Congruences associated with families of nilpotent subgroups and a theorem of Hirsch (Q6122537)

Let \(G\) be a finite group with class number \(k(G)\) and \(|G|=p_{1}^{\alpha_{1}} \cdot \ldots \cdot p_{r}^{\alpha_{r}}\) where \(p_{1},\ldots,p_{r}\) are are odd primes and let \(d\) be the greatest common divisor of the numbers \(p_{i}^{2}-1\) with \(1 \leq i \leq r\). In a paper by \textit{K. A. Hirsch} ([Q. J. Math., Oxf. II. Ser. 1, 97--99 (1950; Zbl 0038.16402)]) the following result is stated: \(|G| \equiv k(G) \;\;(\mathrm{mod} 2d)\). The authors of the paper under review point out that Hirsch's proof, though ingenious, exhibits several gaps and one non-trivial error. In this article they provide a correct and complete proof of Hirsh's result by associating a family of congruences with each suitable system of nilpotent subgroups of a finite group (see Theorem 7, the main result of the paper). The reviewer points out that \textit{R. W. van der Waall}, in [Elem. Math. 25, 136--137 (1970; Zbl 0321.20017)] provided a short and elegant alternative proof of Hirsh's result.