Introduction

Abstract

The external circumstances of Riemann’s short life can be quickly set down. He was born on 17 September 1826 into the family of the pastor of Breselenz near Dannenberg in the kingdom of Hanover. He attended the gymnasiums in Hanover (1840–1842) and in Lüneburg (1842–1846) and studied at Göttingen (1846–1847, 1849–1851) and at Berlin (1847–1849). He obtained his doctorate in 1851, and habilitated, i.e., took the qualifying examination for lecturing at a university, in 1854, both at Göttingen under Gauss. He became an associate professor (at Göttingen) in 1857 and a full professor in 1859. In June of 1862 he married Elise Koch, a friend of his sisters. Always in poor health, he spent a large part of the years that followed in Italy. His only daughter, Ida, was born there. In 1866, in the first days of the war with Prussia, he again decided to go south. He died on 20 July 1866 in Selasca on Lago Maggiore.