News

Wednesday 20 April 2022

Mikhail Meyer (1936–2022)

 
The Institute of Oriental Studies (the Russian Academy of Sciences) expresses its most sincere condolences to the staff of the Institute of Asian and African Countries (Moscow State University), to colleagues, relatives and friends in connection with the death of Mikhail Meyer (1936–2022) dear to all of us.

M. Meyer was an outstanding scientist, widely known within the national and world oriental studies. Many books and articles written by him have long been included in the golden fund of the world Ottoman studies and Turkology. He was elected a professor at Moscow State University and an honorary doctor of a number of foreign universities for fundamental achievements in the field of education and science. He was awarded deservedly high Russian and foreign state awards.

M. Meyer devoted his life to teaching. For 59 years of service at the Institute of Asian and African Studies as a teacher, head of the department, director and president, he brought up many generations of Russian orientalists for Moscow State University, Russian Academy of Sciences, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation and many other state, scientific, and educational institutions. His role in the development and renewal of oriental studies, including in ensuring the young personnel influx into science, was truly enormous!

Mikhail Meyer was always open to students, teachers and colleagues. We remember him as a model for all of us. He was an honest, fair, and decent teacher who always supported colleagues and students with wise advice, kind words, and faithful deeds. With Professor Meyer it was possible to frankly discuss both life's issues and the most acute topics of Oriental science. He always gave everyone clear and deep assessments, without changing his views even under the most powerful pressure. 

Until the very last moment of his life he remained the most authoritative and respected Ottomanist and Turkologist of our country, whose opinion was significant for each of us. With his death a whole era in Russian Oriental studies has gone.

We will greatly miss his knowledge, charm and wisdom, diplomacy and balanced position, inimitable sense of humor, responsiveness, humanity and readiness to help! The name of Mikhail Meyer will forever remain in our memory and in our hearts!