The Resignation of D.A. Klemenz: the Fate of the Old Narodnik in the Interweaving of Personal Drama and Administrative Intrigues

Abstract

The article presents the results of a study on the resignation of D. A. Clements from his position as the keeper of the Ethnographic Department of the Russian Museum of Emperor Alexander III during 1909–1910. This process was accompanied by a series of behind-the-scenes intrigues in the scientific and bureaucratic circles of Russia and was connected to the persistent efforts of the scientist’s close friends to safeguard his well-being. The research is based on published and unpublished sources, most of which are being introduced into scholarly circulation for the first time. Primarily, these include the epistolary legacy of Clements and his close associates, stored in the archives of leading Russian institutions. The authors note that this study sheds light on the historical context of the early 20th century, illustrating how personal tragedies and socio- political processes influenced not only Clements fate but also that of other prominent Russian scientific and cultural figures with revolutionary backgrounds. The research materials can be used in future scholarly activities aimed at studying the history of Russia in the early 20th century, as well as in the process of teaching the discipline «History of Russia in the 20th Century».