André Mazon et les relations scientifiques franco-soviétiques (1917-1939)

Abstract

André Mazon and Soviet-French Scientific Relations (1917-1939) Mazon’s relations with the Russian scientific world start a long time before the 1917 Revolution. In the middle of the 1920’s, Mazon becomes secretary of the French Committee for the strengthening of scientific relations with Russia, which was created in 1925. He takes an active part in the renewal and further development of these relations. The role of the committee mostly covers the exchange of scholarly publications and the organization of scientific missions. But its activity strongly depends on the state of the USSR’s internal and foreign policies: the growing strength of Stalin’s regime is reflected, notably, through purges organized in the academic institutions at the end of the 1920’s, practically putting an end to scientific exchanges with France. In 1934-1935, for a brief period, it becomes suddenly possible to revive this exchange and to organize it at the highest level. André Mazon and the Committee are progressively compelled to work more and more through the VOKS (All-Union Society for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries), which also deals with scientific relations. However, this Society is less concerned by scientific matters and more by the promotion of a certain image of the USSR. In such a context, the work of A. Mazon and of the Committee come to a dead-end.