About Nikita Ilyich Tolstoy (On the 100th Anniversary of the Birth)

Abstract

The article is dedicated to the memory of the outstanding scientist, teacher, public figure Academician Nikita Ilyich Tolstoy, great-grandson of Leo Nikolayevich Tolstoy. At the 15th of April, 2023 Nikita Ilyich Tolstoy would have turned 100 years old. The article presents the memoirs of Nikita Ilyich’s student about her mentor. The main facts of his biography are listed, including childhood in exile, participation in the Second World War as part of the Yugoslav partisan underground and of the Red Army, and the career of a Soviet philologist. The article tells about the important stages of his scientific, pedagogical and social activities. The author recalls the key ideas, research, works and achievements of Nikita Ilyich. She discusses the emergence of ethnolinguistics, which he founded, and ethnolinguistic expeditions in Polissia, which he inspired and organized for many years. The author emphasizes the importance of the organizational activities of the scientist in the difficult period for the Russian science during the late 80s – 90s. The text contains many private episodes from everyday meetings, studies and work side by side with Nikita Ilyich, personal impressions. Outstanding education, intelligence and aristocracy of the descendant of the famous Tolstoy family are noted. The author also notes the sincere and deep religiosity of Nikita Ilyich, which he did not hide in spite of external circumstances. The article presents to the readers a full, living image of a man and a scholar who left a deep mark both in scholarship and in the hearts of all who were lucky enough to know him personally.

Received 20 February 2023

Revised 30 May 2023

Accepted 21 June 2023

How to cite: Nizametdinova, N. Kh. (N. N.), 2023. O Nikite Ilʹiche Tolstom (K 100-letiiu so dnia rozhdeniia) [About Nikita Ilyich Tolstoy (To the 100th Anniversary of the Birth)]. Slavic World in the Third Millennium, vol. 18 (1–2), pp. 141–151.