Texts by A. Grothendieck

Biographical information

• The first volume, Anarchie (in German) of a biography-in-progress of Alexander Grothedieck's life entitled Wer is Alexander Grothendieck? Anarchie, Mathematik, Spiritualität, has now appeared in print. Anarchie, by Winfried Scharlau ([email protected]) can be purchased for a price of 12.00 euros plus postage, directly from the author. Other related texts by Scharlau are also available online.
• A brief timeline of Grothendieck's life
• Ein kurzer Lebenslauf von Alexander Grothendieck (German)   (by W. Scharlau)
• Grothendieck’s entry in the Wikipedia Wikipedia Grothendieck article
• Grothendieck’s entry at the MacTutor History of Mathematics Archive MacTutor Grothendieck bio

Texts and links concerning Grothendieck's life, work and writings

• The Camp de Rieucros where Grothendieck and his mother spent part of the war   On November 12, 1938 the law concerning 'undesirables' was passed; among others, all Germans residing in France were to be interned in special camps. Alexander Grothendieck (aged 12 or 13) was interned in Rieucros together with his mother. His father was in the Camp du Vernet for men, whereas Alexander was allowed to remain with his mother in the women's camp of Rieucros.
• Camp du Vernet Link to the Camp du Vernet where Grothendieck's father Sascha Schapiro was interned, and from which he was deported to Auschwitz in 1942
• A few photos of the Camp du Vernet, then and now
• La Guespy and Chambon-sur-Lignon  La Guespy was the Home for Jewish children run by Protestants in the village of Chambon-sur-Lignon during and after World War II. They saved countless Jewish children from Nazi roundups. Grothendieck spent the years 1943-45 at La Guespy and attended the Collège Cévénol while living there. He mentions this in La Clef des Songes, pp. 94-99.
• Alex at La Guespy   Brief description of Grothendieck as a teenager by the directress of La Guespy
• An interview with Jean Giraud Jean Giraud was one of Grothendieck's graduate students
• The IHES at 40 This article by Allyn Jackson discusses the history of the IHES, and includes a description of Grothendieck’s influence on the institute (albeit containing several errors).
• Comme Appelé du Néant -- As If Summoned From the Void   (Part I)    (Part II)      A very interesting two-part article by Allyn Jackson, from the Notices of the AMS (Part I is in Vol 51, No. 4, Part II is in Vol 51, No. 10), full of anecdotes about Grothendieck's youth and professional life.
• Découvrir et transmettre: la dimension collective des mathématiques dans Récoltes et Semailles d'Alexandre Grothendieck  by A. Herreman
• Notes on the life and work of Alexander Grothendieck   An 18-page biographical article by Piotr Pragacz, originally published in Polish in Wiadomo´sci Matematyczne 40 (2004).
• Alexandre Grothendieck  Mathematical and biographical sketch by Mauricio Garay.
•  Mais où est le génie des maths? biographical sketch by Roman Ikonikoff
•  Un mathématicien d'exception biographical sketch from La Citoyenneté
• Grothendieck no Brasil  Memories (in Portuguese) of Grothendieck's stay in São Paulo, 1952-1954, by Alberto de Azevedo. This article appeared in Matemática Universitária No.44.

• Illusie's reminiscences  An audio recording of Luc Illusie chatting during an evening at Beilinson's home in Chicago, about his memories of Grothendieck

Texts concerning Grothendieck's parents

• Eine Frau   This 1500 page typed manuscript in German contains Hanka Grothendieck's memories of her life from 1900 to 1928, the year in which she conceived Alexander. The story is told in the third person. As far as fairly extensive research and conversations with friends, family members and other records (mostly conducted by W. Scharlau) have been able to confirm, the book appears to reflect the factual truth in every detail except for changing of the names of the family members: Lotte Babendeerde for Hanka Grothendieck, Redy Spenzer for Alfred Raddatz, Frigga (Ilka) for Frode (Maidi), Hans, Peter and Helmut for her brothers Fritz, Claus and Siegfried... Sascha Schapiro is called Sascha in the book.


• La Clef des Songes   (see texts by Grothendieck). The third chapter  Le voyage à Memphis (1): l'errance  contains further details about the lives of Grothendieck's parents, including some things not described in Eine Frau


• Eine Entdeckung: Hanka Grothendiecks autobiographischer Roman `Eine Frau' An essay in German on Eine Frau by Winfried Scharlau


• Grothendieck's Dream of the Rising Sea  A play by Adrian Heathcote, inspired by Grothendieck and his parents' lives