Original: Hermann Minkowski ( June 22 , 1864 â '' January 12 , 1909 ) was a German mathematician of Lithuanian Jewish descent , who created and developed the geometry of numbers and who used geometrical methods to solve difficult problems in number theory , mathematical physics , and the theory of relativity .
Simplified: Hermann Minkowski ( June 22 , 1864 â '' January 12 , 1909 in GÃ ttingen ) was a German mathematician .