| 1910, Dec. 19 | Born in Niedereggenen (District of Lörrach), Germany. |
| 1929-1934 | Student of mathematics, physics, and philosophy, University of Berlin. Dr.phil. (1935), summa cum laude. |
| 1934-1938 | Member of the editorial staff of "Jahrbuch über die Fortschritte der Mathematik", Berlin. |
| 1938-1946 | Assistant, Mathematics Department, University of Tübingen. Habilitation (1939), Dozent (1939). |
| [1939-1945] | On leave for military service: 1939 Basic Training, 1940 Artillery; from November 1941 on Research: Meteorology, Cryptology, Aerodynamics; Member of the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute and of the Aerodynamic Research Institute, Göttingen (1942-1945). |
| 1946-1951 | Außerordentlicher (Associate) Professor, University of Mainz. |
| 1951-1977 | Ordentlicher (Full) Professor, University of Tübingen. |
| 2001, Feb. 14 | Died in Schliersee. |
| 1963 | Carl Schurz Memorial Professor, University of Wisconsin, Madison. |
| 1965-1967 | Professor, University of Wisconsin, Madison. |
| Visiting positions: | National Bureau of Standards, Washington, D.C. (1951, 1953); California Institute of Technology, Pasadena (1959); University of Notre Dame, Indiana (1963); Ohio State University, Columbus (1969); University of Warwick, Coventry (1973); Universidade de Brasilia (1974). |
| 1952-1972 | Managing editor of "Mathematische Zeitschrift". |
| 1983 | Advisory editor of "Linear Algebra and its Applications". |
| 1960 | Member of the Academy of Sciences, Heidelberg. |
| 1977 | Honorary degree Dr.rer.nat. at the University of Mainz. |