 fritz zwicky (february 14, 1898 â february 8, 1974) was a swiss astronomer. he worked most of his life at the california institute of technology in the united states of america, where he made many important contributions in theoretical and observational astronomy. == biography == fritz zwicky was born in varna, bulgaria, to a swiss father. his father, fridolin (b. 1868), was a prominent industrialist in the bulgarian city and also served as ambassador of norway in varna (1908â1933). the zwicky house in varna was designed and built by fridolin zwicky. fritz's mother, franziska vrÄek (b. 1871), was an ethnic czech of the austro-hungarian empire. fritz was the oldest of the zwicky family's three children: he had a younger brother named rudolf and a sister called leonie. fritz's mother died in varna in 1927 and his father fridolin remained in bulgaria until 1945, when he returned to switzerland. his sister leonie married a bulgari
1898_births 1974_deaths 20th-century_astronomers American_astronomers American_atheists American_people_of_Swiss_descent California_Institute_of_Technology_faculty ETH_Zurich_alumni People_from_Varna Recipients_of_the_Gold_Medal_of_the_Royal_Astronomical_Society Swiss_astronomers Swiss_atheists Swiss_people_of_Czech_descent