NB! · Observations · Society

But in fact the Russian army took Berlin three times: the first in the course of the bloody Seven Years' War, on 12 October 1760; the second on 4 March 1813, during the Russian army's Foreign Campaign of 1813-1814; now, unjustly…

NB! · Archive · Observations · Education · Society

In today's presidential decree "On Approval of the Fundamentals of the State Policy of the Russian Federation in the Sphere of Historical Education", I noticed an important clause on the digitisation of archival documents and the creation of a nationwide

In today's presidential decree "On Approval of the Fundamentals of the State Policy of the Russian Federation in the Sphere of Historical Education", I noticed an important clause on the digitisation of archival documents and the creation of a nationwide platform for archival search. We shall

Passport booklet page with a handwritten entry declaring the holder unfit for military service at the 1902 conscription.

Archive · Society

Record of exemption from military service in a Russian Empire passport booklet of 1907

Attitude to Military Service:. Appeared for the performance of military service at the conscription of 1902, but was found wholly unfit for military service, and is therefore exempted from service for ever From a passport book of the Russian Empire, 1907

Books · Society · People

I laugh at those peoples, sunk in abasement, who, egged on by demagogues, dare to speak of freedom without having the least notion of it, and who, with hearts full of all the vices of slaves, imagine that to become free…

I laugh at those peoples, sunk in abasement, who, egged on by demagogues, dare to speak of freedom without having the least notion of it, and who, with hearts full of all the vices of slaves, imagine that to become free it is enough to be rebels. Proud and holy

Museums · Observations · Society · Paris

Six months ago I wrote about the warm-up exercises performed in the Louvre before "The Battle of Arbela", and now it has emerged that the Louvre and four major Parisian museums will take part in the events of the Olympic Games

Six months ago I wrote about the warm-up exercises performed in the Louvre before "The Battle of Arbela", and now it has emerged that the Louvre and four major Parisian museums will take part in the events of the Olympic Games. The Louvre, the Orsay, the Orangerie

Observations · Education · Society · Humour

A professor whose name may not be mentioned reports that, at a university whose name may not be mentioned, doctoral applicants write a special letter on the history of their vulnerability

A professor whose name may not be mentioned reports that, at a university whose name may not be mentioned, doctoral applicants write a special letter on the history of their vulnerability. A special committee, which did not exist ten years ago, awards them points on a certain scale and then

The East · Books · Science · Society

The Arab historian Ibn Khaldun, in the fourteenth century, described the dependence of society on tax rates as follows:

At the beginning of a dynasty, when the rulers' demands are modest, taxes are low, and crafts and trade develop freely. As crafts and trade develop, a taste for luxury awakens in the rulers. As the rulers grow accustomed to luxury, they raise taxes. When taxes rise, crafts and

Archive · Mores · Society

Sunday became the seventh day of the week in the USSR by decree of 26 June 1940

The calendars of 1928 and 1945. Spot the difference? Until 1940, in the USSR, as in many countries of the world, the first day of the week was the day of rest, Sunday. The Russian word for week, nedelya, originally meant Sunday, and the days that followed were named according

Interviews · Books · Society · Pop Culture

A view on Joan Rowling's statement, society's reaction and Tsvetaeva's poetry

I asked Tatyana Tolstaya what she thinks of the persecution of J.K. Rowling over her much-discussed remark, and how she deals with the problem of separating the creator from the creation. On J.K. Rowling: her remark was perfectly normal, and society's reaction was utterly cretinous.

Books · Science · Society · People

Arnold Toynbee spent more than 25 years writing "A Study of History"

Arnold Toynbee spent more than 25 years writing "A Study of History". The work, which describes the rise and fall of civilisations, gave us the remark that civilisations die from suicide, not murder. Toynbee maintains that the fate of civilisations is determined by their response to the challenges

Books · Observations · Society

Progress Is the Mother of All Problems

Gilbert Keith Chesterton

The East · Geography · Society

India's Population Overtakes That of China

India's population has overtaken that of China. India is home to 1.442 billion people, China to 1.425 billion. The population of Russia is 146.150 million people.