Stefan Banach
Banach, Stefan
Born Mar. 30, 1892, in Kraków; died Aug. 31, 1945, in L’vov. Polish mathematician. Professor at the University of L’vov (1924). Dean of the physics and mathematics department of that university (1939).
Banach was one of the founders of contemporary functional analysis. Linear spaces in which linear functionals and operators are most fruitfully studied are named for him. His main work is Theory of Linear Operations, published in Polish (1931), French (1933), and Ukrainian (1948). During the German fascist occupation, Banach was the victim of cruel torment by the fascists. After the liberation of L’vov, he again headed the physics and mathematics department of the University of L’vov.