A valuable manuscript of Olga G. Radde-Fomina
Збережено в:
| Дата: | 2016 |
|---|---|
| Автор: | |
| Формат: | Стаття |
| Мова: | English |
| Опубліковано: |
Інститут ботаніки ім. М.Г. Холодного НАН України
2016
|
| Назва видання: | Український ботанічний журнал |
| Теми: | |
| Онлайн доступ: | http://dspace.nbuv.gov.ua/handle/123456789/178460 |
| Теги: |
Додати тег
Немає тегів, Будьте першим, хто поставить тег для цього запису!
|
| Назва журналу: | Digital Library of Periodicals of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine |
| Цитувати: | A valuable manuscript of Olga G. Radde-Fomina / M.V. Shevera // Український ботанічний журнал. — 2016. — Т. 73, № 4. — С. 415-416. — англ. |
Репозитарії
Digital Library of Periodicals of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine| id |
irk-123456789-178460 |
|---|---|
| record_format |
dspace |
| spelling |
irk-123456789-1784602021-02-20T01:27:11Z A valuable manuscript of Olga G. Radde-Fomina Shevera, M.V. Історія науки 2016 Article A valuable manuscript of Olga G. Radde-Fomina / M.V. Shevera // Український ботанічний журнал. — 2016. — Т. 73, № 4. — С. 415-416. — англ. 0372-4123 http://dspace.nbuv.gov.ua/handle/123456789/178460 en Український ботанічний журнал Інститут ботаніки ім. М.Г. Холодного НАН України |
| institution |
Digital Library of Periodicals of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine |
| collection |
DSpace DC |
| language |
English |
| topic |
Історія науки Історія науки |
| spellingShingle |
Історія науки Історія науки Shevera, M.V. A valuable manuscript of Olga G. Radde-Fomina Український ботанічний журнал |
| format |
Article |
| author |
Shevera, M.V. |
| author_facet |
Shevera, M.V. |
| author_sort |
Shevera, M.V. |
| title |
A valuable manuscript of Olga G. Radde-Fomina |
| title_short |
A valuable manuscript of Olga G. Radde-Fomina |
| title_full |
A valuable manuscript of Olga G. Radde-Fomina |
| title_fullStr |
A valuable manuscript of Olga G. Radde-Fomina |
| title_full_unstemmed |
A valuable manuscript of Olga G. Radde-Fomina |
| title_sort |
valuable manuscript of olga g. radde-fomina |
| publisher |
Інститут ботаніки ім. М.Г. Холодного НАН України |
| publishDate |
2016 |
| topic_facet |
Історія науки |
| url |
http://dspace.nbuv.gov.ua/handle/123456789/178460 |
| citation_txt |
A valuable manuscript of Olga G. Radde-Fomina / M.V. Shevera // Український ботанічний журнал. — 2016. — Т. 73, № 4. — С. 415-416. — англ. |
| series |
Український ботанічний журнал |
| work_keys_str_mv |
AT sheveramv avaluablemanuscriptofolgagraddefomina AT sheveramv valuablemanuscriptofolgagraddefomina |
| first_indexed |
2025-07-15T16:59:08Z |
| last_indexed |
2025-07-15T16:59:08Z |
| _version_ |
1837732985963544576 |
| fulltext |
415ISSN 0372-4123. Укр. ботан. журн., 2016, 73(4)
A VALUABLE MANUSCRIPT OF OLGA G. RADDE-FOMINA
Restoration of true pages of real life and work of the
scientists who left a bright trace in our science and
culture is of a great importance for the history of science.
Epistolary literature and memoirs of those who worked
side by side with outstanding personalities may provide
the most interesting and important information. One
of the documents, containing a lot of interesting and
new data on the history of science in Russia, Georgia
and Ukraine, is a manuscript «Life of Radde-Brandt
family naturalists in Russia», written by the Ukrainian
botanist Olga G. Radde-Fomina (in Germany known
as O. Radde-Fomin) about her family.
The way this manuscript got back to Ukraine was quite
a story. Exploring the role of the unjustly neglected and
sometimes even consciously concealed personalities in
Ukrainian botany, I was interested in any information
about a botanist Olga Radde-Fomina (1876–1963).
Her life and career, as well as her scientific heritage,
is hardly known to the today's botanical public and
science historians.
It was impossible to reproduce a complete portrait
of this scientist and to evaluate the significance of her
research based on the existing fragmented biographical
data available in our country which I was able to gather.
Continuing the search, I stumbled upon the official
website of the school named after Gustav Radde in
the village called Radde in Russia. From this website
I learned that the unique materials on the history of
the village for more than 150 years period are stored in
the school museum, in particular, the materials about
the school's founder, an outstanding German-born
Russian scientist Gustav Radde and his family. Many
heirlooms of the Radde family (photos of Mr. Radde,
his wife, portraits, personal belongings of the scientist,
etc.) are among the exhibits presented in the museum.
I was particularly interested in the information about
the manuscript written by the daughter of the scientist.
However, any information about this manuscript and
biography of Olga Radde-Fomina was out of reach
here, since all my letters, unfortunately, remained
unanswered by the Director of the school…
Continuing the search, I came across an article of the
art critic Walter Nestmeier «Zum 150 Geburtstag des
Kunstmalers Oskar Freiwirth-Lützow» devoted to the
famous German artist Oskar Freiwirth-Lützow. He was
married to Mary Radde, the elder sister of O. Radde-
Fomina. From this publication I learned the date of
death of Mrs. O. Radde-Fomina and the place of her
burial. It was the beginning of my targeted search.
I wrote a letter to Walter Nestmeier, who immediately
replied and kindly sent me more information about this
Ukrainian researcher. It was especially touching that
Mr. W. Nestmeier took the initiative and made a request
to the Culture Department of Füssen Mayor's office
(Germany). Thus he helped me to get in touch with
Dr. Manfred Lützow, a grandnephew of Olga Radde-
Fominа. He keeps a large family archive of Brandt –
Radde – Freiwirth-Lützow – Lützow family. By the
way, Dr. Manfred Lützow is also a biologist. Soon
after our correspondence began, on 12 October 2015,
I received a valuable gift – a copy of the Olga Radde-
Fomina manuscript. Subsequently, Manfred Lützow
posted other manuscripts of the researcher and her © M.V. SHEVERA, 2016
416 ISSN 0372-4123. Ukr. Bot. J., 2016, 73(4)
husband, Alexander Fomin, their autobiographies and
photos.
The manuscript of Olga Radde-Fomina is entitled
«Lebensbild der Forscherfamilie Radde-Brandt un
Russland» (635 typewritten pages). This manuscript
text is a combination of scientific and artistic style; it
contains both presentations and poetic descriptions of
historical events, facts and persons associated with the
Radde-Brandt family.
As Olga Radde-Fomina recalled in her autobiography,
she decided to write a considerable work on her family
history already in Kyiv. However, she was able to be
absorbed in this work only after moving to Germany in
1945.
Olga Radde-Fomina meticulously wrote down
everything she remembered. The manuscript was
completed in 1962. Unfortunately, at that time none of
publishing houses in Germany was ready to print out
this work.
Without any doubt, this manuscript is a valuable
historical, scientific and cultural resource presenting the
live history of several generations of the Radde-Brandt
family, whose representatives have played a significant
role in scientific and cultural life of the country.
The basis of the manuscript is the life and work
description of two naturalists. Gustav Radde (1831–
1903), the father of Olga Radde-Fominа, was a traveler,
naturalist and ethnographer; he established the Natural
Museum in Tiflis, being a Corresponding Member
of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences. Johann
von Brandt (1802–1879), Olga Radde-Fomina's
grandfather, was a paleozoologist and zoogeographer,
Academician of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences
and Director of the St. Petersburg Museum. They both,
as well as their descendants, served the glory of Russia,
Georgia and Ukraine through their devoted and selfless
lives and works.
Family memories are interspersed with descriptions
of various historical events. Historical personalities,
state and public figures are mentioned in the manuscript,
being a part of the acquaintance circle or close family
friends. Many ordinary people who contacted family
members, participated in various family events and
contributed in different way to implementation of the
ideas, research, etc. are also mentioned. Some scientific
ideas of Gustav Radde, e.g. on origin and development
of Caucasian flora, its relations and so on are also
described.
There are supplements placed at the end of this work;
among them the memories of Olga Radde-Fomina
about her husband which are especially valuable for
Ukrainian botanists. Academician of the All-Ukrainian
SSR Academy of Sciences, Alexander Fomin was
the Director of the Botanical Garden of St. Vladimir
University in Kyiv. Subsequently, he became a founder
of the Botanical Cabinet and Herbarium of the All-
Ukrainian Academy of Sciences and the first Director
of the Institute of Botany of the Academy of Sciences
of the Ukrainian SSR (at present the M.G. Kholodny
Institute of Botany, National Academy of Sciences of
Ukraine). Their acquaintance, marriage, and scientific
work in Kyiv, those hard years of the World War I and
the Civil War, their work in the Ukrainian Academy
of Sciences, as well as the last moments of their
married life together are described in a very moving
way. Supplements also include information about
Olga Radde-Fomina's organizational activities in the
Regional Institute of Agricultural Botany during the
Nazi occupation of Kyiv, and the years of emigration…
It makes no sense to repeat the contents of the
manuscript. It must be conveyed to a wide range of
readers interested in history. It is necessary to read it,
analyze, interpret... I hope to find interested persons who
will translate it professionally and a publishing house to
accept it for publication. It will make various historical
data publicly available and will give an opportunity for
all those interested in science history to get familiar with
many historical events in botanical science, as well as
with scientific contribution of the taxonomist, florist
and science historian Olga Radde-Fomina.
After my work with the manuscript is finished, I will
deposit it in the scientific library of the M.G. Kholodny
Institute of Botany, National Academy of Sciences of
Ukraine.
Finally, I wish to express my sincere gratitude to
Dr. Manfred Lützow (Neuenhof, Switzerland) for
kindly sending manuscripts and photos, and to Mr.
Walter Nestmeier (Füssen, Germany) for his help and
information provided during the search.
M.V. SHEVERA
|