World Congress of Mathematicians was opened by dazzling sunny morning on August 18 in Berlin. The opening Ceremony was organized to be held at vast International Congress-Centre: - great many participants; - magnificent scene, that was decorated by flowers, among ones the sunflowers were dominating; - a best Berlin music Group was rendering Mozart works.

First we were greeted by Presidents of various mathematical Societies. It was great pleasure to see and to listen well-known Colleagues, as example, Mr. Martin Groetshjeld, with whom we were commucating highly well for two last years by e-mail. Also the President representatives, ministers were presenting the reports and speeches with greetings and dithyrambs about Mathematics. Besides interesting, important information was given. In particular, in last years many special positions for mathematicians were opened in business, industry, insurance companies, banks of Germany; also mathematicians researches assisted to save for Municipality ~100000DM in solving of problems of transport, of traffic jams.

Nazism period was mentioned in all speeches; then 53 mathematicians were tormented in concentration camps; then many mathematicians were emigrating from Germany to USA. At present, new mathematicians generation – children of those mathematicians – were participating at this World Congress. Up do now Germany can not restore former scientific potential.

The opening Ceremony was finished by congratulations to Fields medallists:

• Richard E. Borcherds (Cambridge University; algebra, automorfic forms);
• W.Timothy Gowers (Cambridge University; Banach space theory, combinatorics);
• Maxim Kontsevich (IHES Bures-sur-Yvette; mathematical physics, algebraic geometry and topology);
• Curtis T. McMullen (Harvard University; complex dynamics, hyperbolic geometry);

to Nevannlina prize-winner Peter W. Shor (AT&T Labs Floham Park, New Jersey, quantum computation, computational geometry).

In accordance with traditions each of prize-winners presented special lecture (45 minutes) on main results, trying shortly to explain for the mixed mathematical audience the essence of obtained new results.

The special award was presented to Andrew J. Wiles (Princeton University) for the proof of Fermat theorem. Dr. Andrew J. Wiles grew one of the central persons at the Congress. The lecture-Hall for this lecture was filled long before beginning. His name was heard everywhere. Many jokes and verses were devoted to him.

As example, J

A mathematician named Wiles
one day he was out on the tiles.
Cause he found the proof,
where Fermat did goof.
Ever since Doctor Wiles always smiles.

The Congress Program was planned very well; and everybody in any time was be able to find something interesting for himself. Also it was possible to look at different exhibitions, that were filling huge Halls. There were various Editions of different mathematical publishing Houses, historical materials, souvenirs, pictures,… It was particularly interesting for me personally to communicate with Colleagues from Zentralblatt fur Matematik. We had many correspondence contacts for last 15 years.

In most cases, the lectures, that was attended by me, were constructed popularly as far as it was possible. Certainly, many fine points were lost, but from my opinion only such construction was possible in framework of this large Congress. I would like to distinguish the lecture of Walter Schechermayer “On role of Mathematics in the financial markets”, that was accompanied by panel discussion with the participation of various banks figures and businessmen. They were actively emphasizing the benefits of mathematics and stochastic models for bank’s business. This lecture, that had not any formulas, was organized to be held in the Urania building. Urania is one of the public Institutes with very old traditions. During Congress here in addition to lectures, VideoMth festival was organized; also some mathematical-art exhibitions was working. All foyer of the building was occupied by various mathematical amusements, that were very interesting and pleasing both for children and for adults. Really: is it not pleasant-interesting to be whole surrounded by soap bubble!?

At Congress there were a lot of russian participants; Russian speech was heard as well as German and English. Some informal Seminars were organized in Russian; series of lectures and exhibitions were devoted to the links between Russian and German mathematical Schools.

It was very pleasant for me, russian woman, to see the portraits of Sofia Kovalevskaya, Wejerschtrass pupil, first Woman-Professor in World. She was no only brilliant mathematician, but also – beautiful woman. It seems, that in Germany it was valuable both mind, and beauty!

Now Berlin city was like one large construction. The Federal Government should be moved to Berlin in few months. But Reichstag was in ruins; the Brandenburger Tor was in excavations;… It was very difficult to see the harmony, and besides the architecture was massive from my point.

C But: - the faces of new friends; - a girl, reading Goethe in the cafe “Pasternak”; - a wonderful voice of night-princess in the opera “The Magic Flute”; - the rain on Kurfurstendamm; - the apple jelly with vanilla sauce… and all the imperfection was removed to the background; the city charm was vanquishing us.