Hopewell resident David Saltman will present the story of the Enigma code-breaking machine as part of Hopewell Public Library’s free Wednesday Night Out series at 7 p.m. March 2 at the Hopewell Train Station.
“Enigma“ was the name given to the cipher machines that the German armed forces used to safeguard their communications during World War II. The story of how the Allies broke the Enigma codes (and kept it a secret from the Nazis) is compelling. The course of the war might have been far different without the vital intelligence gained by reading Enigma messages.
However, the breaking of Enigma started with the less-known work of three Polish mathematicians, and this will be the focus of Mr. Saltman’s talk. An actual WWII-era Enigma machine will be on display. Audience members are invited to handle it, ask questions and learn how it works.
Mr. Saltman has been the director of the Center for Communications Research in Princeton since 2007. He received his PhD in mathematics in 1976 from Yale University and held teaching and research positions at both the University of Chicago and Yale before joining the faculty of the University of Texas at Austin in 1982. He has had a lifelong interest in history and especially enjoys sharing topics combining history and mathematics.
The library’s Wednesday Night Out Series is held at the Train Station on the first Wednesday of each month. For information, check the library website at redlibrary.org, on Facebook or call 466-1625.
