One of the foremost mathematicians of the twentieth century, Karl Menger was especially recognized for his work in curve and dimension theory.

Menger was born on January 13, 1902 in Vienna, Austria, the son of eminent economist Carl Menger and novelist Hermione Andermann. From 1913 to 1920 he attended the Doblinger Gymnasium (a classical college-preparatory school), where in his last year he decided that he wanted a career in literature. Menger seems to have formulated this goal in the face of discouragement from his teachers, however, who thought he had far more talent in mathematics and physics. One of his teachers at the gymnasium described Menger as "not quite normal," megalomaniacal, and "a strange fellow."

Menger entered the University of Vienna later in 1920 and began studying physics. A year later his academic interests shifted to mathematics when he heard a lecture in which the professor mentioned that at the time there was...