Life and work of Egbert Brieskorn (1936 - 2013)

TL;DR

This paper provides a comprehensive overview of Egbert Brieskorn's life, highlighting his personal commitments and his influential mathematical contributions, especially in the context of his broader interests beyond mathematics.

Contribution

It offers a detailed biographical account emphasizing Brieskorn's multifaceted personality and his significant mathematical achievements, including his work on Felix Hausdorff.

Findings

Brieskorn's influence extended beyond mathematics to peace and environmental activism.

He contributed to the study and publication of Felix Hausdorff's collected works.

His personal and professional life left a lasting impact on colleagues and the mathematical community.

Abstract

Egbert Brieskorn died on July 11, 2013, a few days after his 77th birthday. He was an impressive personality who has left a lasting impression on all who knew him, whether inside or outside of mathematics. Brieskorn was a great mathematician, but his interests, his knowledge, and activities ranged far beyond mathematics. In this contribution, which is strongly influenced by many years of personal connectedness of the authors with Brieskorn, we try to give a deeper insight into the life and work of Brieskorn. We illuminate both his personal commitment to peace and the environment as well as his long-term study of the life and work of Felix Hausdorff and the publication of Hausdorff's collected works. However, the main focus of the article is on the presentation of his remarkable and influential mathematical work.