John Von Neumann A Register of His Papers in the Library of Congress Prepared by Margit Kerwin and Patrick Kerwin Revised and expanded by Patrick Kerwin Manuscript Division, Library of Congress Washington, D.C. 2002 Contact information: http://lcweb.loc.gov/rr/mss/address.html Finding aid encoded by Library of Congress Manuscript Division, 1996 Finding aid URL: http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.mss/eadmss.ms996003 Latest revision: 2005-03-17 Collection Summary Title: Papers of John Von Neumann Span Dates: 1912-1996 Bulk Dates: (bulk 1935-1957) ID No.: MSS44180 Creator: Von Neumann, John, 1903-1957 Extent: 11,660 items; 34 containers; 13.4 linear feet Language: Collection material in English and Hungarian Repository: Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. Abstract: Mathematician, atomic energy commissioner, and educator. Correspondence, memoranda, journals, speeches, article and book drafts, notes, charts, graphs, patent, biographical material, family papers, and other material pertaining primarily to John Von Neumann's career as professor of mathematics at the Institute for Advanced Study; adviser and commissioner on the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission; scientific consultant to government and private concerns; and author of works on ballistic research, computers, continuous geometries, logic, operator theory, quantum mechanics, and the theory of games. Selected Search Terms The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the Library's online catalog. They are grouped by name of person or organization, by subject or location, and by occupation and listed alphabetically therein. Names: Von Neumann, John, 1903-1957 Aldor, Eva Aldor, Peter, 1904-1976 Aydelotte, Frank, 1880-1956 Bethe, Hans Albrecht, 1906- Birkhoff, Garrett, 1911- Chandrasekhar, S. (Subrahmanyan), 1910- Dantzig, George Bernard, 1914- Dirac, P. A. M. (Paul Adrien Maurice), 1902- Eckart, Carl, 1902- Einstein, Albert, 1879-1955 Fermi, Enrico, 1901-1954 Flexner, Abraham, 1866-1959 Gamow, George, 1904-1968 Gödel, Kurt Goldstine, Herman Heine, 1913- Halmos, Paul R. (Paul Richard), 1916- Heisenberg, Werner, 1901-1976 Hove, L. van (Léon) Hurd, Cuthbert Corwin, 1911- Jordan, Pascual, 1902- Kent, R. H. (Robert Harrington), 1886-1961 Kistiakowsky, George B. (George Bogdan), 1900- Morgenstern, Oskar, 1902- Oppenheimer, J. Robert, 1904-1967 Ortvay, Rudolf, 1885-1945 Pauli, Wolfgang, 1900-1958 Stone, Marshall H. (Marshall Harvey), 1903- Strauss, Lewis L. Taub, Abraham Haskel, 1911- Teller, Edward, 1908- Papers of John Von Neumann 2 Ulam, Stanislaw M. Veblen, Oswald, 1880-1960 Von Neumann, Klara Dan Weaver, Warren, 1894- Weyl, Hermann, 1885-1955 Wiener, Norbert, 1894-1964 Wigner, Eugene Paul, 1902- Institute for Advanced Study (Princeton, N.J.)--Faculty Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory U.S. Army Ballistic Research Laboratory U.S. Atomic Energy Commission Subjects: Ballistics Computers Continuous geometries Game theory Logic, Symbolic and mathematical Mathematics--Study and teaching Nuclear energy Nuclear energy--Government policy--United States Operator theory Physics Quantum theory Occupations: Atomic energy commissioners Educators Mathematicians Administrative Information Provenance: The papers of John Von Neumann, educator, mathematician, consultant, and atomic energy commissioner, were given to the Library of Congress in 1974-1975 by his daughter Marina Von Neumann Whitman. Additions were received in 1993 from brother Nicholas A. Vonneuman,1998 from Israel Halperin, and 2001 from William McClelland. Processing History: The papers of John Von Neumann were arranged and described in 1992. Additions were made to the collection in 1993 and 2002. Transfers: A video recording has been transferred to the Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Division of the Library of Congress, where it is identified as part of these papers. Copyright Status: The status of copyright in the unpublished writings of John Von Neumann is governed by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, U.S.C.). Preferred Citation: Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: Container number, John Von Neumann Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. Papers of John Von Neumann 3 Biographical Note Date Event 1903, Dec. 28 Born, Budapest, Hungary 1926 Ph.D., University of Budapest, Budapest, Hungary 1929 Married Mariette Kovesi (divorced 1937) 1930 Immigrated to United States 1930-1933 Visiting professor, Princeton University, Princeton, N.J. 1932 Published Mathematische Grundlagen der Quantenmechanik. Berlin: J. Springer 1933-1957 Research professor of mathematics, Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, N.J. 1937 Naturalized United States citizen 1939 Married Klara Dan 1940-1957 Member, Scientific Advisory Committee, Ballistic Research Laboratory, Aberdeen, Md. 1943-1955 Consultant, Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory, Los Alamos, N.Mex. 1944 Published Theory of Games and Economic Behavior. Princeton: Princeton University Press 1952-1954 Member, General Advisory Committee, United States Atomic Energy Commission 1955-1957 Commissioner, United States Atomic Energy Commission 1957, Feb. 8 Died, Washington, D.C. Scope and Content Note The papers of John Von Neumann (1903-1957) span the years 1926-1996, with the bulk of the items concentrated in the period from 1935 to 1957. The papers pertain primarily to Von Neumann's career in the United States after he emigrated from Hungary to the United States in 1930. They feature his career as professor of mathematics at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey, 1933-1957, adviser and commissioner on the United States Atomic Energy Commission, 1952-1957, scientific consultant with various government and private concerns, and author of works on various scientific topics. The collection consists of correspondence, memoranda, journals, speeches, articles and book drafts, notes, charts, graphs, family papers, clippings, printed matter, photographs, and other materials. The Family Papers series consists chiefly of correspondence between John Von Neumann and family members. Of particular significance is the extensive correspondence between Von Neumann and his wife Klara Dan Von Neumann concerning professional and family matters. The General Correspondence series contains Von Neumann's incoming and outgoing correspondence with his colleagues at the Institute for Advanced Study, the Atomic Energy Commission and other government bodies, including the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory, and various universities. Of special interest are an Albert Einstein letter and report on theoretical physics, 1937. Other correspondents include Frank Aydelotte, Hans Albrecht Bethe, Garrett Birkhoff, S. Chandrasekhar, George Bernard Dantzig, P. A. M. Dirac, Carl Eckart, Enrico Fermi, Abraham Flexner, George Gamow, Kurt Gödel, Herman Heine Papers of John Von Neumann 4 Goldstine, Werner Heisenberg, L. van Hove, Cuthbert Hurd, Pascual Jordan, R. H. Kent, George B. Kistiakowsky, Oskar Morgenstern, J. Robert Oppenheimer, Rudolf Ortvay, Wolfgang Pauli, Marshall H. Stone, Lewis L. Strauss, Abraham Haskel Taub, Edward Teller, Stanislaw M. Ulam, Oswald Veblen, Warren Weaver, Hermann Weyl, Norbert Wiener, and Eugene Paul Wigner. The Subject File documents all facets of Von Neumann's career in the United States, reflecting his role in early computer and atomic research. The bulk of the series pertains to his work at the Institute for Advanced Study, including his tenure as director of the Electronic Computer Project. Other papers document Von Neumann's many consultantships. Of particular interest are files relating to his work at the United States Army Ballistic Research Laboratory in Aberdeen, Maryland. The Speeches and Writings File reflects Von Neumann's interest in numerous scientific and mathematical subjects. The series includes his early writings in quantum mechanics and logic, his writings on continuous geometries, operator theory, ballistic research, and his later works concerning computers. Also of note is his pioneering work on the theory of games. Throughout the Speeches and Writings File are evaluations of Von Neumann's work written after his death by his colleagues. Among the reviewers were Herman Heine Goldstine, Paul R. Halmos, and Abraham Haskel Taub. An Addition to the papers consists of correspondence between Von Neumann and Eva Aldor, other material relating to Eva and Peter Aldor, correspondence relating to the Poiseuille-type laminar flow, biographical material, a patent, photographs, and printed matter. Organization of the Papers The collection is arranged in five series: • Family Papers, 1929-1956, n.d. • General Correspondence, 1930-1959, n.d. • Subject File, 1930-1974, n.d. • Speeches and Writings File, 1926-1960, n.d. • Addition, 1912-1996, n.d. Papers of John Von Neumann 5 Description of Series Container Series BOX 1 Family Papers, 1929-1956, n.d. Correspondence, telegrams, official documents, and other papers. Arranged alphabetically. BOX 2-8 General Correspondence, 1930-1959, n.d. Correspondence and attached material with friends and colleagues. Arranged alphabetically by name of person or institution. BOX 8-19 Subject File, 1930-1974, n.d. Correspondence, telegrams, memoranda, journals, logs, tests, travel orders, invitations, charts, graphs, forms, biographical data, photographs, clippings and other printed matter, and miscellaneous material. Organized by name of person or organization, topic, or type of material. BOX 19-33 Speeches and Writings