F. Yu. Levinson-Lessing (1861-1939) -V. V. Dokuchaev apprentice and follower and his role in Soil Science Institute foundation

The world-class geologist and petrographer - Frants Yul’evich Levinson-Lessing (1861-1939) was one of the followers and apprentices of V.V. Dokuchaev, the founder of the Soil Science. In 1882-1892 he took part in Dokuchaev’s expeditions. Thereafter, Levinson -Lessing carried out research in the field of petrography; he assumed various administrative positions and constantly lent support to his teacher’s life-work. He was the chairman of the Soil Commission of the Russian Free Economic Society (1905-1912), one of the founders of Dokuchaev Soil Committee and its council member (1912-1916), headed Soil Science Department and Soil Science Institute of the Commission on Natural Production Forces affiliated with Academy of Sciences of the USSR (1917-1925), V.V. Dokuchaev Soil Science Institute (1926-1929). In 1927 in cooperation with V.I. Vernadskiy and K.D. Glinka he gained recognition of the Soil Science as a fundamental science in Academy of Sciences of the USSR, which resulted in establishment of special Soil Science Institute of Academy of Sciences of the USSR.