Petrograd (Leningrad) physical and mathematical society in 1921–1930: science management, publishing activities, and international relations

Drawing on the archival materials, the article examines the activities of the Petrograd (Leningrad) Physical and Mathematical Society in the 1920s, focusing on those concerned with research, science management, publishing and international relations. Despite its relatively short lifespan, the Society’s efforts proved to be very fruitful: regular meetings were held where scientific papers were presented and discussed, a dedicated scientific journal was published, and scientific links were maintained both domestically and internationally. Prominent Russian scientists took an active part in the Society’s activities, including Ya. V. Uspensky, V. I. Smirnov, B. N. Delone (Delaunay), G. M. Fikhtengol’ts (Fichtenholz), V. A. Steklov, A. A. Fridman (Friedmann), V. A. Fok (Fock), A. S. Besikovich, S. N. Bernshtein (Bernstein), Ya. D. Tamarkin, R. O. Kuzmin, N. I. Muskhelishvili, L. G. Loitsyansky, B. G. Galerkin. Society members attended international congresses and conferences, establishing and promoting important scientific contacts with foreign scientists and enhancing the worldwide authority of Soviet mathematicians and physicists. However, in 1930, the Society decided upon self-dissolution due to a number of reasons: introduction of new regulation aimed at the reorganization of scientific societies, the escalation of conflicts among the mathematical community, and the beginning of repressions against some mathematicians. Nevertheless the Petrograd (Leningrad) Physical and Mathematical Society had made a significant contribution to the advancement of physical and mathematical sciences in our country.