Eugene Grebenik
Encyclopedia
Eugene Grebenik CB
, known as "Grebby" (20 July 1919, Kiev
-14 October 2001, Oxford
) was a central figure in the development of demography
in Britain and the first director of the British Civil Service College.
, and finally, after the rise of Adolf Hitler
, to England in 1933. Grebenik could eventually speak eleven languages but none like a native.
Grebenik went to the London School of Economics
in 1935 aged sixteen, and graduated with a first-class degree in economics (with statistics and demography as his special subject) at nineteen. He earned the Farr
medal and prize. After a brief spell working in the City of London
, he returned to the LSE as research assistant to Arthur Bowley, and then moved to Bristol to work with H. A. Shannon. Their book, The Population of Bristol, was published in 1943. Rejected by the army due to his foreign birth, Grebenik returned to the LSE in 1940 and graduated MSc in 1941.
Promoted to lecturer in statistics in 1944, Grebenik was seconded to the Admiralty for the final year of World War II
as a statistical officer, where he worked with William Brass. He was then seconded for a year to the secretariat of the Royal Commission on Population. He was naturalised on 23 November 1946.
Grebenik worked with David Glass, editor of Population Studies, from its inception in 1947. He was promoted to reader in demography at the LSE in 1949. His work with Glass on the 1946 family census, published in two volumes as The Trend and Pattern of Fertility in Great Britain (1954), was a landmark in cohort analysis. In 1954 Grebenik was appointed professor of social studies at the University of Leeds
, and became joint editor with Glass of Population Studies.
In 1970 Grebenik was appointed the first principal of the Civil Service College at Sunningdale. He left the college in 1976 to conduct research at the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys
, working with Abraham Manie Adelstein
and John Fox
, where he remained until he retired in 1984.
Grebenik was secretary-general of the International Union for the Scientific Study of Population from 1963 to 1973. He organised three of the IUSSP's four-yearly general population conferences, including the one held in Belgrade
in 1965 in conjunction with the second United Nations
world population conference. He was also president of the British Society for Population Studies from 1979 to 1981. Among other honours, In 1997, he was the first recipient of the Olivia Schieffelin Nordberg award from the Population Council in New York.
He married Virginia Barker and had three children, Michael, Peter and Catherine.
The family moved to Danzig in 1920, then to Berlin, and finally, after the rise of Adolf Hitler, to England in 1938.
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
, known as "Grebby" (20 July 1919, Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
-14 October 2001, Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
) was a central figure in the development of demography
Demography
Demography is the statistical study of human population. It can be a very general science that can be applied to any kind of dynamic human population, that is, one that changes over time or space...
in Britain and the first director of the British Civil Service College.
Early life
Grebenik was the only son and elder child of Schulim Grebenik (1887–1972), estate agent, and his wife, Lea Helene, née Lopatizkaya (1894–1985), a qualified lawyer, both Jewish. He had a sister, Renata Rosalie. The family moved to Danzig in 1920, then to BerlinBerlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, and finally, after the rise of Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
, to England in 1933. Grebenik could eventually speak eleven languages but none like a native.
Grebenik went to the London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
in 1935 aged sixteen, and graduated with a first-class degree in economics (with statistics and demography as his special subject) at nineteen. He earned the Farr
William Farr
William Farr was a nineteenth-century British epidemiologist, regarded as one of the founders of medical statistics.-Early life:He was born in Kenley, Shropshire, England to poor parents...
medal and prize. After a brief spell working in the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
, he returned to the LSE as research assistant to Arthur Bowley, and then moved to Bristol to work with H. A. Shannon. Their book, The Population of Bristol, was published in 1943. Rejected by the army due to his foreign birth, Grebenik returned to the LSE in 1940 and graduated MSc in 1941.
Promoted to lecturer in statistics in 1944, Grebenik was seconded to the Admiralty for the final year of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
as a statistical officer, where he worked with William Brass. He was then seconded for a year to the secretariat of the Royal Commission on Population. He was naturalised on 23 November 1946.
Grebenik worked with David Glass, editor of Population Studies, from its inception in 1947. He was promoted to reader in demography at the LSE in 1949. His work with Glass on the 1946 family census, published in two volumes as The Trend and Pattern of Fertility in Great Britain (1954), was a landmark in cohort analysis. In 1954 Grebenik was appointed professor of social studies at the University of Leeds
University of Leeds
The University of Leeds is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
, and became joint editor with Glass of Population Studies.
In 1970 Grebenik was appointed the first principal of the Civil Service College at Sunningdale. He left the college in 1976 to conduct research at the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys
Office of Population Censuses and Surveys
The Office of Population Censuses and Surveys , was created in May 1970 through the merger of the General Register Office and the Government Social Survey Department....
, working with Abraham Manie Adelstein
Abraham Manie Adelstein
Abraham Manie "Abe" Adelstein was a South African born doctor who became the United Kingdom's Chief Medical Statistician.-Career:...
and John Fox
John Fox (statistician)
John Fox is a British statistician, who has worked in both the public service and academia.He was born on 25 April 1946, the son of Fred Frank Fox OBE. He was educated at Dauntsey's School, University College London and Imperial College London...
, where he remained until he retired in 1984.
Grebenik was secretary-general of the International Union for the Scientific Study of Population from 1963 to 1973. He organised three of the IUSSP's four-yearly general population conferences, including the one held in Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
in 1965 in conjunction with the second United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
world population conference. He was also president of the British Society for Population Studies from 1979 to 1981. Among other honours, In 1997, he was the first recipient of the Olivia Schieffelin Nordberg award from the Population Council in New York.
He married Virginia Barker and had three children, Michael, Peter and Catherine.
External links
The family moved to Danzig in 1920, then to Berlin, and finally, after the rise of Adolf Hitler, to England in 1938.