Аннотация: Three biographical hypotheses about Mstislav Keldysh. (How to write about Keldysh?). The note.
Three biographical hypotheses about Mstislav Keldysh. (How to write about Keldysh?). The note.
I read several biographical works about Mstislav Keldysh. Among them: the works of Vladimir Gubarev and Yaroslav Golovanov.
I would like to write something specific. Like, that many astronautics enthusiasts of the early 20th century, after becoming acquainted with the works of Jules Verne or Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, began to intensively study mathematics. And Mstislav Keldysh himself said: "That's what, friends, but in fact Lagrange did everything instead of us."
And then to move on to the idea that Sergei Korolev did not need any "co-comrades-mathematicians" for his space project, and that Korolev could or with difficulty or without difficulty find the necessary mathematicians for calculations. And then it was possible to move on to the previously formulated thesis about the formation of a system of checks and balances for Korolev by the CPSU elite, in which (in the system) Mstislav Keldysh took place as an "external expert".
"The system of checks and balances" has become one of the factors coused absence of success in the "moon race".
But I am wary of taking this dangerous path ... Plus, once my father said that he had met with Keldysh, and there was respect behind this phrase. (True, I did not understand then and do not understand now how Keldysh was useful for my father ...). But still there was respect, and this is a fact.
So, I choose a different direction of movement and I set out several biographical hypotheses about Mstislav Keldysh.
First hypothesis.
In all the works that I have read, the question of who his wife Stanislava Valerianovna was is bypassed.
It seems that she was a year older than him (perhaps a clarification in this matter), and she had a child from her first marriage. What was her maiden surname? Who was her husband in her first marriage? What was her education, what was her working place (position)? (Construction specialist? Is there any mention about the help of her mother with family matters?) I don't know any clear answers to these questions, but I take into account the words of Vera Vsevolodovna Keldysh in her biographical sketch "The Keldysh Family": "However, it would be unfair to say that the Keldysh family is entirely of Polish origin." These words are not found in all variants of the biographical sketch. In some variants, these words have been removed ...
From here I make the first hypothesis, based on the name of Stanislava - the wife of Mstislav Vsevolodovich was of Polish origin.
Memories by Stanislava Valerianovna are mentioned, but I could not find them.
Second hypothesis.
Some biographical works discuss the origin of the surname "Keldysh".
This discussion is based on the statement of Vera Vsevolodovna Keldysh: "According to the Dictionary of Russian Surnames, the surname Keldysh is of" Turkic origin: keldi (gel (di) - "he came"; sh is an affix of an affectionate form. But it is too early to recognize the answer as final, "writes the author of the dictionary V.A. Nikonov - Maybe we should look for a source in the Finno-Ugric languages ... "."
First, how to combine this assumption of Vera Vsevolodovna Keldysh with the "Polish origin" of the Keldyshs?
Secondly, so that the surname comes from the words "he came"?
I remember the surname Kolybanov. There was such a general in one of the famous novels about counterintelligence officers who worked against the Abwehr.
Using Dahl's dictionary, you can come to the lake, yamina, koldyban. Then Koldysh (Keldysh) is a man of a lake - like Ozerov [Laker].
But I like the other option better. According to the dictionary of Vladimir Dahl "KALDAI - kind of cold weapon. " More or less natural is the appearance in Poland (in the Middle Ages) of a descendant of the Zaporozhye Cossacks Kaldash. For the Zaporozhye Cossacks, nicknames became surnames. Either in Poland there was a slight attempt of hiding of personal history, or, like in case of Yangel (in Siberia), the clerk made a mistake, Kaldash turned into Keldysh.
Other options are also possible ...
Third version.
In the biographical book of Vladimir Gubarev about Mstislav Keldysh, we can read: "Before the war, regular elections to the Academy of Sciences were held. Sergey Chaplygin proposed from TsAGI to nominate one of the young scientists as a corresponding member. "Why not Keldysh?" - they asked him. Chaplygin answered briefly: "Keldysh does not need special support - he will break through."
In 1946, M.V. Keldysh was elected a full member of the USSR Academy of Sciences. He is 35 years old. "
Where does such a belief in the success of Keldysh come regarding his movement to the Academy?
There are relatively many energetic and talented people, but not all of them become full members of the Academy of Sciences at the age of 35 (in 1946).
Some biographical information is leading to reflections.
Mstislav Vsevolodovich's father, Vsevolod Mikhailovich, worked in Moscow. He taught at the Higher Civil Engineering School, separated from the MVTU and the Military Engineering Academy, where he headed the department of reinforced concrete, and then of building structures. In addition, he was the main calculator and scientific expert of such construction projects as Dneproges, Dneprovsky aluminum smelter, Moscow Canal, Moscow Metro, etc. (he was a member of the state admission commissions of the largest construction projects in the country). In 1942 V.M. Keldysh was awarded the military rank of Major General. After retiring, he continued to advise in favour of the construction department of the USSR State Planning Committee.
Did Vsevolod Mikhailovich have connections with people of the level of Bonch-Bruevich and Krzhizhanovsky? Krzhizhanovsky was responsible for the organization of science in Soviet times and was a member of the leadership of the Academy of Sciences? Gleb Krzhizhanovsky also worked at the State Planning Committee ... It was difficult for a scientific expert of such construction projects as Dneproges, Dneprovsky Aluminum Plant, Moscow Canal, Moscow Metro, etc. to do without high ties in economic and scientific circles ...
If the third hypothesis is correct, then it explains a lot ...
So, "friends, but in fact Lagrange did everything instead of us ...".
July 9, 2021 16:47
Translation from Russian into English: July 9, 2021 18:28.
Владимир Владимирович Залесский "Три биографические гипотезы о Мстиславе Келдыше. (Как писать о Келдыше?). Заметка".