John von Neumann

John von Neumann Historical Figure Nationality: United States (born in the Austro-Hungarian Empire) Year of Birth: 1903 Year of Death: 1957 Cause of Death: Cancer Religion: Judaism (allegedly converted to Catholicism at death) Occupation: Physicist, Mathematician, Author of Non-Fiction Spouse: Mariette Kövesi (divorced, 1937) Klari Dan Children: Maria von Neumann Fictional Appearances: Joe Steele POD: 1878; Relevant POD: July, 1932 Novel or Story?: Both Type of Appearance: Posthumous reference Date of Death: 1946 Cause of Death: Execution by firing squad

John von Neumann (Hungarian: Neumann János Lajos) (December 28, 1903 - February 8, 1957) was a Hungarian-born American mathematician and polymath who made contributions to quantum physics, functional analysis, set theory, topology, economics, computer science, numerical analysis, hydrodynamics (of explosions), statistics and many other mathematical fields as one of history's outstanding mathematicians.

John von Neumann in Joe Steele

John von Neumann (1903-1946) was one of several scientists who were convicted of wrecking during Joe Steele's presidency, when Steele learned that the means to make an atomic bomb had been discovered but not shared with him during World War II when it could have accelerated the American victory. In an interesting coincidence, many of these scientists were Jewish.

Literary Comment

In the short story, the execution of Neumann and the others is tied to the so-called Professors' Plot, a conspiracy not mentioned in the novel.