Mathematics made in Germany: on the background to Hilbert's Paris lecture (Q384410)

Much has been written about Hilbert's famous list of 23 problems and the subsequent developments (see in particular [\textit{B. H. Yandell}, The honors class. Hilbert's problems and their solvers. Natick, MA: A K Peters (2002; Zbl 0993.01001)]). This article sketches the development up to Hilbert's lecture at the ICM in Paris in 1900: the call from Königsberg to Göttingen, Hilbert's report on algebraic numbers [\textit{D. Hilbert}, Jahresber. Dtsch. Math.-Ver. 4, 175--546 (1897; JFM 28.0157.05)], his work on the foundations of geometry [Grundlagen der Geometrie. Leipzig: B. G. Teubner (1899; JFM 30.0424.01)], the annual meeting of the DMV (German Union of Mathematicians) in Munich (1899) and Boltzmann's speech on the development of physics given there [\textit{L. Boltzmann}, Jahresber. Dtsch. Math.-Ver. 8, 70--95 (1900; JFM 31.0055.01); Verh. Naturfges. München 71, No. 1, 99--122 (1900; JFM 31.0675.04)], and Minkowski's advice concerning Hilbert's speech. The last section deals with Hilbert's philosophy concerning mathematics.