Landau as a teacher

Lev Pitaevskii

April 2010

L. D. Landau, 1908-1968

Life sketchby Galkina,~1961

Landau, Hall and Ginzburg, 1958

Landau and Eselson, at Kharkov

Landau «direct» pupils

1930-1941:Pomeranchuk, Tisza, Levich, Kompaneetz, E. Lifshitz, Akhiezer, Smorodinskii.1945-1962:Khalatnikov, Abrikosov, Gor'kov, Arkhipov, Gershtein, Dzyaloshinskii, Pitaevskii, Vedenov, Bychkov.

Landau’s letter to Lev, 1954. Admission to PhD test

Landau’s register of examinations

Landau’s group in Moscow, 1956. Are sitting: L. Prozorova, A. Abrikosov, I. Khalatnikov, L. Landau, E. Lifshitz. Are standing: S. Gershtein, Lev, L. Vainshtein, R. Arkhipov, I. Dzyaloshinskii

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The Landau SchoolThe following physicists are said to have passed the “theoretical minimum”:

31. Falkovskii32. Andreev33. Kondratenko34. Rusinov35. Marinov36. Berkov37. Melik-Barkhudarov38. Moskalenko39. Ignatovich40. Bud'ko41. Man'ko42. Malkin43. Kolabasov

16. Sudakov17. Kagan18. Gershtein19. Gorkov20. Dzyaloshinksii21. Arkhipov22. Balashov23. Vedenov24. Maksimov25. Pitaevskii26. Sagdeev27. Bekarevich28. Ivanchik29. Bychkov30. Shapoval

1. Kompaneets2. E. Lifshitz3. Akhiezer4. Pomeranchuk5. Tisza 6. Levich7. Berestetskii8. Smorodinskii9. Khalatnikov10. Khutsishvili11. Ter-Martirosyan12. Abrikosov13. Ioffe14. Zharkov15. Lapidus

From letter by P. Kapitza to Molotov of April 6, 1939

Comrade Molotov,

Recently, during work on liquid helium, at temperatures near absolute zero, I have been able to discover a number of new phenomena which can clear up one of the most puzzling areas in modern physics. I propose to publish some of this work during the next few months. But to do so I need the aid of a theoretician. We had at the Soviet Union one who thoroughly understood the area of theory that I need, namely Landau, but he has been under arrest a year now.

I had much hoped that he would be released, especially as I must say frankly that I cannot believe that he is a traitor. …

Landau about Hungarian revolution of 1956. According to KGB records:

Identificating rebels with Hungarian people and working class, he [Landau] characterized the events in Hungary as «Hungarian revolution», as a «very good, pleasant event» where the «nation-hero» is fighting for liberty.«Hungarian revolution — it means that practically full Hungarian nation rised against their enslavers, i. e. against small Hungarian clique, and basicly against ours.They are real descendants of great revolutioner of past. That they now demonstrated worths borrowings. I am ready to stay on my knees beforeHungary.»In a conversation with unknown person of 1 of November 1956 at his apartment... he claimed:«Our [goverment] decided to splash blood on themself. Our country is governed by criminals. Kadar is a new social-traitor. He is now simple a puppet. Our ordered and he took the place.»