Natalya P. Matkhanova,
Doctor of Historical Sciences, Institute of History of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Decembrist Aleksandr Viktorovich Poggio (1798–1873): the Problem of National (and not Only) Self-Identity
DOI: 10.31518/2618-9100-2020-6-5
The article studies the problem of national, cultural, confessional, social self-identity of Decembrist A.V. Poggio. It is noted that the issue of national identity and self-identity snd even ethnic composition of the Decembrist movement have never been a subject of special scientifik research, with the sole exeption of the Decembristc of German descent. To complete the research goal, the author of this article tries to answer the following questions: whether A.V. Poggio considered Italy or Russia his homeland; what language he used during the written and oral communication; did he use first-person pronouns (we, us, our) concerning Russians or Italians; did he call himself Russian or Italian. The research is based on such sources as his testimony during the investigation after the defeat of the Decembrist revolt, notes and letters, as well as the memoirs of his student and friend N.A. Belogolovy. The testimony of A.V. Poggio during the investigation shows that he emphasized his belonging to the Russian people, invariably called himself Russian and Russia – his Motherland, used the first-person pronouns concerning Russians. The author suggests that his self-identity was determined by the influence of reflection of P.I. Pestel on the Russian nation and the fate of foreigners. A.V. Poggio spoke Russian fluently (although he did not forget Italian) and used it in oral and written (official and private) communication. His family professed Orthodox faith and he lived in the Orthodox society, but he was a Catholic by religion. Finding out the social status of A.V. Poggio, the author notices that Aleksandr was aware of the family legend about his father’s origin from an ancient noble Italian family, but he did not try to prove it and was content with the nobility after the rank of his father. Although he had an estate that was indivisible with his mother and brother, in fact he remained a landless nobleman. Probably, the most correct way to define national identity and self-identity of A.V. Poggio is to name him a Russian Italian.
Publishing: 31/12/2020
The article has been received by the editor on 20.11.2020
How to cite: Matkhanova N.P. Decembrist Aleksandr Viktorovich Poggio (1798–1873): the Problem of National (and not Only) Self-Identity // Historical Courier, 2020, No. 6 (14), pp. 79–92. [Available online:] http://istkurier.ru/data/2020/ISTKURIER-2020-6-05.pdf
Links: Issue 6 2020
Keywords: Decembrists; national identity; class affiliation; Italians in Russia; A.V. Poggio