Placzek , Adolf K , 1913-2000 , architectural historian and author Philipp , Ernst , 1916-1996 , mathematician and author

Placzek , Adolf K , 1913-2000 , architectural historian and author Philipp , Ernst , 1916-1996 , mathematician and author

Adolf Placzek was born in Vienna, Austria, 1913; initially studied medicine, and switched to architectural history in 1934; left Austria in 1939, and after a brief stay in Britain, moved to New York in 1940; served for 3 years in the US Army, and attended Columbia University's school of Library Service. After graduation he was appointed to the Avery Architectural Library; appointed Avery Librarian, 1960; appointed Professor at the Columbia Graduate School of Architecture, 1970; after his retirement in 1980 he edited the four volume Macmillan Encyclopedia of Architects. Married (1st, 1948) Jan Struther, author of Mrs Miniver (d 1953) (2nd, 1957) Beverley Robinson.

Ernst Philipp was born in Vienna in 1916, and was a cousin of Adolf Placzek; he was educated at the University of Vienna (PhD, Mathematics, 1938); he, and his two brothers were sent to Dachau in Nov 1938, but released on the strength of their British Immigration visas. His mother and sister died in the holocaust. After moving to London he enlisted in the Labour Corps, and later served in the Parachute Regiment at Arnhem in 1945, he remained in the army after the War, and served in Palestine, 1946-1947; he taught mathematics at St Bees School, Cumbria until his retirement in 1981, and died in 1996, aged 79.