Аннотация: The Story of the strange fate of studies on the Schliemann biography in the Russia
The Story of the strange fate of studies on the Schliemann biography in the Russia
This year, Igor Alekseevich Bogdanov (1949-2010), a cultural figure from St. Petersburg - a journalist, translator, writer, and one of the representatives of the naive Russian intelligentsia - could reach the age of 70 years old.
Since he is the author of the book "Petersburg Lexicon", I will allow myself to quote: "And who am I? A simple Soviet guy, a simple Soviet diplomat, three thousand one hundred rubles salary."
Under the conditions of "socialism" there were many illusions. But these were a pleasant illusions.
A native of Leningrad enters a higher educational institution, at the Faculty of Philology.
It seems that all paths are open for him.
He is translating. The thought in quite a natural way came - if they can, then why don't I try.
He is writing. In general, any cultural person can to write - at least - to keep a diary.
What can a person write in a diary? He describes what is happening to him, what he sees ...
And why not to transform these descriptions into stories, small books? To dig in the local archive. Beautiful cover ... and ... In any city there are people who like to remember, to compare a past and a present time. The books on local history topics are bought. Circulations are not astronomical, but people are buying ...
Some income, some status ... The member of one creative union, of another ...
Under "socialism," the members of these unions were in a privileged position.
You can live ... at some middle level ...
Perestroika comes.
Somewhere in the depths of history there is a reality - Heinrich Schliemann (1822-1890) and the "Treasure of Priam". The "Treasure" was found by Schliemann on the site of ancient Troy ...
Perestroika is a glasnost. Perestroika is a "prospects".
It is gradually discovered that the "Priam Treasure" is stored somewhere in the Soviet Union, in Russia ... The "Treasure" was moved to the USSR from defeated Nazi Germany.
Somewhere - in Germany, in the world - the descendants of Heinrich Schliemann and the descendants of his relatives live.
A certain person arrives in the USSR - or a relative of Heinrich Schliemann, or a namesake, or an impostor. He is discussing something, he speaking out somewhere, hoping for something.
There is the "Society of Heinrich Schliemann" (Germany).
That sounds attractive.
The author of translations and studies on local history is gradually immersed in the "theme of Heinrich Schliemann." Yes, this topic is not so alien to the lover of the Leningrad local history - Heinrich Schliemann lived in St. Petersburg for about twenty years.
Igor Alekseevich is active. He organizes the creation and placement on the outside wall of one of the Leningrad houses of a memorial plaque dedicated to Heinrich Schliemann.
In that time all the citizens passionate about politics. The country is boiling. To Schliemann - a neutral-indifferent-benevolent attitude: "It seems he is ... a-a-a ... ".
In general, the memorial plaque is placed, and Igor Alekseevich is widely known in narrow circles.
He switches to the "Schliemann theme" - writes a book about Schliemann. The first attempt is not very successful.
Firstly, there are a some incorrect places in the book. Secondly, the "external environment" resists. They do not want to recognize Igor Alekseevich Bogdanov as a specialist in Heinrich Schliemann lifestory.
But there are several vectors. Reputation acquired by I.A. Bogdanov after the memorial plaque and after the first book about Schliemann. Hopes are for the return of the "Priam Treasure" from the USSR to Germany. Officials are discussing the possibility of returning the "Treasure". In the world, in Germany, the relatives of Heinrich Schliemann live - people with opportunities and with initiative.
And from a journalist, from a historian of St. Petersburg, a serious researcher of an interesting scientific direction is being formed.
Igor Alekseevich Bogdanov visits abroad. The foreign languages ability gives him the opportunity to work in foreign archives.
He publishes the exclusive, the most interesting archival materials about the life and work of Heinrich Schliemann, about the cultural phenomenon of a citizen of the Europe, of a world citizen.
During this period, there has been a some a "movement", a some a "riding" around the "Schliemann theme".
Films are being prepared and made ...
Who is the main expert in the "Schliemann theme"?
"Bogdanov do an excavations in foreign archives. But also we have archives."
A.K. Gavrilov writes a book about Schliemann ("Petersburg in the destiny of Heinrich Schliemann") and publishes it in 2006. In this book, I.A. Bogdanov is also mentioned (Bogdanov, and his books about Heinrich Schliemann, and the activities of I.A. Bogdanov in foreign archives).
(The very concept of "Schliemannology" (the Schliemann lifestory researches) I personally found in the book of A.K. Gavrilov. I note with a sigh that if A.K. Gavrilov noted and (positively) described the books by I.A. Bogdanov, then in the works by I.A. Bogdanov I was not able to meet with references to the book by A.K. Gavrilov. Apparently, I should have been more attentive ...).
Igor Alekseevich would be soured in his "native" environment - with all his talents. But, apparently, the German relatives of Heinrich Schliemann decided to support an active, creative and talented person. I make this assumption based on the thanks addressed by I.A. Bogdanov to Eva-Maria Schliemann (Hamburg).
So, the rules operating in the "native environment" suddenly changed - personally for I.A. Bogdanov. And a truly talented person, found the opportunity not to engage in flattery, petty service, in a running around, but to delve into creative work (in archives, in Europe).
Talent, knowledge of foreign languages, a common culture, the experience of a historian, writer, journalist, specialist in working in archives - all was joined together in this case... Are there many such people in Russia? Ten? Twenty?
Again, I will allow myself a quote (from Yuri Trifonov): "On the evening of Tuesday Marina Krasnikova, one of the activists of the NSO [scientific student society], always ... excited ... came... What happened with her? Where did she go? After all, it seemed that the fat woman was going straight to the Academy of Sciences or, perhaps, to the Committee of Soviet Women. She disappeared ..., like a stone, who went to a bottom ..."
I will allow myself to assume that it seemed to Igor Alekseevich - as if he was going to fame, to real wealth, earned by a creative efforts, into the glorius ranks of the Academy of Sciences. Now, not a single program, not a single film, not a single book about Schliemann will appear without his participation. He is everywhere! And he in the foreground ...
Why should such a thoughts be treated with irony?
Is the main the goal of the so-called Russial "scientists" - their own position, own place in life and own pocket?
They save a science! A joy is overfilling them, when they see a successful and talented researcher.
A delegation from the Presidium of the Academy of Sciences hurries to an outstanding researcher.
To begin with, he is awarded a doctorate without ordinary procedure (only on a base of the fact of published works), and then accepted into the Academy. Let the researcher calmly receive his salary, academic monthly grants and sits - works or in a foreign, or in a Russial archives. And let him publish books about Heinrich Schliemann until own centenary.
Is it really bad? Is it bad for a society, for a people? For the younger generation (let them know how to live actively and successfully!)? For science? (Even if the envy in someone stirs, then for the sake of science it can be pressed down. Then, it is possible to rejoice in favour of a successful person!).
However, not a single wind blows with constant force and in only one direction.
The vectors that had taken shape, at some point changed their directions.
If A.K. Gavrilov, who wrote a good book about Heinrich Schliemann, was employed in the system of the Academy of Sciences (judging by the information from his book), then I.A. Bogdanov was in a different situation. The wind is not eternal, people are not eternal, cultural directions are not eternal ...
So, you need to look for an application of own talents ... What, if you is the author of five unique books about Heinrich Schliemann? .. And what? ...
I.A. Bogdanov, a native of Leningrad, learning about the intention of a responsible organizations to widely celebrate the anniversary of the end of the siege of Leningrad, prepared a new original book "Leningrad blockade from A to Z" (in the style of an encyclopedia).
But, oddly enough, no one was in a hurry to pay him any fee. No one was in a hurry even to publish this book.
Igor Alekseevich was marching around a publishers, marching... It seemed that something had moved ... Something became to rotate... But in a publisher's headquarter his heart stopped (it somehow resembles the situation with Garin-Mikhailovsky ...).
Now in some electronic libraries you can find books written by I.A. Bogdanov.
But, strangely enough, for some reason these are books of a local history, of a "cultural" themes.
Books by A.I. Bogdanov about Heinrich Schliemann, about the ancient Troy, about the "Priam Treasure", it seems, are not found in electronic libraries.
By the way, Heinrich Schliemann kept a diary throughout almost his entire life (in almost fifteen languages). He kept a diary also in Russia - in Russian. I.A. Bogdanov published this Schliemann's ("Russian") diary. It would be interesting to read ...
It's a situation with "Schliemannology" (with the researches of the "Schliemann theme") in Russia - in accordance with a subjective point of view.
August 27, 2019 16:29
Translation from Russian into English: August 27, 2019 22:43.
Владимир Владимирович Залесский "Рассказ о странной судьбе российского шлимановедения".