Julia Lermontova 1864-1919

European Women in Chemistry by Marianne Offereins

1846

Julia Vsevolodovna was born in St. Petersburg to an aristocratic family, lead by General Vsevold Lermontov (Second cousin of the famous Russian poet Mikhail Lermontov). She was raised in both the Greek Orthodox and Roman Catholic traditions, mostly in Moscow where her father lead the Moscow Cadet Corps. Unlike Sofya, Julia’s parents were part of the intelligentsia who supported and nurtured her education providing private tutors, professional literature and simple equipment to conduct experiments at home.

Julia had aspirations to pursue a career in medicine, but she found both the skeletal displays in the anatomy lab and the economic struggles of the patients unsettling. As an alternative, Julia applied to the Petrovskaia Agricultural College in Moscow which had an excellent chemistry program, but even with the support of a large number of professors, her application was rejected.

1868

Julia’s cousin Anna Evreinova, introduced her to Anna and Sofia Korvin-Krukowskaja who had recently entered into a “marriage of convivence” with Vladimir Kovalevski. Sofya persuaded

1869

By Autumn, Julia arrived in Heidelberg where she stayed with Sofya, Anna & Vlad. It was with much difficulty that Julia was admitted to the laboratory of Robert Bunsen, a known women hater.

in 1974 Karl Weierstrass wrote a letter to Sophia referencing Robert Bunsen’s position on women, particularly Julia Lermentova:

"Er [Bunsen] habe sich verschworen, kein Frauenzimmer, namentlich keine Russin in sein Laboratorium aufzunehmen. Er habe also auch Frl. Lermontof nicht bei sich wollen arbeiten oder horen lassen. Da seiext Du [Kovalevskaua] zu ihm gekommen und habest ihn so allerliebst gebetenm dass er nicht habe widerstehen konnen und seinen Vorsatzen ungetreu geworden sei. Ist dem wirklich so? Dann wurde der Philosoph doch nicht ganz Unrecht gehabt haben. Bunsen steht allerdings in dem Ruf, dass er bei seinen Erzahlungen ein wenig phantasieret. Dichtet er auch doch Romane, wenn er sei auch nicht publicirt.”

"Es war dann naturlich viel von dir und deinen beiden studiengenossinnen [lermontova und Jewreinova] die Rede, und ich habe manches aus wurem damaligen "Zigeunerleben" erfahren, das mich sehr amusiert hat. Ihr seid Gegenstad sehr grosser Aufmerksamkeit bei den Heidelbergen gewesen."

"He [Bunsen] had pledged not to admit any women, especially not any Russians, into his laboratory. He therefore also did not want Miss Lermontof to work or be heard at his place. Then you [Kovalevskaya] came to him and pleaded so adorably that he could not resist and became unfaithful to his resolutions. Is this really so? Then the philosopher wouldn't have been entirely wrong. Bunsen, however, has a reputation for being a bit fanciful in his narratives. He even composes novels, even if he does not publish them."

"Of course, there was much talk about you and your two fellow students [Lermontova and Yevreinova], and I learned many things about your then 'gypsy life' that greatly amused me. You have been the subject of much attention among the Heidelberg people."

1870

Julia worked in Bunsen’s laboratory researching platinum compounds.

1871

Julia accompanies Sofya to Berlin and secures a position in August Wilhelm Hofmann's private lab, where she studies Organic Chemistry. During this period, she releases her inaugural research paper, titled "Ueber die Zusammensetzung des Diphenins."

1874

Early in the year, Julia completes her doctoral thesis titled "Zur Kenntniss der Methylenverbindungen." Following extensive discussions about whether women should be allowed to participate, it's finally agreed that she can present her dissertation at a standard graduation event on October 24, 1874, in Gottingen. The choice of Gottingen is likely influenced by the Gottingen Five.

Julia joined her professors in enjoying tea and pastries after her defense, awarding her the first degree: magna cum laude.

She returned to Moscow the same year and worked along side Dmitri Mendeleev, Vladimir Markovnikov and others within the Russian Chemical Association. Eventually she moved to St. Petersburg where she worked with Alexander Butlerov and M. L’vov at the Laboratory of the University researching the production of 2-methly-2-butenoic acid.

Gottingen Five

1876

Julia served as a contributing writer for the French journal Bulletin de la Societe Chimique de Paris. That same year, she contracted both typhoid fever and encephalitis but made a full recovery.

1877

When her father died, Julia inhered Semenkovo, the family estate. She returned to Moscow to attend to the affairs and while there, she began research on petroleum in the laboratory of Markovnikov. Vast oil reserves were found near Baku and she developed a device to continuously distill petroleum which was highly praised within the industry.

In St. Petersburg her old college Butlerov wanted Julia to return to St. Petersburg to teach in the Superior courses for women. He was frustrated when she declined because Sofya had left her daughter in Julia’s care. Butlerov claimed Sofya “tramped around the world” leaving the work of raising Fufa to Julia.

1881

Julia became the first women member of the Russian Technical Association. By this point she had abandoned most of her research preferring to stay in the country and work on agricultural sciences including cheesemaking which she eventually sold across Russia and Ukraine.

She occasionally reunited with Sofya in Stockholm and in St. Petersburg, picking up Fufa again, this time for a permanent stay. When Sofya passed away in 1891 Julia became “Mama Julia” to the child who would eventually become Julia’s heir inheriting the entire Lermontova Estate in December of 1919 when Julia passed away from a brain hemorrhage.