My name is Tatyana Igorevna Malova, I am the scientific secretary of the St. Petersburg branch of the Institute of Oceanology named after P.P. Shirshov of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
I ask you to take some time to read my message to you and I will be grateful if you find an opportunity to answer.
Frankly, I have not read your books about Schliemann. The exception was a short story published on the Internet. He intrigued me and here's why.
Our Institute, as its name implies, is engaged in oceanological research in all its diversity. However, extra-curricular activities are not alien to us. One of them is the so-called "Fourth Thursdays on the first line", which are organized every month and for which we invite interesting lecturers with speeches on a variety of topics. These are not necessarily oceans, seas, sailors - not at all. This is St. Petersburg, Vasilyevsky Island - yes, in principle, anything. Every time we hope that the narrator is interesting, the performance is exciting, and that with each next time more and more listeners come to us. We are open to Petersburgers and are far from limited to just our team.
We had representatives of the Russian Museum, the Museum of the Academy named after Makarov, St. Petersburg University and other organizations. Performances by employees of the BAN, RNL, and the Hermitage [БАН, РНБ, Эрмитаж] are planned.
We are located in a restored mansion on the 1st line of Vasilyevsky Island, 30. Schliemann once lived in the building next to us (28). And he, Schliemann, is two hundred years old this year.
And so, my proposal to you. Would you like, dear Vladimir Vladimirovich, to give a lecture (report) about Schliemann at the Institute of Oceanology on one of the "Fourth Thursdays" of this year? Unfortunately, I do not know in which city you live and whether it is convenient for you to come to us. Excuse me. But I really hope for your indulgence to my ignorance. For our part, we will offer you a tour of our Institute with a demonstration of a unique experimental laboratory complex, which has no analogues in Russia at the moment.
All the best to you,
Malova Tatyana Igorevna
St. Petersburg branch of the Institute of Oceanology named after P.P. Shirshov RAS
My comment on the proposal for a trip to St. Petersburg.
Now is the epoch of fakes.
I would like to hope that the letter is 'genuine', that is, that the author really exists, and that everything he writes - it is a true information.
But I wrote not only about Heinrich Schliemann, but also about an assistant professor - historian from St. Petersburg. In these miniatures of mine there was a lot of information about a variety of people, about the 'correspondence' of the teacher - historian (and his actual wife) with outstanding masters of 'games'.
However, I am inclined to perceive this letter as "true".
Well, let's go along this path...
I imagine a beautiful building with Doric (possible options) columns, like the Pushkin Museum (what kind of columns are there?).
The person who invited me works in this building.
Now I turn to myself, to my own person.
I discover myself as a happy appellant to the tax office, to the Office of Federal Tax Service for the Rostov oblast, to the Federal Tax Service of the Russian Federation, to the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation (three applications) ...
My applications have been reviewed and I have received compensation for a property, a right on which was terminated...
I might be satisfied with a formal compensation. But the generosity of the state, which showered and showers me and my family with good deeds (awards, apartments, scientific recognition, honest help in business, lack of financial defaults, etc.), this generosity knows no bounds.
Not only compensation in the most obvious form was paid to me, but also all sorts of additional amounts - lost income, compensation for moral suffering, and so on. I would have managed (I would be satisfied) without these "additives" - with a legal and fair approach. But if a such generosity will be...
I rent a Bombardier and fly from Rostov-on-Don to St. Petersburg... For sure, the Platov airport will start working in full-fledged mode by the time of my departure.
At the place of arrival, a rented car is waiting for me, which takes me to an excellent hotel in the center of St. Petersburg. A two rooms premise is enough for me.
A couple of days to adapt to the northern climate, and I'm on a rented limousine (driver in a stylish cap) driving to the Institute.
Here is a happy meeting.
We are discussing the problems of oceanography, status and prospects of Schlimann studies, the economic evaluation of natural resources, Russian culture... In passing, the possibility of 'granting' the academic title of an honorary professor is mentioned - at this moment a careful look directs at me...
A few days later, feeling like a modern literary classic (like Maxim Gorky after the success of his play At the Bottom), I return to Rostov-on-Don.
In memory - the architectural ensembles of St. Petersburg, seascapes, details of conversations on scientific topics ... How little has been done, but how much needs to be done ...
There is something to think about...
In my soul - a gratitude to my native state. My state's generosity allowed me to make an excellent trip to the Northern capital ...
March 30, 2022 17:26
Translation from Russian into English: March 30, 2022 18:25.
Владимир Владимирович Залесский 'Мой комментарий к предложению о поездке в Санкт-Петербург. Дневниковая заметка'.
{ 2883. Мой комментарий к предложению о поездке в Санкт-Петербург. Дневниковая заметка.
MMDCCCLIII. My comment on the proposal for a trip to St. Petersburg. A diary note. }