Introductory Articles to the Volumes of the Documentary Series “Polar Star” as a Historiographic Source

The study focuses on the introductory articles to the documentary series “Polar Star”, published from 1979 to 1993, which documented the biographies of the Decembrists. It aims to evaluate their significance as historiographic sources. The analyses conducted by S. V. Zhitomirskaya and S. V. Mironenko elucidate the previously overlooked role of Fonvizin within secret societies. The introductory article authored by V. P. Pavlova examines the Siberian period of Trubetskoy’s works, thereby revealing the unique constraints experienced by Soviet historians. Notably, she was compelled to revise her original conceptual framework due to the pressures exerted by the editorial board under the leadership of Academician M. V. Nechkina. Moreover, several introductory articles reflect on the emotional and psychological conditions of the Decembrists and explore aspects of their private lives – an approach that was relatively uncommon in the historiography of that era. The majority of the introductory articles to the “Polar Star” also discuss the evolution of the Decembrists’ views towards revolutionary democracy in the mid-19th century, reflecting the prevailing interpretations of Russian history at that time. These publications provide comprehensive descriptions of the published sources, with many offering significant insights into these materials. The findings have made valuable contributions to modern historical scholarship, particularly by illuminating the participation of various Decembrists in the movement and uncovering their scientific, journalistic, and epistolary contributions, which have now been incorporated into academic discourse. Additionally, these articles have provided clarification on the correct spellings of names such as A. F. Brigen and V. I. Steinheil. They serve as important historiographic sources for studying Decembrist history, highlighting the impact of censorship and the broader ideological and historiographic context. Overall, the articles capture the personalities of their authors, showcasing their professionalism, erudition, scientific perspectives, deep understanding, broad outlook, perseverance in information gathering, and commitment to defending their positions.

1. Andreeva T. V. Taynye obshchestva v Rossii v pervoi treti XIX v.: pravitel’stvennaya politika i obschestvennoe mnenie [The Secret Societies in Russia in the Early 19th Century: Government Policies and Public Opinion]. St. Petersburg, Liki Rossii, 2009, 912 p. (in Russ.)

2. Belousov M. S. “Predatel’stvo” S. P. Trubetskogo: pro et contra [The “Treason” of S. P. Trubetskoy: Pro et Contra]. Vestnik Sankt-Peterburgskogo universiteta. Seriya 2 [Vestnik of Saint Petersburg University. Series 2], 2014, iss. 4, pp. 15–30. (in Russ.)

3. Bokova V. M. Epokha tainykh obshchestv [The Age of Secret Societies]. Moscow, Realii-Press, 2003, 656 p. (in Russ.)

4. Bokova V. M. “Bol'noi skoree zhiv, chem mertv”: zametki ob otechestvennom dekabristovedenii 1990-kh gg. [“The patient is alive rather than dead”: Notes on the National Decembrists Studies in 1990s]. In: 14 dekabrya 1825 goda: istochniki, issledovaniya, istoriografiya, bibliografiya [December 14, 1825: Sources, Researches, Historiography, Bibliography]. St. Petersburg, 2001, iss. 4, pp. 497–561. (in Russ.)

5. Darevskaya E. M. Zavershen li spor o S. P. Trubetskom? [Is the Dispute about S. P. Trubetskoy Over?]. Istoriya SSSR [History of the USSR], 1990, no. 5, pp. 151–160. (in Russ.)

6. Edelman O. V. Sledstvie po delu dekabristov [Investigation of the Decembrists’ Case]. Moscow, Modest Kolerov, 2010, 354 p. (in Russ.)

7. Edelman O. V. Razgovor o dekabristakh [A Conversation about the Decembrists]. Peterburgskii istoricheskii zhurnal [Petersburg Historical Journal], 2019, no. 2, pp. 156–160. (in Russ.)

8. Gordin Ya. A. Sobytiya i lyudi 14 dekabrya [Events and People on December 14]. Moscow, Sovetskaya Rossiya, 1985, 288 p. (in Russ.)

9. Ilyin P. V. 30-letie dokumental’noi serii “Polyarnaya zvezda”: dostizheniya i perspektivy [30th Anniversary of the Documentary Series “Polar Star”: Achievements and Perspectives]. In: Arkheograficheskii ezhegodnik za 2009–2010 gg. [Archaeographical Yearbook for 2009– 2010]. Moscow, 2013, pp. 25–35. (in Russ.)

10. Ilyin P. V., Shkerin V. A. Mezhdutsarstvie i peterburgskoe vosstanie dekabristov v zerkale postsovetskoi istoriografii [The Interregnum and the Saint Petersburg Revolt of the Decembrists as Reflected in the Post-Soviet Historiography]. Vestnik Sankt-Peterburgskogo universiteta. Istoriya [Vestnik of Saint Petersburg University. History], 2021, vol. 66, no. 2, рp. 655– 671. (in Russ.) DOI 10.21638/11701/spbu02.2021.220

11. Ippolitov G. M. Istoriograficheskii fakt i istoriograficheskii istochnik kak kategorii istoricheskoi nauki: neprostaya dialektika [Historiographic Fact and Historiographic Source as Categories of Historical Studies: Nonsimple Dialectics]. Izvestiya Samarskogo nauchnogo tsentra Rossiiskoi akademii nauk [Izvestia of Samara Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences], 2013, vol. 15, no. 1, pp. 184–195. (in Russ.)

12. Kurskova G. Yu. Neizvestnoe ob izvestnom [The Unknown about the Known]. Sibir’ [Siberia], 1984, no. 6, pp. 95–98. (in Russ.)

13. Lavrov N. F. Diktator 14 dekabrya [Dictator of December 14]. In: Bunt dekabristov: yubileinyi sbornik, 1825–1925 [Decembrist Revolt: Jubilee Collection, 1825–1925]. Leningrad, 1926, pp. 129–222. (in Russ.)

14. Malovichko S. I. Problema klassifikatsii istochnikov v predmetnom pole istochnikovedeniya istoriografii [The Problem of Classifying Sources in the Subject Field of Historiographic Source Study]. Vestnik Nizhegorodskogo universiteta imeni N. I. Lobachevskogo [Vestnik of Lobachevsky University of Nizhny Novgorod], 2015, no. 2, pp. 36–44. (in Russ.)

15. Matkhanova N. P. Iz opyta raboty v serii “Polyarnaya zvezda” [Work Experience in the “Polar Star” Series]. Izvestiya Irkutskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta. Seriya: Istoriya [The Bulletin of Irkutsk State University. Series: History], 2012, no. 1 (2), pp. 200–205.

16. Nechkina M. V. Den’ 14 dekabrya 1825 goda [December 14, 1825]. 2nd ed., supplemented and revised. Moscow, Mysl’, 1975, 398 p. (in Russ.)

17. Nechkina M. V. Neskol’ko slov o sibirskom trekhtomnike. Vmesto predisloviya [A Few Words about the Siberian Three-Volume Work. Instead of a Foreword]. In: V serdtsakh Otechestva synov [In the Hearts of the Fatherland’s Sons]. Irkutsk, 1975, pp. 5–10. (in Russ.)

18. Pashko I. V. Arkhiv V. P. Pavlovoi v Irkutskom muzee dekabristov [V. P. Pavlova’s Archive at the Irkutsk Museum of the Decembrists]. In: Dekabristskoe kol’tso. Vestnik Irkutskogo muzeya dekabristov [The Decembrist Ring. Bulletin of the Irkutsk Museum of the Decembrists], 2018, iss. 4, pp. 183–194. (in Russ.)

19. Pushkarev L. N. Opredelenie, sistematizatsiya i ispol’zovanie istoriograficheskikh istochnikov [Definition, Systematization and Use of Historiographic Sources]. In: Metodologicheskie i teoreticheskie problemy istorii istoricheskoi nauki [Methodological and Theoretical Problems of Historiography]. Kalinin, 1980, pp. 101–108. (in Russ.)

20. Remizova N. G. Dekabrist S. P. Trubetskoi v russkoi i sovetskoi istoriografii [Decembrist S. P. Trubetskoy in the Russian and Soviet Historiography]. In: Problemy istoriografii obshchestvenno-politicheskogo dvizheniya v Rossii XIX – nachala XX v. [Problems of Historiography of the Socio-political Movement in Russia in the 19th – Early 20th Centuries]. Ivanovo, 1986, pp. 3–33. (in Russ.)

21. Shkerin V. A. Ural’skii sled dekabrista Brigena [Ural Trace of the Decembrist Brigen]. Moscow, Yekaterinburg, Kabinetnyi uchenyi, 2016, 314 p. (in Russ.)

22. Shmidt S. O. O nekotorykh obshchikh problemakh istorii istoricheskoi nauki [On Some General Problems of the Historiography]. In: Metodologicheskie i teoreticheskie problemy istorii istoricheskoi nauki [Methodological and Theoretical Problems of Historiography]. Kalinin, 1980, pp. 109–117. (in Russ.)

23. Tartakovsky A. G. [Rev.] M. A. Fonvizin. Sochineniya i pis'ma. Tom 1. Dnevnik i pis’ma [M. A. Fonvizin. Essays and Letters. Volume 1. Diary and Letters]. Irkutsk, 1979. Istoriya SSSR [History of the USSR], 1980, no. 6, pp. 163–166. (in Russ.)

24. Tsamutali A. N., Belousov M. S. 190-letie vosstaniya dekabristov [190th Anniversary of the Decembrists Uprising]. Vestnik Sankt-Peterburgskogo universiteta. Seriya 2 [Bulletin of St. Petersburg University. Series 2], 2015, iss. 4, pp. 5–19. (in Russ.)

25. Tumanik E. N. Dvizhenie dekabristov v trudakh S. F. Kovalya [Decembrist’s Movement in Scientific Publications by S. F. Koval]. Izvestiya Irkutskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta. Seriya: Istoriya [The Bulletin of Irkutsk State University. Series: History], 2024, vol. 47, pp. 116–123. (in Russ.) DOI 10.26516/2222-9124.2024.47.116