Professor Dr. Hashtroudi was requested and he submitted some of his own reminiscences
of international congresses of mathematicians (ICM) that would be in scope of magazine
readers, in order to publish in the magazine.
The organization of the international congresses of mathematicians that holds in various
countries once every four-year and dates back to two centuries ago. In these congresses,
representatives of universities from various countries and mathematicians who are personally
inclined, take part. Typically few number of eminent mathematicians take part according to
the invitation of the host country. During the World Wars, these congresses did not hold, and
before the World War II, the last congress which was held, was ICM-1935 in Moscow. This
year it will be also held in Moscow.
In each congress, a one-hour lecture is considered for prominent mathematicians that give a
lecture about the general progress of mathematics. The other participants could give a quarter-
lecture and present their new theories, however, possibly discussion about some of these
theories takes a number of congress sessions.
I have taken part in all of the congresses after the war and I have been invited in most of them,
just in Stockholm congress, though I was invited, I could not take part in it, since I was in
Moscow on that time.
To speak about the official talks of congresses is wearisome for magazine readers. Some of
memoirs are about circumstance that has happened in the margin of each congress:
In Nice congress, the international congress of Latin mathematicians, Marchoux was the
honorary president, in closing ceremony, a number of participants' relatives have gone to a
night dancing party. There, one of mathematicians' wife and an artist disputed and finally
brother of mentioned lady and the manager of club had quarreled. A journalist of a newspaper
who had sought for such opportunity, had taken several photos of this incident and it was
anticipated that the next day the happening has been reflected with thousand embellishment
and foliage in a newspaper to become a disgrace for congress. Marchaux asked me to interfere
and somehow quiet it; in Nice according to the policy of tourist attraction, they respect
foreigners and in particular journalists abstain to insert and publish something that makes
them resentment. Marchaux and I met the journalist and convinced him with so deceits and
eventually I could take his camera and blacken all photographic films. Journalist who did
not want to be taken a task by manager of newspaper, complained me but just requested the
compensation of a damaged film roll and the incident was finished here.
In this congress, when Arnaud Denjoy who was rather old in this congress and was one of
great professors in Sorbonne University and was also my professor, wanted to lecture, we
all applauded him but just as he wanted to continue his lecture, a number of youth began
again to applaud and wanted to impede his speech. By the way, some of friends and I tried
to conciliate the meeting and he with a high indignant voice that trembled, ended his lecture.
Indeed, Arnodangoux had worked on some subjects in concerning to modern mathematics
in old age and this had not been at all acceptable for youth. They were illiberal youth who
deemed that the way is closed for old, whereas Élie Cartan argued also the theory of isotropic
spaces in the age of eighty years. By the way, in that meeting, I and some others wanted
to soothe him and declared him that they are young, we were also young and sometimes
naughty. He said with the same indignant tone:” you were at all not so , since youth passes,
but maliciousness remains”.
1Arnaud Denjoy(1884-1974)
Translated by Fariba Elliee
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