Viktor Abramovich Zalgaller

Abstract

On 2 October, 2020, just over two months before his centenary, the outstanding representative of the St Petersburg School of Geometry, honourary member of the St Petersburg Mathematical Society, Professor Viktor Abramovich Zalgaller passed away. He was born on 25 December 1920 in the village of Parfino, Novgorod Province, in the family of engineer Abram Leont’evich Zalgaller and attorney Tat’yana Markovna Shabad-Zalgaller. In 1922 the family moved to Petrograd. In 1931 his father was convicted under Article 581 and spent 16 years in Ukhtpechlag2, in prison, and then in exile. After graduating from School no. 103 in the Smol’ninskii district of Leningrad in 1937, Viktor enrolled in the Faculty of Mathematics and Mechanics of Leningrad University. His abilities were noticed by L. V. Kantorovich, his lecturer on mathematical analysis, who asked the third-year student to prepare a textbook based on his notes. In 1940, as part of a mobilisation announced by the Young Communist League, Zalgaller was transferred to the Aviation Institute. There he received an engineering education, which played a significant role in his further research career. In the first days of the war he volunteered for the People’s Militia (Second Division) and was sent to the front almost immediately. During almost the entire war he was a signaller. The combat path of Viktor Zalgaller was not easy: the defence of Leningrad, the Oranienbaum Bridgehead, an injury during the lifting of the Leningrad blockade, the storming of Vyborg, battles in the Baltic states, the storming of Danzig, reaching the Elbe. . . Zalgaller was awarded the Order of the Red Star, the medal “For Courage”, three medals “For Battle Merit”, the medal “For the Defence of Leningrad”, and others. He met the end of the war as