Mihailo Petrovic Alas

Mihailo Petrovic Alas (1868 - 1943), was an influential Serbian mathematician and inventor. He was also a distinguished professor at Belgrade University, an academic of the Serbian Royal Academy, and a fisherman. He was a student of Henri Poincare. Petrovic contributed significantly to differential equations and phenomenology, as well as inventing one of the first prototypes of an analog computer.
Alas was born on April 24, 1868, in Belgrade, as a first child of Nikodim, professor of theology, and Milica (née Lazarevic).He finished the First Belgrade Gimnasium in 1885, and afterwards enrolled at Natural science-Mathematical section of the Faculty of Philosophy in Belgrade. He finished his studies in 1889. Subsequently, in September 1889, he went to Paris to receive further education, and prepare for entering exam for École Normale Supérieure. He got degree in mathematical sciences on Sorbonne University in 1891 and in physical sciences in 1893. Having been the best student of his generation, he attended a reception at the president of France in 1893, and in 1894. He worked on preparing his doctoral dissertation, and in June 21, 1894 he defended his PhD degree at the Sorbonne, and received a title Docteur és sciences mathematiques (doctor of mathematical sciences). His doctorate was in field of differential equations. In 1894. Mihailo Petrovic became a professor of mathematics in the Great School in Belgrade. In those days, he was one of the greatest experts for differential equations in the world. He held lectures until his retirement in 1938. In 1897, he became associate member of the Serbian Royal Academy and associate member of the Yugoslav Academy of Sciences and Arts in Zagreb. He became a full member of the Serbian Royal Academy in 1899, when he was only 31.He was very interested in fishery, and thus his nickname, Alas (river fisherman). In 1882, he became fisherman apprentice, and in 1895 he had an exam for fisherman master. He played violin, and in 1896, he founded musical society named Suz. Mihailo Petrovic Alas constructed a hidrointegrator, and won gold medal on World exposition in Paris 1900. When in 1905 the Great School was transformed into University of Belgrade Petrovic was among first eight regular professors, that elected other professors.Alas published a large number of inventions, scientific works, books and journals from his sea expeditions. He received numerous awards and acknowledgements and was a member of several foreign science academies (Prague, Bucharest, Warsaw, Kraków) and scientific societies. In 1927, when Jovan Cvijic died, members of the Serbian academy proposed Mihailo Petrovic for the new president of academy, but authorities did not accept this proposal. Probable reason for this was the fact that Mihailo Petrovic Alas was a close friend of the prince Ðorde P. Karadordevic, king's brother, that was arrested in 1925, and was held in house arrest. In 1931, members of the academy, unanimously proposed Alas for the president of the academy, but authorities again dismissed this proposal. In 1939, Alas became honorary doctor of the Belgrade University. In the same year, he received order of the Saint Sava of the first class. It is fair to say that Mihailo Petrovic Alas is the greatest Serbian mathematician. He also founded the Belgrade school of mathematics, that produced a number of mathematicians that continued Alas's work. All doctoral dissertations defended on the Belgrade University since 1912 until the Second World War were under his mentorship.He participated in Balkan Wars and in First World War as an officer, and after the war he was reserve officer. Alas practised cryptography, and his cipher systems were used in Yugoslav army for a long time (until WWII). When Second World War broke out in Yugoslavia, he was again called into the army and Germans captured him. After a while, he was released, because of illness. On June 8, 1943, professor Mihailo Petrovic died in his home in Kosancicev Venac Street in Belgrade.Alas was a passionate traveller, and he visited both North and South pole. Mihailo Petrovic got nickname "Alas" because of his passion for fishery. He was not only aficionado, but expert as well, so he participated in talks for legislature of the Fishery convention with Romania, and in talks with Austria-Hungary about the protection of fishery on Sava, Drina and Danube rivers. He was one of the most popular persons of old Belgrade, known as Mika-Alas.IX-th Belgrade Gymnasium "Mihailo Petrovic Alas" is a high school in Belgrade, Serbia named after him.