In late 1932, Marian Rejewski reconstructed the internal wiring of the German military Enigma cipher machine by applying the principles of permutation theory. Operating within the Polish Cipher Bureau, he moved beyond traditional linguistic analysis to provide the mathematical foundation required for decrypting secure communications, a breakthrough that became central to the Allied signals intelligence effort during the Second World War.
Early Mathematical Training
Born in Bydgoszcz in 1905, Rejewski attended High School No. 1 before enrolling at Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań in 1923. He completed his studies in 1929, earning a Master of Philosophy in mathematics. During this period, he participated in a secret cryptology course organized by the Polish General Staff. After a brief academic stint at the University of Göttingen in 1929 and 1930, he returned to Poznań to serve as a mathematics teaching assistant while simultaneously working for the local Cipher Bureau outpost.
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In September 1932, Rejewski joined the central Cipher Bureau in Warsaw. Tasked with examining the German Enigma I machine, he utilized mathematical group theory to deduce the wiring of the internal rotors. His methods, which included the development of the cryptologic card catalog and the later implementation of the cryptologic bomb, allowed the Polish team to bypass the massive number of possible machine configurations that had previously rendered the cipher unbreakable.
Wartime Operations and Exile
Following the outbreak of war, the Polish cryptologists evacuated to France. Rejewski worked for the Cadix unit from 1940 to 1942. When Nazi Germany occupied the Vichy free zone, he fled through Spain and Portugal to reach Britain. There, he enlisted in the Polish Land Forces, serving from 1943 to 1946. His wartime efforts concluded with his return to Poland, where he eventually transitioned into private life and remained largely silent about his technical contributions until 1967.
Fast facts
- Born: 1905, Bydgoszcz
- Died: 1980, Warsaw
- Education: Adam Mickiewicz University, University of Göttingen
- Employment: Cipher Bureau (1932-1939), Cadix (1940-1942)
- Burial site: Powązki Cemetery
- Award: Grand Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta (2000)
- Languages: Polish, German
Questions readers ask
What was the core of Rejewski's contribution to cryptography?
He applied group theory and permutation mathematics to reverse-engineer the wiring of the Enigma rotor machine.
When did Rejewski disclose his work to the public?
He remained silent for two decades after the war but began sharing his memoirs with the Polish Military Historical Institute in 1967.
Achievements
- Silver Medal of Merit for National Defence
- War Medal 1939–1945 — 2005
- Officer of the Order of Polonia Restituta — 1978
- Grand Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta — 2000
- Held posts at Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Cipher Bureau and Cadix
- Fields: mathematics and cryptography
