Dmitry Sergeevich Likhachev: What is the greatest goal of life? Academician Dmitry Likhachev “It’s worth it - so that the events, the atmosphere of previous years are not forgotten, and most importantly, so that there remains a trace of people whom, perhaps, no one will ever remember again, about whom they lie until

In February 1928, after graduating from Leningrad State University, Dmitry Likhachev was arrested for participating in the Space Academy of Sciences student group and sentenced to five years for counter-revolutionary activities.

From November 1928 to August 1932, Likhachev served his sentence in the Solovetsky special purpose camp. Here, during his stay in the camp, Likhachev’s first scientific work, “Card Games of Criminals,” was published in the magazine “Solovetsky Islands” in 1930.

After his early release, he returned to Leningrad, where he worked as a literary editor and proofreader in various publishing houses. Since 1938, Dmitry Likhachev’s life was connected with the Pushkin House - the Institute of Russian Literature (IRLI AS USSR), where he began working as a junior researcher, then became a member of the academic council (1948), and later - head of the sector (1954) and the department of ancient Russian literature (1986).

During the Great Patriotic War, from the autumn of 1941 to the spring of 1942, Dmitry Likhachev lived and worked in besieged Leningrad, from where he was evacuated with his family along the “Road of Life” to Kazan. For his selfless work in the besieged city, he was awarded the medal "For the Defense of Leningrad."

Since 1946, Likhachev worked at Leningrad State University (LSU): first as an assistant professor, and in 1951-1953 as a professor. At the Faculty of History of Leningrad State University, he taught special courses “History of Russian Chronicles”, “Paleography”, “History of the Culture of Ancient Rus'” and others.

Dmitry Likhachev devoted most of his works to the study of the culture of Ancient Rus' and its traditions: “National identity of Ancient Rus'” (1945), “The emergence of Russian literature” (1952), “Man in the literature of Ancient Rus'” (1958), “Culture of Rus' in the time of Andrei Rublev and Epiphany the Wise" (1962), "Poetics of Old Russian Literature" (1967), essay "Notes on the Russian" (1981). The collection “The Past for the Future” (1985) is dedicated to Russian culture and the inheritance of its traditions.

Likhachev paid a lot of attention to the study of the great monuments of ancient Russian literature “The Tale of Bygone Years” and “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign,” which he translated into modern Russian with the author’s comments (1950). In different years of his life, various articles and monographs of the scientist were devoted to these works, translated into many languages of the world.

Dmitry Likhachev was elected a corresponding member of the USSR Academy of Sciences (1953) and a full member (academician) of the USSR Academy of Sciences (1970). He was a foreign member or corresponding member of the academies of sciences of a number of countries: the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (1963), the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts (1971), the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (1973), the British Academy (1976), the Austrian Academy of Sciences (1968), the Göttingen Academy Academy of Sciences (1988), American Academy of Arts and Sciences (1993).

Likhachev was an honorary doctor from the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun (1964), Oxford (1967), the University of Edinburgh (1971), the University of Bordeaux (1982), the University of Zurich (1982), Lorand Eötvos University of Budapest (1985), Sofia University (1988) ), Charles University (1991), University of Siena (1992), honorary member of the Serbian literary, scientific, cultural and educational society "Srpska Matica" (1991), Philosophical Scientific Society of the USA (1992). Since 1989, Likhachev was a member of the Soviet (later Russian) branch of the Pen Club.

Academician Likhachev conducted active social work. The academician considered his most significant work as chairman of the “Literary Monuments” series at the Soviet (later Russian) Cultural Foundation (1986-1993), as well as his work as a member of the editorial board of the academic series “Popular Scientific Literature” (since 1963) . Dmitry Likhachev actively spoke in the media in defense of monuments of Russian culture - buildings, streets, parks. Thanks to the scientist’s activities, it was possible to save many monuments in Russia and Ukraine from demolition, “reconstruction” and “restoration.”

For his scientific and social activities, Dmitry Likhachev was awarded many government awards. Academician Likhachev was twice awarded the State Prize of the USSR - for the scientific works “The History of Culture of Ancient Rus'” (1952) and “The Poetics of Old Russian Literature” (1969), and the State Prize of the Russian Federation for the series “Monuments of Literature of Ancient Rus'” (1993). In 2000, Dmitry Likhachev was posthumously awarded the State Prize of Russia for the development of the artistic direction of domestic television and the creation of the all-Russian state television channel "Culture".

Academician Dmitry Likhachev was awarded the highest awards of the USSR and Russia - the title of Hero of Socialist Labor (1986) with the Order of Lenin and the gold medal "Hammer and Sickle", he was the first holder of the Order of St. Apostle Andrew the First-Called (1998), and was also awarded many orders and medals.

Since 1935, Dmitry Likhachev was married to Zinaida Makarova, an employee of the publishing house. In 1937, their twin daughters Vera and Lyudmila were born. In 1981, the academician’s daughter Vera died in a car accident.

2006, the year of the centenary of the scientist’s birth, by decree of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The material was prepared based on information from open sources

Private bussiness

Dmitry Sergeevich Likhachev (1906—1999) born in St. Petersburg. His father Sergei Mikhailovich Likhachev was the son of a church elder and worked as an engineer in the Main Directorate of Posts and Telegraphs. Mother Vera Semyonovna was from a family of merchants of the same faith (moderate Old Believers).

From 1914 to 1917, Likhachev studied first at the gymnasium of the Imperial Humane Society, then at the gymnasium and the Karl May Real School. In 1917, when the power plant workers at the First State Printing House chose Likhachev's father as their manager, the family moved to a government apartment, and Dmitry continued his education at the Lentovskaya Soviet Labor School.

In 1923 he entered the Faculty of Social Sciences at Leningrad University. Here he studied at the ethnological-linguistic department, simultaneously in the Romano-Germanic and Slavic-Russian sections.

In 1928, he wrote two diploma works: one about Shakespeare in Russia at the end of the 18th - beginning of the 19th centuries, the other about stories dedicated to Patriarch Nikon.

In February 1928, Likhachev was arrested and sentenced to five years for counter-revolutionary activities - participation in the Space Academy of Sciences student group. Clubs were a common feature of student life, the “Space Academy of Sciences” was created for the pursuit of “fun science,” because, as Likhachev wrote, “science itself, which requires the full dedication of one’s time and mental strength, should not be boring and monotonous.” The “Academy” became of interest to the security officers after one of the students, in honor of its first year, sent a congratulatory telegram supposedly from the Pope.

Despite the fact that Likhachev did not complete the course due to his arrest, the university management issued his parents a diploma - the student fulfilled all the requirements of the curriculum.

In 1928-1931, Likhachev served time in the Solovetsky camp: he was a wood cutter, a loader, an electrician, and looked after cows. During his imprisonment, his first scientific work, “Card Games of Criminals,” was published in the magazine “Solovetsky Islands.”

In 1931, he was taken from Solovki to the construction of the White Sea-Baltic Canal, where he worked as an accountant, then as a railway dispatcher. There Likhachev received the title “Drummer of the BBK”, thanks to which he was released six months ahead of schedule - in the summer of 1932.

Having been released, he returned to Leningrad and worked as a literary editor at the Publishing House of Socio-Economic Literature (Sotsekgize). In 1934, he became a scientific proofreader at the publishing house of the USSR Academy of Sciences.

Since 1938, Likhachev worked at the Pushkin House - Institute of Russian Literature (IRLI AS USSR). He started as a junior researcher, in 1948 he became a member of the academic council, in 1954 he received the position of head of the sector, and in 1986 he was appointed head of the department of ancient Russian literature.

During the blockade, he was with his family in Leningrad until June 1942, from where he was evacuated to Kazan along the “Road of Life”. In the same 1942, for his selfless work in the besieged city, he received the medal “For the Defense of Leningrad.”

Since 1946, in addition to working at the Pushkin House, Likhachev taught at Leningrad State University, and in 1951 he became a university professor. He taught special courses for historians: “The History of Russian Chronicles”, “The History of the Culture of Ancient Rus'” and others.

Likhachev's main scientific works were devoted to the culture, language and traditions of the Old Russian state. He published the books “National Identity of Ancient Rus'” (1945), “Russian Chronicles and Their Cultural and Historical Significance” (1947), “Culture of Rus' in the Time of Andrei Rublev and Epiphanius the Wise” (1962), “Poetics of Old Russian Literature” (1967) and a lot others.

Likhachev studied in detail “The Tale of Bygone Years” and “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign.” He translated both of these monuments of ancient Russian literature into modern Russian and published them in 1950, providing detailed comments.

In 1953, Likhachev was elected a corresponding member of the USSR Academy of Sciences, and in 1970 he became an academician of the USSR Academy of Sciences.

Likhachev actively called for the preservation of cultural monuments of St. Petersburg and other Russian, as well as Ukrainian cities. In particular, he defended Nevsky Prospekt from being “modernized” by completely glazing the first floors of houses, and convinced the authorities to abandon the construction of the Peter the Great tower on Vasilyevsky Island.

Dmitry Likhachev died in the Botkin hospital on September 30, 1999, and was buried in the cemetery in Komarovo.

What is he famous for?

The outstanding Russian thinker and scientist Dmitry Likhachev received worldwide recognition as the author of extensive fundamental research in various areas of Russian culture and philology - from early Slavic writing to the present day. Likhachev is the author of about 500 scientific and 600 journalistic works, devoted mainly to the literature and culture of Ancient Rus'. Popularizer of science, who published “The Tale of Bygone Years”, “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign” and other literary monuments with scientific commentary.

In 1986, Likhachev organized and headed the Soviet (and later Russian) Cultural Foundation, a large organization for the support of arts and humanities education. Bal is an active opponent of the demolition and “reconstruction” of architectural monuments, in which they are replaced with a new building.

He wrote in “Memoirs”: “I will not tell everything that I had to endure, protecting the Traveling Palace on Srednyaya Rogatka, the church on Sennaya, the church in Murin from demolition, the parks of Tsarskoye Selo from felling, Nevsky Prospekt from “reconstructions”, from sewage. Gulf of Finland, etc., etc. It’s enough to look at the list of my newspaper and magazine articles to understand how much effort and time the struggle in defense of Russian culture took away from my science.”

What you need to know

In 1995, Likhachev developed a draft declaration of cultural rights. The academician believed that the international community should legislate provisions that would ensure the preservation and development of culture as the heritage of all humanity.

The authorities of St. Petersburg supported the initiative, a public commission was created to finalize the ideas of the declaration in order to submit a revised version to the President of Russia and then to UNESCO. The final draft of the document stated that culture is the main meaning and global value of the existence of peoples and states.

In the declaration, Likhachev also gives his vision of globalization - as a process that should be governed not by economic, but by cultural interests of the world community.

This document was not adopted in its entirety. A number of his theses were included in the Declaration on Cultural Diversity, approved by UNESCO in 2003 and the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions (2005).

Direct speech

About repressions (D.S. Likhachev “Memories »): “One of the goals of my memoirs is to dispel the myth that the most brutal time of repression came in 1936-1937. I think that in the future, statistics of arrests and executions will show that waves of arrests, executions, and deportations began already from the beginning of 1918, even before the official announcement of the “Red Terror” in the fall of this year, and then the tide kept growing until the death of Stalin, and , it seems, a new wave in 1936-1937. was only the “ninth wave”... Having opened the windows in our apartment on Lakhtinskaya Street, we spent the nights in 1918-1919. could hear random shots and short machine-gun bursts in the direction of the Peter and Paul Fortress.

It was not Stalin who started the Red Terror. Having come to power, he only sharply increased it to incredible proportions.

In the years 1936 and 1937, arrests of prominent figures of the all-powerful party began, and this, it seems, most of all struck the imagination of contemporaries. While in the 20s and early 30s officers, “bourgeois”, professors and especially priests and monks, along with the Russian, Ukrainian and Belarusian peasantry, were shot by the thousands - everything seemed “natural”. But then the “self-devouring of power” began, leaving only the most gray and impersonal in the country - that which was hidden, or that which was adapted.”

About the blockade (ibid.):“There was already snow, which, of course, no one removed, and it was terrible cold. And downstairs, under the special school, there was a “Gastronomy”. They gave out bread. Those who received them always asked for additional weights. These “extra weights” were immediately eaten. They jealously watched the scales in the light of the smokehouses (in the stores it was especially dark: in front of the windows, barriers were erected from boards and earth). A kind of blockade theft also developed. The boys, especially those who suffered from hunger (teenagers need more food), rushed to the bread and immediately began to eat it. They didn’t try to run away: they just wanted to eat more before they took it away. They raised their collars in advance, expecting beatings, lay down on the bread and ate, ate, ate. And on the stairs of the houses other thieves were waiting and took food, cards, and passports from the weak. It was especially difficult for the elderly. Those whose cards were taken away could not restore them. It was enough for those so weak not to eat for a day or two that they could not walk, and when their legs stopped working, the end came.<…>

Corpses lay along the streets. Nobody picked them up. Who were the dead? Maybe that woman still has a living child who is waiting for her in an empty, cold and dark apartment? There were a lot of women who fed their children, depriving themselves of the portion they needed. These mothers died first, and the child was left alone. This is how our colleague at the publishing house, O. G. Davidovich, died. She gave everything to the child. She was found dead in her room. She was lying on the bed. The child was with her under the blanket, pulling her mother’s nose, trying to “wake her up.” And a few days later, her “rich” relatives came to Davidovich’s room to take... not the child, but a few rings and brooches left from her. The child died later in kindergarten.

The soft parts of the corpses lying on the streets were cut off. Cannibalism has begun! First, the corpses were stripped, then cut to the bones; there was almost no meat on them; the circumcised and naked corpses were terrible.

Cannibalism cannot be condemned indiscriminately. For the most part it was not conscious. The one who circumcised the corpse rarely ate the meat himself. He either sold this meat, deceiving the buyer, or fed it to his loved ones in order to save their lives. After all, the most important thing in eating is protein. There was nowhere to get these proteins. When a child dies and you know that only meat can save him, you cut it off from the corpse...”

On persecution (ibid.):“In October 1975, I was scheduled to speak in the assembly hall of the philology department about “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign.” When, an hour before the performance, I left the door of my apartment, a man of average height with an obviously pasted-on large black mustache (“false omen”) attacked me on the landing of the stairs and hit me in the solar plexus with his fist. But I was wearing a new double-breasted coat made of thick drape, and the blow did not have the desired effect. Then an unknown person hit me in the heart, but there was my report in the folder in my side pocket (my heart was protected by “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign”), and the blow again turned out to be ineffective. I rushed back to the apartment and started calling the police. Then I went downstairs, where the driver (obviously from the same organization) was waiting for me, and I myself rushed to look for the attacker in the nearest streets and alleys. But, of course, he had already changed his sports cap and torn off his glued-on mustache. I went to give a report...

My appeal to the police investigator had the same result as the appeal about the attack on my apartment in 1976.

This time - 1976 - was a time in Leningrad when apartments of dissidents and left-wing artists were set on fire. For the May holidays we went to the dacha. When we returned, we found a policeman walking around in his apartment.<…>It turned out that at about three o'clock in the morning the night before, the sound alarm went off: the house was awakened by a howler. Only one person jumped out onto the stairs - the scientist who lived below us; the rest were afraid. The arsonists (and that was them) hung a tank of flammable liquid on the front door and tried to pump it into the apartment through a rubber hose. But the liquid did not flow: the gap was too narrow. Then they began to widen it with a crowbar and shook the front door. The sound guard, which they knew nothing about (it was assigned to the surname of their daughter’s husband), began to howl wildly, and the arsonists fled, leaving in front of the door both a canister of liquid and plastic ropes with which they tried to seal the cracks so that the liquid would not leak out. , and other “technical details”.

The investigation was conducted in a unique way: the canister with the liquid was destroyed, the composition of this liquid was not determined (my younger brother, an engineer, said that the smell was a mixture of kerosene and acetone), fingerprints (the arsonists ran away, wiping their hands on the painted walls of the stairs) were washed away. The case was passed from hand to hand until, finally, the female investigator said benevolently: “And don’t look!”

However, fists and arson were not only the last arguments in my attempts to “work through”, but also revenge for Sakharov and Solzhenitsyn.

The attack on the apartment site occurred exactly on the day when M. B. Khrapchenko, who replaced V. V. Vinogradov as academic secretary in a not entirely honest manner, called me from Moscow and offered to sign, together with the members of the Presidium of the Academy of Sciences, the famous letter of academicians, condemning A.D. Sakharov. “This will remove all accusations and discontent from you.” I replied that I didn’t want to sign, and even without reading it. Khrapchenko concluded: “Well, there is no trial!” He turned out to be wrong: a court was finally found—or rather, “lynching.” As for the May arson, my participation in writing the draft chapter on Solovki in the Gulag Archipelago probably played a role here.”

Dmitry Sergeevich Likhachev(November 28, 1906, St. Petersburg, Russian Empire - September 30, 1999, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation) - Russian philologist, art critic, screenwriter, academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences (until 1991 - USSR Academy of Sciences).

Author of fundamental works devoted to the history of Russian literature (mainly Old Russian) and Russian culture. Author of works (including more than forty books) on a wide range of problems in the theory and history of ancient Russian literature, many of which have been translated into different languages. Author of 500 scientific and about 600 journalistic works. Likhachev made a significant contribution to the development of the study of ancient Russian literature and art. Likhachev's range of scientific interests is very wide: from the study of icon painting to the analysis of prison life of prisoners. Throughout all the years of his activity, he was an active defender of culture, a promoter of morality and spirituality. He was directly involved in the preservation and restoration of various cultural sites of St. Petersburg and its suburbs.

Father - Sergei Mikhailovich Likhachev, electrical engineer, mother - Vera Semyonovna Likhacheva, nee Konyaeva.

In November 1931 he was transferred from the Solovetsky camp to Belbaltlag, worked as an accountant and railway dispatcher on the construction of the White Sea-Baltic Canal.

He was released early in 1932 and returned to Leningrad. In 1932-33 he was the literary editor of Sotsekgiz.* Publication of the article “Features of primitive primitivism of thieves’ speech” in the collection of the Institute of Language and Thought named after. N. Ya. Marra “Language and Thinking.” In 1936, all criminal records against Likhachev were cleared, at the request of Karpinsky.

Twin daughters Vera and Lyudmila Likhachev were born.

Junior, since - senior researcher (IRLI AS USSR).

He was with his family in besieged Leningrad.
Publication of the first book “Defense of Old Russian Cities” (1942), written jointly. with M. A. Tikhanova.

candidate of philological sciences on the topic: “Novgorod chronicles of the 12th century.”

Together with his family, he was evacuated along the Road of Life from besieged Leningrad to Kazan.

Awarded the medal "For the Defense of Leningrad".

Father Sergei Mikhailovich Likhachev died in besieged Leningrad.

Scientific maturity

Publication of the books “National Identity of Ancient Rus'. Essays from the field of Russian literature of the 11th-17th centuries.” M.-L., Publishing House of the Academy of Sciences. 1945. 120 p. (phototype reprint book: The Hugue, 1969) and “Novgorod the Great: Essay on the cultural history of Novgorod 11-17 centuries.” L., Gospolitizdat. 1945. 104 p. 10 t.e. (reprint: M., Sov. Russia. 1959.102 p.).

Awarded the medal “For Valiant Labor in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945.”
Publication of the book “Culture of Rus' in the era of the formation of the Russian national state. (End of the 14th - beginning of the 16th century)." M., Gospolitizdat. 1946. 160 p. 30 t.e. (phototype reprint of the book: The Hugue, 1967).

Associate Professor, professor at Leningrad State University. At the Faculty of History of Leningrad State University he taught special courses “History of Russian Chronicles”, “Paleography”, “History of the Culture of Ancient Rus'”, etc.

He defended his dissertation for the degree of Doctor of Philology on the topic: “Essays on the history of literary forms of chronicle writing in the 16th century.”
Publication of the book “Russian Chronicles and Their Cultural and Historical Significance” M.-L., Publishing House of the USSR Academy of Sciences. 1947. 499 p. 5 t.e. (phototype reprint of the book: The Hugue, 1966).

Member of the Scientific Council of the Institute of Literature of the USSR Academy of Sciences.

Publication of “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign” in the “Literary Monuments” series with translation and comments by D. S. Likhachev.
Publication of “The Tale of Bygone Years” in the “Literary Monuments” series with translation (jointly with B. A. Romanov) and comments by D. S. Likhachev (reprinted: St. Petersburg, 1996).
Publication of the articles “Historical and political outlook of the author of “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign”” and “Oral origins of the artistic system of “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign””.
Publication of the book: “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign”: Historical and literary essay. (NPS). M.-L., Publishing House of the USSR Academy of Sciences. 1950. 164 p. 20 t.e. 2nd ed., add. M.-L., Publishing House of the USSR Academy of Sciences. 1955. 152 p. 20 t.e.

Confirmed with the rank of professor.
Publication of the article “Literature of the XI-XIII centuries.” in the collective work “The History of Culture of Ancient Rus'”. (Volume 2. Pre-Mongol period), which received the USSR State Prize.

The Stalin Prize of the second degree was awarded for the collective scientific work “The History of the Culture of Ancient Rus'. T. 2".
Publication of the book “The Emergence of Russian Literature.” M.-L., Publishing House of the Academy of Sciences. 1952. 240 p. 5 t.e.

Elected corresponding member of the USSR Academy of Sciences.
Publication of the articles “Folk poetic creativity during the heyday of the ancient Russian early feudal state (X-XI centuries)” and “Folk poetic creativity during the years of feudal fragmentation of Rus' - before the Tatar-Mongol invasion (XII-early XIII centuries)” in the collective work “Russian folk poetic creativity."

Awarded the Prize of the Presidium of the USSR Academy of Sciences for the work “The Emergence of Russian Literature.”
Awarded the medal "For Labor Valor".

Head of the Sector, with - Department of Old Russian Literature, Institute of Literature of the USSR Academy of Sciences.

The first speech in the press in defense of ancient monuments (“Literaturnaya Gazeta”, January 15, 1955).

1955-1999

Member of the Bureau of the Department of Literature and Language of the USSR Academy of Sciences.

Member of the Union of Writers of the USSR (Criticism Section), since 1992 - member of the Union of Writers of St. Petersburg.
Member of the Archaeographic Commission of the USSR Academy of Sciences, since 1974 - member of the Bureau of the Archaeographic Commission of the USSR Academy of Sciences.

First trip abroad - sent to Bulgaria to work in manuscript repositories.
Participated in the work of the IV International Congress of Slavists (Moscow), where he was chairman of the subsection of ancient Slavic literatures. A report was made “Some tasks of studying the second South Slavic influence in Russia.”
Publication of the book “Man in the Literature of Ancient Rus'” M.-L., Publishing House of the Academy of Sciences. 1958. 186 p. 3 t.e. (reprint: M., 1970; Likhachev D.S. Selected works: In 3 vols. T. 3. L., 1987) and the brochure “Some problems of studying the second South Slavic influence in Russia.” M., Publishing House of the Academy of Sciences. 1958. 67 p. 1 t.e.

Deputy Chairman of the permanent Editorial and Textological Commission of the International Committee of Slavists.

Member of the Academic Council of the Museum of Ancient Russian Art. Andrey Rublev.

A granddaughter, Vera, was born, the daughter of Lyudmila Dmitrievna (from her marriage to Sergei Zilitinkevich, a physicist).

Participated in the I International Conference on Poetics (Poland).

Deputy Chairman of the Leningrad branch of the Soviet-Bulgarian Friendship Society.

1960-1999

Member of the Academic Council of the State Russian Museum.
Member of the Soviet (Russian) Committee of Slavists.

Participated in the II International Conference on Poetics (Poland).
Since 1961, member of the editorial board of the journal “Izvestia of the USSR Academy of Sciences. Department of Literature and Language".
Publication of books: “Culture of the Russian people 10-17 centuries.” M.-L., Publishing House of the Academy of Sciences. 1961. 120 p. 8 t.e. (2nd ed.) M.-L., 1977. and “The Lay of Igor’s Campaign” - the heroic prologue of Russian literature.” M.-L., Goslitizdat. 1961. 134 p. 30 t.e. 2nd ed. L.,HL.1967.119 p.200 t.e.

Deputy of the Leningrad City Council of Workers' Deputies.

Trip to Poland
Publication of the books “Textology: Based on the material of Russian literature of the X - XVII centuries.” M.-L., Publishing House of the Academy of Sciences. 1962. 605 p. 2500 e. (reprint: Leningrad, 1983; St. Petersburg, 2001) and “Culture of Rus' during the time of Andrei Rublev and Epiphanius the Wise (late XIV - early XV centuries)” M.-L., Publishing House of the Academy of Sciences. 1962. 172 p. 30 t.e.

(republished: Likhachev D.S. Thoughts about Russia. St. Petersburg, 1999).

Elected foreign member of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.
He was awarded the Order of Cyril and Methodius, 1st degree, by the Presidium of the People's Assembly of the People's Republic of Bulgaria.
Participated in the V International Congress of Slavists (Sofia).
Sent to Austria to give lectures.

Member of the Artistic Council of the Second Creative Association of Lenfilm.

Since 1963, member of the editorial board of the USSR Academy of Sciences series “Popular Science Literature”.

Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun (Poland).
Trip to Hungary to read papers at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences.
A trip to Yugoslavia to participate in a symposium dedicated to the study of the work of Vuk Karadzic, and to work in manuscript repositories.

Trip to Poland to give lectures and reports.
Trip to Czechoslovakia for a meeting of the permanent Editorial and Textual Commission of the International Committee of Slavists.
Trip to Denmark for the South-North Symposium, organized by UNESCO.

Member of the Organizing Committee of the All-Russian Society for the Protection of Historical and Cultural Monuments.

Member of the Commission for the Protection of Cultural Monuments of the Union of Artists of the RSFSR.

Awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor for services to the development of Soviet philological science and in connection with the 60th anniversary of his birth.
Trip to Bulgaria for scientific work.
Trip to Germany for a meeting of the permanent Editorial and Textual Commission of the International Committee of Slavists.

A granddaughter, Zina, was born, the daughter of Vera Dmitrievna (from her marriage to Yuri Kurbatov, an architect). Currently, Zinaida Kurbatova is a correspondent for Vesti St. Petersburg on Russia 1 channel.

Elected honorary doctor of the University of Oxford (Great Britain).
Trip to the UK to give lectures.
Participated in the General Assembly and scientific symposium of the Council for History and Philosophy of UNESCO (Romania).
Publication of the book “Poetics of Old Russian Literature” L., Science. 1967. 372 p. 5200 e., awarded the State Prize of the USSR (republished: Leningrad, 1971; Moscow, 1979; Likhachev D.S. Selected works: In 3 volumes. T. 1. Leningrad, 1987)
Member of the Council of the Leningrad city branch of the All-Russian Society for the Protection of Historical and Cultural Monuments.
Member of the Central Council, member of the Presidium of the Central Council of the All-Russian Society for the Protection of Historical and Cultural Monuments.

Member of the Academic Council of the Leningrad Branch of the Institute of History of the USSR of the USSR Academy of Sciences.

Elected corresponding member of the Austrian Academy of Sciences.
Participated in the VI International Congress of Slavists (Prague). I read the report “Ancient Slavic Literatures as a System.”

Awarded the USSR State Prize for the scientific work “Poetics of Old Russian Literature.”
Participated in a conference on epic poetry (Italy).

Member of the Scientific Council on the complex problem “History of World Culture” of the USSR Academy of Sciences. S - member of the Council Bureau.

Academician

Elected full member of the USSR Academy of Sciences.

Elected foreign member of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts.
Awarded a 1st degree diploma from the All-Union Society “Knowledge” for the book “Man in the Literature of Ancient Rus'.”
Awarded an honorary doctorate degree from the University of Edinburgh (UK).
Publication of the book “The Artistic Heritage of Ancient Rus' and Modernity” L., Science. 1971. 121 p. 20 t.e. (together with V.D. Likhacheva).

Mother Vera Semyonovna Likhacheva died.

Member of the editorial board of the “Concise Literary Encyclopedia”.

Head of the Archaeographic Group of the Leningrad Branch of the Archive of the USSR Academy of Sciences.

Awarded a 1st degree diploma from the All-Union Society “Knowledge” for participation in the collective scientific work “A Brief History of the USSR. Part 1."
Elected an honorary member of the historical and literary school society "Boyan" (Rostov region).
Elected foreign member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences.
Participated in the VII International Congress of Slavists (Warsaw). The report “The Origin and Development of Genres of Old Russian Literature” was read.
Publication of the book “The Development of Russian Literature in the 10th - 17th Centuries: Epochs and Styles” L., Science. 1973. 254 p. 11 t.e. (republished: Likhachev D.S. Selected works: in 3 volumes. T. 1. L., 1987; St. Petersburg, 1998).

Member of the Academic Council of the Leningrad Institute of Theater, Music and Cinematography.

Member of the Leningrad (St. Petersburg) branch of the Archaeographic Commission of the USSR Academy of Sciences, since 1975 - member of the bureau of the Branch of the Archaeographic Commission of the USSR Academy of Sciences.
Member of the Bureau of the Archaeographic Commission of the USSR Academy of Sciences.
Chairman of the editorial board of the yearbook “Cultural Monuments. New discoveries” of the Scientific Council on the complex problem “History of World Culture” of the USSR Academy of Sciences.
Chairman of the Scientific Council on the complex problem “History of World Culture” of the USSR Academy of Sciences.

Awarded the medal “Thirty Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945.”
Awarded the VDNKh gold medal for the monograph “The Development of Russian Literature - 17th Century.”
He spoke out against the expulsion of A.D. Sakharov from the USSR Academy of Sciences.
Trip to Hungary to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences.
Participated in the MAPRYAL (International Association of Teachers of Russian Language and Literature) symposium on comparative literature (Bulgaria).
Publication of the book “The Great Heritage: Classic Works of Literature of Ancient Rus'” M., Sovremennik. 1975. 366 p. 50 t.e. (reprinted: M., 1980; Likhachev D.S. Selected works: in 3 volumes. T.2. L., 1987; 1997).

1975-1999

Member of the editorial board of the publication of the Leningrad branch of the Institute of History of the USSR of the USSR Academy of Sciences “Auxiliary Historical Disciplines”.

Participated in a special meeting of the USSR Academy of Sciences on the book by O. Suleimenov “Az and I” (banned).
Participated in the conference “Tarnovo School. Disciples and followers of Efimy Tarnovsky" (Bulgaria).
Elected a corresponding member of the British Academy.
Publication of the book “The Laughing World of Ancient Rus'” L., Science. 1976. 204 p. 10 t.e. (co-authored with A. M. Panchenko; re-ed.: L., Nauka. 1984.295 pp.; “Laughter in Ancient Rus'” - joint with A. M. Panchenko and N. V. Ponyrko; 1997 : “Historical poetics of literature. Laughter as a worldview”).

1976-1999

Member of the editorial board of the international magazine “Palaeobulgarica” (Sofia).

The State Council of the People's Republic of Bulgaria awarded the Order of Cyril and Methodius, 1st degree.
The Presidium of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and the Academic Council of the Sofia University named after Kliment Ohridski awarded him the Cyril and Methodius Prize for the work “Golemiah svyat na ruskata literature”.

He was awarded a diploma from the Union of Bulgarian Journalists and the honorary sign “Golden Pen” for his great creative contribution to Bulgarian journalism and publicism.
Elected an honorary member of the Brigantine literary club for high school students.
Trip to Bulgaria to participate in the international symposium “Tarnovo art school and Slavic-Byzantine art of the 12th-15th centuries.” and for lecturing at the Institute of Bulgarian Literature of the BAN and the Center for Bulgarian Studies.
Trip to the GDR for a meeting of the permanent Editorial and Textual Commission of the International Committee of Slavists.
Publication of the book “The Lay of Igor’s Campaign” and the culture of his time” L., Kh.L. 1978. 359 p. 50 t.e. (reprint: Leningrad, 1985; St. Petersburg, 1998)

Initiator, editor (jointly with L. A. Dmitriev) and author of introductory articles to the monumental series “Monuments of Literature of Ancient Rus'” (12 volumes), published by the publishing house “Khudozhestvennaya Literatura” (the publication was awarded the State Prize in 1993).

The State Council of the People's Republic of Bulgaria awarded the honorary title of laureate of the International Prize named after the brothers Cyril and Methodius for exceptional services in the development of Old Bulgarian and Slavic studies, for the study and popularization of the work of the brothers Cyril and Methodius.
Publication of the article “Ecology of Culture” (Moscow, 1979, No. 7)

Member of the editorial board of the book series “Literary Monuments of Siberia” of the East Siberian Book Publishing House (Irkutsk).

The Secretariat of the Union of Writers of Bulgaria awarded him the honorary badge “Nikola Vaptsarov”.
Trip to Bulgaria to give lectures at Sofia University.

Awarded a Certificate of Honor from the “All-Union Voluntary Society of Book Lovers” for his outstanding contribution to the study of ancient Russian culture, Russian books, and source studies.

The State Council of the People's Republic of Bulgaria awarded the “International Prize named after Evfimy Tarnovsky”.

Awarded the honorary badge of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.
Participated in the conference dedicated to the 1300th anniversary of the Bulgarian state (Sofia).
Publication of a collection of articles “Literature - reality - literature”. L., Soviet writer. 1981. 215 p. 20 t.e. (reprinted: Leningrad, 1984; Likhachev D.S. Selected works: In 3 volumes, T. 3. Leningrad, 1987) and the brochure “Notes on the Russian.” M., Sov. Russia. 1981. 71 p. 75 t.e. (reprint: M., 1984; Likhachev D.S. Selected works: In 3 volumes. T. 2. L., 1987; 1997).

A great-grandson, Sergei, was born, the son of his granddaughter Vera Tolts (from his marriage to Vladimir Solomonovich Tolts, a Sovietologist and Ufa Jew).

Daughter Vera died in a car accident.

Member of the editorial board of the almanac of the All-Russian Society for the Protection of Historical and Cultural Monuments “Monuments of the Fatherland”.

Awarded a Certificate of Honor and a prize from Ogonyok magazine for the interview “The memory of history is sacred.”
Elected honorary doctor of the University of Bordeaux (France).
The editorial board of the Literaturnaya Gazeta awarded the prize for active participation in the work of the Literaturnaya Gazeta.
Trip to Bulgaria to give lectures and consultations at the invitation of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.
Publication of the book “Poetry of Gardens: Towards the Semantics of Garden and Park Styles” L., Nauka. 1982. 343 p. 9950 e. (reprint: Leningrad, 1991; St. Petersburg, 1998).

Awarded the VDNKh Diploma of Honor for creating a manual for teachers “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign.”
Elected honorary doctor of the University of Zurich (Switzerland).
Member of the Soviet Organizing Committee for the preparation and holding of the IX International Congress of Slavists (Kyiv).
Publication of the book for students “Native Land”. M., Det.lit. 1985. 207 p.

1983-1999

Chairman of the Pushkin Commission of the USSR Academy of Sciences.

The name of D. S. Likhachev was assigned to small planet No. 2877, discovered by Soviet astronomers: (2877) Likhachev-1969 TR2.

1984-1999

Member of the Leningrad Scientific Center of the USSR Academy of Sciences.

Awarded the anniversary medal “Forty Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945.”
The Presidium of the USSR Academy of Sciences awarded the V. G. Belinsky Prize for the book “The Lay of Igor’s Campaign” and the culture of his time.”
The editorial board of the Literaturnaya Gazeta awarded the title of laureate of the Literaturnaya Gazeta for active cooperation in the newspaper.
Awarded an honorary doctorate of science from Loránd Eötvös University of Budapest.
A trip to Hungary at the invitation of Lorand Eötvos University of Budapest in connection with the 350th anniversary of the university.
Participated in the Cultural Forum of the participating states of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (Hungary). The report “Problems of preservation and development of folklore in the conditions of the scientific and technological revolution” was read.
Publication of the books “The Past to the Future: Articles and Essays” L., Science. 1985. 575 p. 15 t.e. and “Letters about the good and the beautiful” M., Det.lit. 1985. 207 p. (reprint: Tokyo, 1988; M., 1989; Simferopol, 1990; St. Petersburg, 1994; St. Petersburg, 1999).

In connection with the 80th anniversary, he was awarded the title of Hero of Socialist Labor with the Order of Lenin and the Hammer and Sickle gold medal.
The State Council of the People's Republic of Bulgaria awarded him the Order of Georgi Dimitrov (the highest award in Bulgaria).
Awarded the Veteran of Labor medal.
Included in the Book of Honor of the All-Union Society “Knowledge” for active work in promoting artistic culture and providing methodological assistance to lecturers.
Awarded the title of laureate of “Literary Russia” for 1986 and awarded the Ogonyok magazine prize.
Elected honorary chairman of the International Society for the Study of the Works of F. M. Dostoevsky (IDS).
Elected an honorary member of the book and graphics section of the Leningrad House of Scientists named after. M. Gorky.
Elected a corresponding member of the “Irises” section of the Moscow City Club of Amateur Flower Growers.
Participated in the Soviet-American-Italian symposium “Literature: Tradition and Values” (Italy).
Participated in a conference dedicated to “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign” (Poland).
The book “Studies on Old Russian Literature” has been published. L., Science. 1986. 405 p. 25 t.e. and the brochure “The Memory of History is Sacred.” M., True. 1986. 62 p. 80 t.e.

Chairman of the Board of the Soviet Culture Fund (since 1991 - Russian Culture Fund).

He was awarded the medal and the Bibliophile's Almanac prize.
Awarded a diploma for the film “Poetry of Gardens” (Lentelefilm, 1985), which was awarded second prize at the V All-Union Film Review of Architecture and Civil Engineering.
Elected as a deputy of the Leningrad City Council of People's Deputies.
Elected member of the Commission on the Literary Heritage of B. L. Pasternak.
Elected foreign member of the Italian National Academy.
Participated in the international forum “For a nuclear-free world, for the survival of humanity” (Moscow).
Trip to France for the XVI session of the Permanent Mixed Soviet-French Commission on Cultural and Scientific Relations.
A trip to the UK at the invitation of the British Academy and the University of Glasgow to give lectures and consultations on cultural history.
A trip to Italy for a meeting of an informal initiative group to organize the fund “For the Survival of Humanity in a Nuclear War.”
Publication of the book “The Great Path: The Formation of Russian Literature of the 11th-17th Centuries.” M., Sovremennik. 1987. 299 p. 25 t.e.
Publication of “Selected Works” in 3 volumes.

Member of the editorial board of the magazine “New World”, member of the Public Council of the magazine.

Participated in the international meeting “International Fund for the Survival and Development of Humanity.”
Elected honorary doctor of Sofia University (Bulgaria).
Elected corresponding member of the Göttingen Academy of Sciences (Germany).
Trip to Finland for the opening of the exhibition “Time of Change, 1905-1930 (Russian Avant-garde).”
A trip to Denmark for the opening of the exhibition “Russian and Soviet art from personal collections. 1905-1930."
Trip to the UK to present the first issue of the magazine “Our Heritage”.
Publication of the book: “Dialogues about yesterday, today and tomorrow.” M., Sov. Russia. 1988. 142 p. 30 t.e. (co-author N. G. Samvelyan)

A great-granddaughter, Vera, was born, the daughter of the granddaughter of Zinaida Kurbatova (from her marriage to Igor Rutter, an artist, a Sakhalin German).

Awarded the European (1st) Prize for Cultural Activities in 1988.
Awarded the International Literary and Journalistic Prize of Modena (Italy) for his contribution to the development and dissemination of culture in 1988.
Together with other cultural figures, he advocated the return of the Solovetsky and Valaam monasteries to the Russian Orthodox Church.
Participated in a meeting of European ministers of culture in France.
Member of the Soviet (later Russian) branch of the Pen Club.
Publication of the books “Notes and Observations: From Notebooks of Different Years” L., Sov.writer. 1989. 605 p. 100 t.e. and “On Philology” M., Higher School. 1989. 206 p. 24 t.e.

People's Deputy of the USSR from the Soviet Cultural Foundation.

Member of the International Committee for the Revival of the Library of Alexandria.
Honorary Chairman of the All-Union (since 1991 - Russian) Pushkin Society.
Member of the International Editorial Board created for the publication of “The Complete Works of A. S. Pushkin” in English.
Laureate of the International Prize of the City of Fiuggi (Italy).
Publication of the book “School on Vasilyevsky: A Book for Teachers.” M., Enlightenment. 1990. 157 p. 100 t.e. (jointly with N.V. Blagovo and E.B. Belodubrovsky).

Awarded the A.P. Karpinsky Prize (Hamburg) for the research and publication of monuments of Russian literature and culture.
Awarded an honorary doctorate of science from Charles University (Prague).
Elected honorary member of Serbian Matica (SFRY).
Elected an honorary member of the World Club of St. Petersburgers.
Elected an honorary member of the German Pushkin Society.
Publication of the books “I Remember” M., Progress. 1991. 253 p. 10 t.e., “Book of Anxiety” M., News. 1991. 526 p. 30 t.e., “Thoughts” M., Det.lit. 1991. 316 p. 100 t.e.

Elected foreign member of the Philosophical Scientific Society of the United States.
Elected honorary doctor of the University of Siena (Italy).
Awarded the title of Honorary Citizen of Milan and Arezzo (Italy).
Participant of the International Charity Program “New Names”.
Chairman of the public anniversary Sergius Committee for preparations for the celebration of the 600th anniversary of the repose of St. Sergius of Radonezh.
Publication of the book “Russian Art from Antiquity to the Avant-garde.” M., Art. 1992. 407 p.

The Presidium of the Russian Academy of Sciences awarded him the Big Gold Medal. M. V. Lomonosov for outstanding achievements in the field of humanities.
Awarded the State Prize of the Russian Federation for the series “Monuments of Literature of Ancient Rus'”.
Elected foreign member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Awarded the title of the first Honorary Citizen of St. Petersburg by decision of the St. Petersburg Council of People's Deputies.
Elected honorary doctor of the St. Petersburg Humanitarian University of Trade Unions.
The book “Articles of the Early Years” has been published. Tver, Tver. OO RFK. 1993. 144 p.

Chairman of the State Jubilee Pushkin Commission (for the celebration of the 200th anniversary of the birth of A.S. Pushkin).
Publication of the book: "Great Rus': History and artistic culture of the X-XVII centuries" M., Art. 1994. 488 pp. (jointly with G. K. Wagner, G. I. Vzdornov, R. G. Skrynnikov) .

Participated in the International Colloquium “The Creation of the World and the Purpose of Man” (St. Petersburg - Novgorod). Presented the project “Declaration of the Rights of Culture”.
Awarded the Order of the Madara Horseman, first degree, for exceptional services in the development of Bulgarian studies, for promoting the role of Bulgaria in the development of world culture.
On the initiative of D. S. Likhachev and with the support of the Institute of Russian Literature of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the International Non-Governmental Organization “Fund for the 200th Anniversary of A. S. Pushkin” was created.
Publication of the book “Memoirs” (St. Petersburg, Logos. 1995. 517 p. 3 i.e. reprinted 1997, 1999, 2001).

Awarded the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, II degree, for outstanding services to the state and great personal contribution to the development of Russian culture.
Awarded the Order of Stara Planina, first degree, for his enormous contribution to the development of Slavic and Bulgarian studies and for his great services in strengthening bilateral scientific and cultural ties between the Republic of Bulgaria and the Russian Federation.
Publication of books: “Essays on the philosophy of artistic creativity” St. Petersburg, Blitz. 1996. 158 p. 2 vol. (reissue 1999) and “Without evidence” St. Petersburg, Blitz. 1996. 159 p. 5 t.e..

Laureate of the Presidential Prize of the Russian Federation in the field of literature and art.
Awarding the prize “For the honor and dignity of talent”, established by the International Literary Fund.
The private Tsarskoye Selo art prize was awarded under the motto “From the artist to the artist” (St. Petersburg).
Publication of the book “On the Intelligentsia: Collection of Articles.”

A great-granddaughter, Hannah, was born, the daughter of the granddaughter of Vera Tolz (from her marriage to Yor Gorlitsky, a Sovietologist).

1997-1999

Editor (jointly with L. A. Dmitriev, A. A. Alekseev, N. V. Ponyrko) and author of introductory articles of the monumental series "Library of Literature of Ancient Rus' (published vols. 1 - 7, 9 -11) - Nauka publishing house "

Awarded the Order of the Apostle Andrew the First-Called for his contribution to the development of national culture (first holder).
Awarded a Gold Medal of the first degree from the Interregional Non-Profit Charitable Foundation in Memory of A. D. Menshikov (St. Petersburg).
Awarded the Nebolsin Prize of the International Charitable Foundation and Professional Education named after. A. G. Nebolsina.
Awarded the International Silver Commemorative Badge “Swallow of the World” (Italy) for his great contribution to the promotion of ideas of peace and the interaction of national cultures.
Publication of the book “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign and the Culture of His Time. Works of recent years." St. Petersburg, Logos. 1998. 528 p. 1000 e.

One of the founders of the “Congress of the St. Petersburg Intelligentsia” (along with Zh. Alferov, D. Granin, A. Zapesotsky, K. Lavrov, A. Petrov, M. Piotrovsky).
Awarded a souvenir Golden Jubilee Pushkin Medal from the “Foundation for the 200th Anniversary of A. S. Pushkin.”

Publication of the books “Thoughts about Russia”, “Novgorod Album”.

Dmitry Sergeevich Likhachev died on September 30, 1999 in St. Petersburg. He was buried in the cemetery in Komarovo on October 4. The monument at the scientist’s grave was made by the famous sculptor V. S. Vasilkovsky.

The importance of creative and social activities

D. S. Likhachev made a significant contribution to the development of the study of ancient Russian literature. He is responsible for some of the best research on such literary monuments as “The Tale of Bygone Years”, “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign”, “The Prayer of Daniil the Zatochnik”, etc. Likhachev also took an active part in the reconstruction of the Monrepos park near St. Petersburg. Likhachev contributed greatly to the development of the book series “Literary Monuments,” being the chairman of its editorial board since 1970. The famous actor, People's Artist of the Russian Federation Igor Dmitriev described the main significance of D. S. Likhachev in the development of Russian culture:

civil position

Foreign member of the Academies of Sciences of Bulgaria, Hungary, and the Academy of Sciences and Arts of Serbia. Corresponding member of the Austrian, American, British (1976), Italian, Göttingen academies, corresponding member of the oldest US society - the Philosophical Society. Member of the Writers' Union since 1956. Since 1983 - Chairman of the Pushkin Commission of the Russian Academy of Sciences, since 1974 - Chairman of the Editorial Board of the yearbook “Cultural Monuments. New discoveries". From 1993 to 1993 he headed the editorial board of the “Literary Monuments” series, since 1987 he has been a member of the editorial board of the “New World” magazine, and since 1988 of the “Our Heritage” magazine.

The Russian Academy of Art Studies and Musical Performance awarded him the Order of Arts “Amber Cross” (). Awarded an Honorary Diploma of the Legislative Assembly of St. Petersburg (

Academician Dmitry Sergeevich Likhachev lived a long life. He was born on November 15 (November 28 - new style) 1906, and died on September 30, 1999, just a couple of months short of turning 93 years old. His life almost entirely covered the 20th century - a century filled with both great and terrible events in Russian and world history.

When talking about our affairs and responsibilities, we usually divide them into important and petty, great and small. Academician Likhachev had a higher view of human life: he believed that there are no unimportant matters or responsibilities, no trifles, no “little things in life.” Everything that happens in a person’s life is important to him.

« In life you need to have service - service to some cause. Let this matter be small, it will become big if you are faithful to it».

Likhachev Dmitry Sergeevich

Everyone has heard about Academician Likhachev, and more than once. He is called “a symbol of the Russian intelligentsia of the 20th century”, and “the patriarch of Russian culture”, and “an outstanding scientist”, and “the conscience of the nation”...

He had many titles: researcher of the literature of Ancient Rus', author of many scientific and journalistic works, historian, publicist, public figure, honorary member of many European academies, founder of the magazine “Our Heritage”, dedicated to Russian culture.

Behind the dry lines of Likhachev’s “track record” the main thing is lost to which he devoted his strength, his spiritual energy - the protection, propaganda and popularization of Russian culture.

It was Likhachev who saved unique architectural monuments from destruction, it was thanks to the speeches of Dmitry Sergeevich, thanks to his articles and letters that the collapse of many museums and libraries was prevented. The echo of his television appearances could be heard in the subway, in trolley cars, or just on the street.

It was said about him: “Finally, television showed a real Russian intellectual.” Popularity, world fame, recognition in scientific circles. It turns out to be an idyllic picture. Meanwhile, Academician Likhachev has by no means a smooth road of life behind him...

Life path

Dmitry Sereevich was born in St. Petersburg. According to his father, he is Orthodox, and according to his mother, he is an Old Believer (previously, it was not nationality that was written in documents, but religion). The example of Likhachev’s biography shows that hereditary intelligence means no less than nobility.

The Likhachevs lived modestly, but found an opportunity not to give up their hobby - regular visits to the Mariinsky Theater. And in the summer they rented a dacha in Kuokkala, where Dmitry joined the ranks of artistic youth.

In 1923, Dmitry entered the ethnological and linguistic department of the Faculty of Social Sciences of Petrograd University. At some point, he joined a student circle under the comic name “Space Academy of Sciences.”

The members of this circle met regularly, read and discussed each other's reports. In February 1928, Dmitry Likhachev was arrested for participating in a circle and sentenced to 5 years “for counter-revolutionary activities.” The investigation lasted six months, after which Likhachev was sent to the Solovetsky camp.

Likhachev later called his experience of life in the camp his “second and main university.” He changed several types of activities in Solovki. For example, he worked as an employee of the Criminological Office and organized a labor colony for teenagers.

« I came out of this whole mess with a new knowledge of life and a new state of mind,- said Dmitry Sergeevich. - The good that I managed to do for hundreds of teenagers, saving their lives, and many other people, the good received from the fellow prisoners themselves, the experience of everything I saw created in me some kind of very deep-seated peace and mental health».

Likhachev was released early in 1932. He returned to Leningrad, worked as a proofreader at the publishing house of the Academy of Sciences (having a criminal record prevented him from getting a more serious job).

In 1938, through the efforts of the leaders of the USSR Academy of Sciences, Likhachev’s criminal record was cleared. Then Dmitry Sergeevich went to work at the Institute of Russian Literature of the USSR Academy of Sciences (Pushkin House).

The Likhachevs (by that time Dmitry Sergeevich was married and had two daughters) partially survived the war in besieged Leningrad. After the terrible winter of 1941–1942, they were evacuated to Kazan. After his stay in the camp, Dmitry Sergeevich’s health was undermined, and he was not subject to conscription to the front.

The main theme of Likhachev the scientist was ancient Russian literature. In 1950, under his scientific leadership, two books were prepared for publication in the “Literary Monuments” series - “The Tale of Bygone Years” and “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign.”

Dmitry Sergeevich knew how to find in the Russian Middle Ages what connects us with the past, for man is part of society and part of its history. Through the prism of the history of the Russian language and literature, he comprehended the culture of his people and tried to introduce his contemporaries to it.

For more than fifty years he worked in the Pushkin House, heading the department of ancient Russian literature there. And how many talented people did Dmitry Sergeevich help in life... Andrei Voznesensky wrote that with his prefaces Likhachev helped the publication of more than one “difficult” book.

And not only with prefaces, but also with letters, reviews, petitions, recommendations, and advice. It is safe to say that dozens, hundreds of talented scientists and writers owe the support of Likhachev, who played an important role in their personal and creative destinies.

Academician Likhachev became the informal leader of our culture. When the Cultural Foundation appeared in our country, Dmitry Sergeevich became the permanent chairman of its board from 1986 to 1993. At this time, the Cultural Fund becomes a fund of cultural ideas.

Likhachev understood perfectly well that only a morally full-fledged, aesthetically receptive person is capable of preserving, preserving, and most importantly, extracting all the spiritual wealth of the culture of past times. And he found, perhaps, the most effective way to reach the hearts and minds of his contemporaries - he began to appear on radio and television.

Likhachev is a patriot by nature, a modest and unobtrusive patriot. He was not an ascetic. He loved travel and comfort, but lived in a modest city apartment, cramped by modern standards for a world-class scientist. It was littered with books. And this is today, when the craving for luxury has gripped all levels of society.

Dmitry Sergeevich was unusually easy-going. All journalists know how difficult it was to find him at home. Even at 90 years old, he was interested in the whole world, and he was interesting to the whole world: all the universities of the world invited him to visit, and Prince Charles helped him publish Pushkin’s manuscripts and gave a dinner in his honor.

Even 2.5 months before his death in the summer of 1999, Likhachev agreed to speak at the Pushkin Conference in Italy. He died on September 30, 1999 and was buried at the Komarovskoye cemetery in St. Petersburg.

Notes and thoughts on the “little things” of life

Likhachev's latest books look like sermons or teachings. What is Likhachev trying to instill in us? What to explain, what to teach?

In the preface to the book “Letters about the Good and the Beautiful,” Dmitry Sergeevich writes: “ Try holding binoculars in shaking hands - you won't see anything" To perceive the beauty of the world around us, a person himself must be mentally beautiful.

Remembering Dmitry Sergeevich, we read excerpts from his letters:

« What is the most important thing in life? The main thing can be everyone’s own, unique. But still, the main thing should be kind and significant. A person must think about the meaning of his life - look at the past and look into the future.

People who don’t care about anyone seem to fall out of memory, but people who served others, served smartly, and had a good and significant purpose in life are remembered for a long time.”

« What is the greatest purpose in life? I think: increase the goodness in those around us. And goodness is, first of all, the happiness of all people. It consists of many things, and every time life presents a person with a task that is important to be able to solve. You can do good to a person in small things, you can think about big things, but small things and big things cannot be separated...»

« The most valuable thing in life is kindness... smart, purposeful kindness. Knowing this, remembering this always and following the paths of kindness is very, very important.».

« Caring is what unites people, strengthens the memory of the past, and is aimed entirely at the future. This is not the feeling itself - it is a concrete manifestation of the feeling of love, friendship, patriotism. A person must be caring. A carefree or carefree person is most likely a person who is unkind and does not love anyone».

« Somewhere in Belinsky’s letters, I remember, there is this idea: scoundrels always prevail over decent people because they treat decent people like scoundrels, and decent people treat scoundrels like decent people.

A stupid person doesn’t like a smart person, an uneducated person doesn’t like an educated person, an ill-mannered person doesn’t like a well-mannered person, etc. And all this is hidden behind some phrase: “I’m a simple person...”, “I don’t like philosophizing,” “I lived my life without it,” “That’s it.” this is from the evil one,” etc. But in the soul there is hatred, envy, a sense of one’s own inferiority».

« The most amazing quality of a person is love. This is where the connectedness of people is most fully expressed. And the connectedness of people (family, village, country, the entire globe) is the foundation on which humanity stands».

« Good cannot be stupid. A kind deed is never stupid, because it is selfless and does not pursue the goal of profit or a “smart result”... They say “kind” when they want to insult».

« If a person ceases to be a creative being and to be focused on the future, he will cease to be human».

« Greed is the oblivion of one’s own dignity, it is an attempt to put one’s material interests above oneself, it is a mental crookedness, a terrible orientation of the mind that is extremely limiting, mental witheredness, pitifulness, a jaundiced view of the world, bile towards oneself and others, oblivion of comradeship».

« Life is, first of all, creativity, but this does not mean that every person, in order to live, must be born an artist, ballerina or scientist».

« Morally, you must live as if you were to die today, and work as if you were immortal».

« The Earth is our tiny house, flying in an immeasurably large space... This is a museum flying defenselessly in colossal space, a collection of hundreds of thousands of museums, a dense gathering of works of hundreds of thousands of geniuses».

What exactly is the Likhachev phenomenon? After all, he was, in essence, a lone fighter. At his disposal there was no party, no movement, no influential position, no government leadership. Nothing. All he had at his disposal was moral reputation and authority.

Those who keep today Likhachev's legacy, we are convinced that it is necessary to remember Dmitry Sergeevich more often, not only when national anniversary events are held.

It is increasingly felt that the time has come for an honest attempt to rethink what is happening to the country and to all of us, which is why turning to cultural and moral values is especially important.

A whole generation has already grown up that does not remember Dmitry Likhachev. But some people deserve to be remembered. There were many instructive things in the life of this outstanding scientist and spiritual associate. And for any thinking person it would not be superfluous to find out for himself who Dmitry Sergeevich Likhachev was; his short biography is of interest.

Outstanding Russian thinker and scientist

There are not so many people in the socio-political life of Russian society whose importance clearly rises above the momentary passions of the moment. Individuals for whom the role of moral authority would be recognized, if not by everyone, then by a clear majority.

However, such people do sometimes exist. One of them is Dmitry Sergeevich Likhachev, whose biography contains so much that it would be enough for a series of fascinating historical novels about Russia in the twentieth century. With all its disasters, wars and contradictions. His life began during the Silver Age of Russian culture. And he died a year before the third millennium. At the end of the day And still believed in the future of Russia.

Some facts from the life of an academician

Dmitry Likhachev was born in 1906 in St. Petersburg, of modest means. He received a classical secondary education and continued his path to knowledge at the philological department of the Faculty of Social Sciences of Leningrad University. Unfortunately for him, there was a semi-underground circle among students that studied ancient Slavic philology. Dmitry Likhachev was also a member of it. His biography at this point sharply changes its direction. In 1928, he was arrested on standard charges of anti-Soviet activities and soon found himself in the White Sea.

A little later, Dmitry Likhachev was transferred to He was released early in 1932.

After the Gulag

He went through the hell of Stalin's camps, but the years of imprisonment did not break the young man. After returning to Leningrad, Dmitry Likhachev was able to complete his education and even get his criminal record cleared. He devotes all his time and energy to scientific work. His research in philological fields is often based on the experience gained in the camps. During the war, Dmitry Likhachev remains in besieged Leningrad. He does not stop researching ancient Russian chronicles during the siege winter. One of his works is devoted to the history of the defense of Russian cities during the era of the Mongol-Tatar invasion. He was evacuated from the city along the Road of Life only in the summer of 1942. Continues to work in Kazan.

His works in the field of history and philology are gradually beginning to acquire greater significance and authority in the Russian intellectual space.

Continent of Russian culture

Dmitry Likhachev gained worldwide recognition as a result of extensive fundamental research in various areas of Russian culture and philology from early Slavic writing to the present day. Perhaps no one before him had described and explored the thousand-year-old content of Russian and Slavic culture and spirituality in such a comprehensive manner. Its inextricable connection with the world's cultural and intellectual peaks. The indisputable merit of Academician Likhachev also lies in the fact that for a long time he concentrated and coordinated scientific forces in the most important research areas.

And once again becoming St. Petersburg, the former Leningrad University, among other things, will also be known for the fact that academician Dmitry Sergeevich Likhachev once studied here and then carried out research and teaching activities here for many years. His biography is inextricably intertwined with the fate of the famous university.

Community service

Dmitry Likhachev considered educational activities to be no less important than scientific ones. For many decades, he devoted all his energy and time to communicating his thoughts and views to the broad masses. In the second half of the eighties, an entire generation of those who today constitute the intellectual elite of Russian society grew up on his broadcasts on Central Television in the second half of the eighties. These programs were built in the format of free communication between an academician and a wide audience.

Until his last day, Dmitry Likhachev was engaged in publishing and editing activities, personally reading and correcting the manuscripts of young scientists. He considered it obligatory for himself to respond to all the numerous correspondence that sometimes came to him from the most remote corners of the country, from people who were not indifferent to the fate of Russia and Russian culture. It is significant that Dmitry Sergeevich was a categorical opponent of nationalism in any of its forms. He denied conspiracy theories in understanding historical processes and did not recognize Russia’s messianic role in the global history of human civilization.