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Besides, at my pre-graduation practical work I was engaged in automation of one secret engineering procedure, which was called electrochemical treatment of metal. This procedure was a secret one, and I had to defend my thesis in the “closed” meeting [that is to say, that defence of the thesis had to take place under the secret conditions: only a limited number of experts were to attend]. But two weeks before the defence I was told that I would defend my thesis in the “public” meeting, and I promptly had to alter it and to throw away approximately one third of materials. It was done because it was not allowed to give a Jew an excellent mark, and they expressly invented me obstacles. But nevertheless, I defended my thesis with mark “five”.
Because I was Jewish, they deprived me of the opportunity to graduate with honours. My mates, who had the same marks but were not Jews, had obtained red diplomas, and I hadn’t. I had 85% of excellent marks in my diploma and three “satisfactories”: for drawing, sketching and resistance of materials. Though at that time there weren’t any marks for drawing and resistance of materials at all. There was simply the mark called “passed”. And it was an examination for sketching, indeed. But it was permitted to repeat the examination for those who had such good marks as I had.
They generally gave not a very difficult task and good marks for re-examination. But they gave me such a complicated task, that I was not able to fulfil it. As a result three satisfactory marks remained and I was given an ordinary diploma, without honours. Because Jews were not allowed to obtain red diplomas –with honours - and especially in such a specialization as “automation”.
Because I was Jewish, they deprived me of the opportunity to graduate with honours. My mates, who had the same marks but were not Jews, had obtained red diplomas, and I hadn’t. I had 85% of excellent marks in my diploma and three “satisfactories”: for drawing, sketching and resistance of materials. Though at that time there weren’t any marks for drawing and resistance of materials at all. There was simply the mark called “passed”. And it was an examination for sketching, indeed. But it was permitted to repeat the examination for those who had such good marks as I had.
They generally gave not a very difficult task and good marks for re-examination. But they gave me such a complicated task, that I was not able to fulfil it. As a result three satisfactory marks remained and I was given an ordinary diploma, without honours. Because Jews were not allowed to obtain red diplomas –with honours - and especially in such a specialization as “automation”.
Period
Location
Russia
Interview
Elena Glaz