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This is a simple bibliographic request that I have been unable to pin down. Max Dehn's solution to Hilbert's 3rd problem is:

Max Dehn, "Über den Rauminhalt." Mathematische Annalen 55 (190x), no. 3, pages 465–478.

It is variously cited as either 1901 or 1902 (but always volume 55; Hilbert's own footnote cites volume 55 "soon to appear"). E.g.,

I have been unsuccessful in finding the definitive year via the web, because of all the conflicting citations. The next step is to retrieve Mathematische Annalen volume 55, but perhaps someone can spare me that trouble...? Thanks!

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    $\begingroup$ The paper can be viewed though the Springer webpages springerlink.com/content/h54v26316705n28r. The 55. volume of Math. Ann. has papers both from 1901 and 1902, which perhaps explains the confusion. Dehn's paper is in the number 3. issue, which is listed as 'September 1901'. $\endgroup$
    – J.C. Ottem
    Aug 25, 2011 at 19:13
  • $\begingroup$ Thanks to J.C., Andreas, and Carlo, all of whom explained the mystery! $\endgroup$ Aug 25, 2011 at 19:35
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    $\begingroup$ The link to springerlink.com in a comment above is now broken, but the article can be found at doi:10.1007/BF01448001 (JFM 32.0486.01). $\endgroup$ Mar 27, 2023 at 18:40
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    $\begingroup$ The link to "Tao's book" at scribd.com is broken. I presume it was meant to link to the following one: Tao, Terence, An Introduction to Measure Theory, Graduate Studies in Mathematics 126. Providence, RI: American Mathematical Society (AMS) (ISBN 978-0-8218-6919-2/hbk). xvi, 206 p. (2011). Zbl 1231.28001. $\endgroup$ Mar 27, 2023 at 18:52

3 Answers 3

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the journal has been scanned and can be read here:

https://archive.org/details/mathematischean33behngoog

volume 55 has four issues, covering both years 1901 and 1902; that is where the confusion comes from; Dehn's article is from the third issue, published in September 1901.

you can read the table of contents here:

https://link.springer.com/journal/208/volumes-and-issues/55-3

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Dehn, M.; Ueber den Rauminhalt. (German) Math. Ann. 55 (1901), no. 3, 465–478

according to MathSciNet and Springer confirms this here. But on the scanned original provided by the Göttingen Center for Digitalisation here, the bottom line of the first page shows 1902. However, this refers to all issues of Volume 55. Looking more closely, only issues 1-3 were published in 1901 and issue 4 was published in 1902.

I guess, this means that MathSciNet is correct. However, the confusion is somewhat understandable.

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Another point to consider is whether "Über den Rauminhalt" is in fact Dehn's first solution to Hilbert's 3rd Problem. I believe his first solution was in the paper "Über raumgleiche Polyeder" in the Nachrichten der Königliche Gesellschaft der Wissenschaften zu Göttingen of 1900, pp. 345 -- 354.

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    $\begingroup$ Yes, Hilbert refers to that in his own paper. Hilbert calls this a "note" and the other a "paper," which I took to suggest that the former was a type of preliminary version of the latter. $\endgroup$ Aug 25, 2011 at 23:04
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    $\begingroup$ Just for the record, here is Hilbert's footnote at the end of his 3rd problem description: "Since this was written Herr Dehn has succeeded in proving this impossibility. See his note: "Über raumgleiche Polyeder," in Nachrichten d. K. Gesellsch. d. Wiss. zu Göttingen, 1900, and a paper soon to appear in the Math. Annalen [vol. 55, pp. 465-478]." $\endgroup$ Aug 26, 2011 at 22:06

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