Jakow Trachtenberg
|
|
Jakow Trachtenberg (17 June 1888 - 1953) is known for developing the mental calculation techniques called the Trachtenberg system. He was born on June 17th 1888 in Odessa, Russia. He graduated with highest honors from the Mining Engineering Institute in St. Petersburg and later worked as an engineer in the Obuschoff shipyards. During World War II he was a political prisoner in a nazi concentration camp, while being there he developed his system of mental arithmetic. Through the help of his fiancee who pawned her jewelry to bribe the guards, Trachtenberg managed to escape from the concentration camp and went to Switzerland, where he developed his system further. In 1950, Trachtenberg founded the Mathematical Institute in Zürich where he taught about his system.
- The late Professor Jakow Trachtenberg was the founder of the Mathematical Institute in Zurich, Switzerland.
- He was a Russian, born in Odessa on 17 June 1888 and studied engineering.
- While still in his early twenties, he became Chief Engineer with 11,000 men under his supervision.
- After the Czar of Russia was overthrown, he escaped to Germany where he became very critical of Hitler. He was later imprisoned.
- Most fellow prisoners around him gave up hope and died even before being sent to their death. He realized that if he wanted to stay alive, he had to occupy his mind with something else rather than focus on the hopeless conditions surrounding them. He set his mind on developing methods to perform speed mathematics.
- With the help of his wife, he escaped from prison and fled to Switzerland.
- There, he taught his speed math system to young children. It was very successful.