Johannes von Gmunden

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Johannes von Gmunden (Johannes de Gamundia, * around 1380/84 in Gmunden , Upper Austria; † February 23, 1442 in Vienna ) was an Austrian mathematician and astronomer . He is considered to be the founder of the prestigious Vienna astronomical school .

Calendar after Johannes von Gmunden, printed around 1470
Sun and lunar calendar (Nuremberg 1496). Moon culminations as a function of the moon age (1–29 days)

Life

He was born in Gmunden ( Upper Austria ) and probably belonged to the family of the Salzamtmann Friedrich Kraf (f) t. It does not come from Gmünd in Lower Austria or from Schwäbisch Gmünd in Württemberg , as earlier research suspected . 1406 he was at the University of Vienna to master his doctorate . From 1408 he held lectures there on the physics of Aristotle (1408), Meteora (1409, 1411), Petrus Hispanus (1410) and algorismus de minutiis (1412). Johannes was also known for making his explanations clear with functional models and for making astronomical instruments out of cardboard with his students. In this way, the students could learn the function and use of the astrolab with him. After a serious illness in 1412 he also studied theology , which he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1416. He did not continue his lectures until 1419, this time on algorismus de integris .

In 1514 Georg Tannstetter added a history of the Viennese mathematicians and astronomers to his edition of astronomical tables: Viri mathematici . This story also deals with Joannes de Gmunden, especially his writings and his students. Johannes von Gmunden created planet tables (1437 and 1440) and calendars ( almanacs ). The calendar series he began and was printed for the first time for the period 1439 to 1514 was widely used, and 99 copies are still available today. He also suggested the reworking of the Alfonsine tables , which was only carried out by his successor Georg von Peuerbach and his pupil Regiomontanus . Peuerbach, who was just 30 years old and had taught at three Italian universities since 1448, was appointed to the chair in 1453.

Alongside Heinrich von Langenstein, Johannes von Gmunden is considered to be the founder of a school of important astronomers, mathematicians and cartographers in Vienna. As a canon at St. Stephen's Cathedral , he was buried in this church. He bequeathed his astronomical, mathematical and astrological manuscripts to the University of Vienna, where they formed the basis of the later university library.

The asteroid (15955) Johannesgmunden was named in his honor. For his 600th birthday, the Austrian Post issued a special postage stamp in 1984.

bibliography

  • Kathrin Chlench, Beatriz Porres de Mateo, Rudolf Simek: Johannes von Gmunden - Personal Bibliography . In: Rudolf Simek (Ed.): Johannes von Gmunden - astronomer and mathematician. Fassbaender, Vienna 2006 (Studia Medievalia Septentrionalia 12), pp. 183-223.

Works

  • Astrolabii quo primi mobilis motus deprehenduntur canones (1515)
  • Hubert LL Busard (editor) Johannes de Gamundia: The treatise De sinibus, chordis et arcubus by Johannes von Gmunden , Austrian Academy of Sciences, memoranda of math-naturwiss. Class, Volume 116/3, Springer Verlag (on commission), Vienna 1971

literature

  • B. Pillwein : The famous astronomer and mathematician Johannes von Gmunden was born neither from Upper Austria nor from Lower Austria. Linz 1836
  • M. Koch: literary historical note [to Matthias Koch: Brief critical history of the invention of the art of printing. Vienna: Singer & Göring, 1841]; M. Koch: Contributions to the oldest calendar system. In: Blätter für literary entertainment 1 (1841), p. 364 or 624 digitized Google book search .
  • Ernst Zinner , life and work of Joh. Müller von Königsberg, called Regiomontanus , 2nd, from the author. and exp. Ed., Osnabrück, 1968
  • P. Uiblein: Johannes von Gmunden , in: Contributions to the Viennese Diözesangeschichte 15, 1974.
  • E. Prillinger (Ed.): Time comes from heaven: from astronomy to the calendar. In memory of Johannes von Gmunden, 1384-1442. 1984.
  • Helmuth Grössing : Johannes von Gmunden in his time. In: Communications from the Austrian Society for the History of Natural Sciences 3–4 (1985), pp. 66–72.
  • Christa Binder : Johannes von Gmunden . In: Internationale Mathematische Nachrichten No. 201 (2006), pp. 25–28, ISSN  0020-7926 - digital copy (PDF; 1.3 MB) of No. 201 at the Austrian Mathematical Society, Vienna.
  • Christa Binder The First Viennese Mathematical School (Johannes von Gmunden, Georg von Peuerbach) , in: Arithmetic Masters and Cossists of the Early Modern Age (editors Helmuth Albrecht , Rainer Gebhardt ), Adam-Ries-Bund, Annaberg-Buchholz, Volume 7, 1996.
  • Rudolf Simek , Manuela Klein (ed.): Johannes von Gmunden - astronomer and mathematician. Fassbaender, Vienna 2006 (Studia Medievalia Septentrionalia 12)
  • Rudolf Simek / Manuela Klein (eds.): Johannes von Gmunden. Between astronomy and astrology , Fassbaender Verlag, Vienna 2012 (Studia Medievalia Septentrionalia, Volume 22), ISBN 978-3-902575-47-0 .
  • Kathrin Chlench: Johannes von Gmunden German: the Vienna Codex 3055. German texts of the "Corpus astronomicum" from the circle of Johannes von Gmunden. Fassbaender, Vienna 2007 (Studia Medievalia Septentrionalia 13), ISBN 978-3-900538-99-6 .
  • Karl Christian Bruhns :  Johann von Gmunden . In: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB). Volume 14, Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1881, p. 456 f.
  • Kurt Vogel :  Johann von Gmunden. In: New German Biography (NDB). Volume 10, Duncker & Humblot, Berlin 1974, ISBN 3-428-00191-5 , pp. 552 f. ( Digitized version ).
  • Rudolf Klug: Johannes von Gmunden, the founder of celestial studies on German soil. Based on his writings and the archives of the University of Vienna , session reports Akad. Wiss. Vienna, Phil.-Hist. Class, Volume 222, 1943, 4th paper ( online ).
  • Kurt Vogel The Danube region, the cradle of mathematical studies in Germany. With three previously unpublished texts from the 15th century , Munich contributions to the history of medicine and natural sciences. Natural Science History Series, Volume 3, Munich: Fritsch 1973

Single receipts

  1. ↑ Ralf Kern: Scientific instruments in their time . Vol. 1: From astrolabe to mathematical cutlery . Cologne, 2010. p. 105.
  2. ↑ Ed. And translated in Franz Graf-Stuhlhofer: Humanism between Court and University. Georg Tannstetter (Collimitius) and his scientific environment in Vienna in the early 16th century . Vienna 1996, pp. 156–171 (there pp. 157f).
  3. ↑ Entry on the 600th birthday of the scientist Johannes von Gmunden in the Austria Forum  (as a stamp illustration)

Web links

Commons : Johannes von Gmunden  - Collection of images, videos and audio files
personal data
SURNAME Johannes von Gmunden
ALTERNATIVE NAMES John de Gamundia
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Austrian humanist, mathematician and astronomer
DATE OF BIRTH around 1380 or around 1384
PLACE OF BIRTH Gmunden , Upper Austria
DATE OF DEATH February 23, 1442
Place of death Vienna