From several ISMS Congresses, Pieter got to know lots of international scientists.
It was always hardest for scientists from behind the iron curtain, from the communist countries that is... to travel internationally.
Pictured here is Tzvetana Rantcheva from Bulgaria, with Pieter to the left and to the right of her is Vitkov, who also visited us at the Mushroom farm of Fungi del Montello in Italy.
Here, Pieter is to the left and next to him is Stefan Lissitzov and Vitkov from Bulgaria.
Both photos are from August 29, 1989 and the Berlin Wall had not yet come down... marking the end of the Communist era for Eastern Europe.
Tzvetana Rantcheva was one of the scientists that lectured at the 1969 ISMS Congress in Hamburg and Pieter knows her for a long time.
International Society of Mushroom Science
Pieter did receive one of her 1971 publications, for adding to his library...
Dear Mr. Vedder
Many kind regards to all colleagues in your station. I hope this booklet will enrich your library.
Your Bulgarian friend and colleague,
Rantcheva
To Petter Vedder
with respect and gratitude
April, 1986 Rantcheva
Sofia, Bulgaria
(well, writing in cyrillic and managing the Roman alphabet as well, is quite challenging!)
Their paper quality was the poorest one...
Sadly so, but she meticulously gave credit to all of Pieter's photos!
Contrary to most others, regardless of all their privileges of living in the free and modern world, that only stole photos and big parts of text, without ever giving due credit.
They think that plagiarism went out of the window?!
Both of us felt humbled and touched by being able to help a scientist from Communist Bulgaria out...
While visiting us at work in Italy, Tvetana Rantcheva gifted us a hand made wooden box, filled with special mixed spices and herbs from Bulgaria.
Not very large but I've kept it all those years with lots of sentiment... empty for years now.
Finally last year we both got to visit her country, Bulgaria, even though not her city of Sofia.
Queen of Bulgarian spices: summer savoury (chubritsa) click link
It was special receiving her Bulgarian Christmas cards...
Sadly we lost contact since our life in Italy.
International Society of Mushroom Science
Many kind regards to all colleagues in your station. I hope this booklet will enrich your library.
Your Bulgarian friend and colleague,
Rantcheva
Due to Tzvetana Rantcheva's many restrictions for living and working in a Communist country as Bulgaria was, Pieter helped co-author her book...
She did mail it to us from Bulgaria, and we received it in June of 1986...
with respect and gratitude
April, 1986 Rantcheva
Sofia, Bulgaria
(well, writing in cyrillic and managing the Roman alphabet as well, is quite challenging!)
Sadly so, but she meticulously gave credit to all of Pieter's photos!
Contrary to most others, regardless of all their privileges of living in the free and modern world, that only stole photos and big parts of text, without ever giving due credit.
They think that plagiarism went out of the window?!
While visiting us at work in Italy, Tvetana Rantcheva gifted us a hand made wooden box, filled with special mixed spices and herbs from Bulgaria.
Finally last year we both got to visit her country, Bulgaria, even though not her city of Sofia.
Sadly we lost contact since our life in Italy.
Related posts:
Day 9, Russe, Veliko Tarnovo & Arbanasi, Bulgaria | previous post by me
Day 8, Bulgarian Danube and Belogradchik Rocks & Fortress | previous post
Day 8, Bulgarian Danube and Belogradchik Rocks & Fortress | previous post
The History of Bulgaria: Every Year 632-2021 | Impressive YouTube video
Dearest Mariette,
ReplyDeletewhat a lovely wooden spice box! I like the Christmas card too!
HAve a good week, take care,
Love and hugs, Claudia xo
Dearest Claudia,
DeleteThank you and yes, it is a wonderfully handmade little wooden box!
The Christmas card shows a gourd scoop filled with hazelnuts. so perfect and natural.
Hugs,
Mariette
Liebe Mariette,
ReplyDeleteich freue mich über deinen schönen Post.
Alles Liebe
Elisabeth
Liebe Elisabeth,
DeleteDanke sehr, einfach kleine Geschenke die soviel Freude machen können.
Liebe Grüße,
Mariette
Hello Mariette, Your experience with Tzvetana Rantcheva shows that good people, like gold, are where you find them, and need to be judged on their own merits, not according to what we think of their governments.
ReplyDelete--Jim
Dearest Jim,
DeleteThat is always the case in life! Governments try hard to manipulate its people but there are intelligent gems amongst them that only want the best for human kind. We feel blessed for having met so many all over the world!
Hugs,
Mariette
An interesting memory.
ReplyDeleteDearest Anne,
DeleteA very fond one and lovely memories.
Hugs,
Mariette
Love those black and white photos. Ms. Rantcheva must have been very grateful that your husband Pieter helped her with the book. And her giving credit to his photos shows her sincerity. The wooden spice box is beautiful with lovely design inside it. I'm sorry you lost contact with her. It would be really nice if she finds your blog :-)
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful day, Mariette!
Dearest Tamago,
DeleteYes, she was very grateful, they were so much deprived from all freedoms in publishing, meeting with other scientists and difficulty in attending International Congresses. Pieter always tried his very best to help them as much as he could.
She was very sincere in giving credit to Pieter's photos indeed.
The design you see below the wooden box is not from its inside but just an example of how the spice actually looked like as I've used it all...
Wish, someone would find this blog post indeed, don't know if she had children. She wrote that she was taking care of her Mother in Sofia but she must long have passed on. Who knows someone reads this and can shed a light on that.
Hugs,
Mariette
Un sereno giovedi a te.
ReplyDeleteCaro Giancarlo,
DeleteGrazie,
Mariette
Estas fotos os traerán buenos recuerdos.
ReplyDeleteAdmiro esa labor callada, que hacen los científicos. Ellos aportan mucho a la sociedad.
Besos
Querida Antonia,
DeleteSí buenos recuerdos de un científico que vivía en la Bulgaria comunista en ese momento, con posibilidades muy limitadas. De hecho, muchos descubrimientos de científicos nos han hecho a todos beneficiarnos, en cuanto a la salud.
Abrazos,
Mariette
You were blessed to have met such wonderful people Mariette, and lucky that you got to visit Bulgaria later on.
ReplyDeleteDearest Sami,
DeleteYes, such scientist friendships have been very special and just imagine for them having no freedom to travel and to attend many congresses or symposiums... At the moment some people at least get a little bit of an idea how that feels.
Bulgaria was a very special experience for both of us!
Hugs,
Mariette
Hi Mariette,
ReplyDeleteBeautiful spice bowl and I clicked on the link you posted so I can read about the spices and try some blends. Thank you and Happy Friday - Betsy
Dearest Betsy,
DeleteIt was a very warm little gift received back in August of 1989 from someone living in a much deprived country under communism.
Glad you found the spices, they are very special!
Hugs,
Mariette
Beautiful photos.
ReplyDeleteDearest Regine,
DeleteEven more meaningful than beautiful...
Hugs,
Mariette
Un sereno fine settimana a te.
ReplyDeleteCaro Giancarlo,
DeleteGrazie e anche per tutti voi.
Un abbraccio,
Mariette
Auf der Welt geht es doch oft nicht mit rechten Dingen zu! Dieser Diebstahl ist sehr ärgerlich! Und so niedlich das kleine Gefäß! So ein Geschenk hält man immer in Ehren.
ReplyDeleteAlles Liebe
Sara
Liebe Sara,
DeleteJa, vielen haben einfach den Tekst und auch die Bilder von Pieter gestolen... ohne weiteres.
Diese Tzvetana Rantcheva hat es richtig vermeldet wo sie Pieter's Bilder eingefügt hat und so soll es immer sein.
Ja, so ein Geschenk von Menschen die unter solche Umstände leben mußten ist sehr Wertvol und ich halte es immer in Ehren.
Liebe Grüße,
Mariette