Talk:Andre Geim

Jewish?

Is there any legitimate source that states he is Jewish? You can't just group people based on last names. --Therexbanner (talk) 12:15, 5 October 2010 (UTC)

Never mind, he states it here: http://www.scientific-computing.com/features/feature.php?feature_id=1 --Therexbanner (talk) 12:19, 5 October 2010 (UTC)

The same source states "Because his parents had German ancestry...". Frankly I never heard of Jewish Russia-Germans in Russia (while it's possible). Maybe a mix of both or 20th century immigrants. Would be interesting to know the nationality his parents had in their passport (Soviets knew "Jewish" and "German" in the classification system). See also http://onnes.ph.man.ac.uk/~geim/pt.html "he was used to be called a fascist by some and a 'bloddy Jew' by others" and "in the UK he was flabbergasted to called a Russian the first time in his live". Anyway I doubt that he can be called "Russian born" like in the article, rather "soviet born" (if this exist) popolfi --188.107.219.224 (talk) 12:47, 5 October 2010 (UTC)

He is not Jewish! —Preceding unsigned comment added by 85.178.76.104 (talk) 12:36, 5 October 2010 (UTC)

It is a speculation. He has German ancestry, speaeking about it here: http://blago-mh.ru/issues/19/20_heim.php —Preceding unsigned comment added by 85.178.76.104 (talk) 13:12, 5 October 2010 (UTC)

OK, then perhaps it would be best not to include him in the "Jewish Scientists" category until we find a clear enough source.--Therexbanner (talk) 13:36, 5 October 2010 (UTC)

I think the confusion is caused by the fact that most Russian Jews have German (Yiddish) surnames. Both groups where considered "risky" at soviet times and discriminated in the education system (he states this himself). Anglo-Saxon journalists maybe can't imagine discrimination of Germans and misinterpretate him as Jewish. Reminds me of Einsteins famous quote: "... today in Germany I am called a German man of science, and in England I am represented as a Swiss Jew. If I come to be represented as a bête noire, the descriptions will be reversed, and I shall become a Swiss Jew for the Germans and a German man of science for the English!" popolfi --188.107.219.224 (talk) 14:40, 5 October 2010 (UTC)

I know of those instances, however this one appears to be different. In one of the above-mentioned links, he claims to have German ancestry. If his last name was Haim it would probably be more likely (although it is best not to stereotype people based on their names, ex. Norman Jewison is actually not Jewish, reliogiously or ethnically.)

Anyways, I think that it would be best to have several legitimate and clear sources before making any claims. For example, he is Russian-born (which has nothing to do with his ethnicity), which is known from countless sources/biographies/etc. Until his ethnicity can be proven with confidence, I think it should be left out.--Therexbanner (talk) 15:25, 5 October 2010 (UTC)

I have no problems if he is both. The point is that in post-french-revolution egalitarian Western Europe (including Germany!) Jewish is considered a religion and not an ethnicity and "West-Jews" assimiliated. The greatest part of immigration from Jewish and German minorities into Eastern Europe predate this development, and they lived in closed communities and didn't mix in zarist society. So if he is Jewish, then most likely from Germans who left later in 19th or 20th century.

Anyway I bablefished the Russian interview and he cites a well known German proverb from his father "Morgen, morgen und nicht heute sagen alle faulen Leute!" to describe his work-ethic ... that's so (classic ;) German that he can surely be considered comming from a German background. popolfi --188.107.219.224 (talk) 15:56, 5 October 2010 (UTC)

One the official University of Manchester profile article, he states his parents had German ancestry: http://onnes.ph.man.ac.uk/~geim/pt.html . Here is an article/bio that states he had a chance to leave Russia because his parents had German ancestry: http://blago-mh.ru/issues/19/20_heim.php . It also states that his daughter (with his Russian wife) says she has Russian parents, although she herself was born in the Netherlands. So I think it's safe to assume he's German/Russian (or Russian/German) ethnically, and the initial confusion stems from his last name and the anti-semitism of some Soviet people who automatically assumed he was Jewish (as popolfi mentioned above.) --Therexbanner (talk) 15:31, 5 October 2010 (UTC)

According sources ( close to Geim himself) mentioned above Geim was born to German parents. "German" in Soviet time means the chosen or "inherited" ethnicity/nationality as described in official papers (passport etc.). It is not clear whether both Geim's "German" parents were of traditional Russian-German descent("Wolga-Deutsche" etc.) or immigrants of 20th century. Geim is Dutch citizen more by chance but he is deeply linked with the UK science (espec. Manchester). SkanderBeck —Preceding unsigned comment added by 80.135.175.124 (talk) 15:35, 5 October 2010 (UTC)

Yes, so maybe we could agree on him being a Russian German, holding Russian and Dutch citizenships, and conducting his main research in the United Kingdom. If only someone could rephrase that.--Therexbanner (talk) 15:41, 5 October 2010 (UTC)

See Russian version, where to find he is a Russian German! —Preceding unsigned comment added by 85.178.76.104 (talk) 15:47, 5 October 2010 (UTC)