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Golden Names of Russia

Урванцев
The year 2023 marks the 130th anniversary of the birth of the legendary geologist Nikolai Urvantsev. For Siberians, this is a truly iconic figure, like Peter the Great for St. Petersburgers. Arctic explorer, founder of Norilsk and its first resident, ”official friend of the Norwegian government”, discoverer and pioneer, the results of whose expeditions formed the basis for the creation of the Norilsk Mining and Metallurgical Combine.
сталин
A young mining engineer at a meeting in the presence of Stalin, arguing the need to restructure the entire armor industry of the country, in a fervor went into a raised tone and repeatedly banged his fist on the table. How did his career develop after the epoch-making speech?
Белоглазов
In 1938 the Balkhashtsvetmet plant produced the first copper, which had previously been imported from abroad, and in 1942 molybdenum, essential for the country’s tank-building industry, was produced. Severonikel produced the first nickel for tank armor and aircraft parts in 1939 and cobalt in 1940. ”Norilsk Combine” in 1939 received the first copper-nickel matte and high-grade matte, and by 1944 gave the first tons of platinoids and began producing 40 to 60 percent of all Soviet nickel.
Севергин
At the end of the 18th century the Russian Empire included Belarus, the Right-Bank Ukraine, Crimea, the Sea of Azov, and the lands between the Bug and Dniester. Russia ”took under its patronage” Georgia, Russian America - Alaska - appeared. In addition, the unexplored Urals and Siberia beckoned with their wealth. The new lands required detailed research ”economically, economically, geographically and in other respects”. One of those who Alexander I put in charge of this undertaking was Vasily Severgin, elected professor of the Academy of Sciences at the age of 27.
Герман
The most famous Russian pianist and composer, Sergei Rachmaninoff maintained an active correspondence with relatives, friends and colleagues, leaving behind an enormous archive of photographs and letters. Unfortunately, not all of his correspondence has survived to this day: some of it was destroyed by order of his daughters. However, among the surviving library, an interesting photograph was found, in which the maestro is playing music with a man who, by his profession, is quite far from art…
еремеев
Since the children of the royal dynasty received a home education, the personalities of their tutors played a crucial role in shaping the worldview of future sovereigns. Mentors for the grand dukes were selected with particular care… Admissible were exclusively ”persons of good character, conduct based on sound intellect and honesty, and who could treat their children pleasantly and kindly” - reasoned Catherine II, in whose era were laid the basic principles of education of the heirs to the throne and the grand princes.
Кокшаров
”You, born in the heart of Asia, are considered an honor by all European academies to have as a member,” wrote a famous German geologist and traveler, professor at one of Germany’s largest universities, Gerhardt vom Rath, to Nikolai Koksharov, Director of the Mining Institute and the Imperial Mineralogical Society.
химическая лаборатория
In the early 1970s, the Swedish magazine ”Wonders of Science and Technology” published an article about an extraordinary invention made back in the 18th century by Russian scientist Alexander Karamyshev. In it the historian Reynar Hagel described the creation of a device capable of overturning humanity’s ideas about the nature of things. It was about giving complete transparency to opaque in nature of bodies…
Кузнецов
Today, even in scientific publications about the invention of the legendary explosive ”Sinal-AK” during the Great Patriotic War one can meet a very simplified interpretation of events: they say that the cry was raised and a scientist far from military affairs, after thinking for a while, immediately gave a new composition. In July 1941 the City Committee of the CPSU(b) agreed to the proposal, and in August the products produced thirteen Leningrad enterprises and scientific organizations. One can guess that events developed somewhat differently…
заварицкий
The founder of the new scientific field of petrochemistry, President of the All-Union Mineralogical Society, laureate of the Lenin and two Stalin Prizes, Alexander Zavaritsky, according to the recollections of his colleagues, was a very private person. This was due not only to his high state positions and developments of defense purposes, but also to certain circumstances of his life.