Arrival and first months

According to various documents and reminiscences about Friedmann, he came back from Perm to Petrograd in the spring or summer of 1920. V. A. Steklov's diaries enabled us to fix the date. In his diary for 1919–20, there is an entry dated May 20, 1920: “At 11.30 p.m. Tamarkin and Friedmann turned up unexpectedly. They came from Perm in a special stove-heated freight car, the ride took them twelve days. In Perm they were detained and searched, were about to have their provisions taken [let us recall that the Civil War was not yet over, and profiteers were severely dealt with – V. F.], but everything was sorted out. Friedmann wants to settle here for good and, of course, at the University … He is very talented! Of course, he is asking for assistance. I said I would talk to [A. A.] Ivanov, but I will not make any arrangements. Let them act on their own. I may see Ivanov on Sunday.”

Steklov's biographers note that behind the outward sternness there was a sympathetic soul. Thus, as soon as May 23, he writes: “At 1 p.m. there was an emergency session of the Pulkovo Committee. I told Ivanov that tomorrow Friedmann would submit an application to get a transfer here [i.e. to the University – Y. F.] as a lecturer. He promised to arrange everything.”

How did Petrograd in the latter half of May 1920 strike Friedmann? Let us recall that the Civil War was going on. The newspapers were publishing dispatches from the battle fronts. On the northern front, close to Petrograd, there was shooting in the Sestra River area.