Kapronczay Károly szerk.: Orvostörténeti közlemények 222-225. (Budapest, 2013)
TANULMÁNYOK - Müller Miklós: Egy 1952-es Kossuth díj - A dialektikus szovjet sejtbiológia rövid regnálása Magyarországon
50 Comm, de Hist. Artis Med. 222—225 (2013) these dogmas a vast area of the phenomena of organic world was disregarded by biologists and physicians - the area of noncellular forms of life. Results of the work of O.B. Lepeshinskaya liberated cytology and histology from these metaphysical shackles. New developmental possibilities and perspectives open up for biology and medical sciences purified from the Virchowian residues. ...Without any exception, all contributors to the meeting characterized the findings of O.B. Lepeshinskaya as exceptionally important and of great significance for the further development of Michurin biology. ” (anon 1950b 609.). The Hungarian Academy of Sciences issued Hungarian translations of Lepeshinskaya’s monograph (Lepeshinskaya 1951) and the proceedings of the May 1950 meeting (anon 1953), giving full access to Lepeshinskaya’s findings and ideas in Hungarian. Popular science magazines were not far behind. The first was Természet és Technika (Science and Technics) that instead of original articles quickly published excerpts from Lepeshinskaya’s monograph (Lysenko’s preface and the final chapter) (Lepeshinskaya 1950d). Soon thereafter an overview of Michurin biology appeared describing New Cell Biology in some detail (Gálócsi 1950). “Acceptance” of New Cell Theory into Hungarian biology was seemingly an easy process. The scientific community was already primed. Word came from the Soviet Union and was formally accepted, however absurd it was. Beyond a couple of other experimental studies, New Cell Theory did not appear to have influenced biological research in Hungary. This does not mean that it did not become a Party supported teaching for a few years. While few scientists were convinced of its correctness, many went through the expected motions. It seemingly had little effect on the fate of individual biologists. Party philosophers accepted Lepeshinskaya’s contributions as an integral part of Michurin biology, thus of Marxism-Leninism (Fogarasi 1950, Lukács 1964). Lepeshinskaya’s work and ideas became part of high school (Kontra, Stóhl 1953) and university curricula of biology.8 The popular biology book mentined above (Kontra, Stóhl 1954) describes Lepeshinskaya’s work on two full pages with two illustrations. Two of the ten portraits of major biologists shown are of living scientsts, Lysenko and Lepeshinskaya. At that time popularization of science was regarded a major task of the government and a special Society for Dissemination of Scientific Knowledge was organized. Lepeshinskaya and her theory was among the major topics that were presented by speakers of the Society (anon 1952d).9 The Academy of Sciences had to show interest in New Cell Biology. A special committee on Living Protein was formed in the Biology Division of the Academy of Sciences.10 This committee met several times. The chair was the biochemist Imre Szörényi, who had recently returned to Hungary from exile in the USSR. Szörényi was in charge of organizing one of the first academy institutes in Soviet style, the Biochemical Institute of the Hungar"Univesity curricula: Faludi, B. (1953) Az Általános Biológia c. előadás programmja. [Program of the course General Biology.] and Potapov, N.G. (1953) A Növényélettan c. előadás és gyakorlatok programmja. [Program of the course and laboratory exercises, Plant Physiology.] State Archives of Hungary 254f. a-3 ö.e. 9 A Magyar Természettudományi Társulat oktatási terve az 1951-52 oktatási évre [Teaching plan for 1951/52 of the Hungarian Society of Natural; Sciences] State Archives of Hungary 276 f. 89/410 o.c. 111 Protocols of the Academy Committee on Living Protein (Archives of Hungarian Academy of Sceincc, Biológiai Osztály Iratai, box 8, folder 8).
