The problems of biography studies in reconstruction of P.M. Bitsilli's life by Bulgarian researchers

L.A. Sychenkova

Kazan Federal University, Kazan, 420008 Russia

E-mail: l.sichenkova@yandex.ru

Received October 5, 2019

Full text PDF

DOI: 10.26907/2541-7738.2020.1.216-222

For citation: Sychenkova L.A. The problems of biography studies in reconstruction of P.M. Bit­silli’s life by Bulgarian researchers. Uchenye Zapiski Kazanskogo Universiteta. Seriya Gumanitarnye Nauki, 2020, vol. 162, no. 1, pp. 216–222. doi: 10.26907/2541-7738.2020.1.216-222. (In Russian)

Abstract

Tanya Nedelcheva Galcheva’s contribution to the study of the biography and legacy of P.M. Bitsilli (1879–1953), a famous historian who emigrated from Russia, was analyzed. The journal “Uchenye Zapiski Kazanskogo Universiteta. Seriya Gumanitarnye Nauki” was suggested as a new international platform where Bulgarian, Russian, Israeli, and Ukrainian researchers would elaborate and discuss new approaches to studying the life of P.M. Bitsilli, who turns out to be indirectly connected with Kazan University through his mentors, followers, and researchers of his works. The publication of M.A. Birman’s book “P.M. Bitsilli (1879–1953). Life and Legacy” (Moscow, Vodolei, 2018. 444 p.) provoked an intense interest in the role of Bulgarian researchers investigating P.M. Bitsilli’s life. A tense discussion on the methodology was initiated by T. Galcheva, who draws particular attention to the ethical standards in biography studies. Her emotional review of M.A. Birman’s book is driven by the desire to refrain from any mythologization and fabrication while reconstructing P.M. Bitsilli’s life that can become widely used in historiography. It was concluded that T. Galcheva’s review encourages further discussion of an important problem regarding the possibility of applying the systemic cultural method in biography studies.

Keywords: Tanya Galcheva, P. Bitsilli, biography studies, legacy, studies of P.M. Bitsilli’s life, Kazan University, systemic cultural method

References

1. Birman M.A. P.M. Bitsilli (1879–1953). Zhizn’ i tvorchestvo [P.M. Bitsilli (1879–1953). Life and Legacy]. Moscow, Vodolei, 2018. 444 p. (In Russian)
2. Galcheva T. P.M. Bitsilli – a comeback attempt. In: Petr Mikhailovich Bitsilli. Izbrannoe. Istoriko-kul’turologicheskie raboty [Petr Mikhailovich Bitsilli. Selected Works. Historical and Cultural Studies]. Vol. I. Sofia, “Saint George” Publ. House of the Defense Ministry, “St. Clement of Ohrid” Univ. Publ. House, 1993, pp. 7–40. Available at: http://savedarchives.net/ru/article/pmbicilli-opyt-vozvrashteniia. (In Russian)
3. Balashova S.P. Meshchersky’s temple. In: Beloemigranty v Bolgarii: Vospominaniya [White Emigres in Bulgaria: Memoirs]. Moscow, Sinerzhi, 2013, pp. 15–50. (In Russian)
4. P. Bitsilli’s personal website. Available at: http://savedarchives.net/ru/article/bio-bibliografiia-profpmbicilli-chast-pervaia. (In Russian)
5. Gal’ N. The education I owe to my grandmother, Mariya Tomofeevna Bitsilli. Available at: http://savedarchives.net/ru/article/vospitanie-kotorym-ia-obiazana-moei-babushke-marii-timofeevne-bicilli. (In Russian)
6. The website of the Institute of International Relations of Kazan Federal University (Oct. 28, 2013). Available at: https://kpfu.ru/imoiv/prepodavatel-instituta-prinyala-uchastie-v-61284.htm. (In Russian)
7. The website of Odessa National University (Oct. 5, 2013). Available at: http://www.philosof.onu.edu.ua/ centre/archiv/05102013.htm. (In Russian)
8. Galcheva T.N., Golubovich I.V. “Ponemnogu prisposablivayus’ k “nezavisyashchim ot menya obstoyatel‘stvam”. P.M. Bitsilli i sem’ya Florovskikh v pervye gody emigratsii [«Little by Little I Adapt Myself to the “Circumstances beyond Control”». P.M. Bitsilli and the Florovsky Family in the Early Years of Emigration]. Sofia, Solntse, 2015. 320 p. (In Russian)
9. Vasil’eva M.A. Vasil’eva M.A. Complicity as a form of thinking: [Book review]: Galcheva T.N., Golubovich I.V. Little by little I adapt myself to the “circumstances beyond control”». P.M. Bitsilli and the Florovsky family in the early years of emigration. – Sofia, 2015. In: Ezhegodnik Doma russkogo zarubezh’ya imeni Aleksandra Solzhenitsyna [Annals of the Alexander Solzhenitsyn House of Russia Abroad]. Moscow, Dom Russ. Zarubezh’ya im. A. Solzhenitsyna, 2016, pp. 773–780. (In Russian)
10. The website of the Institute of International Relations of Kazan Federal University (Sept. 10, 2018). Available at: https://kpfu.ru/imoiv/pamyat-o-petre-bicilli-sobrala-uchenyh-iz-shesti.html. (In Russian)
11. Sychenkova L.A. The first conference devoted to P. Bitsilli was held in Moscow. The website of the Institute of International Relations of Kazan Federal University (Nov. 21, 2019). Available at: https://kpfu.ru/imoiv/pervaya-konferenciya-posvyaschennaya-pamyati_380432.html. (In Russian)
12. Bitsilli P.M. Elementy srednevekovoi kul’tury [Medieval Culture Elements]. St. Petersburg, Mifril, 1995. 242 p. (In Russian)
13. Parashkevova R. Russkii bretter pod pritselom [Russian Bretter at Gunpoint]. Sofia, Univ. sv. Klimenta Okhridskogo, 2017. 270 p. (In Russian)
14. Sychenkova L.A. Rumyana Parashkevova: My Kazan University. Respublika Tatarstan, 2019, May 29. Available at: http://rt-online.ru/rumyana-parashkevova-moj-kazanskij-universitet/. (In Russian)
15. Kaganovich B.S. P.M. Bitsilli as a cultural historian. In: Odissei: Chelovek v istorii, 1993. Obraz “drugogo” v kul’ture [Odysseus: A Man in History, 1993. The Image of the “Other” in Culture]. Moscow, Nauka, 1994, pp. 256–271. (In Russian)
16. Kaganovich B.S. P.M. Bitsilli and Eurasians: Collection of Papers. In: Diaspora: Novye materialy [Diaspora: New Materials]. St. Petersburg, Feniks, 2001, no. 2, pp. 291–299. (In Russian)
17. Kaganovich B.S. Russkie medievisty pervoi poloviny XX veka [Russian Medievalists in the First Half of the 20th Century]. St. Petersburg, Giperion, 2007. 241 p. (In Russian)
18. Pashuto V. Russkie istoriki-emigranty v Evrope [Russian Emigrant Historians in Europe]. Moscow, Nauka, 1992. 398 p. (In Russian)
19. Galcheva T., Golubovich I. “... He was such a soulful, subtle historian”. N.L. Gurfinkel’s letters about P.M. Bitsilli. Δόξα / Doksa, 2018, no. 1, pp. 195–214. (In Russian)

The content is available under the license Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.