Hilda Geiringer von Mises

Hilda Geiringer received her Ph.D. in 1917 from the University of Vienna. Geiringer was trained in mathematics but began to gravitate towards statistics while working for the Institute of Applied Mathematics. Because of her research in probability theory she was not accepted right away to the University of Berlin after submitting a research paper on the subject, the reason being that applied mathematics was struggling for cognitive and institutional freedom. She was finally accepted to the University but was later forced out because she was a non -Aryan during Hitler’s raise to power in the 1930s. Hilda Geiringer and her family came to American during 1939 because it was not safe for the Jewish population. Her last teaching position before she died was at Wheaton College but again she had to deal with discrimination of being a woman. Throughout her life Hilda Geiringer von Mises, had to deal with constant discrimination not only because she studied in a world that was dominated by men but also because she lived in a world that was not welcoming to her ethnic group or to the female population.

Born: 28 Sept 1893 in Vienna, Austria
Died: 22 March 1973 in Santa Barbara, California, USA

Source: (2004).Biographies of Women Mathematicians. Retrieved August 25, 2005, from Agnes Scott College, Department of Mathematics Web site: and from the St. Andrews site.

Biography submitted by Mikael Howard, HR student, Fall 2005.