Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The role and fate of female electrochemists in the Soviet Union: Ol’ga Al’fredovna Songina—a pioneer of electrochemical solid-state analysis and Yevgeniya Nikolayevna Varasova—a pioneer of polarography

  • Feature Article
  • Published:
Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Women played and still play an outstanding role in the development of electrochemistry and electroanalysis at the universities and research institutes of the former Soviet Union. This paper is focussed on the life and achievements of Ol’ga Al’fredovna Songina and her contributions to the development of solid-state electroanalysis are discussed. Yevgeniya Nikolayevna Varasova, a guest scientist who worked with Jaroslav Heyrovský in Prague from 1927 to 1930 became the pioneer of polarography in the Soviet Union. She was executed during the great purges in 1938.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. In Russian: Ольга Альфредовна Сонгина; the sign’ used in the transcription of Russian words and names, e.g. in “Ol’ga Al’fredovna”, indicates that the preceding consonant is palatalized (softened). In this paper, the Romanization of Cyrillic letters follows the rules of the US board on geographic names.

  2. “Krasnyy Vyborzhets” means “Red Vyborger”; Vyborg is the name of a town. The factory was founded in 1857 by the Baltic mechanic Fedor Gosh, in 1863 became the property of Karl Rosenkrants, and it became a State company after the revolution. The factory still exists.

  3. The “Leningrad Metal Factory” was founded in 1857 by Sergey Nefed’yevich Rasteryayev; and from 1867 to 1891, its director was the German engineer Otto Georg Krehl. The factory is still working.

  4. Named after the Bolshevik leader Mikhail Vasil’yevich Frunze (Михаил Васильевич Фрунзе), Bishkek 1885—Moscow 1925

  5. In Russian: Иосиф Владиславович Сонгин

  6. In Russian: Владислав Осипович Сонгин

  7. Konstantin Stanislavovich Olevskiy (Константин Станиславович Олевский) (born 1901 in Tbilisi, arrested November 23rd 1937, sentenced to death on December 15th 1937 and executed on Dec. 20th 1937) and Romual’d Romual’dovich Czerwiński (Ромуальд Ромуальдович Червинский) (born 1909 in Sankt Petersburg, arresed September 2nd 1937, sentenced to death on Oct. 1st 1937 and executed on October 6th 1937).

  8. Nikolay Ivanovich Yezhov (Николай Иванович Ежов), from 1936 to 1938 head of the NKVD and the main inquisitor, issued the NKVD order no. 00485 “On liquidation of Polish sabotage and espionage groups and units of POW (Polish Military Organization, Polska Organizacja Wojskowa)”, approved August 9, 1937. This order was the basis of most severe repressions of national Poles in 1937–38.

  9. From the files no. P-25620, as reported by the “Federalnaya Sluzhba Bezopasnosti Rossiyskoy federatsii” in a letter to Elza Zakharovna from October 9th, 2012, file no. 10/21-Z-1893/386. This document is kept by the author. In this document is written: “Постановлением Комиссии НКВД и Прокурора СССР от 22 ноября 1937г. Осужден к высшей мере наказания-расстрелу. Проговор проведен в исполнение 27 ноября 1937г. В Ленинграде.”

    See also the web page “Vozvrashchënnyye imena” (Returned names): http://visz.nlr.ru/searchword.php?razdel=1&qs=%F1%EE%ED%E3%E8%ED&ok=%CD%E0%E9%F2%E8

    “Сонгин Иосиф Владиславович, 1894 г. р., уроженец г. Ростов-на-Дону, поляк, беспартийный, инженер-конструктор завода им. Сталина, проживал: г. Ленинград, Полюстровская наб., д. 25/2, кв. 39. Арестован 4 октября 1937 г. Комиссией НКВД и Прокуратуры СССР 22 ноября 1937 г. приговорен по ст. ст. 58-7-9-11 УК РСФСР к высшей мере наказания. Расстрелян в г. Ленинград 27 ноября 1937 г.”

  10. Information from Nadiya Serikbajevna Sharipova (Надия Серикбаевна Шарипова), Alma Ata.

  11. Sergey Mironovich Kirov (Сергей Миронович Киров) (1886–1934) was a Russian revolutionary and leader of the Communist Party of Leningrad, when he was shot in his office in the Smol’nyy Palace in 1934.

  12. Abū Naṣr Muḥammad ibn Muḥammad ibn Tarkhān al-Fārābī (c. 872–c. 950) was a universal scholar who has contributed to astronomy, alchemy, physics, psychology, philosophy, etc. (see: [106]).

  13. Vladimir Andreyevich Zakharov (Владимир Андреевич Захаров) was a student of O. A. Songina, and he followed her in 1981 as chair of analytical chemistry at the University of Alma–Ata, keeping that position until 1995

  14. Mariyam Rakhimovna Dausheva (Мариям Рахимовна Даушева) made her PhD with O. A. Songina in 1969 and worked as postdoc in the Frumkin Institute of Electrochemistry in Moscow

  15. Mariyam Rakhimovna Dausheva, December 2012

  16. Personal communication from Elza Arminovna Zakharova (Tomsk)

  17. See the special issue (2012) J Solid-State Electrochem 16, no. 7

  18. In Russian: Софья Ильинична Синякова

  19. In Russian: Татьяна Александровна Крюкова

  20. In Russian: Ирина Алексеевна Багоцкая

  21. In Russian: Вера Фёдоровна Торопова

  22. In Russian: Евгения Николаевна Варасова

  23. Museum of the Kazan Chemical School: http://www.ksu.museum.ru/chmku/p8.htm

  24. The co-workers of the chair of analytical chemistry (2009) Uch Zap Kazan Gos Univ, Estestven nauki 151:278–280

  25. In Russian: Николай Михайлович Варасов

  26. This information was partly provided by the Pushkin Library, Malaya Vishera, partly it is accessible in the internet (see: http://aspbiblmv.sehost.ru/page9/1/1)

  27. Constitution of the RSFSR (Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic) of 1918, Part 30th, no. 65, depriving all people of the active and passive election rights who previously served the tsarist state, the church or who have been assigned to be capitalists, land owners, etc.

  28. In Russian: Евгений Иванович Васильев

  29. In 1922, a treaty about the establishment of trade missions was signed between the Czechoslovakia (Československo) and the RSFSR (Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic); and only in 1934, full diplomatic relations have started

  30. http://vernadsky.name/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/vernadsky.pdf : V. I. Volkov (edt) (2006) V. I. Vernadskiy. Dnevniki 1935–1941. Vol 1 (1935–1938), p. 152: “В 1937 году вышла по моей инициативе (книга), переведенная с чешского работавшей у меня Е.Н. Варасовой—чешки. Hе знаю ее судьбы.”

  31. Personal communication from Dr. Michael Heyrovský, March 2013

  32. Prestuplenya Stalina i Stalinizma (The crimes of Stalin and Salinism):

    “Варасова Евгения Николаевна, 1905 г. р., уроженка г. Малая Вишера, русская, беспартийная, в СССР прибыла из Чехословакии в 1930 г., ст. химик Института прикладной химии, проживала: г. Ленинград, Прядильный пер., д. 8, кв. 32. Арестована 13 ноября 1933 г. Коллегией ОГПУ 29 марта 1934 г. осуждена на 3 года ИТЛ условно. Вновь арестована 1 июня 1938 г. Особой тройкой УНКВД ЛО 31 октября 1938 г. приговорена по ст. 58-6 УК РСФСР к высшей мере наказания. Расстреляна в г. Ленинград 3 ноября 1938 г. (Ее муж и одноделец Евгений Иванович Васильев осужден в 1934 г. на 10 лет ИТЛ, отбывал срок в Инталаге, в 1944 г. осужден снова на 10 лет.)” http://antiput43.livelournal.com/469601.html

  33. Vozvrashchënnyye imena (Returned names): same text as in foregoing reference. http://visz.nlr.ru/searchword.php?qs=%EF%F0%EE%E6%E8%E2%E0%EB%E0&rpp=20&p=108

  34. “Васильев Евгений Иванович. Родился в 1904 г., г. Орел; русский; заключенный Интлага НКВД. Арестован 10 мая 1943 г. Приговорен: Особое совещание при НКВД СССР 5 января 1944 г., обв.: по ст.ст. 58-2 УК РСФСР, 58-10 ч.2, 58-11 УК РСФСР. Приговор: 10 лет лишения свободы.” http://lists.memo.ru/d6/f268.htm

References

  1. Katz E (2012) Volta, Alessandro Giuseppe Antonio Anastasio. In: Bard AJ, Inzelt G, Scholz F (eds) Electrochemical dictionary, 2nd edn. Springer, Berlin, p 393

    Google Scholar 

  2. Katz E (2012) Galvani, Luigi. In: Bard AJ, Inzelt G, Scholz F (eds) Electrochemical dictionary, 2nd edn. Springer, Berlin, p 955

    Google Scholar 

  3. Scholz F (2012) Gibbs, Oliver Wolcott. In: Bard AJ, Inzelt G, Scholz F (eds) Electrochemical dictionary, 2nd edn. Springer, Berlin, p 411

    Google Scholar 

  4. Inzelt G (2012) Szebellédy, László. In: Bard AJ, Inzelt G, Scholz F (eds) Electrochemical dictionary, 2nd edn. Springer, Berlin, p 912

    Google Scholar 

  5. Inzelt G (2012) Somogyi, Zoltán. In: Bard AJ, Inzelt G, Scholz F (eds) Electrochemical dictionary, 2nd edn. Springer, Berlin, p 861

    Google Scholar 

  6. Katz E (2012) Heyrovský, Jaroslav. In: Bard AJ, Inzelt G, Scholz F (eds) Electrochemical dictionary, 2nd edn. Springer, Berlin, pp 454–455

    Google Scholar 

  7. Bard AJ, Inzelt G, Scholz F (eds) (2012) Electrochemical dictionary, 2nd edn. Springer, Berlin

    Google Scholar 

  8. Scholz F (2012) Blodgett, Katharine Burr. In: Bard AJ, Inzelt G, Scholz F (eds) Electrochemical dictionary, 2nd edn. Springer, Berlin, p 75

    Google Scholar 

  9. Scholz F (2012) Neumann, Elsa. In: Bard AJ, Inzelt G, Scholz F (eds) Electrochemical dictionary, 2nd edn. Springer, Berlin, p 618

    Google Scholar 

  10. Scholz F (2012) Pockels, Agnes Luise Wilhelmine. In: Bard AJ, Inzelt G, Scholz F (eds) Electrochemical dictionary, 2nd edn. Springer, Berlin, p 703

    Google Scholar 

  11. Scholz F (2012) Warburg, Emil Gabriel. In: Bard AJ, Inzelt G, Scholz F (eds) Electrochemical dictionary, 2nd edn. Springer, Berlin, p 966

    Google Scholar 

  12. Mutanov GM, Mansurov ZA, Kopabaeva NE, Ongarbaev EK, Kamysbaev DK, Sharipova NS (eds) (2013) Ol’ga Songina. Kazak Universiteti, Almaty (in Russian)

    Google Scholar 

  13. Ilic M (2000) Europe-Asia Studies 52:1515–1534

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Songina OA (1951, 1955, 1964) Redkie metally. Metallurgiya, Moskva (Chinese translation, 1958)

  15. Songina OA (2005) Sirek metaldar. Kazak uniwersiteti, Almaty (in Kazakh language)

    Google Scholar 

  16. Songina OA (1957) Amperometricheskoye titrovaniye v analize mineral’nogo syr’ya. Gosgeolitekhizdat, Moskva (in Russian)

    Google Scholar 

  17. Songina OA (1967) Amperometricheskoye (polarimetricheskoye) titrovaniye. Khimiya, Moskva (in Russian)

    Google Scholar 

  18. Songina OA, Zakharov VA (1979) Amperometricheskoye titrovaniye. Khimiya, Moskva (in Russian)

    Google Scholar 

  19. Oldham KB (2012) Laitinen, Herbert August. In: Bard AJ, Inzelt G, Scholz F (eds) Electrochemical dictionary, 2nd edn. Springer, Berlin, p 547

    Google Scholar 

  20. Katz E (2012) Kolthoff, Izaak Maurits (Piet). In: Bard AJ, Inzelt G, Scholz F (eds) Electrochemical dictionary, 2nd edn. Springer, Berlin, pp 538–539

    Google Scholar 

  21. Laitinen HA, Kolthoff IM (1941) J Phys Chem 45:1079–1093

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Laitinen HA, Jennings WP, Parks TD (1946) Ind Eng Chem Anal Ed 18:355–358

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Laitinen HA, Jennings WP, Parks TD (1946) Ind Eng Chem Anal Ed 18:358–359

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Kolthoff IM, Kuroda PK (1951) Anal Chem 23:1306–1309

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Kolthoff IM, Stock JT (1955) Analyst 80:860–870

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Micka K (1956) Coll Czech Chem Comm 21:647–651

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Micka K (1957) Coll Czech Chem Comm 22:1400–1410

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Micka K (1960) Depolarisation of the dropping mercury electrode by suspensions of insoluble substances. In: Longmuir IS (ed) Advances in polarography, Proceedings of the second international congress, vol 3. Pergamon Press, Oxford, pp 1182–1190

    Google Scholar 

  29. Micka K (1965) Coll Czech Chem Comm 30:235–245

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Micka K, Kadlec O (1966) Coll Czech Chem Comm 31:3837–3844

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Micka K (1968) Fresenius’ Z Analyt Chem 234:119–121

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Kalvoda R (1960) Oscillopolarographic behaviour of insoluble substances. In: Longmuir IS (ed) Advances in Polarography, Proceedings of the second international congress, vol 3. Pergamon Press, Oxford, pp 1172–1181

    Google Scholar 

  33. Songina OA, Zakharov VA (1962) Zavod lab 28:908–910

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Zakharov VA, Songina OA (1961) Izv Akad Nauk Kazakh SSSR. Ser Khim 20:53–58

    Google Scholar 

  35. Songina OA, Dausheva MR (1965) Elektrokhimiya 1:1464–1468 (in Russian)

  36. Petrii O, Tsirlina G (2012) Frumkin, Alexander Naumovich. In: Bard AJ, Inzelt G, Scholz F (eds) Electrochemical dictionary, 2nd edn. Springer, Berlin, pp 386–387

    Google Scholar 

  37. Dausheva MR, Songina OA (1973) Uspekhi khimii 42:323–342

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Dausheva MR, Songina OA (1973) Russ Chem Rev 42:136–146

    Article  Google Scholar 

  39. Frumkin AN (1938) Zh fiz khim 12:337–345

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Frumkin AN, Gorodeckaya A (1938) Zh fiz khim 12:511–520

    Google Scholar 

  41. Scholz F (2012) Adams, Ralph Norman. In: Bard AJ, Inzelt G, Scholz F (eds) Electrochemical dictionary, 2nd edn. Springer, Berlin, p 15

    Google Scholar 

  42. Adams RN (1958) Anal Chem 30:1576

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Olson CJ, Adams RN (1960) Anal Chim Acta 22:582–589

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. Kuwana T, French WG (1964) Anal Chem 36:241

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  45. Barikov VG, Songina OA (1966) USSR patent No. 191209

  46. Rozhdestvenskaya ZB, Medvedeva EP, Songina OA (1981) Izv Vyssh Ucheb Zaved Khim Khimich Technologya 24:1389–1393 (in Russian)

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  47. Morehouse CK, Glicksman R (1956) J Electrochem Soc 103:94–98

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  48. Glicksman R, Morehouse CK (1958) J Electrochem Soc 105:299–306

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  49. Morehouse CK, Glicksman R (1958) J Electrochem Soc 105:306–311

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  50. Glicksman R, Morehouse CK (1959) J Electrochem Soc 106:741–745

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  51. Barikov VG, Rozhdestvenkaya ZB, Songina OA (1969) Zavod lab 35:776–778 (in Russian); (1969) Ind Lab 35:928–930 (in English)

  52. Songina OA, Trushina IM, Rozhdestvenskaya ZB, Cherkasova NM (1973) Elektrokhimiya 9:1310–1312 (in Russian)

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  53. Songina OA (1978) Talanta 25:116–118, and papers cited there

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  54. Rozhdestvenskaya ZB, Sigitov VB, Songina OA (1979) Zh anal khim 34:455–458 (in Russian); (1979) J Anal Chem USSR 34:350–353 (in English)

    Google Scholar 

  55. Songina OA, Rozhdestvenskaya ZB, Medvedeva EP (1976) Zavod lab 42:379–381 (in Russian); (1976) Ind Lab 42:505–507 (in English)

  56. Rozhdestvenskaya ZB, Medvedeva EP, Songina OA (1981) Izvest Vyssh Uchebn Zaved. Khim Khimicheskaya Tekhnol 24:1389–1393

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  57. Vytřas K, Švancara I, Metelka R (2009) J Serb Chem Soc 74:1021–1033

    Article  Google Scholar 

  58. Švancara I, Vytřas K, Kalcher K, Walcarius A, Wang J (2009) Electroanalysis 21:7–28

    Article  Google Scholar 

  59. Švancara I, Walcarius A, Kalcher K, Vytřas K (2009) Cent Eur J Chem 7:598–656

    Article  Google Scholar 

  60. Brainina K, Neyman E (1993) Electroanalytical stripping methods. J Wiley & Sons, New York

    Google Scholar 

  61. Brainina KZ, Neyman EYA, Slepushkin WW (1988) Inversionnye elektroanaliticheskie metody. Khimya, Moskwa (in Russian)

    Google Scholar 

  62. Brainina KAZ, Neyman EYA (1982) Twërdofaznye reakzii v elektroanaliticheskoy khimii. Khimiya, Moskwa (in Russian)

    Google Scholar 

  63. Hasse U, Scholz F (2001) Electrochem Commun 3:429–434

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  64. Hasse U, Scholz F (2004) Electrochem Commun 6:409–412

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  65. Hasse U, Wagner K, Scholz F (2004) J Solid State Electrochem 8:842–853

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  66. Hasse U, Scholz F (2005) Electrochem Commun 7:173–176

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  67. Hasse U, Scholz F (2006) Electrochem Commun 8:1005–1010

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  68. Hasse U, Fletcher S, Scholz F (2006) J Solid State Electrochem 10:833–840

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  69. Doménech-Carbó A, Labuda J, Scholz F (2013) Pure Appl Chem (in press)

  70. Kryukova TA, Sinyakova SI, Aref’yeva TV (1959) Polyarograficheskiy analiz. Goskhimizdat, Moskva; German edition: 1964. VEB Deutscher Verlag für Grundstoffindustrie, Leipzig

    Google Scholar 

  71. Kryukova TA, Kabanov BN (1939) Zh fiz khim 13:1454–1467

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  72. Kryukova TA, Kabanov BN (1941) Zh fiz khim 15:475–480

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  73. Kryukova TA (1948) Zavod Lab 13:767–772

    Google Scholar 

  74. Kryukova TA (1950) Zavod Lab 16:134–142

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  75. Kryukova TA, Frumkin AN (1949) Zh fiz Khim 23:819–827

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  76. Kryukova TA (1949) Dokl Akad Nauk SSSR 65:517–520

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  77. Bagotskaya IA, Kazarinov VE (1992) J Electroanal Chem 329:225–236

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  78. Bagotskaya IA, Damaskin BB, Emets VV, Kazarinov VE (1998) J Electroanal Chem 448:229–236

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  79. Emets VV, Damaskin BB, Bagotskaya IA (2001) Elektrokhimiya 37:1038–1042; Engl transl: (2001) Russ J Electrochem 37:889–892

    Google Scholar 

  80. Bagotskaya IA, Frumkin AN (1947) Zh fiz khimii 21:1033–1043

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  81. Bagotsky VS (2011) J Solid State Electrochem 15:1559–1562

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  82. Budnikov GK, Shirokova VI (2009) Russ J Anal Chem 64: 1279–1288 (in English); (2009) Zh anal khim 64:1309–1318 (in Russian)

    Google Scholar 

  83. Salikhdzhanova RMF, Davletchin DI (2006) Zh anal khim 61:996–998 (in Russian); Russ J Anal Chem 61:922–924 (in English)

    Google Scholar 

  84. Heyrovský J (1933) Použití polarografické methody v praktické chemii. Knihtiskérna Jednoty československých matematíků a fysíků, Praha (in Czech)

    Google Scholar 

  85. Geirovskiy YA (1937) Polyarograficheskiy metod. Teoriya i prakticheskoye primeneniye. Khimteoret, Leningrad (in Russian)

    Google Scholar 

  86. Varasova EN (1935) Polyarograficheskiy metod. In: Sovremennyye metody fiziko-khimicheskogo analiza. No. 2. ONTI, Leningrad, pp 82–107

  87. Varasova E (1930) Coll Czechoslovak Chem Commun 2:8–30

    Google Scholar 

  88. Varasova E (1931) Coll Czechoslovak Chem Commun 3:216–222

    Google Scholar 

  89. Varasova EN (1937) Zavod lab 6:804–807

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  90. Varasova EN (1938) Zh obshch khim 8:93–96

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  91. Muravnik LE (2001) Botanich zh 86:136–144

    Google Scholar 

  92. Muravnik LE, Kravcova TI, Kostina OV, Koteeva NK, Yakovleva OV (2011) Botanich zh 96:1501–1505

    Google Scholar 

  93. Pavlov PN (1937) Zh obshch khim 7:2246

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  94. Katz E (2012) Dogonadze, Revaz (Rezo) Romanovich. In: Bard AJ, Inzelt G, Scholz F (eds) Electrochemical dictionary, 2nd edn. Springer, Berlin, p 227

    Google Scholar 

  95. Scholz F (2012) Gokhshtein, Yankel Peysachovich (Yakov Petrovich). In: Bard AJ, Inzelt G, Scholz F (eds) Electrochemical dictionary, 2nd edn. Springer, Berlin, p 425

    Google Scholar 

  96. Tsirlina G (2012) Kuznetsov, Alexander Mikhailovich. In: Bard AJ, Inzelt G, Scholz F (eds) Electrochemical dictionary, 2nd edn. Springer, Berlin, pp 544–545

    Google Scholar 

  97. Katz E (2012) Levich, Veniamin (Benjamin) Grigorievich. In: Bard AJ, Inzelt G, Scholz F (eds) Electrochemical dictionary, 2nd edn. Springer, Berlin, pp 554–555

    Google Scholar 

  98. Scholz F (2012) Mairanovskii, Stal Grigorievich. In: Bard AJ, Inzelt G, Scholz F (eds) Electrochemical dictionary, 2nd edn. Springer, Berlin, p 576

    Google Scholar 

  99. Tsirlina G (2012) Ershler, Boris Vul’fovich. In: Bard AJ, Inzelt G, Scholz F (eds) Electrochemical dictionary, 2nd edn. Springer, Berlin, pp 354–555

    Google Scholar 

  100. Inzelt G (2012) Esin-Markov coefficient. In: Bard AJ, Inzelt G, Scholz F (eds) Electrochemical dictionary, 2nd edn. Springer, Berlin, p 355

    Google Scholar 

  101. Kharton VV (2012) Kabanov Boris Nikolaevich. In: Bard AJ, Inzelt G, Scholz F (eds) Electrochemical dictionary, 2nd edn. Springer, Berlin, p 525

    Google Scholar 

  102. Petrii OA, Tsirlina G (2012) Temkin, Mikhail (Menasii) Isaakovich. In: Bard AJ, Inzelt G, Scholz F (eds) Electrochemical dictionary, 2nd edn. Springer, Berlin, 915–915

    Google Scholar 

  103. Scholz F (2012) Stromberg, Armin Genrikhovich. In: Bard AJ, Inzelt G, Scholz F (eds) Electrochemical dictionary, 2nd edn. Springer, Berlin, p 888

    Google Scholar 

  104. Compton RG, Kabakaev AS, Stawpert MT, Wildgoose GG, Zakharova EA (2011) A. G. Stromberg: first class scientist, second class citizen. Imperial College Press, London

    Book  Google Scholar 

  105. Khosroeva DA, Markova TR (2008) J Solid State Electrochem 12:5–6

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  106. Dhanani A (2007) Fārābī: Abū Naṣr Muḥammad ibn Muḥammad ibn Tarkhān al-Fārābī. In: Hockey T et al (eds) The biographical encyclopaedia of astronomers, Springer reference. Springer, New York, pp 356–357

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

It would have been impossible to write this paper without the dedicated help of a number of scientists from Russia: El’za Arminovna Zakharova (Tomsk), the daughter of the famous electroanalytical chemist Armin Genrikhovich Stromberg supported the historic search by approaching State Archives in Russia to get most precious documents, as well as by an extensive exchange of e-mails in which she and her husband Boris Poisner discussed various historical and philosophical questions of the development of Russian and Soviet science with the author.

I am very thankful to Alla Vital’yevna Shapran, Museum of the Leningrad Metal Factory, for providing information on I. V. Songin, esp. for provision of the only available photo.

Mariyam Rakhimovna Dausheva (Moscow) was very helpful by providing photos and information on her work with Songina and Frumkin.

Nina Zakharchuk (Novosibirsk) catalysed my contacts to colleagues in Almaty (Kazachstan), as did Oleg Petrii (Moscow).

Very special thanks go to colleagues in Kazachstan: Erezhep Al’khairovich Mambetkaziev (Öskemen, Kazachstan), Duysek Khaysagalievich Kamysbaev, Mikhail Kasymovich Naurysbaev, Svetlana Esimbekovna Batyrbekova, Margarita Borisovna Dergacheva and Nadiya Serikbajevna Sharipova (all in Almaty) who have provided information, materials, and who have so generously hosted me during a visit to Almaty in March 2013.

I am also indebt to Galina Tsirlina (Moscow, Russia) and to Svetalana Antonova (Tomsk, Russia) for having made available copies of Russian papers.

I also like to thank the journalist Elena Sirotkina (Malaya Vishera, Russia) and Tat’yana Nikolaevna Yakovleva and Elena Nikolaevna Shcherbakova from the Pushkin Library (Malaya Vishera, Russia) for providing information on the Varasov family. Lyudmila E. Muravnik (Komarov Botanical Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Saint Petersburg) is acknowledged for kindly providing the photos shown in Figs. 11 and 12.

Anatoliy Yakovlevich Razumow, head of the centre “Returned names” of the Russian National Library, Sankt Petersburg, has kindly provided the document about the rehabilitation of Ye. N. Varasova and Ye. I. Vasil’ev.

I thank Michael Heyrovský (Prague, Czech Rep.) for having sent a photo of Yevgeniya N. Varasova and for providing important information on her stay in Prague, including information from the archive of Charles University.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Biochemie, Universität Greifswald, Felix-Hausdorff-Straße 4, 17487, Greifswald, Germany

    Fritz Scholz

Authors
  1. Fritz Scholz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Fritz Scholz.

Additional information

The author dedicates this paper to Khiena (Anna) Zalmanovna Brainina as a sign of deep admiration of her life achievements in electrochemistry. She is another brilliant example of women in science!

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Scholz, F. The role and fate of female electrochemists in the Soviet Union: Ol’ga Al’fredovna Songina—a pioneer of electrochemical solid-state analysis and Yevgeniya Nikolayevna Varasova—a pioneer of polarography. J Solid State Electrochem 17, 1493–1504 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10008-013-2107-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10008-013-2107-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation