Guide to the Hans Lewy Papers
Processed by Ania Laszcz.
The Bancroft Library.
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, California, 94720-6000
Phone: (510) 642-6481
Fax: (510) 642-7589
Email: bancref@library.berkeley.edu
URL: http://bancroft.berkeley.edu
© 2003
The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.
Guide to the Hans Lewy Papers
Collection number: BANC MSS 91/147 cz
The Bancroft Library
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, California
Contact Information:
- Processed by:
- Ania Laszcz
- Date Completed:
- September 2003
- Encoded by:
- James Lake
© 2003 The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.
Collection Summary
Collection Title: Hans Lewy papers,
Date (inclusive): 1906-1999
Collection Number: BANC MSS 91/147 cz
Creator:
Lewy, Hans, 1904-
Extent:
Number of containers: 2 cartons, 1 oversize folder
Linear feet: 2.55 linear feet
Repository: The
Bancroft Library.
Berkeley, California 94720-6000
Abstract: Consists of correspondence, writings, teaching materials, and notes relating to Lewy's career as a mathematician in Germany
and the United States. Also included are biographical materials and photographs. This collection includes very few materials
relating to the Loyalty Oath controversy at UC Berkeley.
Physical Location: For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.
Languages Represented:
English
Information for Researchers
Access
Collection open for research.
Publication Rights
Copyright has not been assigned to The Bancroft Library. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts
must be submitted in writing to the appropriate curator or the Head of Public Services for forwarding. Permission for publication
is given on behalf of The Bancroft Library as the owner of the physical items and the copyright.
Preferred Citation
Hans Lewy papers. BANC MSS 91/147 cz, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley.
Materials Cataloged Separately
- Printed materials have been transferred to the book collection of The Bancroft Library.
- Audio-cassettes have been transferred to microform collection of The Bancroft Library.
Administrative Information
Acquisition Information
The Hans Lewy Papers were given to The Bancroft Library by Helen Lewy on January 26, 1989, with additions in February 2000.
Funding
Funding provided by Helen Lewy.
Biographical Note
Hans Lewy was born on October 20, 1904 in Breslau, Germany (now Wrocław, Poland). He received his Ph.D. in mathematics in
1926 from the University of Göttingen, where, along with Richard Courant, he pursued the study of elliptic and hyperbolic
problems as Privatdozent (lecturer) until 1929. From 1929-1930 he studied in Rome under the sponsorship of the Rockefeller
Foundation, and with the help of the distinguished French mathematician Jacques Hadamard he continued his fellowship in Paris
from 1930-1931.
Lewy left Germany in 1933, soon after Adolph Hitler came to power. After two years as a lecturer at Brown University, he joined
the UC Berkeley Department of Mathematics in 1935. Lewy was appointed associate professor at in 1939 and full professor in
1945. From February 1943 until July 1945 Lewy worked in mathematical research at the Ballistic Research Laboratory at the
Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Maryland and with the Office of Naval Research in New York.
In 1947 Lewy married artist and writer Helen Crosby. The Lewys' honeymoon trip around the world included three months in China,
two of which Lewy spent in Chengtu, Szechuan teaching a course on water waves. When he refused to sign the UC Board of Regents'
Loyalty Oath in 1950, Lewy was dismissed along with many other university employees. He spent 1952-1953 at Harvard and Stanford
before he was reinstated at UC Berkeley, after the Loyalty Oath was ruled by the California Supreme Court to be unconstitutional.
In 1957 Lewy contributed to the theory of differential equations through his example of a linear equation without a solution.
He later received the American Mathematical Society's Steele Prize for this work in 1979. Lewy's contributions to the work
on differential equations were instrumental in the later development of high-speed computers. From 1959-1960 Lewy visited
the emerging mathematical center at the University of Pisa where he helped to introduce the area of variational inequalities.
The Accademia dei Lincei invited him to Rome in 1969-1970 and in 1972 he was elected by that society as a Foreign member.
He retired in 1972 but continued his research, sharing the 1984/1985 Wolf Foundation Prize, and receiving an honorary doctorate
from Bonn University in 1986. Hans Lewy died of leukemia in Berkeley on August 23, 1988.
Scope and Content
The Hans Lewy Papers, ca. 1906-1999, consist of correspondence, writings, teaching materials, and notes related to his career
as a mathematician in Germany and in the United States. Also included are biographical materials and photographs. This collection
is divided into 6 series: Correspondence, Writings, Writings by Others, Teaching Materials, Professional Activities, and Personal
Papers.
The bulk of the correspondence consists of letters between Lewy and professional colleagues. While on fellowship in Paris
in the early 1930's, Lewy became acquainted with the French mathematician Jean Leray, who was later captured by the Germans.
The letters of Jean Leray make up a large part of the incoming correspondence, spanning from his years as a prisoner of war
through the 1980's. Also included are many letters from Richard Courant, Lewy's supervisor at Göttingen. The outgoing correspondence
includes Lewy's letters from his sabbatical /honeymoon trip to Europe in 1947, and describe the post war living conditions.
During this European trip Lewy also wrote a selection of reports for the Office of U.S. Naval Research on the state of science
in post-WWII France, Italy, and the former Czechoslovakia. These typewritten drafts span the years 1947-1948 and discuss the
difficulties facing European mathematicians and scholars and the possibility of U.S. aid under the European Recovery Plan.
Lewy's other writings consist mainly of reprints relating to his mathematical research and span from 1928 to 1987.
While on his honeymoon trip in 1947, Lewy visited China and taught a course on water waves in Chengtu, Szechuan. A small amount
of teaching materials from this course as well as some materials from his mathematics courses taught at Berkeley are included
in the collection.
Lewy's personal papers include materials regarding the immigration of Lewy's mother and sister as well as condolence letters
to his wife and son after his death in 1988. Also included are materials pertaining to Lewy's awards and honors, such as the
Steele and the Wolf Prizes, biographical materials documenting his career in mathematical research, and photographs spanning
from his childhood years in Germany to his later years at UC Berkeley.
Materials pertaining to the loyalty oath are very limited and include only Lewy's statement to the UC Senate Committee on
Privilege and Tenure and his correspondence with the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Carton 1, folders 1-16
Series 1.
Correspondence, 1923-1990, n.d.
Series Scope and Content Summary
Divided into two sub-series: Incoming and Outgoing. Correspondence consists mainly of letters between Lewy and his professional
colleagues. Included are letters from Richard Courant, Jean Leray, and other leading mathematicians.
Arrangement
Arranged alphabetically, then chronologically.
Subseries 1.1.
Incoming, 1923-1990
carton 1, folder 1
A-C miscellaneous
1932-1989
carton 1, folder 2
Courant, Richard, 1888-1972
1923-1928
carton 1, folder 3
D-L miscellaneous
1933-1990
carton 1, folder 4-6
Leray, Jean, 1906-
1941-1986
carton 1, folder 7
M-P miscellaneous
1951-1988
carton 1, folder 8
R-S miscellaneous
1936-1988
carton 1, folder 9
T-U miscellaneous
1935-1988
carton 1, folder 10
V-Z miscellaneous
1932-ca.1980
Subseries 1.2.
Outgoing, 1946-1985, n.d.
carton 1, folder 15-16
Miscellaneous
1946-1985, n.d.
Carton 1, folders 17-84
Series 2.
Writings, 1928-1987, n.d.
Series Scope and Content Summary
Divided into three subseries: Reports and Reviews, Research Papers, and Notes.
Arrangement
Arranged hierarchically, then chronologically.
Subseries 2.1.
Reports and Reviews, 1947-1948
Subseries Scope and Content Summary
Reports and Reviews include Lewy's reports for the U.S. Office of Naval Research concerning the condition of science in Europe,
specifically Czechoslovakia, France, and Italy in 1947. Employment records and correspondence in connection with Lewy's services
to the U.S. Office of Naval Research are also included.
carton 1, folder 17-18
Correspondence, U.S. Office of Naval Research
1947-1948
carton 1, folder 19
Notes on the state and support of science in Czechoslovakia
1947
carton 1, folder 20
Notes on a visit to Professor Jan Smetana and the T. G. Masaryk Hydrological and Hydrotechnical Institutes in Prague Podbaba
1947
carton 1, folder 21
Notes on mathematics in present day Czechoslovakia
1947
carton 1, folder 22
A visit to the Neypric laboratories in Grenoble, France
1948
carton 1, folder 23
Needs of Italian and French science and possible American aid under ERP
1948
carton 1, folder 24
Organization of Italian scientific life
1948
carton 1, folder 25
Notes on general condition of French science, Winter 1947/48
ca. 1948
carton 1, folder 26
Miscellaneous notes about French mathematics
ca. 1948
Subseries 2.2.
Research Papers, 1928-1987, n.d.
Subseries Scope and Content Summary
The Research Papers consist mostly of reprints of papers published by Hans Lewy or Hans Lewy and others. There are very few
original drafts of manuscripts. This subseries also contains Lewy's reviews of colleagues' work as requested by the National
Research Council.
carton 1, folder 28
Verallgemeinerung der Riemannschen Methode auf mehr Dimensionen,
Göttingen Nachr. der Akad.
1928
carton 1, folder 29
On convergence in length,
Duke Mathematical Journal, with C.R. Adams.
1935
carton 1, folder 30
Generalized integrals and differential equations,
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
1936
carton 1, folder 31
On the non-vanishing of the Jacobian in certain one-to-one mappings,
Bulletin of the American Mathematical Society.
1936
carton 1, folder 32
A priori limitations for solutions of Monge-Ampère equations, II,
Transactions of the American Mathematical Society.
1937
carton 1, folder 33
On the existence of a closed convex surface realizing a given Riemannian metric,
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
1938
carton 1, folder 34
On differential geometry in the large, I (Minkowski's problem),
Transactions of the American Mathematical Society.
1938
carton 1, folder 35
Generalized integrals and differential equations,
Transactions of the American Mathematical Society.
1938
carton 1, folder 36
A property of spherical harmonics,
American Journal of Mathematics.
1938
carton 1, folder 37
Water waves on sloping beaches,
Bulletin of the American Mathematical Society.
1946
carton 1, folder 38
The dock problem, with K.O. Friedrichs.
1948
carton 1, folder 39
On the convergence of solutions of difference equations,
Courant: Anniversary Volume.
1948
carton 1, folder 40
Developments at the confluence of analytic boundary conditions.
1950
carton 1, folder 41
On steady free surface flow in a gravity field.
1951
carton 1, folder 42
Axially symmetric cavitational flow,
Annals of Mathematics, with P.R. Garabedian and M. Schiffer.
1952
carton 1, folder 43
A note on harmonic functions and a hydrodynamical application,
Proceedings of the American Mathematical Society.
1952
carton 1, folder 44
Introduction to the Collected Works of Bernard Riemann.
1953
carton 1, folder 45
The development of functions associated with surface waves over an inclined bottom,
Stanford University Technical Report.
1954
carton 1, folder 46
Extension of Huyghens' principle to the ultrahyperbolic equation,
Annali di Matematica Pura ed Applicata.
1955
carton 1, folder 47
On the relations governing the boundary values of analytic functions of two complex variables.
1955
carton 1, folder 48
On the local character of the solutions of an atypical linear differential equation in three variables and a related theorem
for regular functions of two complex variables,
Annals of Mathematics.
1956
carton 1, folder 49
An example of a smooth linear partial differential equation without solution erratum,
Annals of Mathematics.
1958
carton 1, folder 50
Composition of solutions of linear partial differential equations in two independent variables,
Journal of Mathematics and Mechanics.
1959
carton 1, folder 51
On the reflection laws of second order differential equations in two independent variables,
Bulletin of the American Mathematical Society.
1959
carton 1, folder 52
Atypical partial differential equations,
Partial Differential Equations and Continuum Mechanics.
1961
carton 1, folder 53
On the non-vanishing of the jacobian of a homeomorphism by harmonic gradients,
Annals of Mathematics.
1968
carton 1, folder 54
About the Hessian of a spherical harmonic,
American Journal of Mathematics.
1969
carton 1, folder 55
On the regularity of the solution of a variational inequality,
Communications on Pure and Applied Mathematics, with Guido Stampacchia.
1969
carton 1, folder 56
On the partial regularity of certain superharmonics,
Studies and essays presented to Yu-Why Chen on his Sixtieth Birthday.
1970
carton 1, folder 57
On a refinement of Evans' law in potential theory,
Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei Rendiconti della Classe di Scienze fisiche, Mathematiche e Naturali.
1970
carton 1, folder 58
Generalization of the spatial angle, Uspehi Matematiĉeskih Nauk.
1971
carton 1, folder 59
On the coincidence set in variational inequalities,
Journal of Differential Geometry.
1972
carton 1, folder 60
On analyticity in homogeneous first order partial differential equations,
Annali della Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa.
1976
carton 1, folder 61
On the minimum number of domains in which the nodal lines of spherical harmonics divide the sphere,
Communications in Partial Differential Equations.
1977
carton 1, folder 62
On the boundary behavior of holomorphic mappings,
Contributi del Centro Linceo Interdisciplinare di Scienze Matematiche e Loro Applicazioni.
1977
carton 1, folder 63
On the relation between analyticity in one and in several variables.
1978
carton 1, folder 64
Expansion of solutions of t' Hooft's equation. A study in the confluence of analytic boundary conditions,
Manuscripta mathematica.
1979
carton 1, folder 65
An inversion of the obstacle problem and its explicit solution,
Annali della Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa.
1979
carton 1, folder 66
On conjugate solutions of certain partial differential equations,
Communications on Pure and Applied Mathematics.
1980
carton 1, folder 67
Über die Darstellung ebener Kurven mit Doppelpunkten.
1981
carton 1, folder 68
On the analyticity of minimal surfaces at moveable boundaries of prescribed length.
ca. 1950-1986
carton 1, folder 69
On free boundary problems in two dimensions.
ca. 1982-1985
carton 1, folder 70
On the analyticity of minimal surfaces at moveable boundaries of prescribed length.
1985-1987
carton 1, folder 71
Über die Partiellen Differenzengleichungen der Mathematischen Physik.
n.d.
carton 1, folder 72
On a minimum problem for superharmonic functions.
n.d.
Subseries 2.3.
Notes
Subseries Scope and Content Summary
Notes consist of math notes by Lewy. Untitled notes that have been labeled by mathematicians David Kinderlehrer and Michael
Lewy, Lewy's son, appear in brackets.
carton 1, folder 75-76
[Notes on potential theory]
n.d.
carton 1, folder 77
[Potential theory lecture notes]
n.d.
carton 1, folder 79-84
Unidentified mathematical notes
n.d.
Carton 2, folders 1-5
Series 3.
Writings by Others, 1976-1979, n.d.
Series Scope and Content Summary
Consists of writings by others that are either dedicated to Lewy or about his work.
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically.
carton 2, folder 1
Lewy problem for Cauchy-Riemann equations,
Contributi del Centro Linceo Inter-disciplinare di Scienze Matematiche e Loro Applicazioni, by Aldo Andreotti.
1976
carton 2, folder 2
On Lewy's Equation, by G.M. Khenkinan.
1977
carton 2, folder 3
On the Korteweg-De Vries equation.
Manuscripta mathematica, by Tosio Kato.
1979
carton 2, folder 4
Some mathematical problems suggested by questions in physics, by Mark Kac
1979
carton 2, folder 5
Families of analytic discs in C
n with boundaries on a prescribed CR submanifold, by Hill, C. Denson and Geraldine Taiani.
n.d.
Carton 2, folders 6-13
Series 4.
Teaching Materials, 1948-1971, n.d.
Series Scope and Content Summary
Includes teaching materials from the course taught by Lewy in China in 1947, as well as some materials from his mathematics
courses at Berkeley.
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically.
carton 2, folder 6
Aspects of the theory of surface waves.
1948
carton 2, folder 7
Some applications of abstract spaces on questions of analysis.
1948
carton 2, folder 8
Mathematics 205A, [Function theory].
1965
carton 2, folder 9
Mathematics 206A, [Functional analysis].
1971
carton 2, folder 10
Mathematics 206B, [Functional analysis].
1971
carton 2, folder 11
Mathematics 217, [Special functions].
n.d.
carton 2, folder 12
Mathematics 222A, [PDE].
n.d.
carton 2, folder 13
Mathematics 222B, [PDE].
n.d.
Carton 2, folders 14-21; oversize folder 1A
Series 5.
Professional Activities, 1935-1988
Series Scope and Content Summary
Consists of materials pertaining to UC committees, conferences, grants and fellowships received by Lewy, visiting professorships,
and lecture announcements.
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically.
carton 2, folder 14
Grants and fellowships
1935, 1960
carton 2, folder 15
Lecture announcements
1947-1953
carton 2, folder 16
Visiting professorships
1947-1974
Oversize folder 1A
Conference announcements
1963, 1986
Carton 2, folders 22-67; oversize folder 1A
Series 6.
Personal Papers, 1906-1999
Series Scope and Content Summary
Divided into five subseries: Family Papers, Awards and Honors, Biographical Materials, Loyalty Oath, Photographs.
Arrangement
Arranged hierarchically, then chronologically.
Subseries 6.1.
Family Papers, 1921-1988
Subseries Scope and Content Summary
The Family Papers consist of family immigration documents.
carton 2, folder 22
Immigration correspondence
1921-1941
carton 2, folder 23
Immigration papers
1938-1941
carton 2, folder 24-25
Helen Lewy correspondence
1988
carton 2, folder 26
Letters of condolence to Helen and Michael Lewy
1988
Subseries 6.2.
Awards and Honors, 1964-1989
Subseries Scope and Content Summary
Awards and Honors include materials related to the Steele Prize and the Wolf Prize.
carton 2, folder 27
National Academy of Sciences
1964
carton 2, folder 28
New York Academy of Sciences
1974
carton 2, folder 29
The Leroy P. Steele Prize
1979
carton 2, folder 32
American Academy of Arts and Sciences
1985
carton 2, folder 34
Exodus Professorum (Universität Göttingen)
1989
Subseries 6.3.
Biographical Materials, 1922-1999, n.d.
Subseries Scope and Content Summary
The Biographical Materials include the biographical compilation titled
Selecta Hans Lewy, composed by colleagues Stephen Hildebrandt and David Kinderlehrer. Also in this subseries are education and employment records.
carton 2, folder 35-36
Biographies
ca. 1940-1999
carton 2, folder 37
Interview with William B. Wolf
n.d.
carton 2, folder 38
Johannes-Gymnasium zu Breslau
1922
Oversize folder 1A
Johannes-Gymnasium zu Breslau diploma
1922
carton 2, folder 39
Universität Göttingen
1922-1931, 1976
carton 2, folder 40
Universität Bonn
1986-1987
carton 2, folder 41
University of Göttingen
1933
carton 2, folder 42
University of California, Berkeley
1935-1969
carton 2, folder 43-44
Miscellaneous employment records and certificates
1933-1952
carton 2, folder 45
United States War Department. Aberdeen Proving Ground
1944-1947
carton 2, folder 46
General Electric Company
1958-1959
carton 2, folder 49-50
Miscellaneous biographical materials
n.d.
Subseries 6.4.
Loyalty Oath, 1950-1951
Series Scope and Content Summary
The subseries Loyalty Oath consists of correspondence and Lewy's statements regarding the loyalty oath of the UC regents as
well as the Department of Commerce.
carton 2, folder 51
Statement to the Members of the Senate Committee on Privilege and Tenure
1950
carton 2, folder 52
Correspondence with United States Department of Commerce, Loyalty Board
1951
Subseries 6.5.
Photographs, 1906-1988
Series Scope and Content Summary
The photographs include family, the University of Göttingen, travel, and colleagues.
carton 2, folder 53
Lewy family
ca. 1906-1916
carton 2, folder 55
France and Italy
ca. 1930
carton 2, folder 56
Brown University
ca. 1933
carton 2, folder 57
Lewy with family in Germany
ca. 1934
carton 2, folder 59
UC Berkeley
ca. 1935-1962
carton 2, folder 60
Lewy and family
ca. 1956-1985
carton 2, folder 62
Lewy and Erhard Heinz
1965
carton 2, folder 63
Lewy and others
ca. 1977-1988
carton 2, folder 65
Conference in Trento, Italy
1986
carton 2, folder 67
Unidentified
ca. 1935-1938
