ABOUT THE FRIENDSHIP AND COOPERATION OF ANDREI NIKOLAEVICH KARAMZIN WITH VLADIMIR FEDOROVICH ODOEVSKY

Abstract

The article presents excerpts from letters from the eldest son of the famous Russian historiographer N.M. Karamzin Andrei Nikolaevich Karamzin, addressed to the writer and public figure Vladimir Fedorovich Odoevsky. These letters are kept in the Manuscripts Department of the Russian National Library. There are many studies and publications about the life and contacts of Andrei Nikolaevich, but they mainly concern his acquaintance with famous writers and poets, military service and tragic death. This article presents previously unpublished materials about his collaboration work with V.F. Odoevsky’ in the charitable organization “Society for Visiting Poor Petitioners,” in which Odoevsky was the permanent chairman, and Karamzin in the early 1850s was a fellow chairman. In addition, Andrei Nikolaevich was a member of the “Administrative Assembly” and chairman of the Committee for the Management of the Kuznetsov Women’s School. Both the society and the school did not last long, but they represent a vivid example of active, multifaceted, and most importantly successful social activities for the benefit of vulnerable segments of the population. The principles of work applied in this organization have not lost their relevance even now. In addition, the article briefly talks about the Karamzins’ literary salon and the friendly contacts of A.N. Karamzin and V.F. Odoevsky.