2024

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PHJ № 4 (44) 2024 – P. V. Sedov. TO ONE OF PUSHKIN’S PLANS FOR “THE HISTORY OF PETER I”

In the preparatory materials for writing The History of Peter the Great, A. S. Pushkin outlined one of the cross-cutting themes of his future work, namely the bribery of officials and their violation of the law. This topic was of great relevance in Pushkin’s time. Having identified “greedy clerks” as the initial focus of his analysis of the Muscovite kingdom, Pushkin drew upon the work of I. I. Golikov’s account to Peter I detailed the instances of bribery and embezzlement that were prevalent at the time, as well as the efforts made by Peter to combat these practices. From this, we can infer that, in Pushkin’s view, the despotic nature of the autocratic tsar’s reforms was not primarily a reflection of his character, but rather a consequence of the historical and socio-political conditions that shaped Russian life over centuries. From this perspective on Russian autocracy and national history, it is evident that Pushkin was a pioneer in his understanding of these issues.

PHJ № 4 (44) 2024 – A. S. Mayorova. M. M. SPERANSKY AND THE ZLOBIN FAMILY FROM THE TOWN OF VOLSK IN SARATOV PROVINCE

This article examines the relationship between M. M. Speransky and the family of the wealthy tax farmer V. A. Zlobin. Historians who have studied Speransky’s biography, as well as scholars from Saratov who have written about the Zlobin family, have observed the existence of a familial connection between this family and the statesman. Konstantin, the son of the tax farmer, was married to Marianna Stevens, the sister of Speransky’s wife. His rapid ascent within the upper echelons of state institutions and the conferral upon him of a rank that bestowed upon him the right to nobility gave rise to rumours in St. Petersburg concerning Speransky’s patronage of the Zlobin family. The documentary evidence pertaining to Konstantin Zlobin’s career corroborates the assertion that he was promoted on three occasions within a three-year period and subsequently married. His marriage to Marianna was unsuccessful, resulting in his departure from St. Petersburg for Volsk and subsequent resignation from his post. Later he entered into a second marriage. This would suggest that Konstantin had managed to obtain an official divorce from his first wife, who was still alive at the time. The Zlobins did not terminate their relationship with Speransky during his exile from St. Petersburg. The family experienced a decline in financial status following the War of 1812, with both V. A. Zlobin and his son passing away. However, Konstantin had children from his second marriage. His son, Konstantin Konstantinovich, obtained a university degree in St. Petersburg, served in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and subsequently in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He attained the rank of Privy Councilor and concurrently assumed the roles of head of the State Archive and the Main Archive of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in St. Petersburg. It seems plausible to suggest that Konstantin Konstantinovich’s successful career was facilitated by Speransky’s connections with the ministers under whom Zlobin served.

PHJ № 4 (44) 2024 – M. V. Loskutova, D. N. Kopelev. THE RUSSIAN STATE ADMINISTRATION AND THEMATIC CARTOGRAPHY IN THE 1840S

This paper presents an examination of the history of the early thematic maps of European Russia that appeared during the period spanning the 1840s to the early 1850s. The paper demonstrates the connection between the “Industrial Map of European Russia” (1842) and the renowned geological expedition led by R. I. Murchison, E. de Verneuil and A. Keyserling. Furthermore, it corroborates the contribution of Nikolai Miliutin to the “Economic-Statistical Atlas of European Russia” (1851). The authors highlight the emergence of a number of intellectual hubs within various Russian ministries that facilitated the advancement of statistical research and map-making initiatives. The authors examine the numerous informal connections among the officials who belonged to these intellectual centres and discuss the impact of these cartographic projects on the spatial reconceptualisation of the Russian Empire.

PHJ № 4 (44) 2024 – V. A. Veremenko, Ju. V. Sutula. CONQUERING THE CHILDREN’S WORLD: FOREIGN “MILK” FORMULAS AND METROPOLITAN CONSUMERS IN RUSSIA IN THE SECOND HALF OF THE 19TH — EARLY 20TH CENTURIES

The article, based on a wide range of sources, characterizes the Russian market of artificial feeding products in the second half of the 19th — early 20th centuries. Attention is drawn to the fact that the main consumers of these products were representatives of two extremely different categories of children (the poorest and the most affluent). This circumstance contributed to the capture of the domestic market by foreign manufacturers. Only specialists of children’s institutions could prepare the milk formulas proposed by European inventors on their own, in accordance with an extremely complex recipe, and the expensive instant “patent product” was affordable only for wealthy families. It was the latter category of consumers that was targeted by a large-scale advertising campaign, conducted by foreign companies, promising mothers a full guarantee of baby food quality and the incredible ease of its home preparation. Responsible parents, not believing in the quality of either the dairy products sold in the capital or domestic mixtures, preferred to pay huge amounts of money for diluted starch or crushed crackers.

PHJ № 4 (44) 2024 – O. P. Ilyukha. ¡NO PASARÁN! METHODS OF INTRODUCING IMAGES AND SYMBOLS OF THE SPANISH CIVIL WAR INTO THE EVERYDAY LIVES OF SOVIET CHILDREN

The article elucidates the forms and methods of utilising the theme of the Spanish Civil War in the educational curriculum for schoolchildren, as developed by Soviet teachers and officially recommended. The article’s primary focus is on the channels and means of information penetration into children’s everyday lives, as well as the methods and techniques of its incorporation into the organisation of collective and individual leisure time. The collection of funds by adults to support the anti-fascist resistance, the exchange of symbolic items, regulated correspondence and other activities fostered a sense of involvement in the events in Spain, situating Soviet children on a par with Spanish teenagers who fought on the side of the Republicans. The content of the information flow transmitted by radio, film and photo documentaries, and numerous fiction publications was complemented by social, physical and intellectual activities. The creation of artistic images and various types of theatrical activities provided children with the opportunity to experiment with new behavioural models and to gain a deeper understanding of the situation in a distant country, enabling them to engage with it on a personal level. The direction of the creative initiative of schoolchildren was influenced by the strengthening of abilities to invent and inventiveness, which in turn reinforced the impact of propaganda and educational work. It is demonstrated that Spanish themes were extensively employed in the militarypatriotic education and political socialisation of schoolchildren. The impact of the “children’s segment” of the information campaign was a highly emotional response from children that surpassed expectations. The author concludes that the pervasive presence of the Pyrenees Civil War theme in the everyday lives of Soviet children contributed to the consolidation of signs, symbols and images of Spain in cultural memory and its intergenerational continuity.

PHJ № 4 (44) 2024 – T. K. Nikolskaya. SPIRITUAL EDUCATION IN THE DENOMINATIONS OF RUSSIAN PROTESTANTISM (SOVIET PERIOD)

This article examines the development of spiritual education for ministers within the various denominations of Russian Protestantism, including Evangelical Christians, Baptists, Seventh-Day Adventists and Pentecostals. The author illustrates that during the pre-revolutionary period and the initial years of Soviet rule, Russian Protestants pursued their studies in foreign countries, either independently or at the behest of their communities. Furthermore, following 1905, they were permitted to establish spiritual educational institutions within the country. The author asserts that the most prevalent format for ministerial spiritual education has evolved into short-term courses orchestrated by central and regional Protestant associations. Despite the existence of significant denominational differences, the curricula of these courses exhibited notable similarities, with a focus on biblical studies, the fundamentals of spiritual disciplines, and, on occasion, general education subjects. By the end of the 1920s, all Protestant courses had been terminated. Since 1956, Evangelical Christian Baptists (the largest Protestant denomination in the USSR), and subsequently Seventh-Day Adventists, have intermittently been permitted to dispatch cohorts of young ministers abroad for spiritual education. An additional avenue for spiritual education was the provision of correspondence Bible courses for Evangelical Christian Baptists and analogous courses for Seventh-Day Adventists. Pentecostals did not possess their own spiritual schools; however, a limited number of places were allocated for them within the Evangelical Christian Baptist courses. Consequently, until recently, the various denominations of Russian Protestantism lacked the benefit of a permanent spiritual school. In both the pre-revolutionary and Soviet periods, the sole form of spiritual education available was that of short-term or correspondence courses. The establishment of Protestant seminaries in the USSR was a phenomenon that emerged during the period ofperestroika. However, these institutions only began to emerge in the post-Soviet period.

PHJ № 4 (44) 2024 – T. Yu. Tolstikov. OVERCOMING THE FOOD AND TRANSPORT CRISIS: HISTORY OF THE ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION OF ICE RAILWAY CROSSINGS ACROSS LAKE LADOGA DURING 1941–1943

One of the most pivotal occurrences in the history of the defense of Leningrad during World War II was the food crisis that occurred between 1941 and 1942. The event was precipitated by the imposition of a land blockade by German forces on the city and the seizure of vital transportation routes. The sole viable route for the delivery of supplies to Leningrad from the remainder of the country was via Lake Ladoga, a previously unused transportation corridor. The authorities were confronted with a significant challenge in the organisation of supplies during this period, given the inability to utilise water transportation during the winter months. A solution was devised in the form of a highway through Lake Ladoga, which came to be known as the “Road of Life”. However, alternative supply routes were proposed in the form of ice railway projects, the history of which is not well documented in the scientific literature. The successful construction of these highways could facilitate the resumption of communication between Leningrad and the rest of the Soviet Union, potentially enabling the lifting of the German blockade without the necessity for military intervention. This article presents an analysis of the various projects that were considered, the process by which they were evaluated by the relevant authorities, and the history of the construction of an ice bridge on stilts and a narrowgauge railway across Lake Ladoga during the winter months of 1942–1943.

PHJ № 4 (44) 2024 – A. A. Amosova. RESTORATION OF THE URBAN ECONOMY OF LENINGRAD IN 1944–1946: THE ACTIVITIES OF INSTRUCTORS AND PERMANENT COMMISSIONS OF THE LENINGRAD CITY COUNCIL

The leadership of Leningrad during the Great Patriotic War and the Siege, and the role of local government bodies — the Soviets — in particular, remain relatively understudied. For an extended period, the subject was not subjected to comprehensive investigation due to the distinctive characteristics of the political climate. Notwithstanding the considerable quantity of pertinent archival materials now accessible to scholars, the methodologies and analytical frameworks employed to examine the exercise of authority in emergency military contexts remain underexplored. This article focuses on the activities of the Organizational and Instructional Department (sector) of the Leningrad City Council as part of the ongoing work to restore the urban economy of Leningrad in 1944–1946. This study presents a description of the activities and instructors, standing committees and deputies of the Leningrad City Council during this period. Furthermore, it identifies the most significant activities aimed at reviving the Leningrad municipal economy implemented after the liberation of the city from the siege. The principal methodological approaches employed were historical reconstruction and specific historical and problem-chronological methods. The principal sources consulted in the course of this study were the normative and office documents of the Leningrad City Executive Committee.

PHJ № 4 (44) 2024 – B. N. Kovalev. KILLERS ABOUT KILLERS: TESTIMONY OF FORMER PUNISHERS AGAINST THEIR ASSOCIATES (THE CASE OF G. M. GUREVICH-GURVICH)

The 667th Shelon Battalion, comprising individuals who had collaborated with the Nazi regime, left a trail of violence and destruction in the vicinity of Leningrad. The Soviet state security agencies continued their search for war criminals until 1991. It is regrettable that, following the conclusion of the Second World War, a considerable number of these individuals were able to regularise their immigration status in a number of Western countries, including the USA, the UK, Australia, Canada and West Germany. However, some former punishers who returned to the USSR were subsequently held to account for their actions. From 1947 to 1950, the death penalty was abolished in the Soviet Union. In 1955, an amnesty was proclaimed. The sentences handed down to those who had collaborated were reduced by a factor of two or three. Following their release from incarceration between the 1960s and 1980s, these individuals provided testimony as witnesses to the crimes of their former associates. One of the most notable trials occurred in Novgorod in 1962.

PHJ № 4 (44) 2024 – V. S. Stefanenko. ANNE OF FRANCE, MADAME DE BEAUJEU: POLITICIAN AND DIPLOMAT

The article examines women’s political and diplomatic activity in France at the end of the 15th century, with a particular focus on the actions of Anne of France, Madame de Beaujeu. A review of theregent’s correspondence reveals that Anne was able to reinforce France’s position, maintain the territorial gains of Louis XI, and expand the kingdom through matrimonial diplomacy. She accomplished this through an extensive network of informants, clients, and her own ambitions. In the context of the Renaissance, Anne of France endeavoured to establish her own teachings and political theory, integrating traditional perspectives on women in power with the emerging realities of her era. This period witnessed a growing influence of noble ladies on political decision-making, a phenomenon that Anna of France sought to navigate.