The mathematics of the kinematic equations of surfaces defined the professional career of Nikolaos Hatzidakis, a mathematician who navigated academia across Europe before returning to his homeland. Born in Berlin in 1872 to Cretan parents, he cultivated a lifelong engagement with mathematical physics and formal logic, eventually securing a professorship at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.
Academic Formation and Early Career
After completing secondary education in Athens, Hatzidakis attended the National Technical University of Athens, where he earned a Ph.D. He furthered his expertise through advanced studies in Paris, Gothenburg, and Berlin. By 1900, he secured his first major faculty appointment at the Hellenic Military Academy, teaching theoretical mechanics and astronomy for four years. He subsequently moved to the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens in 1904, serving as a professor until his retirement in 1939.
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His research focused heavily on kinematic equations, contributing to papers published in Greek, German, French, English, Italian, and Danish. He participated actively in the global mathematical community, serving as an invited speaker at International Congress of Mathematicians meetings in Cambridge, Strasbourg, Bologna, and Zurich between 1912 and 1932. He was also a founding member of the Hellenic Mathematical Society.
Public Engagement and Final Years
Beyond his formal duties, Hatzidakis took part in the 1897 rebellion against Ottoman rule in Crete. He possessed extensive linguistic skills, reportedly speaking thirteen languages, and published poetry under pseudonyms. During the Axis occupation of Greece in World War II, he maintained a stance of non-cooperation despite his proficiency in German and Italian. He died of starvation during the Great Famine in Athens on 25 January 1942.
Fast facts
- Born: 1872, Berlin
- Died: 25 January 1942, Athens
- Education: National Technical University of Athens
- Key Employer: National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
- Specialization: Kinematic equations of surfaces
- Member: Hellenic Mathematical Society
- Language ability: 13 languages
- Father: Ioannis Hatzidakis
Questions readers ask
What subjects did Nikolaos Hatzidakis teach?
He taught theoretical mechanics and astronomy at the Hellenic Military Academy and mathematics at the University of Athens and the Hellenic Naval Academy.
Where did Hatzidakis travel for his mathematical studies?
He studied at the National Technical University of Athens, followed by further academic periods in Paris, Gothenburg, and Berlin.
Achievements
- Held posts at National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
