Klara Löbenstein facts for kids

Klara Löbenstein (born February 15, 1883 – died June 10, 1968) was a smart German mathematician. She was one of the very first women in Germany to earn a special advanced degree called a doctorate. Her important work was about the shapes and connections of algebraic curves, which are special kinds of lines or shapes in math.

Klara Löbenstein's Early Life

Klara Löbenstein was born in Hildesheim, which was part of Prussia at the time. Her birthday was February 15, 1883. Her father, Lehmann Löbenstein, was a merchant, and her mother was Sofie Schönfeld.

Getting an Education

In 1904, Klara was allowed to take her Abitur exam. This exam is like a final high school test in Germany. She took it at a boys' school in Hanover. This was a big deal because, at the start of the 1900s, very few young women in Germany could take this exam.

At that time, women were not officially allowed to attend universities in Prussia until 1908. So, Klara and her friend Margarethe Kahn first went to universities as "guest students." They studied at the University of Berlin and the University of Göttingen. They focused on mathematics, physics, and basic science courses.

Her Work in Mathematics

Klara Löbenstein became an expert in a field called algebraic geometry. This part of math studies shapes and spaces using algebra.

Solving a Big Math Problem

Klara worked with her friend Margarete Kahn on a very famous math problem. It was called Hilbert's sixteenth problem, named after the famous mathematician David Hilbert. This problem was about understanding the shapes of algebraic curves.

Hilbert wondered if it was possible for a certain type of curve, called an "algebraic curve of degree 6," to have 11 separate oval shapes. Klara and Margarete created new ways to try and solve this difficult question.

Earning Her Doctorate

In 1910, Klara Löbenstein earned her doctorate degree from the University of Göttingen. Her main teacher was the famous mathematician David Hilbert. Her special paper, called a dissertation, was about the problem of the 6th-degree curve with 11 ovals.

This made her one of the very first German women to get a doctorate in mathematics. She took her final oral exam with Margarete Kahn on June 30, 1909.

Later Life and Moving to Argentina

After getting her degree, Klara Löbenstein worked as a high school teacher. She taught in cities like Metz and Landsberg.

However, in 1936, she lost her job. This happened because of unfair laws in Nazi Germany that targeted certain groups of people. In 1941, Klara had to leave Germany and moved to Argentina. She lived there for the rest of her life.

Klara Löbenstein passed away on June 10, 1968, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She is buried in the German Cemetery there.