Expeditionary Journals of Major General G. N. Karaev, Leader of the Combined Expedition to Establish the Exact Location of the Battle on the Ice: The Second Half of the 1950s — Early 1960s

Print

УДК 94(47).093

DOI 10.28995/2073-0101-2020-1-23-35

Yury V. Krivosheev, Roman A. Sokolov, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation

Expeditionary Journals of Major General G. N. Karaev, Leader of the Combined Expedition to Establish the Exact Location of the Battle on the Ice: The Second Half of the 1950s — Early 1960s

Abstract

Recent studies of the Battle of the Ice (1242) in many respects derive from the late 1950s–early 1960s expedition of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR to the region of Lake Peipsi that was to determine the battle location. The reliability of the results it obtained is now evaluated differently, especially by those zealously searching for evidence of state commission. Materials collected and research carried out and published as early as 1962 is now used in disputes; however the authors contend that that they are not sufficient for making balanced and objective conclusions. Handwritten diaries of the expedition leader G. N. Karaev should shed a new light on the history of the project: its preparation, field work progress, and applied methods. The diaries covering the period of 1956-1960 are stored in the fonds of the Archive of the Pskov State United Historical, Architectural, and Fine Arts Museum-Reserve. The text refers directly to the time of the described events (to a day). The diaries expound the research process (including submarine studies) and the general mood of the expedition. They show that the initiative came from the local historians, some of those amateurs. However, support of the leading scholars (particularly, academician M.N. Tikhomirov) and of the USSR Academy of Sciences gave the project its scientific force. The documents attached to the diaries confirm that G. N. Karayev founded his conclusions on the changes in level and depths of the lake, its bottom relief, and reasons for the absence of finds that definitely dated from the 13thcentury on the data obtained by experts in the natural and exact sciences. The authors conclude that the expedition journals of G. N. Karaev confirm the reliability of its results.

Keywords

Personal provenance source, archive, Battle of the Ice of 1242, Alexander Nevsky, G. N. Karaev, combined expedition to locate the site of the Battle on the Ice, Pskov State United Historical, Architectural, and Fine Arts Museum-Reserve, Drevlekhranilishche.

Download the article: krivosheev_sokolov_doi

References

VASIL’EVA, Z. K. Fond Georgiya Nikolaevicha Karaeva v drevlekhranilishche Pskovskogo gosudarstvennogo ob"edinennogo istoriko-arkhitekturnogo i khudozhestvennogo muzeya-zapovednika [The fond of Georgy Nikolaevich Karayev in the archive of the Pskov State United Historical, Architectural, and Fine Arts Museum-Reserve. In Russ.]. IN: Regional'nye Chudskie chteniya. Sb. materialov 2007–2009 gg. [Regional Peipsi Readings: Proceedings: 2007–2009. In Russ.]. Pskov, 2009, pp. 15–18.

KRIVOSHEEV, Yu. V., MANDRIK, M. V., SOKOLOV, R. A. Dnevnik poezdki na Chudskoe ozero akademika M. N. Tikhomirova (1958 g.) [Academician M.N. Tikhomirov’s diary of the trip to Lake Peipsi (1958). In Russ.]. IN: Russkie drevnosti. Sb. nauch. trudov. K 75-letiiu professora Igorya Yakovlevicha Froyanova [Russian antiquities: Collection of scientific papers: To the 75th anniversary of professor Igor Yakovlevich Froyanov. In Russ.]. St. Petersburg, 2011, pp. 387–406.

KRIVOSHEEV, Yu. V., SOKOLOV, R. A. Akademik M. N. Tikhomirov i general G. N. Karaev: v poiskakh mesta Ledovogo poboishcha [Academician M.N. Tikhomirov and General G.N. Karaev: In Search of the Location of the Battle on the Ice. In Russ.]. IN: Ledovoe poboishche v zerkale istorii. Sbornik nauchnykh rabot, posvyashchennykh 770-letiyu bitvy na Chudskom ozere [The Battle on the Ice in the mirror of history: Collection of scientific papers dedicated to the 770th anniversary of the Battle of Lake Peipsi. In Russ.]. Lipetsk, 2013, pp. 13–25.

KRIVOSHEEV Yu. V., SOKOLOV R. A. Aleksandr Nevskii. Issledovaniya i issledovateli [Alexander Nevsky: Research and researchers. In Russ.]. St. Petersburg, Izd-vo Olega Abyshko publ., 2018, 368 p.

KRIVOSHEEV, Yu. V., SOKOLOV, R. A. 1. G. N. Karaev kak istorik voin Rossii v XX veke [Karayev as a historian of the wars of Russia in the 20th century. In Russ.]. IN: Rossiiskaia gosudarstvennost': vlast' i obshchestvo v XX veke [Russian statehood: Power and society in the 20th century. In Russ.]. St. Petersburg, 2013, pp. 24–26.

KRIVOSHEEV, Yu. V., MESHCHENINA, A. A., SOKOLOV, R. A. Ledovoe poboishche: zagadki ekspeditsii [The Battle on Ice: Mysteries of the expeditions. In Russ.]. IN: Vestnik Gosudarstvennoi polyarnoi akademii [Bulletin of the State Polar Academy], 2013, no 1, pp. 43–47.

MESHCHENINA, A. A. Uchenye Sankt-Peterburgskogo universiteta ob Aleksandre Nevskom: XXI vek [Scientists of St. Petersburg University on Alexander Nevsky: The 21st century. In Russ.]. IN: Ot Aleksandra Nevskogo do nashikh dnei: uroki istorii: Materialy VIII Mezhdunarodnykh Aleksandro-Nevskikh chtenii (g. Pskov, 8–9 iiunia 2017 g.) [From Alexander Nevsky to our days: Lessons of history: Materials of the VIII International Alexander Nevsky Readings (Pskov, June 8–9, 2017). In Russ.]. Pskov, 2017, pp. 61–66.

POTRESOV, A. S. Dnevniki ekspeditsii [Expedition Diary. In Russ.]. IN: POTRESOV, V. A. Tako v nas napisano v letopistsekh… Pskovskii krai: ocherki, portrety, dnevniki [Thus hath been written of us in the annals ... The Pskov region: Essays, portraits, diaries. In Russ.]. Velikiye Luki, Izd-vo Sergeia Markelova publ., 2012, pp. 202–292.

Trudy Kompleksnoi ekspeditsii po utochneniyu mesta Ledovogo poboishcha 1242 g. [KARAEV G. N. (ed.). Proceedings of the combined expedition to establish the exact location of the Battle on the Ice (1242). In Russ.]. Moscow; Leningrad, Nauka publ., 1962, 254 p.

SHENK, F. B. Aleksandr Nevskii v russkoi kul'turnoi pamyati: Svyatoi, pravitel', natsional'nyi geroi (1263–2000) [Alexander Nevsky in Russian cultural memory: Saint, ruler, national hero (1263–2000). In Russ.]. Moscow: Novoe literaturnoe obozrenie publ., 2007, 589 p.

About authors

Krivosheev Yury Vladimirovich, PhD in History, professor, St. Petersburg State University, department of regional studies, head of the department, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation, +7-921-929-34-57, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Sokolov Roman Alexandrovich, PhD in History, professor, St. Petersburg State University, department of the Western European art, head of the department, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation, +7-921-307-80-31, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Grant information

The research has been funded by the Russian Science Foundation grant (project no. 17-18-01168) “Modifications of the socio-political teachings of the Bible in history and religious foundations of political and legal doctrines of the Russian Empire.”

Submitted 26.04.2019, published (for citation):

KRIVOSHEEV, Yu. V., SOKOLOV, R. A. Ekspeditsionnye dnevniki general-maiora G. N. Karaeva – rukovoditelya Kompleksnoi ekspeditsii po utochneniyu mesta Ledovogo poboishcha. Vtoraya polovina 1950-kh — nachalo 1960-kh gg. [Expeditionary Journals of Major General G. N. Karaev, Leader of the Combined Expedition to Establish the Exact Location of the Battle on the Ice: The Second Half of the 1950s — Early 1960s. In Russ.]. IN: Vestnik arhivista / Herald of an Archivist, 2020, no. 1, pp. 23-35. doi 10.28995/2073-0101-2020-1-23-35

You can read completely article in the russian historic-archival magazine “The Herald of an Archivist”. Read more about terms of subscription here.

Полностью материал публикуется в российском историко-архивоведческом журнале ВЕСТНИК АРХИВИСТА. Ознакомьтесь с условиями подписки здесь.