Professor of the “KPI” V.A. Zmorovych called his assistant Evgen Viktorovsky “Ukrainian Galua”. It will pass a little time and the name of E. Viktororovsky will be in one row with the names of the greatest mathematicians of the world.

Ukrainian calendar, on March 21, 1968

Evgeny Viktorovsky (1926 - 1956) is a “miracle” in Mathematics. To the last breath of his life he didn't leave his favourite work because he was in a hurry to upload at least the scheme of the fundamental results of the qualitative theory of the differential equations. The main objects of his research were the systems of the differential equations with diffuse, with unlimited not linearities, topological and metric properties of a multitude of the generalized curves. He offered a new effective constructive method of creation of solutions, extreme to some extent, having actually put the first powerful bricks in the base of the theory of optimum control which didn't exist at that time. Some of his scientific results concern also the nonlinear integrated and differential equations in finite derivatives. The short review of scientific achievements of Evgen Viktorovsky is stated in the book “Mathematics in the USSR in forty years (1917 - 1954)”, book No. 1.  His works were published in authoritative magazines of that time (“Reports of Academy of Sciences of the USSR”, “The mathematical collection”, “News of higher education establishments. Mathematics”, “The KPI News”).

In 1956 E. Viktorovsky defends the master's dissertation “Integrated curves of a discontinuous field of direction”.  For this work the Specialized academic council of Radio Technical Faculty of the KPI awarded a scientific degree of the doctor of physical and mathematical sciences to him (official opponents were such authoritative scientists-mathematicians as professors A.S. Smogorzhevsky, Yu.M. Berezansky).

E. Viktorovsky established solutions of mathematical problems with which such well-known scientists as Carateodory, Marsho, Zaremba, Kneser, Fukukhara unsuccessfully struggled.  The fields of cones of the directions implemented by him were effective on the paratingents, opening the road for perspective further development of these problems.

Published works of E. Viktorovsky (there are 6 of them) make new appreciable pages in the qualitative theory of the differential equations, but they are written so laconically, so briefly, and so concentrated. If to tell you the truth, the times showed that they are so unclear that a half a century they weren't studied, and nobody precede them. There was no second Ge. Liouville (a person who decoded time Galuas' work for the first time), who would decode the work of the Ukrainian Galuas - Evgen Viktorovsky.

The professor L.Dunduchenko wrote recently “It is spoken that the American mathematics found some works of E.Viktorovsky, highly appreciated them (it was already unknown for E.V.) and called the concept of the solution (in a broad sense) of the tasks as “the solution in Viktorovsky’s sense”, and his cones of the directions – “Viktorovsky funnels”.

At the end of 2006 Department of Mathematical Analysis and Probability Theory of the KPI conducted expanded meeting (with participation of members of mathematical departments and students of Faculty of Physics and Mathematics) on the occasion of the 80 anniversary since birth and to the 30 anniversary from the date of E.Viktorovsky's death. His life and scientific creativity was a subject matter of the meeting.

So, a few words about E. Viktorosky’s family tree.

In 1850 Wilhelm Krister arrived to Kiev from Saxon Switzerland, bought 38 arpents of the ground covered with the wood, on the city suburb (in Priorke). He cleared away it and planted the cultural plants, planting stock of  which he wrote out from Belgium, Baltic, etc. (by the way, since then the flower and decorative economy “The Rose” has been keeping records. Actually it exists and now).

Since 1890 after Wilhelm's death his son Julius (E.Viktorovsky's grandfather) successfully continued father’s work, at the age of more than 40 years he marries Pelageya, who is from Kyiw.  Pelageya Ivanovna (E.V. grandmother) is a beautiful wife, the hardworking person; she gave birth to seven children. Julius Krister died in 1916; then somebody from a family Kristerov emigrated. And for the rest of the family (who stayed here) the life wasn’t a bed of roses.

One of Yu. Krister's daughters, whose name was Nadia, married the graduate of Kyiw-Mogilyanska academy Evgeny Viktorovsky (he worked as the teacher of history and died in 1937).  Two their children - Lyuba (is one year older than Evgen) and Evgen (who was born on October, 9 1926) were growing, surrounded from childhood with boundless parental love, in the world of music, chess and books.

Little Evgen was infant prodigy, from the 1st class he “jumps” in the fourth...  In the years of war the guy was carried forcibly out for work to Germany.  There were extremely hard work and malnutrition at factories of such cities as Khemnits, Galle and Brandenburg. In 1945-48 he was working in the Soviet Military administration (Saxony) as a statistician and translator (the young man managed to learn already German, French, English, Polish, Spanish and Romanian).

Having returned to Kiev, Evgen graduated from the 1st evening school of young workers (1949) without attending classes and entered the Kyiw teacher's college on physics and mathematics faculty which finishes with excellence in 1952 (in three years!). Professor E.Ya. Remez noticed unusual mathematical abilities of the first-year student and according to his recommendation Evgen was transferred to the 3rd course. Professor E.Remez emphasized (in the characteristic of E.Viktorovsky)  that “For the first time E.Viktorovsky has  solved a number of difficult mathematical tasks connected with expansion of algorithm of Chaplygin-Perron on a task of big function-theoretic value of solutions of DR under the general conditions of Carateodor with the help of  an original method being a student”. The student E.Viktorovsky received also the first awards from the Ministry of Higher Education of USSR. He was recommend to postgraduate study in Department of the mathematical analysis of teacher's college, but this recommendation for some reason wasn't carried out: the graduate E.Viktorovsky was sent to the remote village Cherkassk (Donetsk region) to work as a mathematics teacher, though here he worked with great pleasure, conducted a mathematical group for pupils, etc.

In 1953 Professor V. Zmorovych made a lot of efforts to “drag away” E. Viktorovsky from the depth of the country and invited him to work in the “KPI” as the assistant of Faculty of Advanced Math, Zmorovych returned Mathematical talent.  Professor L.Dunduchenko, who worked in the “KPI” at that time, writes in his memories: “All honour to Zmorovych for returning of Viktorovsky”.

E.Viktorovsky worked with students with great pleasure, he showed great pedagogical talent and extraordinary diligence. Students loved him for the bright, non-standard talent, some special and graceful inventiveness in the solution of complex tasks, for immense love to Mathematics. L. Dundulenko tells: “Once E.Viktorovsky replaced lectures of teachers who went to field works together with students. After that those who listened E. Viktorovsky lectures, declared that they perceive his lectures and practical trainings as something unusual, even with some feeling of mysticism.  Once upon a time on a question of the student how to calculate any difficult integral from irrational function, he answered that it was convenient to use one of Eyler's substitutions, though there would be lengthy calculations.  And then he wrote an integral on a board, turned away, stared at the integral and in some seconds wrote the answer.  And so happened more than once...  Gradually his name became well-known in the “KPI” at all faculties. it got an aura of exclusiveness, genius, he amazed everybody (both teachers and students) with the potential of the brain. The strongest students followed him everywhere to communicate with this great teacher as much as possible...

...And at the faculty meeting not only these responses of scientists were heard, but also other references about E.Viktorovsky, there sounded appeals to students to study, to investigate his work, to write term papers, graduation works and dissertations, to continue his researches, which were wonderful mathematical treasure for the future.

Evgen Viktorovsky's name has to enter the Pantheon of the World Glory of scientists-pioneers!”

N. Virchenko, Professor of Faculty of Physics and Mathematics
Translator: Попчук Зоріна ЛА-11