How to remember Walter Kaufmann-Bühler (Q581379)

This article was written in memory of Walter Kaufmann-Bühler (WKB), one of the founders of the ``Mathematical Intelligencer'', who died suddenly of heart failure caused by a severe asthma attack on 22 December 1986 at the age of forty-two. WKB was publisher, manager, editor, author and a friend of the author. Walter was the mathematics editor at Springer- Verlag New York for 13 years, and his work has had an effect on virtually all contemporary mathematicians. To get an insight into the vivid personality of this dynamic, prematurely disappeared great and good man, we cite some quotations from the article: as a publisher, ``his standard letter of rejection'': ``I have discussed your plan with several of our advisors and, reluctantly, have come to the decision that Springer-Verlag should not undertake the publication of the book''... ``Why don't you try writing another book?''. As an office manager... Walter is pretty bad,...''. ``He knows how to talk with people''. ``Walter is not only a publisher and editor; from time to time he is also an author (but where, I can't help wondering, does he find the time?)..., and he doesn't like to admit, not to friends, and not even to himself, that he can be weak''. ``I am sorry he isn't with us today''. ``I miss him''. The issue Volume 9, No.4, 1987 of the Math. Intell. was dedicated to WKB. The article under consideration begins a series of four articles written by mathematicians who had to say something special about the great personality. The three other articles are the following: ``Conversation between Arthur Jaffe and Klaus Peters, April 15, 1987'', by \textit{A. Jaffe} and \textit{K. Peters}, ibid., 11-17, ``The WKB method'', by \textit{R. Troop}, ibid., 18, and ``Remembering Walter Kaufmann-Bühler'', by \textit{P. Lax}, ibid., 19.