Genius from the Belarusian town

In memory of the physicist Efim Samoilovich Fradkin

Dedicated to Rimma Mikhailovna Fradkina, who kept the priceless archive of her husband, thanks to which this essay became possible.
24 May 1999, after a serious illness, one of the greatest theoretical physicists of the twentieth century, Efim Samoilovich Fradkin, passed away. His work in the field of quantum field theory and quantum statistics, as well as other large-scale discoveries contributed to the development of many areas of theoretical physics. He was the founder of the school, which made a generally recognized contribution to world science. Works E.S. Fradkin was awarded the Humboldt and other international prizes, as well as the gold Dirac medal of the International Center for Theoretical Physics. He was the laureate of the State Prize of the USSR, as well as the Igor Y. Tamm Prize. In 1996, the Russian Academy of Sciences awarded him a gold medal №1 named after A.D. Sakharov.
The life and scientific activities of E.S. Fradkin symbolizes and reflects the dramatic fate of the Jewish people. The son of a rabbi of a small Belarusian town, he glorified his people with talent and wisdom.
Fradkin was a member of the group of young theoretical physicists of the Nobel Prize in Physics Igor Tamm, who headed the theoretical department of the Physics Institute of the Academy of Sciences (FIAN). This group included Andrei Sakharov, Petr Kunin, Vladimir Chavchanidze, Pavel Nemirovsky and other talented graduate students. They were gifted young people, passionate about the most advanced ideas of modern science, which later became prominent scientists.
Efim Fradkin stood out among this constellation. Here is what he writes about Fradkin AD Sakharov in his Memoirs: “Efim Fradkin, we all called him Fima, appeared in the theoretical department (theoretical department of FIAN) at the end of 1948, after demobilization. His whole family was destroyed by the Germans, he was alone. Of our company, Fradkin was the only one to achieve the “role” of a highly professional theoretical physicist of the “leading edge” that we all dreamed of. He has tremendous achievements in all major areas of quantum field theory ... ”Then Sakharov reveals in detail the essence of these achievements and continues:“ To him first, regardless of Landau and Pomeranchuk, is the discovery of “Moscow Zero”. Many of the results obtained by Fradkin are classical. In methodological matters, Fradkin has no equal and enjoys great and well-deserved fame throughout the world. ”
How did a former student of the Heder from a Jewish town become a great scientist who made so many discoveries that made up an era in world theoretical physics? We can restrict ourselves to the statement that a genius was born just in that place. The multi-faceted personality of Fradkin is not only achievements in science, but also high moral values. The environment and the spiritual atmosphere in which he was born and grew have played a large role in shaping the personality of the scientist.
Efim Samoylovich Fradkin was born on November 30 on 1924 in the family of a rabbi of a small Jewish town Shchedrin of the Gomel region in Belarus. The history of the town is remarkable. It was founded in 1841 by the Jewish timber merchant from Poland, Haim Holdets, who admired the large woodlands in those parts. For the creation of a large enterprise, Chaim Goldtz attracted a large number of Jews from poor towns in the area. In a short time, the settlement turned into a place with a population of 4222 person, of which Jews were 95%. Russian language in the town did not know. The events that took place in a distant world came very late, and sometimes in a distorted way.
At the end of March 1917, two young men from Gomel appeared in the town, and according to Shchedrin, incredible rumors spread that the Russian tsar had resigned and that the country was governed by Kerensky’s lawyer. Young people from Gomel talked about equality, about the abolition of anti-Jewish laws and called for the use of freedom. Old people were unhappy. The youth, on the contrary, was alarmed, although events coincided with the dream of escaping from a closed ghetto. They came to the local rabbi for advice.
“Young people,” Rav Fradkin began quietly, “I share your joy, but I fear the“ soap bubbles ”of unrealizable fantasies.” It must be remembered that the real freedom of the Jews is still very far away. You have probably heard that in some European countries Jews feel better than ours, but Russia is not Europe, and in Europe we are outcasts, strangers. Nobody will give us real freedom, it is impossible in a foreign land. Freedom will come to us only when we reclaim our Holy Land. I will be glad if you can fulfill your needs. I would like to hope that the new government in St. Petersburg will not pursue the Zionists of Russia. I believe that you will take the opportunity to get good knowledge and professions, you will live a better life and you will not forget that our historical homeland awaits you.
Academician Fradkin often recalled his father’s stories, his faith in the return of Jews to Jerusalem, but never with such pride and sadness as in Israel, where he had come at the invitation of the University of Jerusalem. Prior to this meeting, he had visited many countries and world leading research centers as a participant in conferences, a speaker and a seminar leader. He never ceased to admire the country, free and relaxed students, rejoice at the success of Israeli science. A dream come true father. But she cost her father life after being arrested in January 1938.
Fima Fradkin's ability to science manifested itself very early. At the age of four, with the help of his sister, he learned to read Hebrew texts and secular books in Yiddish. At the same time he began to attend the cheder, by the age of eight he easily overcame the program of the header and continued to study with his father. Father was pleased with the questions of his son in Jewish history and philosophy. When he noticed Sarah’s passion for mathematics and Fima’s interest in her sister’s studies, he began to study mathematics with children. My father realized that children need a professional teacher. By that time, a Jewish state school was already operating in the town, and the children of the rabbi continued their studies with the school's math teacher. Two years later, the teacher told his father that Sarah and Fima had mastered the school curriculum and they had enough knowledge to enter a teacher’s institute or even a university, but, alas, there wasn’t enough knowledge of the Russian language.
By this time, heder and synagogue were closed. Rabbi's large family was left without funds. Rabbi Fradkin entered the craft artel, where he wove baskets of wicker. Earnings were not enough, they were starving, and Fima helped his father to weave baskets. There was little time left to study, and yet he managed to practice his favorite mathematics. In early January, 1938, the father was arrested. Rabbi Fradkin refused non-kosher prison food. By some miracle, Fima managed to get a short meeting with his father and give him bread. The father hugged the boy and, holding back tears, asked to take care of his mother and ... learn: “This will lead you to people,” he said. - I will definitely be back". The father did not return - they did not return from there. Only in 1989, academician Fradkin received a certificate from the prosecutor of the Gomel region, which indicated that “Fradkin Samuil Froimovich was 08.01.1938 of the year convicted of anti-Soviet religious activities and rehabilitated posthumously in accordance with measures to restore justice.”
After his father’s arrest, a relative came to Fradkin and took Fima to Gzhatsk to take care of his family and give the boy a chance to learn. The life of a relative was not easy, I had to work a lot with the housework. There was not enough time to study at school. In 1939, Fima took Uncle Abel to Minsk. He was a kind, intelligent, and educated man. He identified his nephew in the evening school, and after a year of intensive studies, Fima managed to take an external exam at the technical school.
In the 1940 year, 16-year-old Efim Fradkin was accepted into the department of physics and mathematics at the University of Minsk for a department in which instruction was conducted in Yiddish. There was a sister and Sarah. Successes in mathematics of a brother and sister were so impressive that when Professor of Moscow State University IM came to Minsk to give lectures. Gelfand, he was introduced to young talents. This acquaintance grew into a lifelong friendship. Leaving Minsk, Gelfand offered Efim to transfer to Moscow University and gave him 100 rubles - a lot of money for a student. Already in Moscow, the relationship between scientists was so friendly that Fima played with humor the scene of the debt return (they sent the mother to 50 rubles).
To be continued

Isaac
Weinshelboim,
New York