Herman Ermolaev, professor Slavic languages and literatures, emeritus, died Jan. 6, 2019
One thought on “Herman Ermolaev”
Mario Corti
RIP.
In 1944-1945 Ermolaev was in the village I live now in Friuli, Italy. He and his father (a Cossack Esaul) spent a few months as guests in a peasant’s house. Herman fell in love with one of the daughters of the house master. Her name was Adalgisa Comoretto. She was sixteen years old, and he must have been eighteen. After he left together with the other Cossacks heading for Lienz in Austria where the Cossack adventure in Italy had its tragic end, Herman sent a few letters to Adalgisa, fragments of which are published in a local book of reminiscences of World War 2. Also a photograph of young Herman in uniform and a photograph of his father are published in that book.
Eventually, Ermolaev lost track of Adalgisa. But he always remembered her, and one day Ermolaev’s son (sent by his father) came from Switzerland to visit her here in Artegna. Adalgisa is dead now. I exchanged a few e-mails years ago with Herman Ermolaev, and he confirmed the story. Anyway, it’s a long story.
RIP.
In 1944-1945 Ermolaev was in the village I live now in Friuli, Italy. He and his father (a Cossack Esaul) spent a few months as guests in a peasant’s house. Herman fell in love with one of the daughters of the house master. Her name was Adalgisa Comoretto. She was sixteen years old, and he must have been eighteen. After he left together with the other Cossacks heading for Lienz in Austria where the Cossack adventure in Italy had its tragic end, Herman sent a few letters to Adalgisa, fragments of which are published in a local book of reminiscences of World War 2. Also a photograph of young Herman in uniform and a photograph of his father are published in that book.
Eventually, Ermolaev lost track of Adalgisa. But he always remembered her, and one day Ermolaev’s son (sent by his father) came from Switzerland to visit her here in Artegna. Adalgisa is dead now. I exchanged a few e-mails years ago with Herman Ermolaev, and he confirmed the story. Anyway, it’s a long story.