“One good person less...”: Responses of the Russian press to the death of academician A. N. Pypin

The work publishes the responses of St. Petersburg press to the death of a literary historian, academician Alexander Nikolaevich Pypin. The correspondence, notes, and obituaries of three newspapers – Peterburgskie Vedomosti, Rus’, and Novoye Vremya – for November 27–29, 1904 are presented. The materials are arranged in the chronological order of their publication in each edition. In newspaper correspondence, notes with exact date and time indication, event details, names of participants, a series of farewell events with A. N. Pypin were highlighted: the memorial service, funeral procession, burial. This reliable factual information fills the gap in the Pypin historiography related to the issues of his death, burial, as well as the first posthumous evaluations of his personality and activities expressed in the obituaries by his contemporaries. Periodicals express the unity of opinions about the late scientist, the social and historical significance of his work is noted. The obituaries emphasize the role of A. N. Pypin in educating the Russian society, in developing national consciousness, they highlight the popularity of his scientific research in various fi elds of scientific knowledge in wide learned circles, his international scientific authority. The name of the scientist serves as the personification of enlightenment, progress, genuine public spirit, and high humanistic ideals. The published newspaper materials make it possible to identify the attitude of the official authorities towards the scientist, to note their recognition of A. N. Pypin at the end of his life. The publication is accompanied by an introductory article and comments. The material is included in the collection of M. N. Chernyshevsky of the main fund of the Museum-Estate of N. G. Chernyshevsky (Saratov).

academician A. N. Pypin, questions of biography, funeral events, obituaries in periodicals