Reminiscences
of separate events of the first years of mutual study with Dmitry Volkov in
Leningrad State University
by
Inopin Eugeny Vasilyevich
I entered the stationary physical department of Leningrad
State University in 1949,
immediately the 3rd course, because before this I had studied at
the external course. In September I came to the theoretical group in specialty
"theoretical physics". The studies began. I remember the first
meeting with Dima during the laboratory lesson, when we were charged with
the performance of mutual task. The attitude to our work was quite alive and
even funny. His energy and liveliness. Even when
his modesty attracted attention, I would mention his poor clothes.
We managed to fulfill our task with success, passed it to the teacher
and I suggested to Dima to come to my place. There I introduced him to my
mother. And our long life friendship began.
Our studies demanded much tension. We often studied together. During
our break time we liked to measure swords with each other and began to wrestle.
No matter we were of different "weight categories" – I was larger
and thick-set – it was not easy to win him. Ardor and mobility made him a
rather strong "enemy". Once we flew into the temper in such a way
that after my sprint him on the sofa the suit on
his back threw away (his only suit) and he could not go home until my mother
repaired it.
In the group, in which we studied, there were only two men who had
not been at the front. Dima gained respect and authority over his course mates.
There were two more men who have just come from the front. It was funny
to look after them when they were always waiting for Dima during the test
papers, they always took seats near him and copied
the papers without any shame.
The time of holidays came and Dima proposed me to work in summer. We
both were in need of money, because we had no fathers, and our mothers, as
chiefs of kindergartens had tiny wages. We recruited
into geological party, which made prospecting of uranium ore in
Karelia. We got there by passing cars
into the depth of forests. There had already been mines done beforehand for
the search of ore, then they were abandoned, when the interest to uranium
ore aroused again the search was resumed. Dima was assigned the brigade-leader,
there were 3 Karelians in his brigade, they
were very young and short in height. The places where the works were carried
out were pitted with ditches and gutters and Dima sometimes had to bring these
brigade members over the ditches on his hands. We didn't make any special
discoveries, but we used Geiger counters. We lived in wooden houses, enjoyed
our free time, played volley-ball. The prospecting
was secret.
During our stay in the Karelia suddenly a telegram came. Dima and
me were urgently called back to the University. It
turned out, that in those years (1950s) the problem about some students of
Leningrad University (theoretical physicists) moving to Kharkov University for further study was soling. With this purpose the dean
of physical department of Kharkov State University Kravets came on a business trip to Leningrad. At the result of this decision a group of students from
LSU was sent to KhSU to continue their studies.
Besides Dima and me the group included Fomin P.N., Stepanov K.N., Peletminsky S.V., Alexin V.N., Korovin L.I. and others. According to the existing version,
the transference of students to another city was connected with the fact,
that a closed nuclear physics department was created in KhSU
in the faculty of physics.
And in Leningrad of that time the tragic criminal
affair, the so called "Leningrad affair" was not completed. During this affair all the
leaders of Leningrad Regional Committee were arrested, a number of them were
killed. Many leading teachers of LSU together with them were retired or repressed,
including the rector of the University. In such conditions the creations of
a secret department of nuclear physics in Leningrad University was impossible. So, we found ourselves in Kharkov…
One of the most prominent events among those, that
happened during our studies in Leningrad, one curious episode comes to my mind.
When we were the students of the 4th course one of the courses
in mathematical physics was taught to us by a well-known USSR Academician
Vladimir Ivanovich Smirnov. He was the author of
the famous 5-volume edition "Higher mathematics". The course of
this subject was prepared according to the initiative of Fock
especially for physicists. The working our of this
course was awarded the State Prize. V.I. Smirnov looked like a classical Academician
– imposing, grey, with a small beard. He had a great respect among students.
His lectured were actively attended, many students
came to listen to him from other courses.
But once a very interesting thing happened.
V.I. Smirnov reported on one of the most difficult sections – variation methods
in mathematical physics. The lecturer started the conclusion of the main equation,
which was the basis of the solution of mathematical physics tasks. Everything
was as usual. There were about 400 people in the auditorium, everybody listened
attentively. And suddenly something happened, the lecturer began to trouble
and came back just to the same statement, he couldn't move further in his
notes on the blackboard. It became clear – there was some breaking in his
memory and he lost the line of his story. There was silence in the auditorium.
And suddenly I felt, that Dima started to 'fuss' and addressing to me he said:
"I know what to do further!" I advised him to tell aloud. First
he did it not so loudly and the lecturer did not hear him. Then Dima stood
up and with more confidence he "prompted" the way of further calculations.
V.I. Smirnov's face "brightened" and he continued his lecture
with relief. During the bread this "event" was loudly discussed
by the students. They stood around Dima and told him something like "Hey,
Dimka, we know that you are a "master",
but to prompt the Academitian is too much!" Dima smiled in reply, it was
clear that he was happy, but he didn't openly show his "satisfaction".
Beginning from the moment of our transference to Kharkov
a new step of our way of life began, which should be mentioned separately.
November, 2001
Noted by Stalina
Volkova
Translated into English by Tatiana
Kudryashova
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