/
Article

Recollections of Lev Davidovich Landau

JUN 01, 1994
Landau’s students and collaborators adored the great theorist. But his irreverence and nasty temper made enough powerful enemies to land him in the Gulag for a year.
Alexander I. Akhiezer

The older I get, the more I am afflicted by fits of nostalgia. Even when they recall the best days of my youth, they nonetheless weigh heavy, because it’s impossible to go back. I think the best way to deal with these memories is to convey them to paper. So I’d like to share some of my recollections of a great man, my unforgettable teacher Lev Davidovich Landau, to whom I was close for several decades until his tragic death in 1968. (See also the articles by I. M. Khalatnikov and Vitaly Ginzburg in PHYSICS TODAY, May 1989.)

This article is only available in PDF format

More about the authors

Alexander I. Akhiezer, Kharkov Institute of Physics and Technology, Kharkov, Ukraine.

Related content
/
Article
As higher-education programs compete for a shrinking pool of students, departments must better communicate the value that a physics major brings.
/
Article
Three physicists give a firsthand account of disarmament efforts in the 1980s and 1990s.
/
Article
Researchers don’t need to do science engagement alone. Working with professionals makes the job easier and more effective and can lead to better science.
/
Article
Even a limited nuclear war could disrupt the climate, ecosystems, and global food supplies. Nuclear strategies and decisions should be required to factor in those potential consequences.
This Content Appeared In
pt-cover_1994_06.jpeg

Volume 47, Number 6

Get PT newsletters in your inbox

pt_newsletter_card_blue.png
PT The Week in Physics

A collection of PT's content from the previous week delivered every Monday.

pt_newsletter_card_darkblue.png
PT New Issue Alert

Be notified about the new issue with links to highlights and the full TOC.

pt_newsletter_card_pink.png
PT Webinars & White Papers

The latest webinars, white papers and other informational resources.

By signing up you agree to allow AIP to send you email newsletters. You further agree to our privacy policy and terms of service.