Epigraph:

                                                                                                                        Don’t think for a moment that I was

                                                                                                                        Indifferent to the signs of your consideration.

                                                                              A.P. Ershov, from the letter to

                                                                                                                        V.A. Uspensky of  7.05.79

Dear Andrei Petrovich!

And you, too, don’t think that I had not duly appreciate, say, the fact that Babamuradov got a special

order to recognize me at the airport and take me to “Khorezm” hotel (and not to “Urgench”!). Thus,

scarcely having set foot on Khorezm land, straight away I became aware – and very substantively –

of your concern, and it in many respects determined my productivity. If my activity at the

Symposium was however useful – it was owing to you (and thank you). An episode with the hotel,

being vital for me, by no means exhausts everything I am grateful to you for.

I have already paid compliments to your organizer talent. I believe that a substantial part of this

talent of yours is the ability to create an appropriate psychological atmosphere – an air of elated,

almost festive mood, but that of a festival of business, not idleness. I think that you, compelling

nobody directly to do anything, managed to arouse in everyone insurmountable need to thank you in

deed for your care, to work it off.

You rightly realized that in such a venture there are no trifle issues – from overhead projectors to

clean lavatories arrangement. I fully recognize how much time, energy and nerves it all has cost you.

The only award for you can be realization that no part of it was wasted in vain, and this is true. As

you understand yourself, the Symposium passed brilliantly. Thank you one more time.

                                                                                                                    Yours, V. Uspensky

27.09.79

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