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PHJ № 3 (47) 2025 — N. N. Smirnov. A NEW PLOT IN THE HISTORY OF THE CULTURE OF THE RUSSIAN DIASPORA. BOOK REVIEW: TOLSTOY M. LINGERING SONG. ST. PETERSBURG: ZVEZDA JOURNAL, 2025. 608 P. + INCL. (72 P.)

The book under review is a documentary investigation of the biography of an outstanding figure of Russian and foreign culture, choirmaster Vasily Fedorovich Kibalchich, a student of the famous composer and choral conductor A. A. Arkhangelsky, a colleague of I. F. Stravinsky and S. P. Diaghilev. Based on the study of a wide range of archival and published sources, periodicals, diaries and memoirs of contemporaries, the author traces the life path of his hero, who was born and educated in Russia, a participant in the revolutionary movement, widely known in Europe and the United States as a propagandist of Russian music, the founder and leader of the famous Russian Symphony Choir, which became famous in America in the 1920s and 1930s as a notable figure of the Russian musical diaspora.

PHJ № 1 (37) 2023 – B. B. Pak. On the issue of diplomatic negotiations on the eve of the Russo-Japanese war of 1904–1905

This article highlights the course of Russian-Japanese negotiations in 1903–1904, analyzes the positions of the parties, examines the reasons for the intransigence of the Japanese side in the negotiations on the conclusion of a new agreement, studied the reaction in the ruling spheres of Russia to the amendments of the Japanese government to the Russian text of the agreement, the nature of Russian-Korean relations on the eve of the Russian-Japanese war. The author focuses on Japan’s responsibility for starting the war, showing Japan’s aggressive policy in Korea.

PHJ № 1 (37) 2023 – S. Andriainen. “The Vicissitudes of a tedious war”: the participation of the Russian Imperial Guard in the suppression of the Polish Uprising of 1830–1831

The article examines the combat work of the units of the Russian Imperial Guard during the Russo-Polish War of 1830–1831. The author considers it necessary to investigate the activities of the entire Guards Corps as a whole, and not only the combat successes of individual guard regiments. The author comes to the conclusion that the Polish War played a significant role in the development of the Russian Guard. After the end of the war, the entire guard was concentrated in St. Petersburg and its suburbs. The war with the Poles caused a patriotic upsurge among the officers of the Guard. This war helped Emperor Nicholas I to improve his relations with the units of the Guard.

PHJ № 1 (37) 2023 — M. S. Belousov. Polish conspiracy on the day of accession to the throne of Nicholas I: the version of the Spanish diplomat Paez de la Cadena

The article is devoted to the problem of the genesis of the mythologeme about the conspiracy of secret societies among the Russian authorities and the political establishment. As appendices, are published reports of the Spanish diplomat Paez de la Cadena, who witnessed the Decembrist uprising and recorded in detail the rhetoric of the head of the Russian Foreign Ministry: according to Nesselrode’s initial statement, a riot of Polish officers took place in the capital and the purpose was to plunge the empire into anarchy and confusion. 

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PHJ № 2 (34) 2022 — N. A. Vlasov. “RUSSIA IS THE ONLY POWER WHICH COULD DISTURB THE PEACE”: “RUSSIAN THREAT” IN OTTO VON BISMARCK’S THOUGHT DURING THE 1880S

1879 became a major turning point in German foreign policy: the defensive alliance treaty was signed with Austria-Hungary against Russia. German chancellor Otto von Bismarck justified this step among other things by the supposed “Russian threat”. He also often spoke on this matter during the subsequent decade. But did Bismarck really believe the existence of such a threat or just used it as a cover-up? To answer this question, we need to examine the overall image of Russia in Bismarck’s worldview. The author of this article analyzed the whole set of published works of Otto von Bismarck using primarily the Grounded Theory methodology. Main outcome of this research was a complex reconstruction of Bismarck’s views and opinions about Russia. Since early 1860s the “Iron Chancellor” had growing concerns about inner development of Russian empire. He did not only regard Russian officials incompetent and corrupt but also believed the existence of a large and powerful liberal and nationalist opposition in Russian elite. Bismarck found the strength of this opposition steadily growing, making it dangerous for the Russian emperor and forming a sort of “parallel government”. The existence of this “muscovite” elite grouping led not only to destabilization inside of Russia but also heavily impacted the Russian foreign policy making it inconsistent and aggressive. Bismarck’s notions of Russian domestic and foreign policy, reflected in hundreds of texts stretched over decades, constitute a coherent unity. The main finding is that during the 1880s the “Iron Chancellor” really believed that Russia posed a threat to Germany.