Academician A.V.Shubnikov (founder and the first Director of the Institute of Crystallography AS USSR) supported the ideas of prof. P.P.Ewald about the creation of International Union of Crystallography (IUCr)

Academician A.V.Shubnikov (1887-1970)

. In 1947 Shubnikov became a member of a provisional Executive Committee of IUCr. The full Committee: P.P.Ewald - president; R.C.Evans - secretary; M.J.Buerger, D.Harker, J.A.A.Ketelaar, J.Wyart, A.V.Shubnikov and W.H.Taylor - members. At the same time it was decided to create the international scientific crystallographic journal where the articles can be published in English, French, Russian and German. At the suggestion of A.V.Shubnikov the journal was named in Latin "Acta Crystallographica". The First General Assembly of IUCr took place in 1948 at one time with the Ist International Congress of Crystallographers. And just 1948 is the year of the official creation of IUCr.

Though A.V.Shubnikov took an active part in the IUCr creation, the registration of the Soviet crystallographer's membership in this organization was delayed for some years. Only in 1954 Soviet crystallographers overcame all the interior bureaucratism. The official accession of Soviet crystallographers to IUCr took place at the General Assembly of IUCr confined to the III International Congress of Crystallographers (Paris, 1954). Our membership in the IUCr was registered in the highest fifth category, i.e. with 5 casting votes at the General Assemblies of IUCr. Academy of Sciences of USSR was the Adhering Bodies for the membership of Soviet crystallographers in the IUCr. The USSR National Committee of Crystallography (UNCC), attached to the Division of General Physics and Astronomy AS USSR, was created in 1954 for the better interaction with IUCr. Academician N.V.Belov

Academician N.V.Belov (1891-1982)

was the first Chairman of UNCC, prof. N.N.Sheftal was the Secretary of National Committee. After Belov's death in 1982, academician B.K.Vainshtein

Academician B.K.Vainshtein (1921-1996)

became the Chairman of UNCC, prof. V.I.Simonov became the Secretary of National Committee. After dissolution of the Soviet Union, Russia renewed its membership in the IUCr in the lower fourth category.

Participation of the crystallographers of our country in the IUCr work was always very active. Our representatives worked in the IUCr Executive Committee and in the most of the IUCr Committees. Prof. G.S.Zhdanov was the member of Executive Committee, academician N.V.Belov was elected the President of IUCr (1966-1969), academician B.K.Vainshtein and prof. V.I.Simonov were the members of the Executive Committee and the Vice-Presidents of IUCr. Prof. S.A.Semiletov, Corresponding Member of RAS Yu.T.Struchkov and prof. L.A.Aslanov were the members of the Executive Committee. In 2008-2014 prof. E.V.Boldyreva was the member of the Executive Committee of IUCr.