The life of Gotthold Ferdinand Eisenstein

Abstract

Gotthold Ferdinand Eisenstein (1823-1852) was one of the brilliant mathematicians of the nineteenth century. The main goal of this article is to give a translation – from German into English – of a Curriculum Vita that he wrote at age twenty, as part of his application for the Examination of General Maturity for University Entrance (Abitur). This has often been referred to as his autobiography. Some additional biographical information is also given, with the aim of providing some further insights into his life and character in general.