Orbifold k\"ahler groups and the shafarevich conjecture for hirzebruch's covering surfaces with equal weights

Abstract

This article is devoted to examples of (orbifold) K\"ahler groups from the perspective of the so-called Shafarevich conjecture on holomorphic convexity. It aims at pointing out that every quasi-projective complex manifold with an 'interesting' fundamental group gives rise to interesting instances of this long-standing open question. Complements of line arrangements are one of the better known classes of quasi-projective complex surfaces with an interesting fundamental group. We solve the corresponding instance of the Shafarevich conjecture partially giving a proof that the universal covering surface of a Hirzebruch's covering surface with equal weights is holomorphically convex. The final section reduces the Shafarevich conjecture to a question related to the Serre problem.