S.B. Lavrov
Yu.P. Seliverstov
There are few organizations in the world, the mere mention of which makes almost every person feel warmer in their soul. Of course, these include Geographical Societies.
As soon as the reader sees these two words, an amazing mixture appears in his memory, from the heroes of the novels of Jules Verne, National Geographic magazine, Columbus, Przhevalsky, Miklouho-Maclay, stormy oceans, hot deserts...
The Russian Geographical Society is something ancient, romantic, non-commercial - of course, it makes your soul feel better.
One of the oldest and most honored geographical societies in the world - Russian - lives and works in our country.
The Russian Geographical Society was founded in St. Petersburg by the Highest order of Emperor Nicholas I, who on August 18, 1845 approved the proposal of the Minister of Internal Affairs of Russia L.A. Perovsky.
The society was established under the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which emphasized its state status.
In the first half of the 19th century, Geographical Societies were created in a number of countries, our Society became the fourth oldest in Europe.
By this time, Russia already had considerable experience in geographical research. Expeditions were organized to study Siberia, the Trans-Caspian region, and the remote eastern and northern outskirts of the country.
Events such as the Second Kamchatka Expedition of 1733-1742. and Academic expeditions of 1768-1774, had no equal in scale in the history of geographical research of the 18th century.
Circumnavigation of the world brought world fame to Russia and its science. early XIX centuries, during one of which, under the leadership of F.F. Bellingshausen and M.K. Lazarev in 1820-1821, an outstanding success was achieved - a new continent was discovered, the first section of Antarctic land.
For the first decades XIX century, many expeditions were organized on the territory of Russia itself, among them the expedition of A.F., remarkable in its scientific results. Middendorf (1843-1844) to Eastern Siberia.
The development of capitalist relations in the vast territories of European Russia stimulated interest in collecting detailed information about natural resources, the state of the population, crafts, agriculture, trade, etc. Government agencies took some steps in this direction.
And yet, for such a huge country, all this was negligible, which was perfectly understood not only by the most far-sighted scientists, but also by other progressive, liberal-minded intellectuals, who realized the need for reforms and saw that without serious comprehensive knowledge of their country (for which a special organization coordinating such work) economic progress is unlikely to be achieved.
In 1843, under the leadership of P.I. Keppen, an encyclopedist, an outstanding statistician and ethnographer, a circle of statisticians and travelers began to meet regularly to discuss pressing issues of the state of the economy in the country and compile its statistical description.
Later, the famous naturalist and traveler K.M. Baer, a scientist with an extraordinary breadth of scientific interests, and famous navigator Admiral F.P. Litke, explorer of Novaya Zemlya, leader of the round-the-world expedition of 1826-1829.
The main “organizational preparation” was undertaken by K.M. Baer, F.P. Litke and F.P. Wrangel, head of the Kolyma expedition of 1820-1824. and the round-the-world expedition of 1825-1827. F.P. Litke prepared a draft Charter, which was signed by the founding members.
Among them, in addition to those mentioned above, I.F. Krusenstern, V.I.Dal, V.Ya.Struve, G.P. Gelmersen, F.F. Berg, M.P. Vronchenko, M.N. Muravyov, K.I. Arsenyev, P.A. Chikhachev, V.A. Perovsky, V.F. Odoevsky are names that are still known today.
The Highest command was followed by the first meeting of the founders on October 1, 1845, at which the first full members of the Russian Geographical Society were elected.
Building of the Russian Geographical Society was built in 1908 in Demidovsky Lane in St. Petersburg (now Grivtsova Lane, 10).
Societies (51 people). October 19, 1845 in the conference room Imperial Academy Sciences and Arts, the first general meeting of full members of the Russian Geographical Society took place, which elected the Council of the Society. Opening this meeting, F.P. Litke determined main task Russian Geographical Society "cultivating the geography of Russia."
When the Society was created, 4 Departments were envisaged: general geography, Russian geography, Russian statistics and Russian ethnography. According to the permanent Charter of 1849, the list of departments became different: departments of physical geography, mathematical geography, statistics and ethnography.
In the early 50s of the 19th century, the first regional departments appeared in the Society - Caucasian (in Tiflis) and Siberian (in Irkutsk). Then the Orenburg and North-Western (in Vilna, South-Western (in Kyiv), West Siberian (in Omsk), Amur (in Khabarovsk), Turkestan (in Tashkent) departments were opened, with great energy who took up the study of their regions.
The first Chairman of the Society was Grand Duke Konstantin (1821-1892), second son of Nicholas I. His teacher was F.P. Litke at one time. Konstantin Nikolaevich was one of the most educated people of that era, therefore he took an active part in carrying out the peasant reform.
After his death, Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolaevich, the Society was headed by Grand Duke Nikolai Mikhailovich, and, starting in 1917, chairmen (later presidents) began to be elected.
The first actual leader of the Russian Geographical Society was its vice-chairman F.P. Litke - from 1845 to 1850. Then he was replaced for 7 years by Senator M.N. Muravyov, and from 1857 to 1873 the Society was again managed by F.P. Litke. After the death of the famous admiral, the Society was headed by P.P. Semenov, who later received the addition of Tian-Shansky to his surname and led the company for 41 years until his death in 1914.
Already in the first decades of its activity, the Society united the most advanced and educated people of Russia, who were close to the acute socio-economic problems of the era. The Russian Geographical Society has taken a prominent place in scientific and public life countries.
Travel is one of the oldest methods of knowledge
The surrounding world.
For geography in the past, it was, in fact, the most important, when only the testimony of eyewitnesses who had visited certain countries could provide reliable information about the peoples, economy and physical appearance of the Earth.
Scientific expeditions, which gained great scope in the 18th and 19th centuries, were, in the apt expression of N.M. Przhevalsky, essentially “scientific reconnaissance”, since they could meet the needs of descriptive regional studies and satisfy the needs of primary and general acquaintance with the essential features of a particular country. Numerous expeditions organized by the Russian Geographical Society contributed to his fame and recognition of his merits.
A.P. Chekhov wrote about travelers of the last century: “Constituting the most poetic and cheerful element of society, they excite, console and ennoble... One Przhevalsky or one Stanley is worth ten educational institutions and hundreds good books. Their ideological spirit, noble ambition, which is based on the honor of their homeland and science, their persistent, no matter the hardships, dangers and temptations of personal happiness, invincible desire for a once-set goal, the wealth of their knowledge and hard work..., make them in the eyes of the people ascetics, personifying the highest moral strength."
Over time, the stationary method of research came to the aid of the expeditionary method, but expeditions were and remain the “golden fund” of the Society. Many of them are worthy of being mentioned here, but the scope of this review article does not allow us to talk about them all.
And yet one cannot help but name at least the main objects of expeditionary research of the Russian Geographical Society.
European part of Russia and the Urals. Here it should be noted the First Expedition of the Russian Geographical Society under the leadership of Professor E.K. Hoffman, which studied the Northern Polar Urals in 1848-1850. and became extremely fruitful.
The ethnographic studies of P.P. were significant. Chubinsky in the Carpathian region and archaeological research in Crimea K.S. Merezhkovsky. Much attention was devoted to collecting the lexical wealth of different peoples inhabiting the European part of Russia, especially the northern ones, where the language, folklore, and way of life of the population are characterized by many archaic features that have survived to this day.
Caucasus. The most notable here were the studies of plant geography by B.I. Masalsky, N.I. Kuznetsova, G.I. Radde, A.N. Krasnova.
Siberia and the Far East. By the middle of the last century, vast areas of Siberia and Far East were poorly known, certain areas generally stood out as “blank spots”, and it is not surprising that here the Society’s expeditions received the greatest scope.
Vilyui expedition, travel in the Ussuri region - the first expedition of N.M. Przhevalsky, studies of Siberia by P.A. Kropotkina, B.I. Dybovsky, A.A. Chekanovsky, I.D. Chersky, N.M. Yadrintsev, a large ethnographic expedition that covered the expanses of Eastern Siberia with its routes (which was financed by the wealthy Lena gold miner A.M. Sibiryakov and was named Sibiryakovskaya) under the leadership of D.A. Clemenza, research by V.A. Obruchev, travels around Kamchatka V.L. Komarov - the main “milestones” of the study of this huge region.
Central Asia and Kazakhstan. The first person who, on behalf of the Society, began researching these vast territories was P.P. Semenov. His work was continued by N.A. Severtsov, A.A. Tillo, I.V. Mushketov, B.A. Obruchev, V.V. Bartold, L.S. Berg.
Asia outside of Russia. The study of the nature and peoples of Asian countries adjacent to Russia is one of the brightest pages in the history of the Russian Geographical Society. This applies most of all to studies of Central Asia, the results of which have become known throughout the world. Here, in Mongolia and China, scientists worked whose names are not forgotten today: N.M. Przhevalsky, M.V. Pevtsov, K.I. Bogdanovich, G.N. Potanin, G.E. Grumm-Grzhimailo, P.K. Kozlov, V.A. Obruchev are all active figures of the Russian Geographical Society.
Africa and Oceania. The travels and research of N.S. Gumilyov, E.P. Kovalevsky, V.V. Junker, E.N. Pavlovsky made a significant contribution to the study of the African continent, and the travels of N.N. Miklouho-Maclay to the Pacific Islands is perhaps the most remarkable event of the Russian Geographical Society.
It is always useful to look at the past with an open mind, especially at critical periods when the question was whether our science would even survive during the years of revolution, civil war, hunger and deprivation?
The life of the Russian Geographical Society was not interrupted even in the most difficult and hungry years - 1918, 1919, 1920... In the consolidated issue of Izvestia of the Russian Geographical Society for 1919-1923. can be read: “The Russian Geographical Society for three quarters of a century of its existence has always set as its constant task strictly scientific work in a chosen area for the benefit of our country, for the geographical study of which it has done so much... without interrupting its studies for an hour, without moving away from the assigned scientific tasks and without changing the strictly scientific nature of its work for the state, placing it at the disposal of the Government every time , when required, the results of its scientific work and experience."
And nothing is embellished here, everything here is true. In the difficult year of 1918, the Society held three General Meetings with scientific reports, in 1919 - two such meetings. It is also surprising that in 1918, 44 people joined the Society, in 1919 - 60 people, in 1920 - 75. Perhaps these are small numbers in modern times, but it should be remembered that according to the last pre-revolutionary list, the number of members of the Society was only 1318 , but the real number was much less.
In 1918, Yu.M. Shokalsky was re-elected to the position of Chairman of the Society. Under his leadership, the Russian Geographical Society was able to very accurately determine the general directions of research.
In 1920, the Committee of the North was created under the Society, chaired by Yu.M. Shokalsky, approved by the Government of the RSFSR a year later. The committee united almost all organizations related to the development of the North.
Research into Central Asia continued. In 1923, P.K. Kozlov’s wonderful work “Mongolia and Amdo and dead city Khara-Khoto." That same year the Council People's Commissars approved the organization of a new Mongol-Tibetan expedition “with the necessary funds allocated for this expedition.”
One of the scientific directions of the Society’s work that was important for the state was the compilation of the Geographical-Statistical Dictionary of the USSR, which was supposed to replace the one published in 1863-1885. dictionary compiled by P.P. Semenov-Tyan-Shansky, outdated in many parts. Post-revolutionary Russia found the strength to defend its national interests, and this was done on the initiative of the Russian Geographical Society.
Thus, in 1922, the Society protested against the proposal of the Royal Geographical Society of London to remove names in Tibet associated with the names of Russian travelers.
In 1923, the Council of the Russian Geographical Society protested against the Norwegian renames on the map of Novaya Zemlya.
Since 1923, through the efforts of Yu.M. Shokalsky and V.L. Komarov, the international relations of the Society have been gradually restored.
The scientific blockade of the young state did not last long; it became impossible to ignore Russian science any longer. Of course, there were also great losses - some of the Russian scientists who did not accept the revolution were sent abroad. That is why, say, Eurasianism, which arose in Sofia and Prague, became a “concept of Russian emigration”, and was not born in Russia itself.
Soon after the revolution, the Society felt the increasing dominance of power, but more in the form of editorials in its Izvestia than in the form of real instructions. Praises to the leader, who was even called the “great geographer,” became an indispensable attribute of the magazine only in the late 30s and 40s. The party composition of the Society’s leadership in the mid-30s is curious: of its 22 members, only four were members of the All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks) - academician N.P. Gorbunov, associate professor Bogdanchikov, I.K. Luppol and N.V. Krylenko - former People's Commissar of Justice, later executed.
The 30s were a period of expansion and consolidation of everything done after the revolution, years of strengthening the Society itself, the growth of its branches and departments.
Since 1931, N.I. Vavilov became the President of the Society.
In 1933, the First All-Union Congress geographers, which was attended by 803 delegates - a record figure for today. Many reports at the congress (by A.A. Grigoriev, R.L. Samoilovich, O.Yu. Schmidt) were, as it were, final, noting the gigantic growth of geographical research in our country and the responsible role of the State Geographical Society in the new conditions. As L.S. Berg later noted, “the basis of the Society’s activities consists of all possible assistance to the needs of the national economy and propaganda geographical knowledge" Today this is called “serving totalitarianism.”
As an independent public organization, the Geographical Society existed until 1938, being supervised and partly financed by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and then by the People's Commissariat of Education. At the same time, it always had close scientific contacts with the Academy of Sciences, which especially increased during the years of Soviet power, when the leaders of the Society were members of the Academy.
In 1938, the Society was included in the list of institutions of the Academy of Sciences, which L.S. Berg considered an act of “positive assessment of the Society’s activities.” The Society itself did not make any decisions on this matter. Archival materials indicate that the transfer was forced and outwardly did not pursue any special goals.
Minutes No. 3 of the meeting of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR dated April 16, 1938 reports on the “reorganization of the apparatus of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR”, it states: “To liquidate the Committee for the Management of Scientific and Educational Institutions under the Central Executive Committee of the USSR, transferring the scientific and educational institutions subordinate to it to the following organizations :
Academy of Sciences under the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR:
f) All-Union Geographical Society in Leningrad.”
From that moment on, the Society began to be called the All-Union.
In the 30s, Leningrad lost a number of institutes, many scientific personnel, cultural and art workers who were transferred to Moscow. We lost our city and the Academy of Sciences. Probably, the same fate was in store for the Geographical Society; an organizing committee was even formed in Moscow to create the All-Union Geographical Society. But the idea failed thanks to the active pro-Leningrad activities of the Society’s outstanding leaders, and, above all, N.I. Vavilov, which was not in vain for him.
One of the most terrible and painful topics in history requires separate research and narration. geographical science- repressions of the 30-40s, the victims of which were the long-time president of the Geographical Society, the great Russian scientist, academician N.I. Vavilov, Ya.S. Edelstein, the famous Eurasianist, L.N. Gumilyov and many other scientists. Here we just think about what forces “enlightened” the repressive bodies regarding what can be called “counter-revolutionary activities of the Hettnerians and centrographs”, what is “disguised geopolitics” and what is “fascist influence”. The brilliant words of L.N. Gumilev - “scientists imprisoned scientists” - most accurately characterize that period.
Of course, the work of the Geographical Society during the Great Patriotic War is worthy of a separate story. Dozens of geographers died either on its fronts or from hunger, saving the life of the Society itself in besieged Leningrad.
The most interesting period in the Society’s activities is the time between its first and ninth congresses, in fact the time between the “great Patriotic War and the collapse of the USSR. During these years, the work of the Society was inextricably linked with the names of its presidents, academicians L.S. Berg, E.N. Pavlovsky, S.V. Kalesnik, A.F. Treshnikova.
On March 21, 1992, the Scientific Council of the Society made a historic decision: “In connection with the liquidation of union structures and the need to rename, return the Geographical Society of the USSR to its original historical name and henceforth, until the congress, be called "Russian Geographical Society". This decision emphasized that we are the same Society created in 1845.
The rejection of the word “Russian,” which was proposed by some members of the Society, can be explained simply: this word would immediately cut off the former union republics, now independent states. Many geographers living there remained full members of the Russian G Geographical Society.
The tenth anniversary congress of the Society, held in St. Petersburg in 1995, approved this name. At this congress, the largest Russian scientist, economic geographer, professor S.B. was elected president of the Society. Lavrov, whose main merits were the preservation of the Society in unusually economically difficult times and the restoration of its name.
Today the Russian Geographical Society is an all-Russian public organization uniting 27 thousand members in all regions Russian Federation and abroad and has regional and local branches, as well as branches and representative offices throughout Russia. The largest branches of the Society are Primorskoe and Moscow.
According to the law of the Russian Federation “On public associations» The Russian Geographical Society registered after the tenth congress with the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation as an independent public organization. This does not at all mean a break with the Academy of Sciences. Interaction with the Russian Academy of Sciences is discussed in the new Charter of the Russian Geographical Society. At the same time, the de jure independence of the Society, which it lost in 1938 against its own will, has been restored.
The central organization of the Russian Geographical Society is located in St. Petersburg, in own home in Grivtsova Lane, built in 1908 with money from members of the Society, largely thanks to the efforts of P.P. Semenov-Tyan-Shansky.
Today, members of various branches and commissions of the Central Organization (there are more than 35 of them) gather daily in the halls of the Society to discuss modern problems geography and related disciplines. The building houses the Scientific Archive, Museum, Library, Central Lecture Hall named after. Yu.M. Shokalsky, Editorial and Publishing Department, Printing House.
The main activities of the Society's archive are the preservation of funds, their replenishment and use. It houses 136 personal funds of geographers and travelers, 115 collections on the ethnography of the peoples of Russia.
Recently, the Archive was replenished with the personal collection of the President of the Geographical Society of the USSR, Academician A.F. Treshnikov.
It should also be noted that it came from Tunisia. The keeper of all documentation related to the epic of the last squadron of the Russian fleet in 1920-1924, A.A. Shirinskaya-Manstein agreed to transfer a significant part of the documents only to the Archive of the Russian Geographical Society, refusing even to the Central Archive of the Navy.
Unfortunately, our Archive today is more popular among foreign researchers than among domestic ones, although the number of the latter has begun to grow. After a long break, our documents also interested the city authorities: the Governor of St. Petersburg V.A. Yakovlev invited the Archive to participate in the exhibition “St. Petersburg - 300 years”.
The Museum of History of the Russian Geographical Society is included in the list of academic museums. More than 600 people visit it annually, including scientists from England, France, Sweden, Norway, Holland, USA, Germany, Hungary, Brazil and China.
The Archive and the Museum make a serious contribution to the promotion of geographical knowledge and geographical education. The latter, by the way, is one of the priority tasks of the Society, written in its Charter. Thus, in the second article of the Charter, among the goals and objectives of the Society, the following are listed: dissemination of geographical knowledge, promotion of the achievements of domestic and world geography, education of geographical and ecological culture; assistance in improving the quality of geographical and environmental education among various age and professional groups of the population; promoting the improvement of geography teaching in secondary and higher schools.
Such work is most fully carried out within the framework of the Central Lecture Hall named after Yu.M. Shokalsky, where geography consistently returns to the main place in the system of environmental sciences, which it does not occupy today due to a misunderstanding. Basically, events in the Central Lecture Hall, especially regional lectures, cycles dedicated to St. Petersburg, history Russian statehood, attract adult and youth audiences equally. And if the older generation is quite satisfied with the lecture form of acquiring geographical knowledge, then young people often lack their own geographical research work.
That is why in 1970, a club of students “Planet” was created at the Russian Geographical Society, later transformed into the geographical society of students “Planet”, where schoolchildren and students who love geography united. “Planet” and its numerous branches across the country have completed dozens of complex expeditions, all-Union and all-Russian conferences, seminars and symposia, and even serious scientific research. Many “planet dwellers” subsequently became scientists, defended dissertations, and continue to work successfully in geography. During the “perestroika” years, the activities of “Planet” weakened, but at the XI Congress of the Russian Geographical Society, which took place in August 2000 in Arkhangelsk, on the initiative of young geographers, measures were taken to completely restore the work of the geographical society of students.
Other youth associations also actively work in the Society, for example, the ecological club “Ekosha” at the Department of Nature Conservation, the Young Ethnographer circle at the Department of Ethnography, the Russian Geographical Society of Students, etc.
One of the main ways to gain geographical knowledge is to work in the Library. The largest geographical Library in Europe (about 500 thousand volumes) continues to serve readers, most of whom, having appeared here once, then do not part with this treasury of knowledge throughout their lives.
Propaganda and dissemination of geographical knowledge are widely carried out during numerous all-Russian and international meetings and conferences held annually by the Society in St. Petersburg and other cities, as well as at the Society’s congresses, which once every five years, sum up the development of geographical science and determine its path further development. The importance of geographical education in the activities of the Russian Geographical Society is evidenced by the following fact: at the last congress of the Society in Arkhangelsk, the work of the first section was devoted to the interaction of geographical science and education.
Expeditionary activities are also being revived in the Society. Active members of the Society have always participated and are participating in expeditions, regardless of their departmental affiliation. One can name the annual trips to the North Pole of the Chairman of the Polar Commission of the Russian Geographical Society Viktor Boyarsky, ascents of climbers - members of the Society to the highest peaks of the world (just remember the conqueror of Everest Vladimir Balyberdin), although these events were not prepared by the Society.
The Russian Geographical Society continues to work for the benefit of the people of our country, offering its great scientific potential to both the state and individual constituent entities of the Russian Federation. Many branches of the Society conduct independent expeditions in their regions, mainly with a local history and environmental focus.
The central organization of the Russian Geographical Society conducts joint environmental expeditions around Russia with the Earthwatch Foundation.
Thus, by order of the Committee on Federation Affairs and Regional Policy of the State Duma, the Society carried out work to develop a general concept of regional policy in Russia.
The Russian Geographical Society has developed a project for a large historical and geographical Atlas of St. Petersburg, which has found support in the city Administration. We hope that the creation of the Atlas will be included in the plan of events in preparation for the 300th anniversary of the city.
By order of the Administration Nizhny Novgorod region work has begun to study the life support resources of the regions of Russia, taking into account morals, traditions, education, culture, science, life, and economy.
Under an agreement with the Administration of the Arkhangelsk Region, members of the Society are developing a strategy for the development of its transport complex.
The Department of Medical Geography of the Russian Geographical Society is working to create a medical and environmental Atlas of the Leningrad Region.
An underwater search archaeological expedition operates on Ladoga every year. For many years, the popular science expedition “Neva” was carried out along the route from the Varangians to the Greeks. Since 1996, the Integrated Northern Search Expedition (KSPE) has been actively working, studying the natural, cultural and historical heritage of the North-West, the results of which under the project “Secrets of the Russian North” are regularly covered by the media.
In 2009, the Scientific Tourism Commission of the Russian Geographical Society began implementing a new project to compile a tourist atlas, “The Sacred Geography of the Peoples of Russia.” It can definitely be said that the expeditionary activities of the Russian Geographical Society will develop noticeably in the coming years.
However, the times when the mayor of St. Petersburg wrote to P.P. Semenov-Tyan-Shansky: “Please be kind, accept 10 thousand rubles in silver for the needs of the Society,” - they have not returned yet.
The main problem in the activities of the Russian Geographical Society, as, apparently, in scientific and cultural institutions in general, remains financial. It seems that today everyone has already understood that if an institution of science and culture becomes “self-sustaining”, then it turns into a commercial enterprise.
From the day the Russian Geographical Society was founded, the state understood the need to financially support the Society and did so until the early 1990s. Help was addressed to the Society in different ways- through the Ministry of Internal Affairs, through the People's Commissariat for Education, through the Academy of Sciences, and no difficulties ever arose. Today, high government officials, at the request of a full member of the Society, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma A.N. Chilingarov to help the pride of Russian and world geographical science is met with a cold refusal, citing new laws that do not make it possible to finance activities public organizations from the state budget. By the way, the new laws do not prohibit doing this, but during the tsarist and Soviet era the laws could hardly have been more lenient.
They won’t let us die, and, I want to believe, they won’t let us. Well, if the Russian Geographical Society lives, then it will still do a lot for Russia, St. Petersburg and the most wonderful science in the world - geography.
Thanks to the St. Petersburg authorities, Russian Academy sciences, which have been helping us for several years, thanks to other organizations supporting the Society.
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The scientific archive of the Russian Geographical Society is the oldest and only specifically geographical archive in the country. Its formation began simultaneously with the founding of the Russian Geographical Society (1845).
Largest quantity receipt of manuscripts was associated with responses to the Society's programs and questionnaires. These programs covered wide circle issues related to the study of the geographical environment, regional economics and ethnography of the population. Thus, in 1847, the Society sent out a program for compiling local ethnographic descriptions in the amount of more than 7,000 copies. The program included 6 sections: 1) regarding appearance; 2) about language; 3) about home life; 4) about the features of social life; 5) about mental and moral abilities and education; 6) o folk legends and monuments. From large number Other programs should be mentioned that had a noticeable impact on the replenishment of the Archive’s manuscript collection, these are: “Program for collecting geographical terminology” (1847); “Program for collecting phenological information” (1847); "A program for collecting information about folk superstitions and beliefs in Southern Russia" (1866); “Program for collecting folk legal customs” (1877); “Program for collecting folk dialects” (1895), etc.
The description of manuscripts on ethnography was carried out by D.K. Zelenin, who compiled detailed inventories of 40 provinces of European Russia (alphabetically from Arkhangelsk to Tambov province inclusive). In 1914–1916 The reference book “Description of Manuscripts of the Scientific Archive of the Geographical Society” was published in three editions.
Currently, the Archive has compiled inventories of the manuscripts of all other provinces and regions of Russia that were not included in D.K.’s description. Zelenina.
Manuscripts from the Caucasus, Central Asian Russia, Siberia, the Baltic region, Belarus, Poland, Finland, manuscripts of entire groups of nationalities - Slavs: eastern, western, southern - are especially highlighted; peoples of Central Asian Russia, Siberia, European Russia.
Materials related to foreign countries, systematized by parts of the world: Europe, Asia, Africa, America, Australia and Oceania.
Total in the Archive 115 ethnographic collections– this is more than 13,000 storage units.
The extensive fund of the Archive consists of documents from the office of the Geographical Society itself from the moment of its founding; it consists of minutes and correspondence of the Council of the Society, its Presidium and branches, commissions, general meetings, documents from expeditions equipped by the Society, correspondence from the editorial board and office (about 6,000 files).
Of particular scientific value are the personal funds of outstanding Russian geographers and travelers - P.P. Semenov-Tyan-Shansky, N.M. Przhevalsky, N.N. Miklouho-Maclay, S.S. Neustrueva, P.K. Kozlova, G.E. Grumm-Grzhimailo, D.N. Kaygorodova, A.A. Kaminsky, A.V. Voznesensky, V.M. Zhitkova, N.I. Vavilova, V.A. Obrucheva, Yu.M. Shokalsky, V.P. Semenov-Tyan-Shansky, G.Ya. Sedova, L.S. Berga, V.L. Komarova, P.V. Wittenburg et al.
Currently, the Society’s archive contains 144 personal funds – that’s more than 50,000 storage units.
Extremely interesting collections rare photographs, negatives, slides, systematized by parts of the world and countries (about 3000 storage units), as well as a collection of portraits of members of the Geographical Society and other scientists.
The scientific archive of the Russian Geographical Society is visited by researchers from different regions of Russia - Yakutia, Altai, Tuva, the Volga region, the Caucasus, CIS countries, near and far abroad - Germany, Canada, USA, Switzerland, Iran, Austria, Scotland, Hungary, Japan, the Netherlands, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and others.
Besides scientific use archival materials in the reading room, the Scientific Archive participates in various exhibitions, joint publications, selects and provides documents for documentaries etc.
Photo courtesy of the St. Petersburg city branch of the Russian Geographical Society. Authors Andrey Strelnikov, Vasily Matveev
“Specialists of the Presidential Library have begun digitizing more than 11 thousand files, including rare and especially valuable archival materials of the Russian Geographical Society. The documents transferred into digital format will replenish the fund of the first electronic national library countries and will become available to the maximum number of readers. ...
Materials from the Scientific Archive of the Russian Geographical Society, which are digitized by the Presidential Library, include manuscripts of works by members of the Russian Geographical Society, reports and individual documents on Arkhangelsk, Astrakhan, Vitebsk, Vladimir, Vologda and other provinces (about 50 provinces in total) from the 17th to the beginning of the 20th century. The largest number of documents is related to responses to questionnaires and programs of the Russian Geographical Society. These programs covered a wide range of issues related to the study of the geographical environment, regional economics and ethnography of the population. Thus, in 1847, the Society sent out a program for compiling local ethnographic descriptions in an amount of more than 7 thousand copies. The program included six sections: from descriptions of appearance, everyday life to folk legends and monuments. For example, “Ethnographic information about the life of state peasants of the Tula province” is presented, which dates back no later than 1857. In addition, the Society was engaged in research into internal trade in Russia, folk and legal customs, the land community, etc. How wide was the flow of responses to questionnaires and programs, can be seen from the fact that in 1852 alone the Society received 1,290 manuscripts.
Currently, the Scientific Archive contains inventories of the provinces and regions of Russia. Collections from the Caucasus, Central Asian Russia, Siberia, the Baltic region, Belarus, Poland, and Finland are especially highlighted. Manuscripts of entire groups of nationalities are highlighted - Slavs (eastern, western, southern), nationalities of Central Asian Russia, Siberia, European Russia. In total, the archive has 115 collections - that's more than 13 thousand storage units.
The Presidential Library also plans to transfer into digital format the diary of the Soviet naval leader, participant in many Arctic expeditions, editor-in-chief of the special manual of the Hydrographic Directorate Navy Soviet Union Alexey Modestovich Lavrov. He kept a diary from 1911 to 1915. A cape and an island in the Laptev Sea, a strait in the Barents Sea, a bay in Antarctica, and a cape in the Kara Sea are named after him. It is also planned to replenish the collection of the first electronic national library with travel diaries of Nikolai Mikhailovich Przhevalsky. During his expeditions, he discovered several new species of plants and animals. The scientific archive of the Russian Geographical Society has a wide selection of travel notes from expeditions to different corners peace. These and other materials are of high value as monuments of Russian science.
As Elena Dmitrievna Zhabko, director of information resources at the Presidential Library, noted, the Presidential Library and the Russian Geographical Society have already digitized more than 2.5 thousand documents in the framework of cooperation in 2013-2015. Currently, the digitization of books from the memorial library of Yu. M. Shokalsky and domestic local history magazines is also underway. At the beginning of 2016, digitization of materials for the collection dedicated to ASEAN was carried out. In 2017, a large batch of books and magazines with a total volume of up to 3 thousand items is being prepared for digitization."
The Russian Geographical Society celebrated its 172nd anniversary. On Friday, the Russian Geographical Society celebrated its 172nd anniversary. On August 18 (August 6, old style), 1845, Emperor Nicholas I approved the temporary charter of the Russian Geographical Society. According to this document, the main task new organization began the collection and dissemination of reliable geographical, ethnographic and statistical information. Special attention devoted to studying geographical features Russia. On August 18, 2017, an Open Day was held at the Headquarters of the Russian Geographical Society in St. Petersburg. The event began with a sightseeing tour of the building and the screening of a documentary film about the architect Gavriil Baranovsky, according to whose design the headquarters was built in 1908. Throughout the day, visitors could watch films about the history of the Russian Geographical Society. This year the program was dedicated to the anniversaries of leaders different years. In addition, two excursions were held for the guests: in the Small Hall, the author of the works, artist and chairman of the St. Petersburg Union of Artists of Russia, Alexander Saikov, spoke about the unique watercolors. The second excursion took place in the Museum Hall, where the exhibition […]
Archaeologists have recovered 18th-century finds from the bottom of the Gulf of Finland. Ended next stage expedition "Archangel Raphael" of the Center for Underwater Research of the Russian Geographical Society. Underwater archaeologists examined a merchant ship that sank in 1724 in the Björkesund Strait. Work on the site began in 2014. Over three seasons, specialists managed to erode more than 8 meters of the interior space of the hull in the bow. Unfortunately, it was not possible to identify the found vessel based on external features, so radiocarbon dating of the wood was carried out. Based on his data, the researchers assumed that they had found the Archangel Raphael, known in the German archives, built in Lübeck in 1693. The second confirmation was a dish found on board the ship with the image of the biblical Archangel Raphael and the numbers “1696”. In addition, the bricks lying on the deck bore the marks of the brick yard “St. Peter’s House” that operated in Lübeck in the 17th century. All discovered artifacts were sent for restoration to specialists from the State Hermitage. This year, many new objects have been raised from the bottom, including [...]
The scientific archive of the Russian Geographical Society is the oldest and only specifically geographical archive in the country. Its formation began simultaneously with the founding of the Russian Geographical Society (1845).
The largest number of manuscript submissions was associated with responses to the Society's programs and questionnaires. These programs covered a wide range of issues related to the study of the geographical environment, regional economics and ethnography of the population. Thus, in 1847, the Society sent out a program for compiling local ethnographic descriptions in the amount of more than 7,000 copies. The program included 6 sections: 1) regarding appearance; 2) about language; 3) about home life; 4) about the features of social life; 5) about mental and moral abilities and education; 6) about folk legends and monuments. Of the large number of programs, others should be mentioned that had a noticeable impact on the replenishment of the Archive’s manuscript collection, these are: “Program for collecting geographical terminology” (1847); “Program for collecting phenological information” (1847); “Program for collecting information about folk superstitions and beliefs in Southern Russia” (1866); “Program for collecting folk legal customs” (1877); “Program for collecting folk dialects” (1895), etc.
The description of manuscripts on ethnography was carried out by D.K. Zelenin, who compiled detailed inventories of 40 provinces of European Russia (alphabetically from Arkhangelsk to Tambov province inclusive). In 1914–1916 The reference book “Description of Manuscripts of the Scientific Archive of the Geographical Society” was published in three editions.
Currently, the Archive has compiled inventories of the manuscripts of all other provinces and regions of Russia that were not included in D.K.’s description. Zelenina.
Manuscripts from the Caucasus, Central Asian Russia, Siberia, the Baltic region, Belarus, Poland, Finland, manuscripts of entire groups of nationalities - Slavs: eastern, western, southern - are especially highlighted; peoples of Central Asian Russia, Siberia, European Russia.
Materials related to foreign countries are systematized by parts of the world: Europe, Asia, Africa, America, Australia and Oceania.
In total, the Archive has 115 ethnographic collections – that’s more than 13,000 storage units.
The extensive fund of the Archive consists of documents from the office of the Geographical Society itself from the moment of its founding; it consists of minutes and correspondence of the Council of the Society, its Presidium and branches, commissions, general meetings, documents of expeditions equipped by the Society, correspondence of the editors and office (about 6000 files).
Of particular scientific value are the personal funds of outstanding Russian geographers and travelers - P.P. Semenov-Tyan-Shansky, N.M. Przhevalsky, N.N. Miklouho-Maclay, S.S. Neustrueva, P.K. Kozlova, G.E. Grumm-Grzhimailo, D.N. Kaygorodova, A.A. Kaminsky, A.V. Voznesensky, V.M. Zhitkova, N.I. Vavilova, V.A. Obrucheva, Yu.M. Shokalsky, V.P. Semenov-Tyan-Shansky, G.Ya. Sedova, L.S. Berga, V.L. Komarova, P.V. Wittenburg et al.
Currently, the Society’s archive contains 144 personal funds – that’s more than 50,000 storage units.
Of exceptional interest are the collections of rare photographs, negatives, slides, systematized by parts of the world and countries (about 3,000 storage units), as well as a collection of portraits of members of the Geographical Society and other scientists.
The scientific archive of the Russian Geographical Society is visited by researchers from different regions of Russia - Yakutia, Altai, Tuva, the Volga region, the Caucasus, CIS countries, near and far abroad - Germany, Canada, USA, Switzerland, Iran, Austria, Scotland, Hungary, Japan, the Netherlands, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and others.
In addition to the scientific use of archival materials in the reading room, the Scientific Archive participates in various exhibitions, joint publications, selects and provides documents for documentaries, etc.
Photo courtesy of the St. Petersburg city branch of the Russian Geographical Society. Authors Andrey Strelnikov, Vasily Matveev