2nd ed., reprint. Moscow State University Publishing House. 1985. 336 p.

The first edition of the peer-reviewed work was published on the eve of the 30th anniversary of the Victory of the Soviet people in the Great Patriotic War. For the first time in Russian historiography, and in general successfully, it covered the activities of the country's largest university during the war years, captured the heroism of MSU's pets and employees at the front, showed the selfless work of students, teachers and scientists in the rear, and perpetuated the memory of those who died in the name of Victory. Highly regarded by experts and well received by a wide readership, this book soon became a bibliographic rarity.

Its second edition, published on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the Great Victory, opens with an address from the Rector of Moscow State University, Academician A. A. Logunov. The preparation and publication of the book, he writes, is part of an extensive plan of activities carried out at the university in accordance with the Resolution of the Central Committee of the CPSU "On the 40th anniversary of the Victory of the Soviet people in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945", which calls for all means to reveal " the mass heroism of the Soviet people, soldiers of the army and navy, partisans and members of the underground, home front workers " 1 .

While preparing the new edition, the authors and the editorial board, while retaining the title and general approach to presenting the material, did a lot of additional work, updated the content, and made the book even more interesting .2 This became possible largely due to the fact that many war veterans and a large number of university employees were involved in the work on it, who helped the authors with materials from their archives, memoirs, and advice. As a result, new information appeared about the affairs and destinies of MSU employees and students during the wartime, new names of defenders of the Motherland were established (in the first edition - 870, in the second - about 2 thousand), and the university's contribution to the Victory was more clearly reflected.

The book shows what the university was like, what its staff was like on the eve of the war. Hundreds of professors and lecturers, including many of the largest Soviet scientists, taught here. The university's activities were directed by a party organization, and Komsomol and trade union organizations were active. The materials of the book convincingly show that much was done at MSU in order to educate students and the entire team in readiness to defend the Fatherland. This readiness was clearly demonstrated on the first day of the war and was carried with honor by the university's students through all the war years.

With the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, all the power of the intellectual potential of the main university of the country, the ardent patriotism of its employees and students, their devotion to the ideals of communism were completely and completely devoted to achieving victory over fascism. About 2 thousand people voluntarily joined the Active army in the first weeks and months of the war. By December 1941, 90% of the Communists of the university party organization were at the front. Most of the volunteers joined the ranks of the People's militia division, became fighters of the fighter, communist and workers ' battalions. A special place in the book is occupied by the description of the exploits of graduates and students of Moscow State University who became pilots of women's air regiments.

In the summer and autumn of 1941, the university reorganized its activities in a military way. The book describes the organization and working conditions of the university in wartime. The educational process in the summer and autumn of 1941 and in the summer of 1942 for students and teachers was constantly combined with the construction of defensive structures. Students worked in factories and collective farm fields, metro construction and firewood harvesting, in many other areas, and served in the MPVO.

Despite the evacuation of a significant part of the university in the fall of 1941 (until June 1942 - to Ashgabat, and then until the summer of 1943 - to Sverdlovsk), it did not stop

1 Pravda, 17. VI. 1984.

2 Author's team: M. T. Belyavsky, A. I. Vdovin, F. M. Volkov, V. A. Doroshenko, V. I. Zlobin, N. A. Kirsanov, L. V. Koshman, T. A. Logunova, V. Ya. Romanyuk, E. K. Sysoeva, S. V. Cherneyev. Editorial Board: N. N. Efimov (Editor-in-chief), A. I. Vdovin (Deputy editor-in-chief), E. K. Sysoeva (Secretary-in-chief), D. A. Avdusin, A. E. Agronomov, F. M. Volkov, Ya. N. Zasursky, B. A. Kudryashov, Yu. A. Lavrin, I. A. Tyulina, and V. S. Fursov.

page 117

work in Moscow as well. Since April 1942, training sessions were resumed here. For the last two years of the war, the university was fully operational in the capital. At the end of 1941, due to the inclusion of the Chernyshevsky Moscow Institute of History, Philosophy, and Literature, the Faculty of History was significantly expanded, and the Faculties of Economics, Philosophy, and Philology were established. In March 1942, the Faculty of Law was restored. In 1943, the Moscow State University established the Faculty of the History of International Relations, which marked the beginning of the Moscow Institute of International Relations. Since 1943, former front-line soldiers began to fill up the student and postgraduate staff of Moscow State University, which later formed the main core of the university's professorship. Describing the work and life of students and employees of the university, the authors showed various types and forms of participation of its staff in the national movement to help the front (collecting money and gifts, donation, etc.). The result of the university's work on personnel training is the release of several thousand specialists during the war years, the need for which at that time was exceptionally great.

The book describes in detail the contribution of MSU scientists to strengthening the combat capability of the Active army and strengthening the rear. Of particular interest is the description of research related to the modernization of existing and creation of new models of military equipment, ammunition, motor fuel, techniques and methods of using military equipment, geological, geographical and astronomical maintenance of the front. The authors have collected and summarized the material describing the assistance of university science in the development of the country's productive forces. The book shows the participation of MSU scientists in the creation of new medicines, in the struggle for life and restoration of health of the wounded.

Based on the materials of the history of Moscow State University, the authors characterize the great role of representatives of the humanities in the ideological arming of the people. The book reflects the scientific, journalistic and propaganda work of the teaching staff. The authors paid special attention to the development of Soviet historical science. During the war years, the interest of the broadest masses of working people in history increased enormously. Scientists developed topics related to the heroic past of Russia, with the revolutionary liberation movement of its peoples, and mobilized the richest opportunities of Russian history, literature, and culture to foster Soviet patriotism. Pamphlets prepared by historians about Alexander Nevsky, Dmitry Donskoy, Bohdan Khmelnitsky, A.V. Suvorov, F. F. Ushakov, M. I. Kutuzov, P. S. Nakhimov and others were published in mass editions.

The contribution of MSU scientists to the development of fundamental and applied sciences during the Great Patriotic War and to the victory over fascism was widely recognized. More than 50 works completed at that time were awarded State prizes. In 1945, academicians I. M. Vinogradov, N. D. Zelinsky, I. I. Meshchaninov, and D. N. Pryanishnikov were awarded the title Hero of Socialist Labor.

The book describes in detail the participation of MSU representatives in combat operations at the front. Special sections of it are devoted to the history of the creation and combat path of the 8th Krasnopresnenskaya Division of the People's Militia and other formations in which pets and employees of the Moscow State University were counted in significant numbers. However, the largest volume of material reflects the activities of many of them in various areas of the struggle against German fascism and Japanese militarism. In this case, the narrative takes the form of essays. They reflect the diversity of manifestations of heroism, the exclusivity and uniqueness of military destinies, the addition of which is a national feat that allowed the country to survive and win.

These are essays about the pupils of Moscow State University-the Heroes of the Soviet Union R. S. Gasheva, M. M. Zalilov (Musa Jalil), A. L. Zubkova, P. V. Gelman, E. B. Pasko, E. V. Ryabova, L. S. Ratushnaya, E. M. Rudneva; about the Heroes of the Soviet Union currently working at Moscow State University V. V. Volsky, G. F. Timushev M. Tkachevsky, about those who passed through the front roads, heroically fighting for the freedom of our Fatherland, returned to the university and are now the greatest specialists in various fields of science (Heroes of Socialist Labor, Lenin Prize laureates Academician A. A. Samarsky and G. A. Tyulin; Lenin Prize laureates academicians E. M. Sergeev and S. V. Kolesnikov). A. Reutov; acad. G. G. Cherny,

page 118

acad. APN of the USSR I. A. Fedosov, deans of faculties professors G. V. Dobrovolsky and V. S. Fursov, etc.).

Many of the war veterans currently working at MSU (there are more than 1,500 of them) came to the university to study and work in the post-war years and connected their future lives with it. The authors cover the post-war development of the university, the role of veterans in its life. Among these veterans are Hero of the Soviet Union senior lecturer V. N. Emelin, corresponding members of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR I. V. Berezin, I. D. Kovalchenko, L. N. Korolev, Rector of the ISAA at Moscow State University R. T. Akhramovich, deans of faculties A.D. Kosichev and V. N. Cherkovets, and others.

The final section of the book shows that the generation of front-line soldiers is the main backbone of the contingent of highly qualified scientists, experienced teachers, organizers of university science, active participants in socio-political life, and that war veterans adequately fulfill their duty to the Motherland. It highlights the experience of Moscow State University in the military-patriotic education of students, in perpetuating the memory of the fallen participants of the war. 694 names of students, postgraduates, employees and teachers of Moscow State University who did not return from the battlefield are listed in the book in the order in which they are named on memorial plaques installed at faculties in order to preserve our dear names for future generations.

The authors conclude the book with the words: "June 1941 will not happen again!". The inviolability of this belief is based on the results of the enormous work done by the Soviet people in the post-war years. The university staff, including veterans of the Great Patriotic War, do everything possible to ensure that MSU's contribution to the country's development increases every year and serves the cause of peace.

The book under review is of great educational significance and will play an important role in the ideological and political education of students and all Soviet youth.

page 119

Permanent link to this publication: