Sebastian Kurtz

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Sebastian Kurtz , Latinized Sebastianus Curtius , (born September 1, 1576 in Windsheim , † October 28, 1659 in Nuremberg ) was a German arithmetic master in Nuremberg.

Life

Kurtz came to Nuremberg around 1590 and was a student of the mathematician Wirsing. He was an accountant in Nuremberg for a merchant, in 1594 he worked for the town clerk of Frankenthal for a year, and in 1594 he was a clerk with the Solm Regiment on a campaign in France. In 1597 he was back in Windsheim and founded a school there and from 1603 a writing and arithmetic school in Nuremberg near the Fleischbrücke. He was very successful with his school and as an arithmetic master in Nuremberg and stayed in the city for the rest of his life (except for a short time in 1611). In 1643 he was accepted into the city's greater council. In 1614 he was the arithmetic master of Nuremberg. After his death, his son-in-law Ulrich Hoffmann (1610–1682) took over the school.

He was standing with an exchange of letters with the arithmetic master Johann Faulhaber from Ulm. He knew Dutch (which he learned during his time in the Solm Regiment) and translated Dutch works on land surveying by Johan Sems and Jan Pieterszoon Dou into German (published in Amsterdam 1616) and he also translated a geometry book ( Hondert geometrische questien met hare solutien ) by Sybrandt Hansz. Cardinael (1578–1647, also Sybrand Hansen), published in German in 1617 in Amsterdam.

Several books on arithmetic, land surveying and geometry come from him. He also published an edition of Euclid and Adam Riese's arithmetic book . Since he could not speak Latin, he commissioned scholars to translate Latin mathematical works. He contributed to the further dissemination of knowledge of decimal fractions in Germany. He also improved instruments himself.

He was married twice (second marriage to Ursula Schrödel, marriage in 1641 or 1642) and had several children.

literature

  • Johann Gabriel Doppelmayr: Historical message from the Nuremberg mathematicians and artists , Nuremberg: Peter Conrad Monath 1730, pp. 168–170, digitized .
  • Kurt Hawlitschek: Sebastian Kurz (1576–1659). Arithmetic master and visitor of the German schools in Nuremberg , in: Rainer Gebhardt (Hrsg.): Arithmetic books and mathematical texts of the early modern times. Writings of the Adam-Ries-Bund Annaberg-Buchholz, Volume 11. Annaberg-Buchholz: Adam-Ries Bund 1999, pp. 257-266.

Writings and Editing

  • A Newes Wolge-based arithmetic book. Nuremberg: Baur 1604.
  • Adam Risen's arithmetic book on the lines and numbers. Nuremberg: Fuhrmann 1610.
  • On the use of the geometric instruments. Amsterdam: Janß 1616.
  • Practica of land measurement. Amsterdam: Janß 1616.
  • Treatise on the Making and Use of a Reorganized Mathematical Instrument. Amsterdam: Janß 1616.
  • Tractatus Geometricus. Amsterdam: Janß 1617.
  • Euclidi's first six books. Amsterdam: Janß 1618.
  • Compendium Arithmeticae. 13th edition. Nuremberg: Ended 1716.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ MH Sitters: Sybrandt Hansz. Cardinael (1578-1647). A peculiarly knowledgeable tussen Stevin en Huygens , Gemina, Volume 27, 2004, pp. 14–32.
personal data
SURNAME Kurtz, Sebastian
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Curtius, Sebastianus
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German arithmetic master
DATE OF BIRTH September 1, 1576
PLACE OF BIRTH Windsheim
DATE OF DEATH October 28, 1659
Place of death Nuremberg