- Jakow Trachtenberg
Jakow Trachtenberg (
17 June 1888 - 1953) was aRussia n mathematician who developed themental calculation techniques called theTrachtenberg system . He was born inOdessa ,Russian Empire (todayUkraine ). He graduated with highest honors from the Mining Engineering Institute in St. Petersburg and later worked as an engineer in the Obuschoff shipyards. While still in his early twenties, he became Chief Engineer with 11,000 men under his supervision.After the
Russian Revolution of 1917 , Trachtenberg escaped toGermany where he became very critical of Hitler. As a result, he was imprisoned in a Naziconcentration camp duringWorld War II . He developed his system ofmental arithmetic during his imprisonment. Through the help of his wife who pawned her jewelry to bribe the guards, Trachtenberg managed to escape from the concentration camp and went toSwitzerland , where he developed his system further. In 1950, Trachtenberg founded the Mathematical Institute inZürich where he taught about his system.Early life
Trachtenberg was a dedicated pacifist. When the war broke out in 1914 he was instrumental in organising a society known as the Society of Good Samaritans. The idea was to train Russian students to take care of the wounded. This also had a special recognition from the
Czar . He was against any violence of any sort and brutality to any nature. He refused to accept defeat even under trying conditions.He worked as an
engineer in theObuschoff shipyard s after graduation. He was promoted as Chief Engineer with thousands of men under his supervision. The rulers gave him the responsibility of forming a well-developednavy under his supervision.Life in Germany and World War II
His expectation of a peaceful life ended with the
Russian Revolution of 1917 . In 1918 the Imperial family was liquidated and new rulers took over. He was very critical of the new government, and soon learned that the rulers wanted to murder him.Disguising himself he escaped to
Berlin which became his new home. He worked as an editor for a magazine publishing company always recommending for a peaceful future. He became an expert onRussia n affairs and wrote also a book on Russianindustry . Whenfascism came in andHitler was ruling the country Tractenberg was very critical of him recommending peaceful existence. Knowing that Hitler has marked him for removal he escaped toVienna inAustria with his wife. There he worked for a scientific magazine.After the
Anschluss , Tractenberg was captured and sent toprison . From there he escaped and fled toYugoslavia with his wife where he lived incognito. This was only short-lived as the Nazis caught him and transported him to aconcentration camp .He diverted his attention to think on manipulation of
number s to forget the ruthlessness he witnessed in the concentration camp. Without any paper or pencil he worked mentally and only scribbled the final results on any bit of paper he could lay hands on.In 1944, after almost seven years in
prison , when he learned that he was to be executed, his wife bribed the guards and got him transferred to another prison from where he escaped incognito and ran for his life with his wife. Again he was caught and sent to another prison from where he escaped toSwitzerland with the help of his wife who pawned her jewelry to bribe the guards.Life after the war
In Switzerland he started teaching his mental manipulation of numbers, which became very popular. He was especially successful with children who had had problems with ordinary mathematical education. Finally in 1950 he founded the Mathematical Institute in
Zurich which became known worldwide for its methodology of teaching.References
*cite book | year=1965 | title=The Speed System of Basic Mathematics | publisher=Pan Books Ltd | location=London | author=Jakow Trachtenberg, adapted by Ann Cutler and Rudolph McShane
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