Researcher Nguyen Dinh Dau

A lifelong example of dedication

Mr. Nguyen Dinh Dau was born on March 12, 1923 at house number 57 Hang Giay street, Hanoi . Born into a poor Catholic family, as a child, he helped his mother earn a living and studied at the French-Vietnamese primary school at the end of Hue street (Hanoi). After finishing high school, in 1939, he attended the Hanoi Polytechnic School and graduated from there in 1941. During that time, in addition to studying, as a Catholic youth, he also joined the Boy Scouts, the National Language Propagation Association, etc.

Researcher Nguyen Dinh Dau talks in the program "One Hundred Years of Vietnamese History" at the Ho Chi Minh City General Science Library, August 2022 (Photo by Mai Nhat)

He participated in the August Revolution in 1945, worked as Secretary of the Ministry of Economy and was directly assigned the task by President Ho Chi Minh. After that, he went to France to study at the Catholic University of Paris and was an auditor at the Sorbonne University.

Having lived in Ho Chi Minh City since the middle of the last century, he has accumulated extensive knowledge about this land. At the event celebrating the 300th anniversary of Saigon - Ho Chi Minh City in 1998, he was invited by the leaders of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee at that time to participate in the research project on the city's geography, and worked with many great intellectuals such as Tran Van Giau, Tran Bach Dang...

When the Vietnamese delegation led by Prime Minister Pham Van Dong attended the Geneva Conference, he, along with Hoang Xuan Han, Nguyen Manh Ha, and Nguyen Ngoc Bich, met and lobbied for support for Vietnam. During the anti-American resistance war, he established a delegation representing the Duong Van Minh - Nguyen Van Huyen government to go to Camp David - Tan Son Nhat to propose a ceasefire on April 29, 1975. General Mai Chi Tho respectfully called him a "patriotic scholar" at historical scientific conferences.

He was a member of the Presidium, then Vice President of the Ho Chi Minh City Catholic Solidarity Committee, from the organization's formation in 1983 and served many consecutive terms until he retired at the age of 90. He was also an effective contributor to many Catholic newspapers before 1975, and after 1975 was a regular contributor to the Catholic and National Newspaper, an agency of the Ho Chi Minh City Catholic Solidarity Committee.

Researcher Nguyen Dinh Dau has many valuable collections and studies on maps showing Vietnam's sovereignty over seas and islands through historical periods. (Photo courtesy of Dai Doan Ket).

Ms. Nguyen Thi Diem Trang, daughter of researcher Nguyen Dinh Dau, said that despite his old age, he is still clear-headed and reads books and newspapers in his office every morning. More than a week ago, he happily attended his grandchild's wedding.

The family representative said that before he passed away, he was still troubled by the fact that many research and exhibition projects had not been completed, such as: Silk Road Special Topic, exhibition of maps and islands of Vietnam...

Leaving valuable historical works

As a cultural and historical researcher, he is the author of a massive book series systematically studying the Nguyen Dynasty's land registers. He is also a collector of rare ancient maps in Vietnam. In 2010, the magazine Xua va Nay in collaboration with Thoi Dai Publishing House published the book "Nguyen Dinh Dau, the journey of a committed intellectual", which is a collection of 40 articles by the author published in the magazine Xua va Nay "As a recognition and gratitude of the magazine to a senior colleague who is dedicated to his profession and enthusiastically contributes to the research and dissemination of historical knowledge...", historian Duong Trung Quoc affirmed.

The article titled “The late Prime Minister Pham Van Dong and Vietnamese Catholicism” shows that he was a lifelong believer who was always attached to the Vietnamese Catholic Church and had a passionate love for his country. Right from the time the country gained independence, he was the Assistant Secretary of the Minister of Economy and was recorded in the article “Uncle Ho saved me”.

Vice President To Thi Bich Chau writes in the condolence book in memory of scholar and historian Nguyen Dinh Dau, September 22, 2024.

During the years when the whole country was fighting for independence and unification, he participated in peace activities and protested against the war. In the final days of the war, he contributed to national reconciliation and harmony. According to him, in every Vietnamese person, in the most dangerous challenges, love for the homeland and national pride will help us act in accordance with reason and righteousness.

Through him, Vietnamese Catholics have the opportunity to better understand the late Prime Minister Pham Van Dong and the relationship between the Vatican and our Government after 1975, until the policy of renovation.

One of the social issues that he was very interested in and influenced his activities throughout his scientific career was the issue of national and religious solidarity.

He received two awards for his research on history and culture, such as the Tran Van Giau Award, the Phan Chau Trinh Research Award, the National Great Unity Award from the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, and many Certificates of Merit from our state.

On September 22, Vice President of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front To Thi Bich Chau came to burn incense and pay her respects to the house of historian Nguyen Dinh Dau. Recalling the touching memories of him, in the condolence book, the Vice President said that many senior leaders also talked about him - a scholar who overcame many difficulties to research and make great contributions to the country's historical archives.
“I would like to express my admiration for your contributions to the country’s historical archives. Thanks to you for contributing documents to prove that Truong Sa belongs to Vietnam,” Ms. To Thi Bich Chau emotionally wrote.

Source: https://daidoanket.vn/nha-nghien-cuu-nguyen-dinh-dau-nhan-si-giau-long-yeu-nuoc-10290856.html