David Hilbert

Born 1862 in Königsberg, Prussia (now Kaliningrad, Russia), died 1942 Göttingen, Germany

Hilbert is probably most famous for the 23 problems that he posed to the Second International Congress of Mathematicians in Paris in 1900, some of which still remain unsolved. As he delivered his speech giving the challenge to the mathematical community which is still thinking and trying to solve some of them, he said:

"The great importance of definite problems for the progress of mathematical sciences in general is undeniable... As long as a branch of knowledge supplies a surplus of such problems, it maintains its vitality... the conviction that every mathematical problem is necessarily capable of strict resolution (makes us to) hear without ouserlves the constant cry: There is the problem, seek the solution. You can find it through pure thought..."