Natalia Petrovna 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.
D.Ya. Rezun’s Letters to E.V. Chistyakova as a Historiographical Source
DOI: 10.31518/2618-9100-2026-1-3
This article analyzes the informational significance of letters written by D.Ya. Rezun, the prominent Siberian historian and specialist in historical urban studies and historiography, to E.V. Chistyakova, one of the leading Russian medievalists and a representative of Academician M.N. Tikhomirov’s school. The study draws upon not only these letters but academic books and papers written by both D.Ya. Rezun and E.V. Chistyakova as well. It highlights key aspects of Rezun’s academic biography and explains why his name is not listed on the editorial board of several volumes in the “Cities of Siberia” series. It delves into the distinctive features of his creative methodology and his perspectives on certain concepts introduced by Chistyakova. The article emphasizes Rezun’s elevated self-assessment of contributions to studying G.F. Miller’s legacy. Additionally, the research uncovers the underlying causes of Rezun’s conflict with his academic supervisor, O.N. Vilkov, and examines how this strife affected his scholarly and organizational endeavors, as well as the environment at the Institute of History, Philology, and Philosophy of the Siberian Branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences. By analyzing the letters in conjunction with D.Ya. Rezun’s academic works, the article reveals a unique combination of the historian’s viewpoint as a text-reader and that of a historical culturologist or historical anthropologist. In conclusion, the study affirms the letters’ significance for exploring research practices, interpersonal relationships, and the historiographical landscape of the period.
Publishing: 28/02/2026
The article has been received by the editor on 30/08/2025
How to cite: Matkhanova N.P. D.Ya. Rezun’s Letters to E.V. Chistyakova as a Historiographical Source // Historical Courier, 2026, No. 1 (45), pp. 38−46. [Available online: http://istkurier.ru/data/2026/ISTKURIER-2026-1-03.pdf]
The article was made on the topic of the state assignment “The Past in the Manuscript Sources of the 16th−20th Centuries: Preservation and Development of Traditions” (FWZM-2024-0006).
Links: Issue 1 2026
Keywords: historiographical sources; epistolary; history of historical urban studies; D.Ya. Rezun; E.V. Chistyakova; O.N. Vilkov