathematische Annalen {top). Mathematics Library, University of Oslo

Theorie der Transformationsgruppen, title page {bottom left).
Mathematics Library, University of Oslo
Publication of Lie's lectures, Leipzig, 1891, title page {bottom right).
Mathematics Library, University of Oslo
Alfred Clebsch (top left). Herman Lie's Nachlass

Carl Neumann {top right). Mathematisches Forschungsinstitut, Oberwolfach-Walke, Germany
Hermann Amandus Schwarz {bottom left).
Mathematisches Forschungsinstitut, Oberwolfach-Walke, Germany
Eduard Study {bottom right). Herman Lie's Nachlass

Wilhelm Ostwald. Photo: F. H. Man, Berlin 1929 / Bildarchiv Preussischer Kulturbesitz
Henri Poincare, sketched while lecturing, Paris, 1908 {left). Kate Popoit, 1908 / Archives de I'Academie des Sciences, Paris / Jean-Loup Charmet
Arthur Tresse {top right). Mathematisches Forschungsinstitut, Oberwolfach-Walke, Germany

Ernest Vessiot {centre right). Herman Lie's Nachlass.
Elie Cartan {bottom right). Mathematisches Forschungsinstitut, Oberwolfach-Walke, Germany
Lie and Amund Helland {top). Carl Stormer, 1893-96 / Norwegian National Library, Oslo
Lie at commemoration of Fridtjof Hansen's return from The Fram Expedition, 9 September, 1896 {middle). Carl Stormer / Norwegian National Library, Oslo
Kristian Birkeland {bottom). Carl Stermer / Norwegian National Library, Oslo

Axel Blytt in a carriage {top left). Carl Stormer / Norwegian National Library, Oslo.
Axel Blytt outside the University of Christiania {top right). Carl Stormer / Norwegian National Library, Oslo
Karl Carda, Edgar Odell Lovett and Alf Guldberg {lower left). Carl Stormer, 1893-96? Norwegian National Library, Oslo
Kristian Birkeland and two foreign mathematicians at Sognsvann, Christiania, 1898 {bottom right). Carl Stormer, 1893-96 / Norwegian National Library, Oslo
Elling Hoist and his daughter {top). Carl Stormer, 1893-96 / Norwegian National Library, Oslo
Excerpt from Elling Hoist's children's book {bottom). Carl Stormer, 1893-96 / Norwegian National Library, Oslo
Eugenies gate 22 as it looks today. Photo: Bente Geving
The family - Sophus, Anna and the children. Herman Lie's Nachlass
The Lie family indoors {top). Herman Lie's Nachlass

The Lie family with Laura and and Lunds {bottom). Herman Lie's Nachlass
Lie, autumn 1888, while visiting Norway {left). Joronn Vogt.
Sophus Lie obituary sketch in Verdens Gang {right).
Gustav Lasrum, Verdens Gang I Norwegian National Library, Oslo Deathbed drawing by Erik Werenskiold 19/02/1899. Pencil sketch, 32.5x26.5 cm. Erik Werenskiold/BONO 2000/Photo: O.Vaering Main Deichman Library, Oslo. Fresco: © Axel Revold / BONO 2000 / Photo: Bente Geving
Lie at a picnic on a visit to Norway, 1888. Herman Lie's Nachlass
Sigurd Lie, Sophus Lie's composer nephew, by Severin Segelcke, 1896. Photo: O.Vaering.
Felix Klein (top left). Photo: Bieling, Gottingen, 1905 / AKG Photo, Berlin
Friedrich Engel (top right). Mathematics Library, University of Oslo.
Eduard Study (bottom left). Mathematics Library, University of Oslo.
Hermann Weyl (bottom right). Mathematisches Forschungsinstitut, Oberwolfach-Walke, Germany

Bust of Sophus Lie, by Elisabeth Steen (top). Bronze, 1992. © Elisabeth Steen / BONO 2000 / Photo: Bakke Foto, NordQordeid
The grave of Sophus and Anna Lie (bottom). Photo: Bente Geving

Front page Aftenposten on Elie Cartan's visit to the International Congress of Mathematics in Oslo where he lectured on Sophus Lie and Group Theory, 1936. Aftenposten I Norwegian National Library, Mo i Rana.

 

 

 

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