Nikolai Rozhalin

[Yelena]

 To: Margaret Anne Samu

Answering your request I can send you the following information.
 Saying exactly there were only five members in "Obshchestvo Liubomudriia:
prince Odoievskii,  D. Venevitinov, N. Rozhalin, A. I. Koshelev and I.
Kireevskii.

Look, what Koshelev wrote in his notes. "The Christian teaching seemed to us
suitable (kazalos prigodnym) for people mass (dlia narodnykh mass) only ,
but not for us, liubomudrov. We specially valued Spinoza, and we considered
his works much higher then the Gospels and other Holy books. We gathered
together in prince Odoevskii's house... He was the chairman, and D.
Venevitinov talked more then others, we were excited by his speeches. These
talks continued till December, 14 of 1825, when we have decided to quit our
meetings, because we did not want to attract police's suspicions, and also
because the political events captured all our attention. I vividly remember
how prince Odoievskii gathered us together after this unhappy date, and with
special solemnity put in fire the charter and protocols of our society of
liubomudrovs" in his home fireplace. (The Notes of Alexander Ivanovich
Koshelev. Berlin, 1884. P. 12)

This is my translation and I am sorry for it. If you read in Russian I may
send you the quotation in Latin transliteration.
Of course, they all were Christians, otherwise they would not be able to
enter Moscow State University, but they did not share very much the
spiritual content of Christianity. It seemed to them too simple and
old-fashion teaching. I am sure they all were interested in the aspect of
German romanticism. Of course, you know that obshchestvo liubomudrov this
was a secret (tainoie) obshchestvo. In 1822 all obshchestva (including
philosophical groups) were forbidden.

 Being exact none of liubomudrov personally was a Decembrist. But the
rebellion put the end of the society's existence. All of liubomudrovs were
very close with Decembrists, for example prince Odoievskii was a good friend
of his cousin A. I. Odoievskii, well-known poet and Decembrist. He published
his almanac "Mnemozina" in cooperation with Decembrist Kiukhel'beker in
1824-1825. But he did not support political side of Decembrist movement. He
wrote about this, if you are interested I may send to you some quotations.

 Slavophils were close towards liubomudry and participated in their
sessions, but it was another group of people. As I know Rozhalin was not a
Slavophil. Slavophils formed their ideology later.

 Sorry for a delay with this information, I was extremely busy with our
folklore project - www.russianexpedition.net

 Best wishes,

sincerely yours

Dr. Yelena Minyonok - vsem at cityline.ru

"Russian Folklore Expedition"

Curator of Folklore Archive,

Institute of World Literature

(Russian Academy of Sciences)

----- Original Message -----
From: "Margaret Anne Samu" <mas487 at NYU.EDU>
To: <SEELANGS at LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU>
Sent: Sunday, April 27, 2003 8:40 PM
Subject: [SEELANGS] Nikolai Rozhalin


> I am looking for information about Nikolai Rozhalin, who was a member of
the Obshchestvo Liubomudriia in Moscow 1823-25.  In particular, I would like
to find out about his religious convictions.  It would also be helpful to
know whether he was involved with the Decembrists, and whether he was one of
the Liubomudry who later became a Slavophile.
>
> Information is available about the more prominent members of the group,
but I don't know how much I can assume about Rozhalin based on this -- how
unified were they in their beliefs?  I know they were especially devoted to
Schelling, but were they interested in the aspect of German romanticism that
tended toward religious revivalism?  In other words, if it is possible to
generalize, what was their attitude towards Christianity?
>
> Many thanks for your help.
>
> Yours,
> Margaret Samu
> Institute of Fine Arts
> mas487 at nyu.edu
>
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