Israel Gohberg and Friends

Mathematicians do not work in isolation. They stand in a long and time honored tradition. They write papers and (sometimes) books, they read the publications of fellow workers in the ?eld, and they meet other mathematicians at conferences all over the world. In this way, in contact with colleagues far away and nearby, from the past (via their writings) and from the present, scienti?c results are obtained whicharerecognizedasvalid.Andthat-remarkablyenough-regardlessofethnic background, political inclination or religion. In this process, some distinguished individuals play a special and striking role. They assume a position of leadership. They guide the people working with them through uncharted territory, thereby making a lasting imprint on the ?eld. So- thing which can only be accomplished through a combination of rare talents: - usually broad knowledge, unfailing intuition and a certain kind of charisma that binds people together. AllofthisispresentinIsraelGohberg,themantowhomthisbookisdedicated,on theoccasionof his 80thbirthday.This comes to the foregroundunmistakably from the contributions from those who worked with him or whose life was a?ected by him. Gohberg'sexceptionalqualitiesarealsoapparentfromthe articleswritten by himself, sometimes jointly with others, that are reproduced in this book. Among these are stories of his life, some dealing with mathematical aspects, others of a more general nature. Also included are reminiscences paying tribute to a close colleaguewho isnotamongusanymore,speechesorreviewshighlightingthework and personality of a friend or esteemed colleague, and responses to the laudatio's connected with the several honorary degrees that were bestowed upon him.

This book is dedicated to Israel Gohberg on occasion of his 80th birthday on 2008. It contains reflections by Gohberg himself on his own mathematical activities and those of others. It presents the way in which he influenced the lives of many mathematicians.

Concentrates on the human aspects behind the development of mathematics around the remarkable figure of Israel Gohberg

Mathematical Tales and Philosophical-Mathematical Tales.- Mathematical Tales.- Philosophical-Mathematical Tales A Personal Account.- Our Dad's Mathematics.- Work and personalia.- Curriculum Vitae of Israel Gohberg.- List of Publications of Israel Gohberg.- List of Graduate Students of Israel Gohberg.- Reference.- Election Moldavian Academy of Sciences.- A Review of the Mathematical Work of Israel Gohberg up to 1998.- Gohberg' Mathematical Work in the Period 1998-2008.- The Nathan and Lily Silver Chair.- Gohberg Miscellanea: Celebrating the 60th birthday.- Gohberg Miscellania.- Celebrating the 70th Birthday.- Speeches Given at the Conference Dinner in Celebration of Israel Gohberg's 70th Birthday.- About Colleagues and Friends.- Opening Address Toeplitz Memorial Conference.- David Milman (1912-1982).- Biography of M.S. Livsic.- Odessa Reminiscences.- Opening Address.- Mark Grigorievich Krein: Recollections.- Heinz Langer and his Work.- Vladimir Maz' ya: Friend and Mathematician. Recollections.- Reminiscences of Béla Sz?kefalvi-Nagy.- Peter Lancaster, my Friend and Co-author.- On Joint Work with Harry Dym.- In Memoriam Seymour Goldberg (1928-2004).- In Memoriam Georg Heinig (1947-2005).- Recollections: Vasile Grigorievich Ceban, on his 90th Birthday.- Heinz Langer, my Friend and Colleague Recollections. After Dinner Speech.- Our Meetings with Erhard Meister.- Honorary Doctorates: Laudatios and Replies.- VI.1.The Technische Hochschule at Darmstadt, Germany.- VI.2. The Vienna University of Technology at Vienna, Austria.- VI.3. West University of Timi?oara in Rumania.- VI.4. The Moldova State University at Chisinau, Moldova.- VI.5. Balti State University "Alecu Russo" at Balti, Moldova.- 6.6. The Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel.-Festschrift 2008.- Collaborating with Israel Gohberg: Some Personal Thoughts.- My Collaboration with Israel Gohberg.- Israel Gohberg: a Teacher and a Friend.- Linear and One-dimensional.- Rehovot Days Redux2.- Israel Tsudikovich: My Older Colleague and Older Friend.- Eight Friends.- Israel Gohberg and Engineering.- Professor at Amsterdam: Thank you Israel!.- IG and Me.- To Israel.- From a Young Student to an Older One.- What About Stability?.- Israel Gohberg and his Influence on my Mathematical Life.- The First Visits of Israel Gohberg to Karl-Marx-Stadt (Chemnitz).- My Gohberg Encounters.- Becoming a Co-author.