[Little Bill]

Solzhenitsyn was a Math teacher, the Ruskies killed off all of the bright ones in WW2. He was selected to the First Circle to help the Ruskies develop what they got from the Germans as war booty, read the book.

[OldNavyVet]

I’ve read most of Solzhenitzyn’s books and remember his graphical description of “talking” his way out of prison (on a chalkboard during his interview) into some government laboratory operation. And yes, he did study math, and it probably helped in his chalkboard presentation ... turning him into a civil servant.