Anatoly Dnieprov - The Maxwell Equations

I led the agitated men, hooting and jeering and cursing their former masters, through the win-dowless reception hall where I'd handed in my problems, through the narrow subterranean maze to the back door where we finally emerged into the open.

"We were blinded momentarily by a hot spring sun and we stopped short. But not only because of the sun. In front of the door leading to Kraftstudt's apartments pressed a huge crowd of people. They had been shouting something but at the sight of us suddenly went silent. Then I heard somebody call out:

"Why, this is Professor Rauch! So he is really alive!"

Deinis and his colleagues kicked forward the battered executives of Kraftstudt and Co. One after another they struggled to their feet and glanced cowardly from us to the crowd pressing threateningly round them.

A thin pale girl broke from the crowd. So she had found courage to do what I asked her!

"That's him," she said, pointing at Kraftstudt. "And him," she added, nodding her chin at Pfaff. "They started it all…"

A murmur came from the crowd. Voices were raised in anger. The people surged forward. Another moment and the criminals would have been torn limb from limb. But Deinis raised his hand.

"Friends, we're civilised people," he said. "We mustn't take justice into our own hands. The interests of humanity will be better served if we let the world know about their crimes. They must be brought to trial and we will all stand as witnesses. Within those walls heinous crimes have been committed. Taking advantage of the progress of science, those monsters were reducing men to slavery and exploiting them to the last spark of life."

"Bring the criminals to trial!" everybody shouted. "Bring 'em to trial!"

The crowd headed for town. The criminals were in a tight circle. Elsa Brinter, the thin girl, walked at my side. She clutched my hand as she spoke to me:

"I thought hard after our last conversation. Then I somehow felt strong and brave. And very angry for you and your friends and myself too."

"That's what always happens to those who hate their enemies and love their friends," I said.

Kraftstudt and his associates were handed over to the town authorities. The Burgomaster made along speech studded with biblical references. He ended by saying: "For crimes so subtle in their cruelty Herr Kraftstudt and his colleagues will be tried by the Federal Court of Justice."

Then they were taken away in police vans, and have not been heard of since. Nor have there been any reports in the press. But it has been rumoured that Kraftstudt and his colleagues entered government service and were entrusted with setting up a large computer centre for the Defence Ministry.

I always boil with indignation now when looking through a newspaper I find on the last page this perennial advertisement:

WANTED

for work at a large computer centre

men aged 25-40 and having knowledge of higher mathematics. Write to Box***

Anatoly Dneprov (b. 1919), the author of “The Maxwell Equations”, which he wrote in 1960, is a distinguished physicist who works at an institute of the U.S.S.R. Academy of Sciences. His favourite subject is cybernetics – its amazing achievements to date and its breath-taking potentialities. Scientific authenticity is a salient feature of his writings.