The outstanding Ukrainian mathematician, talented teacher OlexanderStepanovich Smogorzhevsky (1896-1969) worked at the Kiev Polytechnic Institute starting from October 1930 and to the end of his life. He passed all educational levels: Assistant, Associate Professor, Professor, Head of the Department of Higher Mathematics, and later - the head of the department of mathematical physics. His research in the field of geometry, in particular, in the theory of geometric constructions in the Euclidean and hyperbolic planes, in solving complex problems of Lobachevsky geometry, design solving tasks using the limited resources, etc. acquired worldwide recognition. His book "Geometric constructions in the Lobachevsky plane", "The method of coordinates", "Ruler in geometric constructions", "Fundamentals of Geometry" and some others have been translated into English, Japanese, Bulgarian, Chinese, Czech. Under his talented leadership the department of higher mathematics KPI has grown into a powerful collective of professionals.
Outstanding mathematician and educator
O.S.Smogorzhevsky began working as an assistant of the Department of Mathematics Institute of Chemical Technology (one of the institutions that were created then on the basis of the KPI) from 1 October 1930. He was invited for work by the Department Head , Ukrainian Academy of Academiciant Sciences (UAS) academician Michael Philippovich Kravchuk.
Together with Kravchuk Smogorzhevsky also worked at the Institute of Mathematics at the Kiev State University and others. With the Kravchuk's assistance Smogorzhevsky in June 1934 took part in the II All-Union Mathematical Congress in Leningrad. Their first (as coauthors) article has appeared in 1927. And in 1934 was published the 1st part (407 p.) of manual for students and self-education "Higher Mathematics". M.Kravchuk, P.Kasyanenko, S.Kulik, V.Mozhar, O.Smogorzhevsky were the authors.
The first scientific papers AS Smogorzhevsky belonged to the theory of orthogonal and unitary transformations. Then, generalizing the corresponding results of the Academician M.P.Kravchuk OlexanderStepanovich researched the orthonormal polynomials systems associated with some probabilistic schemes.
In the early 40-ies of the last century, under the influence of the work B.J. Boukreev, OlexanderStepanovich directed his research interests on the theory of geometrical constructions in Euclidean and Lobachevsky geometry. His monograph "Elements of the theory of the triangle", printed in 1939, is a perfect and complete work on the subject until today.
Working in the KPI in the pre-war years, he also was in charge of the department of mathematics and geometry in the Irrigation and Drainage Institute and at the Pedagogical Institute. In 1940, A.S. Smogorzhevsky, together with academicians
N.N. Bogolyubov and B.V.Gnedenko, helped to organize the Department of Algebra and Geometry as part of the Physics and Mathematics Faculty of the Chernivtsi State University, and to select its scientific field. Since 1945, the department was headed by M.G.Belyaev who was a student of Smogorzhevsky .
In the years of the Great Patriotic War OlexanderStepanovich worked in the Central Industrial Institute (Tashkent). He was awarded the medal "For Valiant Labor in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945." (1946).
On his return from evacuation in September 1944, OlexanderStepanovich defended his doctoral dissertation on "The Green functions of linear differential and quasidifferential systems in one-dimensional area" and was approved in the degree of Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences. December 2, 1944, he was appointed as the Head the Department of Mathematics of the KPI. In the 1945-1950 period Smogorzhevsky was both professor of Geometry Department of Mechanics and Mathematics Faculty of the Kiev State University, led by Professor B.J. Boukreev.
OlexanderStepanovich lectured: "Analytic Geometry", " Mathematical analysis", "The theory of functions of a complex variable", "Theory of Probability", "Tensors calculus" and others.
«1946. Completely different students first came in classrooms: those who took the roads of war, and the very young, just graduated from high school. Olexander Stepanovich all of us warmly congratulated ; His lectures were always amazed depth of thought and brilliance of the form and for us were a serious school », - recalled students postwar years F.P.Yaremchuk, T.M. Bartnovska and V.G. Lozowick.
In the second half of the 1940-s O.S. Smogorzhevsky organized and led the first mathematical seminar in the KPI, the main theme of which was non-Euclidean geometry with emphasis on geometric constructions. The seminars were attended by mathematics from many universities in Ukraine and Russia.
In the postwar period, he published his book, "Geometric constructions in the Lobachevsky plane" (1951), "The method of coordinates" (1952), "On the geometry of Lobachevsky" (1957), a textbook for universities and pedagogical institutes "Fundamentals geometry "(2nd ed., 1954)," The range of geometric constructions "(1957). O.S.Smogorzhevsky not only solved for the first time some of the complex problems in the geometry of Lobachevsky, but also began a new direction - the solution of structural problems with the help of the boundary conditions.
His works on geometry (co-authored with O.S. Stolovaya) "Guide to the theory of plane curves of the third order" (1961) and "On some plane algebraic curves" (1965) became the fundamental benefits for scientists.
«Books Olexander Stepanovich, are my reference books; reading them, I feel like a live conversation with the author », - noted prof. V.S. Martinenko.
In the 50-60 years. O.S. Smogorzhevsky was the acknowledged head of the Kiev school geometry. He highlighted his achievements in this area at the III All-Union Mathematical Congress, and on I-Union Conference on Geometry.
«Course of analytical geometry, he read it very nice, enthusiastically, - wrote in his memoirs A.V. Zabara , daughter V.A. Zmorovich. - He took examinations in a specific way; he allowed using during the exam all the mathematical calculations which we made before. We had only understand them and be able to explain. The task was not easy ... "
Under the leadership of Olexander Stepanovich Department of Mathematics, composed in 1944, with 7 people, has grown into a powerful team of experts, on his base two departments were created in 1952: mathematical physics, which he headed, and higher mathematics, headed by prof. V.A.Zmorovich. These departments have united more than fifty mathematicians.
«For decades, I worked in the department headed by O.S. Smogorzhevsky, - recalled Professor V.S.Martinenko. - Psychological field of goodwill prevailed in the department collective. There were really high standards for teachers, but there were no conflicts. Each of the teachers tried to work as Olexander Stepanovich. "
He looked up and carefully brought up the talented young people. This includes the Ukrainian mathematician Eugene Viktorovskii, now known all over the world. At the request of Olexander Stepanovich, in 1956 specialized Scientific Council of the radio department KPI unanimously awarded him the degree of Doctor of physical and mathematical sciences for the defence of the master's thesis, "The integral curves of discontinuous directions field."
Under the leadership of O.S. Smogorzhevsky 15 people finished the graduate school and successfully defended their theses. Among them: M.P.Homenko, R.Y.Demahovska, M.V.Skorodumov, M.G.Andrievska, V.S.Martinenko, L.I.Mozkova et al. They became wonderful teachers and academics.
For fruitful scientific and educational activities and services in the preparation of scientific and engineering personnel Professor O.S. Smogorzhevsky was awarded two Orders of the Red Banner of Labor (1948, 1953), in 1966 he was awarded the honorary title of Honored Worker of Science of the USSR.
Until his last breath, O.S. Smogorzhevsky worked in the KPI. The memory of him is stored in the Kiev Polytechnic.
L.S.Bashtova, junior researcher SPM at NTUU "KPI
The daughter is saying
Olexander Stepanovich was born March 6, 1896 in the village of Lisovy Birlintsi Vinnytsia district in the priest's family. The father recalled with love his childhood in his memoirs: " Mosaic stones of my life", describing the natural environment «In treetop fun chirping of birds, green grasshoppers jump in the grass, the air is saturated with melodic drone of insects, like softly ringing invisible strings."
In 1908, he was admitted in the first grade Nemirovskaya gymnasium. In gymnasium, he stands out among his classmates by math skills, knowledge of the Latin language. Olexander Stepanovich said (I quote from : " Mosaic stones of my life "):
«I solved successfully problems in algebra and geometry. Once at the summer, on vacation between the fourth and fifth classes, I got the manual of the outstanding Kiev Mathematics Professor V.P.Ermakov - on analytic geometry in the plane, and the same summer I have studied thouroghfully this book. Later I learned some other branches of higher mathematics. Mates call me "Professor."
In 1916, Olexander graduated from high gymnasium with a gold medal. In his school-leaving certificate a postscript was written: «showed brilliance and love of the mathematical sciences». In the same year, Olexander was admitted in the Physics and Mathematics Faculty of Novorossiysk (Odessa) University. But he stayed at the university only a month before being called up for military service. In 1918 he was demobilized and fall of 1918, began working as head of a higher primary school (later renamed the seven-year labor school) in the village of Holodovka.
April 25, 1920 he married a teacher of the same school Zinaida Hromyak, originally from Holm. « On this day, apple trees were blooming nicely», - the father remembered.
In these years he was able to meet with the talented composer Mykola Leontovich. O.Smogorzhevsky remembered:
«Take, mother, a handful of sand
and sow it on the stone ...
When sand from stone will do.
Then your son will come from the war ...
But this outstanding Ukrainian composer was killed not in the war. He died in the village Markivtsi, in the house of his father priest at the hands of the bandit or military (?) "..
My father remembered also his love, desire to draw
"Once I painted scenery fo Holodovka playwright. Especially lucky to get a landscape ... And now - the first performance. Raised the curtain, and in the hall rolled muffled hum of surprise and admiration."
In 1923 Olexander Stepanovich moved with his family to the village Kirnasovka, where he was appointed head of the seven-year school.
But the dream of higher education did not leave Olexander Stepanovich, and in 1925 he decided to enter the Kiev Institute of National Education (KINE). Admittence examinations in mathematics (written exam), physics and chemistry were taken by the young professor Michael Philippovich Kravchuk. He put Olexander Stepanovich in mathematics and physics "5", on the chemistry "4". Olexander Stepanovich became a student of the Kiev Institute of National Education. Even before Olexander Stepanovich thoroughly acquainted with the works of Academician Grave "Encyclopedia of Mathematics" and "Course of Higher Algebra" (700 pages). A freshman Olexander Stepanovich brought his first scientific paper to Grave. Grave handed it M.P.Kravchuk. Michael Philippovich made a number of comments on the article, Olexander Stepanovich reworked article and brought it directly to Michael Philippovich. Michael Philippovich substantially supplemented the article and offered to publish it as a joint product. So in 1927, in "Notes KINE" the article "On the orthogonal transformation" was published.
The father wrote «Fortunately for me, the regulation about the external studies appeared at that time , and one and a half years - from December 1927 until June 1929, inclusive, I passed the external examinations for the entire course of physics and mathematics faculty, more than 40 exams ... December 20, 1928, I set a record, making that day five exams ... I will not describe all the twists and turns of this difficult period of my life - this would amount to the whole saga. "
He finished his studies in Institute. M.Kravchuk advises to go to graduate school, wrote a recommendation. Here is the exact copy of it:
I can recommend com. O.Smogorzhevsky as a person with outstanding mathematical skills and knowledge. Being a first-year student oj KINE, he proposed to Department of Mathematics his work, which has developed into an independent experience and has been printed. Since then he has, albeit in a very disagreeable circumstances, is constantly evolving, and no doubt very quickly may develop into the valuable scientist. He will definitely be one of the best graduate students and for work, and talent, and independence of thought. Prof. M. Kravchuk.14.VI.1929
But then there was a commission for the selection of candidates for postgraduate studies on the social basis. Olexander Stepanovich was forced to return to the village to the teacher's work.
The following summer a letter to Olexander Stepanovich came from M.P.Kravchuk with an invitation to take the post of assistant in the Institute of Chemical Technology, where M.P.Kravchuk headed the higher mathematics department. On the basis of the Polytechnic Institute new institutions were established, including the Institute of Chemical Technology, in which Olexander Stepanovich began his work from the October 1, 1930.
In 1934, the subsidiary institutions of the former Polytechnic Institute were united, therefore institute was revived, but under the name of Industrial. Department of Mathematics was headed by M.P.Kravchuk. Olexander Stepanovich became his deputy. At the end of 1936, when the Industrial Institute, presented Olexander Stepanovich for a professorship, he had a ready doctoral dissertation "The Green's functions of linear differential systems in the one-dimensional area." Typewritten copy of it, together with the printed works of Olexander Stepanovich were sent by the Institute to the Higher Certifying Commission, which, at its meeting held on 23 June 1938, approved the Olexander Stepanovich in the title of professor. To this time, Olexander Stepanovich during several years was working at the University and at the Institute of Mathematics of the Academy of Sciences USSR under the direction of M.P.Kravchuk.
M.P.Kravchuk was arrested for "Ukrainian bourgeois nationalism, espionage." Shortly before it began the infamous open persecution of the great scientist - a meeting of the Institute of Mathematics, the meeting of the Presidium of the Academy of Sciences, at the University. These meetings Olexander Stepanovich did not attend.
Olexander Stepanovich was fired from his job at the Academy of Sciences and the University. In the Industrial Institute a new Head of Department Professor J.D. Sokolov saved him from firing. At the faculty meeting, none of its members were opposing Michael Philippovich, but the minutes of the meeting of the department was not in favor of Michael Philippovich and Olexander Stepanovich did not sign it. He remained faithful to his master, both morally and financially, and further helped his family.
In his memoirs, Olexander Stepanovich wrote: "This very talented man, very honest man, who was in the prime of his life, was hunted down, threw with mud, lost. You can not forget it. Shame on Michael Philippovich's enemies , they saw in him a dangerous competitor, and by hook or by crook tried to eliminate it. Shame on those who indulge them, coming up in a fit of insane orgy and more slander against him. The peace upon his blessed memory »
Since the beginning of the war, our family moved to Tashkent. There Olexander Stepanovich was a professor of the Department of Mathematics Central Asian Industrial Institute. In September 1944, the family returned to Kiev. During the war, two sons Olexander Stepanovich were at the front. His youngest son died at Stalingrad.
In Kiev, Olexander Stepanovich was appointed head of the Department of Mathematics in the KPI.
Again, most fruitful scientific and pedagogical work ...
My father was a wonderful man, he dearly loved nature, songs - the soul of the people. He wrote: «... The sound of songs, much less with his melodies, as embodied in the words and their thoughts, these sparkles of the human mind. Nobility of conception, the depth of the internal content - that adorns the song. "
And how he loved us - his children and grandchildren ... he managed to instill us with an interest in science, love of work, and was an example of sincerity and humanity, and high integrity.
It is necessary to recall his passion for chess. More than 100 of his chess problems were published in Soviet and foreign journals, there were among them awarded. He knew the history, world literature. Laughing , he remembered «... sometimes to give my scientific report more expressive, I did not hesitate to use Latin (aurea mediocritas - the golden mean), and in favorable moments I quoted passages from the poetic works ..."
There is no doubt that scientific colleagues, students Olexander Stepanovich remember the partnership with their Master, will not forget his kindness, extraordinary diligence, rigor, integrity, creative inspiration, which they drew from it, enriched spiritually and intellectually.
N.O.Smogorzhevska-Il'chenko