Recantation

P. M. Zhukovskii, Recantation. August 5, 1948

Original Source: Proceedings of the Lenin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, July 31-August 7, 1948. Verbatim report of the above session (Moscow: Foreign Languages Publishing House, 1949).

Academician P. P. Lobanov: Academician P. M. Zhukovskii wishes to make a statement.

Academician P. M. Zhukovskii: Comrades, late last evening I decided to make the following statement. I mention late last evening purposely because I did not know that Comrade G. Zhdanov's letter will appear in today's Pravda and, therefore, there is no connection between my statement and Comrade G. Zhdanov's letter. I think that the representative of the Ministry of Agriculture Lobanov can confirm this, as I asked him over the telephone last evening to allow me to make a statement at the session today.

In man's life, particularly in our historic days, there occur moments of great moral, philosophical, and political significance. Such moments I experienced yesterday and today. My appearance of two days ago was unsuccessful and was my last appearance, as it is said here, against Michurin, although I never before appeared against Michurin's teaching personally. In addition, it was a final appearance from an incorrect biological and ideological position. (Applause)

The unfortunate history of my article "Darwinism in an Oblique Mirror," and our President's reply to this article, took me subsequently from the field of ideological struggle to that of personal offense. True, I remain as before with the concept of the existence of intraspecific competition. But I must say that it was precisely in this period that my relations with the President became considerably strained.

My appearance of two days ago, when the Party's Central Committee marked the dividing ridge which separates the two movements in biological science, was unworthy of a Soviet scientist and member of the Communistic Part

I admit that I took an erroneous stand. Yesterday's remarkable speech of Academician Lobanov, his phrase addressed directly to me. "We are not on the same path with you," and I regard P. P. Lobanov as a great statesman-these words upset me greatly. His speech threw me into confusion. A sleepless night helped me think over my behavior.

Academician Vasilenko's appearance likewise produced a great impression on me, because he showed how closely Michurinists are linked with the people and how important it is in this period to defend the President's authority.

The exceptional unity of the members and guests at this session, the demonstration of the strength of this unity and closeness with the people and, on the other hand, the demonstration of the opposition's weakness are so apparent to me that I declare: I will fight-and sometimes I am very capable at it-for the Michurinist biological science. (Prolonged applause)

I am a responsible individual because I am in the Committee for the Stalin Awards in the Council of Ministers and in the Expert Commission for the awarding of higher scientific degrees. Thus, I think that I have a moral duty-to be an honest Michurinist, to be an upright Soviet biologist.

Comrade Michurinists I If I have declared that I am entering the ranks of the Michurinists and that I will defend them, then I do it honorably. I appeal to all Michurinists, among whom are both my friends and my foes, and declare that I will honestly fulfill all that I have stated here today. (Applause)

I am sure that, knowing me, it will be also believed in the present instance that I did not make my declaration out of cowardice. An important trait of my character in life has always been a great impressibility. All know that I take everything very nervously. Therefore you will believe me that the present session has truly made a tremendous impression upon me.

It is said here (and it is a justified reproach) that we do not carry on a struggle in print against foreign reactionaries in the field of biological science. I declare here that I will wage this war and will give it political significance. I think that it is necessary, finally, that the voice of Soviet biologists be heard on the pages of our scientific publications on the great ideological abyss that separates us. And only the alien scientist who will understand that the bridge must be crossed toward us, and not toward him, may depend on our attention.

Let the past which separated us from T. D. Lysenko (true, not always) pass into oblivion. Believe me, that today I make a Party step and appear as a true member of the Party, i.e., honorably. (Applause)

In addition, I declare that Academician Vasilenko's appeal to protect the President's prestige will be fulfilled by me. (Applause)

Source: Conway Zirkle, ed., Death of a Science in Russia (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1949), pp. 271-272.