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Alexander Wittenberg fonds
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Documents

File consists of various personal documents of both Wittenberg and other family members including passports, membership cards, Vaccination certificates, Canadian citizenship certificate.

Documents

File consists of various personal documents of both Wittenberg and other family members including passports, membership cards, Vaccination certificates, Canadian citizenship certificate.

Alexander Wittenberg fonds

  • F0747
  • Fonds
  • [1940?]-1970

Fonds consists of records created and maintained by Alexander Israel Wittenberg, pertaining to his career as a mathematician, university professor and researcher of mathematical education, mathematical philosophy and general educational policies. The fonds includes Wittenberg’s correspondence with leading scientists, mathematicians and education specialists from across Europe and North America, reflecting his involvement with research pertaining to these issues, as well as to various other initiatives, debates and policy discussions. Other series in the fonds contain records relating to the academic courses that Wittenberg developed and taught and his involvement with the governance of York University during his tenure as a faculty member and which attest to his vision regarding the University’s future pedagogical direction; records from his time as a student in Zurich; most of his scholarly output and public engagements since the late 1940s and until his death in 1965; and some sound recordings containing radio broadcasts made by Wittenberg. The fonds also contains several personal records of both Wittenberg and his close family members, as well as photographs and newspaper clippings.

Upon his death, Wittenberg left behind him several unfinished projects. Amongst these are two manuscripts, the first, titled “Education: the unfulfilled promise,” is based on a series of lectures that he broadcasted on CBC radio during March and April 1965. The second manuscript, “Number – a case study in knowledge,” is based on an interdisciplinary mathematical-philosophical course that Wittenberg delivered to first- and second-year students at York University. Also included in the collection are initial notes and drafts relating to two other projects that Wittenberg was planning: a biography of Albert Einstein whom he perceived as a symbol for the ability to successfully combine scientific excellence with strong and unbending moral values, and a university-level textbook on vector algebra.

Wittenberg, Alexander Israël

Correspondence

Series consists of personal and professional correspondence with leading scientists, mathematicians and education specialists from across Europe and North America. As Wittenberg did not maintain copies of his letters, for the most part the series only contains the incoming letters. The series includes correspondence with scholars such as Paul Bernays, Alexander Calandara, Tatiana Ehrenfest Afanasyeva, Ferdinand Gonseth, Ahron Katchalsky (Katzir), Thomas Kuhn, Imre Lakatos, Georges Polya, Michael Polanyi and many other colleagues and acquaintances. There are several files pertaining to Wittenberg’s involvement with councils, associations and other initiatives that aimed to promote mathematical and scientific education across Canada and North America. The series also contains materials of more personal nature pertaining to matters such as trips, children schools, post-Holocaust restitution claims, and involvement in Canadian Jewish community life.

Studium

File consists of various certificates, letters and diplomas from Wittenberg's early education in Switzerland and France.

Gonseth I

File consists of Wittenberg's notes from a course with Ferdinand Gonseth.

Gonseth II

File consists of Wittenberg's notes from a course with Ferdinand Gonseth.

Raeff

File consists of correspondence with Marc Raeff, historian, Russian history.

Student notes

Series consists of Wittenberg's hand-written notes and course work from his time as a student at the Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zurich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich).

Research output, publications and drafts

Series consists of Wittenberg’s research output – books, articles, conference papers, book reviews, in both published and draft forms - from 1951 to posthumously published materials. Materials are written in German, French and English and for the most part pertain to the need and the ways to treat mathematical education as a foundational element within any humanistic education system.

Ehrenfest

File consists of correspondence with mathematician Tatiana Ehrenfest Afanasyeva, Holland.

Varia

File consists of various letters, notes and newspaper clips that were found together in a separate file folder.

Restitution

File consists of various letters and documents regarding restitution funds for Marlyse Wittenberg and her mother.

Birkhauser

File consists of correspondence with Swiss publishing house Birkhauser re: Wittenberg's book "Vom denken in Begriffen". The file consists also of correspondence with other publishers regarding the book.

Kline

File consists of correspondence with mathematician Professor Morris Kline

Canadian Jewish Congress

File consists of various correspondence with the CJC regarding lectures and Jewish schools in Canada. Files contains two CJC publications: "Brief submitted by the Canadian Jewish Congress to the Royal commission of inquiry on education, March 1962" and "The place of the Jew in the public school system of Montreal". There are several more CJC correspondence in the 'York-Varia' file.

Gonseth

File consists of correspondence with Swiss Mathematician Professor Ferdinand Gonseth. Gonseth was one of Wittenberg's PhD advisors.

ETH

File consists of correspondence with the Zurich ETH (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology) from which Wittenberg obtained his PhD.

Universite Laval

File consists of various correspondence and documents, academic and administrative, re: joining and teaching at Laval University.

Laval

File consists of correspondence, mostly regarding administrative matters, with various functions within Laval University.

Academic and administrative files

Series consists of materials pertaining to Wittenberg’s life as an academic. While the Laval University-related materials consists mostly of course work and administrative matters, the York University files reflect a much more active and engaged involvement in University life and in questions of institutional governance and vision.

Bernays

File consists of correspondence with mathematician Paul Bernays, one of Wittenberg's PhD advisors.

Schweis

File consists of correspondence with the Swiss consulates in Toronto and Montreal regarding citizenship and registration matters. The file also contains a 1965 list of "Swiss scientists and engineers in North America"

Polya

File consists of correspondence with mathematician Professor Georges Polya.

ENS

File consists of various correspondence regarding an initiative to establish a dedicated school for the training of math teachers.

Mathematical Association of America

File consists of correspondence with the MAA re conferences and about the need for a section on mathematical education in the association's newsletter. The file also contains Wittenberg's membership card.

Coleman

File consists of correspondence with Professor John Coleman re: general education and the teaching of mathematics.

Foundations

File consists of correspondence with various foundations re: grants. The file includes Wittenberg's CV and several cover letters describing his work and worldviews.

Israel

File consists of various correspondence with the Israeli embassy in Canada and with 'The central division Zionist organization of Canada'. File also contains a letter from Wittenberg to the Israeli ambassador re: the Dr. Robert Soblen case.

Katchalsky

File consists of correspondence with Professor Ahron Katchalsky (Katzir) regarding the 'Israel centre for the advancement of human culture'

Malediction

File consists of several copies of an unpublished article titled 'malediction' by Wittenberg regarding Christian Jewish relations. The file includes a 1959 newspaper clip on Pope Jean XXIII and a letter to Francois Mauriac introducing the article.

M.N.U.

File consists of correspondence with the German journal 'Mathematische und naturwissenschaftliche unterricht'.

Raeff

File consists of correspondence with Marc Raeff, historian, Russian history.

Peterson

File consists of correspondence with Professor Alec Peterson, England, mostly regarding an article on the teaching of mathematics.

Nursery Clocks

File consists of correspondence regarding an initiative to develop a numberless clock for young children.

Summer 1960

File consists of correspondence and materials relating to a research trip to London England and meetings with various academics.

Stanford Congress

File consists of materials from the 1960 'International Congress for logic, methodology and philosophy of science' that Wittenberg attended.

Abel, Berlin

File consists of correspondence with Welther Abel, director of the Gymnasium zu Berilin-Steglitz with regards to Wittenberg's visit. The file also consists two publications about the history of the Gymnasium and an itinerary for a trip to Israel, September-October 1960

Radio Canada

File consists of various correspondence with Radio Canada/Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC).

Arbeitsplan

Item is an undated work plan on future projects, including a section on a plan to write about Albert Einstein.

Polanyi

File consists of correspondence with scientist Professor Michael Polanyi.

Rumpf

File consists of correspondence with Professor Horst Rumpf, Germany.

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