Jamal Nebez, born in Sulaymaniyah in 1933, significantly expanded the reach of technical instruction by publishing the first physics textbook in the Kurdish language in 1960. His career combined rigorous mathematical research with a dedicated commitment to Kurdish language preservation, literacy, and political advocacy across Iraq and later throughout various academic institutions in Europe.
Early Academic Formation and Teaching
During the 1950s, Nebez attended the University of Baghdad, where he focused on physics, mathematics, philosophy, theology, and Islamic law. Following his graduation, he served as a secondary school educator from 1955 to 1961, teaching physics and mathematics in Kirkuk, Arbil, Basrah, and Baghdad. This period proved critical for his pedagogical development, as he recognized the necessity for scientific literature written in his native tongue.
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Nebez actively bridge the gap between academic science and the Kurdish language. In 1956, he authored a stenciled script on algebra, eventually building upon this foundation to publish Introduction into the Mechanics and Properties of Matter in 1960. This volume was notable for including a comprehensive glossary, establishing standard Kurdish terminology for complex concepts in mathematics and physical sciences.
European Academic Career
In 1962, Nebez moved to Europe to extend his studies in pedagogy, Iranology, and Islamic studies at universities in Munich, Würzburg, and Hamburg. He subsequently pursued political science and law at the Free University of Berlin. His later professional life centered on Berlin, where he served as a lecturer at the Ethnological Institute and the Institute for Iranian Philology, and as an assistant professor focusing on Persian and Iranian languages.
Advocacy and Institutional Founding
Beyond his formal university roles, Nebez was instrumental in creating collaborative structures for Kurdish students and scholars. In 1965, he co-founded the National Union of the Kurdish Students in Europe. By 1985, he assisted in establishing the Kurdish Academy of Science and Arts in Stockholm, an organization designed to gather academics and artists to preserve Kurdish cultural and intellectual output until his death in 2018.
Fast facts
- Born: 1933, Sulaymaniyah, Iraq
- Died: 2018, Berlin
- Educated at: University of Baghdad and Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
- Academic Employer: Freie Universität Berlin
- First physics book in Kurdish published: 1960
- Co-founded NUKSE: 1965
Questions readers ask
What subjects did Jamal Nebez teach?
He taught physics and mathematics in secondary schools in Iraq and later served as a lecturer and assistant professor at the Free University of Berlin.
What was his contribution to Kurdish scientific literature?
He authored the first physics book in the Kurdish language, which included a foundational glossary of scientific and mathematical terms.
Achievements
- Held posts at Freie Universität Berlin
