Naum Meiman
Encyclopedia
Naum S. Meiman (1911, Baranovichi
, Minsk
region — 2001, Tel-Aviv) was a Soviet mathematician
, and dissident
. His is known for his work in complex analysis
, partial differential equations, and mathematical physics
, as well as for his dissident activity, in particular, for being a member of the Moscow Helsinki Group
.
, and was immediately awarded the degree Doktor nauk
. In 1939 he became a full professor in Kazan State University.
He worked for two years in the Mathematics Institute at the University of Kharkiv, where he became friends with Lev Landau
with whom he collaborated for many years. After the Second World War, he went to Moscow
and worked in Institute for Physical Problems
, where he was a head of the mathematics lab. Then he worked in the Institute for Theoretical and Experimental Physics
. In 1953, he was awarded a Stalin prize
for his work in theoretical physics
. He made important contributions into the development of nuclear weapons in the USSR.
Starting in 1968, Meiman became active in politics and signed several letters of protest against political trials in USSR.
In 1971, he retired and applied for permission to emigrate to Israel. Denied on grounds of knowing state secrets, he soon became a refusenik
. Gradually he became more active in politics, and was a member of Moscow Helsinki Group
beginning in 1977. Later he became deputy chairman and the last active free member, writing hundreds of the group documents. He also participated in a Refusenik scientific seminar. He was permanently under surveillance by the KGB
, who also bugged his telephone and searched his home.
Meiman also struggled for the right of his wife Inna Meiman-Kitrossky
to go to USA for medical treatment since she had been diagnosed with cancer. After several years of struggle, she was allowed to go US and died in February, 1987 in Georgetown (Washington, D.C.). Meiman was not allowed to attend her funeral in Washington D.C.
In 1988 Meiman was finally allowed to emigrate to Israel, where he became a professor emeritus in Tel Aviv University
. In 1992, in Tel-Aviv, there was a conference in his honor dedicated to his 80th birthday. Meiman died there in 2001. He has a daughter, Olga, who lives in the USA.
Baranovichi
Baranovichi , is a city in the Brest Province of western Belarus with a population of 173,000. It is a significant railway junction and home to a state university.-Overview:...
, Minsk
Minsk
- Ecological situation :The ecological situation is monitored by Republican Center of Radioactive and Environmental Control .During 2003–2008 the overall weight of contaminants increased from 186,000 to 247,400 tons. The change of gas as industrial fuel to mazut for financial reasons has worsened...
region — 2001, Tel-Aviv) was a Soviet mathematician
Mathematician
A mathematician is a person whose primary area of study is the field of mathematics. Mathematicians are concerned with quantity, structure, space, and change....
, and dissident
Soviet dissidents
Soviet dissidents were citizens of the Soviet Union who disagreed with the policies and actions of their government and actively protested against these actions through either violent or non-violent means...
. His is known for his work in complex analysis
Complex analysis
Complex analysis, traditionally known as the theory of functions of a complex variable, is the branch of mathematical analysis that investigates functions of complex numbers. It is useful in many branches of mathematics, including number theory and applied mathematics; as well as in physics,...
, partial differential equations, and mathematical physics
Mathematical physics
Mathematical physics refers to development of mathematical methods for application to problems in physics. The Journal of Mathematical Physics defines this area as: "the application of mathematics to problems in physics and the development of mathematical methods suitable for such applications and...
, as well as for his dissident activity, in particular, for being a member of the Moscow Helsinki Group
Moscow Helsinki Group
The Moscow Helsinki Group is an influential human rights monitoring non-governmental organization, originally established in what was then the Soviet Union; it still operates in Russia....
.
Life
In 1932 he graduated Kazan State University as an extern. In 1937 being only 26 years old, he submitted his Ph.D. under the supervision of Nikolai ChebotaryovNikolai Chebotaryov
Nikolai Chebotaryov was a noted Russian and Soviet mathematician. He is best known for the Chebotaryov density theorem....
, and was immediately awarded the degree Doktor nauk
Doktor nauk
Doktor nauk is a higher doctoral degree, the second and the highest post-graduate academic degree in the Soviet Union, Russia and in many post-Soviet states. Sometimes referred to as Dr. Hab. The prerequisite is the first degree, Kandidat nauk which is informally regarded equivalent to Ph.D....
. In 1939 he became a full professor in Kazan State University.
He worked for two years in the Mathematics Institute at the University of Kharkiv, where he became friends with Lev Landau
Lev Landau
Lev Davidovich Landau was a prominent Soviet physicist who made fundamental contributions to many areas of theoretical physics...
with whom he collaborated for many years. After the Second World War, he went to Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
and worked in Institute for Physical Problems
Institute for Physical Problems
P.L. Kapitza Institute for Physical Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The Institute was founded in 1934. The founder of the Institute, Prof. Kapitsa served as its head for many years. The head of the theoretical division of the Institute was Prof. Landau. The primary direction of...
, where he was a head of the mathematics lab. Then he worked in the Institute for Theoretical and Experimental Physics
Institute for Theoretical and Experimental Physics
The Institute for Theoretical and Experimental Physics is located in Moscow, Russia as a MinAtom physical institute....
. In 1953, he was awarded a Stalin prize
USSR State Prize
The USSR State Prize was the Soviet Union's state honour. It was established on September 9, 1966. After the breakup of the Soviet Union, the prize was followed up by the State Prize of the Russian Federation....
for his work in theoretical physics
Theoretical physics
Theoretical physics is a branch of physics which employs mathematical models and abstractions of physics to rationalize, explain and predict natural phenomena...
. He made important contributions into the development of nuclear weapons in the USSR.
Starting in 1968, Meiman became active in politics and signed several letters of protest against political trials in USSR.
In 1971, he retired and applied for permission to emigrate to Israel. Denied on grounds of knowing state secrets, he soon became a refusenik
Refusenik
Refusenik originally referred to citizens of the former Soviet Union who were refused permission to emigrate.Refusenik or refusnik may also refer to:*An Israeli conscientious objector, see Refusal to serve in the Israeli military...
. Gradually he became more active in politics, and was a member of Moscow Helsinki Group
Moscow Helsinki Group
The Moscow Helsinki Group is an influential human rights monitoring non-governmental organization, originally established in what was then the Soviet Union; it still operates in Russia....
beginning in 1977. Later he became deputy chairman and the last active free member, writing hundreds of the group documents. He also participated in a Refusenik scientific seminar. He was permanently under surveillance by the KGB
KGB
The KGB was the commonly used acronym for the . It was the national security agency of the Soviet Union from 1954 until 1991, and was the premier internal security, intelligence, and secret police organization during that time.The State Security Agency of the Republic of Belarus currently uses the...
, who also bugged his telephone and searched his home.
Meiman also struggled for the right of his wife Inna Meiman-Kitrossky
Inna Meiman-Kitrossky
Inna Meiman-Kitrossky was a refusenik, a member of a group of refuseniks-cancer patients, and an author of textbooks for the English language.-Life:...
to go to USA for medical treatment since she had been diagnosed with cancer. After several years of struggle, she was allowed to go US and died in February, 1987 in Georgetown (Washington, D.C.). Meiman was not allowed to attend her funeral in Washington D.C.
In 1988 Meiman was finally allowed to emigrate to Israel, where he became a professor emeritus in Tel Aviv University
Tel Aviv University
Tel Aviv University is a public university located in Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv, Israel. With nearly 30,000 students, TAU is Israel's largest university.-History:...
. In 1992, in Tel-Aviv, there was a conference in his honor dedicated to his 80th birthday. Meiman died there in 2001. He has a daughter, Olga, who lives in the USA.
External links
- SOVIET HUMAN RIGHTS BATTLE: ONLY ISOLATED VOICES REMAIN , NY Times
- INNA MEIMAN, EMIGRE, DIES AT 53 , NY Times
- OLD AND ALONE, SOVIET DISSIDENT LOOKS TO EXIT, NY Times