Max Dehn and the Origins of Topology and Infinite Group Theory

Abstract

This article provides a brief history of the life, work, and legacy of Max Dehn. The emphasis is put on Dehn's papers from 1910 and 1911. Some of the main ideas from these papers are investigated, including Dehn surgery, the word problem, the conjugacy problem, the Dehn algorithm, and Dehn diagrams. A few examples are included to illustrate the impact that Dehn's work has had on subsequent research in logic, topology, and geometric group theory.