Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –
Source: Novosibirsk State University – Novosibirsk State University –
The scientific readings “Worlds of the Russian intelligentsia in the 20th century: profession, society, power”, dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the birth of the honorary professor of the Novosibirsk State University Varlen Lvovich Soskin (1925-2021), took place at Novosibirsk State University on February 26. The readings were attended by scientists from Novosibirsk, Omsk and Tomsk state universities, Novosibirsk State University of Economics and Law, several institutes of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Institute of History and Archaeology of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Among those present were numerous students and former colleagues of the scientist. Also present at the event were V.L. Soskin’s relatives – daughter Marina Guseva, as well as granddaughter Maria and great-granddaughter Anna.
Moderator of the readings, candidate of historical sciences, associate professor Vladimir Mindolin noted that Varlen Soskin was always characterized by attention to detail and the ability to make strong logical generalizations, for which his colleagues highly valued him. As a humanities scholar, he organically fit into the life of Akademgorodok: at a time when disputes raged between “physicists” and “lyricists”, strong friendly relations connected him with mathematicians, physicists and representatives of natural sciences. Varlen Soskin did a lot to ensure that humanities scholars integrated into the complex scientific environment of the newly created Akademgorodok. He also actively participated in educational activities and was distinguished by outstanding organizational skills.
Rector of NSU, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Professor Mikhail Fedoruk said that Varlen Soskin’s students carefully preserve his memory. NSU initiated a great deal of significant research in the field of humanities, which received all-Union, and then all-Russian and world recognition.
— Varlen Lvovich was the first full-time employee of the Siberian Branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences working in the field of history — he was hired on February 1, 1959, when NSU had not yet opened — the first lecture at our university took place only on September 28 of the same year. From the very beginning, Varlen Soskin linked his life with teaching at NSU, where he had a large number of students. Under his scientific supervision, 37 young scientists defended their candidate dissertations. His influence on the development of the humanitarian direction at the university and in Akademgorodok was enormous. In addition, he was strong in spirit, lived a long life, a significant part of which was associated with the war period, which was reflected in his memoirs and recollections of the times when he was a cadet at the Rostov Military School, and right up to the Great Patriotic War. The scientific readings we are opening today are further evidence that this man was loved, respected and will always be remembered at our university. His memory will live on in his many students, noted Mikhail Fedoruk.
Participants in the readings recalled that Varlen Soskin, along with historian, academician of the USSR Academy of Sciences, professor Alexey Okladnikov, was one of the founders of humanitarian research at the Siberian Branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences (now the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences). The professor’s students call the subject of his research “explosive” for the Soviet era. He viewed the intelligentsia not as a social stratum, but as the most important social force. Varlen Soskin discussed the fate of the intelligentsia and the cultural policy of the state with the maximum amount of freethinking allowed at that time. Each of his articles and especially his books caused a furor. The entire university attended his lectures, the students loved him, and his colleagues recognized that it was precisely such teachers who determined the university’s noosphere.
Chairman of the Committee on Traditions of the Union of the NSU Graduates Association “NSU Union”, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Professor Sergei Netesov emphasized that the traditions that Varlen Soskin brought to NSU are still alive and well.
– Varlen Leonidovich made a significant contribution to the development of our university and became its legend. The traces he left in the history of Siberia, in the history of NSU, in the history of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences will never be overgrown, they remained in many historical testimonies, – said Sergei Netesov.
Director of the Humanities Institute of NSU, Professor Andrey Zuyev noted that Varlen Soskin was one of the organizers of humanitarian education at the university, under his scientific supervision 131 students of the Humanities Faculty and then the Humanities Institute wrote and defended their final qualification works. Many of them later became doctors of science, now make a significant contribution to the development of science and occupy quite serious positions in various fields of science and education.
Director of the Institute of History of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Doctor of Historical Sciences Vadim Rynkov shared his memories of Varlen Soskin’s lectures and admitted that during his student years he underestimated them, citing the differences between the generations of teachers and students.
— Varlen Lvovich probably felt the age difference between him and the students, and each year he gave us a little less of the main material, and told us a little more about himself and his life experience. Only many years later I began to understand how important it was. Nowadays, studying not only the history of science, but also scientific everyday life is very widespread. And he passed on the history of this everyday life of science to us. Varlen Lvovich was a unique person, a bright representative of Siberian, Akademgorodok science, — said Vadim Rynkin and showed the audience Varlen Soskin’s personnel file, which is kept at the Institute of History of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. At the same time, he noted that this is the bureaucratic side of the biography of the honorary professor, but, in addition, it is also a unique source of information from the history of scientific everyday life.
In the memorial part of the readings, the chief researcher of the sector of history of social and economic development of the Institute of History of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Professor Sergei Krasilnikov presented a substantive presentation “Varlen Lvovich Soskin: the life of a scientist, organizer of science, mentor”. There was also a presentation of the book “From the personal perspective of the fate of a historian: on the 100th anniversary of the birth of Professor Varlen Lvovich Soskin”. A specialized issue of the electronic scientific journal of the Institute of History of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences “Historical Courier” was presented, dedicated to this significant date. The opening of the exhibition “Life as a Vocation” prepared by the staff of the Museum of History of NSU took place.
The scientific readings were held within the framework of two sections: “After the Empire: Intellectual Labor in Early Soviet Society: People, Ideas, Fates” and “Scientists and Power: Role in the Development and Implementation of Large Scientific and Technical Projects”. The reports were heard from scientists from NSU, the Institute of Economics and Industrial Organization of the SB RAS, the A.P. Ershov Institute of Informatics Systems of the SB RAS, the Institute of History of the SB RAS, Tomsk State University, the Historical Archive of the Omsk Region, the Institute of History and Archaeology of the Ural Branch of the RAS, and the Novosibirsk State University of Economics and Law. Various topics were considered: continuity and gaps in intellectual activity, Tomsk University in the era of transformations of the early Soviet period, the struggle to preserve university autonomy, the role of scientists in the field of theory and practice of domestic planning, and the adaptation of the intelligentsia to the conditions of Siberian exile in the 1920s.
Reference:
Varlen Lvovich Soskin is a participant in the Great Patriotic War: a cadet of the artillery school (1943-1944), fought in the active army (1944-1945), was wounded. He graduated from the history department of Leningrad State University (1952) and completed his postgraduate studies at the Novosibirsk State Pedagogical Institute (1956) under the supervision of Assoc. Prof. P. D. Chaplik. Candidate of Historical Sciences (1957); dissertation topic: “The role of the city’s patronage over the village in the CPSU’s struggle to strengthen the alliance of the working class and the peasantry during the recovery period (1921-1925)”. Doctor of Historical Sciences (1969); dissertation topic: “Cultural construction in Siberia (1917-1923)”. Senior Researcher (1962). Associate Professor (1966). Professor (1970). Honored Scientist of the Russian Federation (1997). Honored Worker of Higher Education of the Russian Federation (2012). Honorary Professor of NSU (2012).
He worked in general education institutions and universities in Kemerovo and Novosibirsk (1952–1959). Since 1959, he has been an employee of the Siberian Branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences / Russian Academy of Sciences: senior research fellow of the Standing Commission on Social Sciences of the Presidium of the Siberian Branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences (since 1959); senior research fellow of the Department of Humanities Research at the Institute of Economics and Industrial Organization (since 1961); senior research fellow (since 1967), head of the sector for the history of cultural construction (1970–1995), chief research fellow (1995–2012) of the Institute of History, Philology and Philosophy / Institute of History.
He worked at NSU part-time since 1964. One of the founders of historical training at the Faculty of Humanities. Associate Professor (1964–1969), Professor (1969–2017) of the Department of History of the USSR/Russian History.
State awards: Order of the Patriotic War, 2nd class, medals “For Courage”, “For Victory over Germany”, “For the Capture of Königsberg”, “For Valiant Labor”, etc.
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