Person: Freitag, Herta Taussig
Herta Freitag was an Austrian-American mathematician known for her work on the Fibonacci numbers.
Mathematical Profile (Excerpt):
- Herta Freitag, only known as Freitag after her marriage, was given the name Herta Taussig.
- Let us return to details of Herta Taussig's education.
- Herta entered the University of Vienna with the aim of training to become a teacher of mathematics at a gymnasium.
- Herta taught in Vienna from 1934 to 1938, first as a student teacher for one year, then as a "Gymnasium Professur".
- Herta and her parents, however, feared for their lives and decided to move immediately to a summer cottage they owned in the mountains around Vienna so they could plan their next moves.
- The best result for Herta, she decided, was to emigrate to the United States and continue her career as a teacher.
- A sponsor in the United States was required and even when, though a friend of a friend, a surgeon in St Louis was asked and agreed to sponsor Herta, still there was a quota on numbers resulting in a long wait of an unknown length.
- Fearing for their safety, Herta decided to agree to travel to England where a visa could be obtained if she agreed to become a maid.
- The decision of the Tribunal was "Exempted from all restrictions." Herta's application to the Tribunal was settled on 18 November 1939.
- It was now Herta's aim to find a teaching position and she signed up at an agency who found her a position at Greer School in Dutchess County, New York.
- But Herta had ambitions to teach mathematics at a higher level and every summer she studied at Columbia University for her Master's Degree; she graduated M.A. in 1948.
- Herta and Arthur Freitag wrote a number of joint papers.
- "It is a place for old fogeys," she said, "politely called a retirement home." If Friendship Manor is for old fogeys, Herta Freitag is in the wrong place.
- When we viewed the Danube, Professor Freitag declared with joy in her eyes, "It is only blue to those who are in love." We travelled to Belvedere Palace to view the painting of her relative, Tina Blau, ate fine Viennese pastries and enjoyed an even finer friendship and joy.
- Sharing this time with Herta in Vienna was an amazing gift and a tribute to why Hollins is special to those who have taught and studied here.
- Herta died in Roanoke at the age of 91.
Born 6 December 1908, Vienna, Austria. Died 25 January 2000, Roanoke, Virginia, USA.
View full biography at MacTutor
Tags relevant for this person:
Origin Austria, Women
Thank you to the contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0! 
- Github:
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- non-Github:
- @J-J-O'Connor
- @E-F-Robertson
References
Adapted from other CC BY-SA 4.0 Sources:
- O’Connor, John J; Robertson, Edmund F: MacTutor History of Mathematics Archive
