Étienne Bazeries (21 August 1846, in Port Vendres – 7 November 1931, in Noyon) was a French military cryptanalyst active between 1890 and the First World War. He is best known for developing the "Bazeries Cylinder", an improved version of Thomas Jefferson's cipher cylinder. It was later refined into the US Army M-94 cipher device. Historian David Kahn describes him as "the great pragmatist of cryptology. His theoretical contributions are negligible, but he was one of the greatest natural cryptanalysts the science has seen." (Kahn 1996, p244)
Les Chiffres secrets dévoilés (or The Secret Numbers Unveiled )by Étienne Bazeries
Bazeries was born in Port-Vendres, France, the son of a mounted policeman. In 1863 he enlisted in the army, and fought in the Franco-Prussian War, where he was taken prisoner, although he later managed to escape disguised as a bricklayer. In 1874 he was promoted to lieutenant, and sent to Algeria in 1875. He returned to France the following year and married Marie-Louise-Elodie Berthon, with whom he would father three daughters: Césarine, Fernande and Paule.
He apparently became interested in cryptography through solving cryptograms in newspapers' personal columns, and soon applied his cryptanalytic skills in a military context when, in 1890, he solved messages enciphered with the official French military transposition system, causing the War Ministry to change to a new scheme. In an effort to prompt reform within the government and enhance national security, Bazeries further exposed weaknesses in French cipher systems.[1] In 1891, news of his talent had spread, and he began work for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Bureau du Chiffre. Bazeries continued his cryptanalytic work there even after he retired from the Army in 1899, assisting in solving German military ciphers during World War I. However, many of Bazeries recommendations to the government for improvements in official cipher systems met severe bureaucracy and rebuffs, which became a constant source of frustration for him in an otherwise illustrious career.[2] He retired in 1924, aged 78.
In the 1890s he broke a famous nomenclator system called the "Great Cipher", created by the Rossignols in the 17th century. One of the messages referred to the famous Man in the Iron Mask and provided a possible solution to the mystery. His influential 1901 text Les Chiffres secrets dévoilés ("Secret ciphers unveiled") is considered a landmark in cryptographic literature.
References & Footnotesedit
Referencesedit
Candela, Rosario, The Military Cipher of Commandant Bazeries. New York: Cardanus Press, 1938. This book provided good detail of Bazaries as a cryptanalyst.
Kahn, David, The Codebreakers. 1967, 2d ed. 1996. (ISBN0-684-83130-9)
Footnotesedit
^Candela, Rosario. The Military Cipher of Commandant Bazeries (New York: Cardanus Press, 1938), 4.
^Candela. The Military Cipher of Commandant Bazeries, 4-10.
March 14, 2024
Étienne, bazeries, august, 1846, port, vendres, november, 1931, noyon, french, military, cryptanalyst, active, between, 1890, first, world, best, known, developing, bazeries, cylinder, improved, version, thomas, jefferson, cipher, cylinder, later, refined, int. Etienne Bazeries 21 August 1846 in Port Vendres 7 November 1931 in Noyon was a French military cryptanalyst active between 1890 and the First World War He is best known for developing the Bazeries Cylinder an improved version of Thomas Jefferson s cipher cylinder It was later refined into the US Army M 94 cipher device Historian David Kahn describes him as the great pragmatist of cryptology His theoretical contributions are negligible but he was one of the greatest natural cryptanalysts the science has seen Kahn 1996 p244 Etienne BazeriesBorn 1846 08 21 August 21 1846Port Vendres FranceDiedNovember 7 1931 1931 11 07 aged 85 NoyonNationalityFrenchOccupation s Soldier military cryptographerYears active1863 1924Known forDeveloping the Bazeries CylinderSpouseMarie Louise Elodie BerthonChildren3Les Chiffres secrets devoiles or The Secret Numbers Unveiled by Etienne BazeriesBazeries was born in Port Vendres France the son of a mounted policeman In 1863 he enlisted in the army and fought in the Franco Prussian War where he was taken prisoner although he later managed to escape disguised as a bricklayer In 1874 he was promoted to lieutenant and sent to Algeria in 1875 He returned to France the following year and married Marie Louise Elodie Berthon with whom he would father three daughters Cesarine Fernande and Paule He apparently became interested in cryptography through solving cryptograms in newspapers personal columns and soon applied his cryptanalytic skills in a military context when in 1890 he solved messages enciphered with the official French military transposition system causing the War Ministry to change to a new scheme In an effort to prompt reform within the government and enhance national security Bazeries further exposed weaknesses in French cipher systems 1 In 1891 news of his talent had spread and he began work for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Bureau du Chiffre Bazeries continued his cryptanalytic work there even after he retired from the Army in 1899 assisting in solving German military ciphers during World War I However many of Bazeries recommendations to the government for improvements in official cipher systems met severe bureaucracy and rebuffs which became a constant source of frustration for him in an otherwise illustrious career 2 He retired in 1924 aged 78 In the 1890s he broke a famous nomenclator system called the Great Cipher created by the Rossignols in the 17th century One of the messages referred to the famous Man in the Iron Mask and provided a possible solution to the mystery His influential 1901 text Les Chiffres secrets devoiles Secret ciphers unveiled is considered a landmark in cryptographic literature References amp Footnotes editReferences edit Candela Rosario The Military Cipher of Commandant Bazeries New York Cardanus Press 1938 This book provided good detail of Bazaries as a cryptanalyst Kahn David The Codebreakers 1967 2d ed 1996 ISBN 0 684 83130 9 Footnotes edit Candela Rosario The Military Cipher of Commandant Bazeries New York Cardanus Press 1938 4 Candela The Military Cipher of Commandant Bazeries 4 10 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Etienne Bazeries amp oldid 1067705741, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
