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Kuchelbecker Wilhelm Karlovich

KÜCHELBECKER Wilhelm Karlovich was born - a poet.

He spent his childhood in Estonia. He received his initial education in a private boarding house in the city of Verreaux.

In 1811 he entered the Tsarsko-Selo Lyceum, and Delvig and Pushkin became his friends. Big influence he was influenced by the patriotic upsurge caused by the War of 1812.

In 1815, Wilhelm Karlovich’s first poem appeared - “The Song of the Laplander”, which appeared in the September book of the magazine “Amphion”. Since then, he has been regularly published on the pages of periodical publications. Kuchelbecker's freedom-loving sentiments appeared very early. At the Lyceum he became a member of the “Sacred Arte”, most of whose participants then joined the secret society of Decembrists “Union of Salvation”.

In 1819, he was elected to the Free Society of Lovers of Russian Literature and at one of its meetings read the revolutionary poem “Poets,” addressed to Delvig, Baratynsky and written in connection with Pushkin’s exile.

After graduating from the Lyceum, Wilhelm Karlovich, together with Pushkin and Griboyedov, served in the archives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In addition, he taught at a boarding school at the Pedagogical Institute.

In 1820 Kuchelbecker went abroad, lived in Germany, Italy, and Paris. In Paris, he successfully lectured on Russian literature, met with Benjamin Constant, in Germany with Goethe, and told them about the achievements of modern Russian literature. In Western Europe, everything reminded Wilhelm Karlovich of revolutionary events (the French revolution, the Greek uprising, the Piedmontese revolution), of “armed freedom, the struggle of peoples and kings.”

In August 1821 he returned to St. Petersburg. Friends helped the young man, who was suspected by the authorities, enter the service of the “proconsul of the Caucasus,” General Ermolov.

In October 1821, Kuchelbecker arrived in Tiflis, but already in May 1822 he left the service and returned to Russia. In Moscow, together with V.F. Odoevsky, he began publishing the almanac Mnemosyne (1824-25), in which he decisively advocated the creation of national literature and against passive elegiac romanticism. In the article “On the direction of our poetry, especially lyrical, in the last decade,” Kuchelbecker widely deployed his aesthetic principles. He advocated high genres—the great heroic poem, the civil ode, and tragedy. The poet was dissatisfied with the intimacy, narrowness of elegies and messages, sophistication and erasure poetic language, due to the strength of small lyrical forms (friendly messages, burimes, charades, madrigals).

In 1825, Wilhelm Karlovich moved to St. Petersburg, where he joined the secret Northern Society. During the December uprising, he acted actively and boldly: he gathered soldiers scattered by shots into formation, shot (unsuccessfully) at Grand Duke Mikhail Pavlovich and General Voinov. After the suppression of the uprising, Kuchelbecker changed into a sheepskin coat and fled from St. Petersburg, but was captured in Warsaw, taken to the capital and imprisoned in the Peter and Paul Fortress.

The death penalty to which he was sentenced was replaced by twenty years of hard labor, and later this measure was changed: instead of hard labor, the poet spent more than ten years in solitary confinement in various fortresses, and in 1835 he was exiled to Siberia.

Suffering from tuberculosis and losing his sight, he died in Tobolsk.

Until his last days, Kuchelbecker found creative strength to engage in literary work. Neither illness nor serious illness broke him financial situation, nor a depressed moral state. He wrote poems, poems, dramatic works, kept a diary, and translated Shakespearean tragedies. Only a tiny fraction of what he wrote during these years was published anonymously during his lifetime, mainly thanks to the efforts of Pushkin.

The work of Wilhelm Karlovich Kuchelbecker is original and contradictory: it combined the civil traditions of Russian classicism with the principles of Decembrist romanticism.

Kuchelbecker's poetic path began with poems written in imitation of Zhukovsky. His early works are designed in a sentimental and elegiac spirit, they have strong motives of loneliness, dull elegism and gloomy hopelessness. However, the poet gradually frees himself from them and becomes more and more imbued with civic and freedom-loving sentiments. His poetry glorifies friendship as a union of people who have devoted themselves to the high ideas of freedom, brotherhood and justice. The poet's lyrical hero is a fighter against tyranny, ready to accept death, but boldly rush into battle.

Kuchelbecker's favorite theme of creativity is the theme of poetic service. The poet appears in his lyrics as a singer-prophet, a singer-citizen, a fighter for the people's good. And although he feels the inevitability and inevitability of difficult trials and sacrifices, he does not shy away from the struggle, but, on the contrary, boldly goes to meet it. This act sharply emphasizes his civic valor. At the same time, the poet appears in Kuchelbecker’s poems as a teacher of people, capable of foreseeing and predicting the future.

Wilhelm Karlovich's lyrics had certain weaknesses. The range of themes and ideas in his lyrical works was limited and rather monotonous. Beyond the lyric there remained the complex and unexplained internal contradictions of Russian life and the consciousness of the person contemporary to the Decembrist poet, which were understood by him and his like-minded friends in a romantic, abstract way.

The main genre of Kuchelbecker's lyrics is the civil ode, close in form to the odes of classicism. In this genre, the poet asserted the Decembrist ideal of a freedom fighter. These are the odes

"Griboedov"

"Ode on the Death of Byron."

Another important genre in Kuchelbecker's work was tragedy. In them, the inconsistency of Decembrist romanticism was revealed with particular acuteness.

In the early 20s. Kuchelbecker created the tragedy "Argi-väne". It was based on an ancient plot, but the content of the tragedy is thoroughly modern. Antique material, in accordance with the political and aesthetic principles of the Decembrists, served only as a screen to cover agitation and propaganda goals. The anti-tyrant orientation of the tragedy is obvious: “The Argives” exposed the cruelty and despotism of the tyrant, and predicted his inevitable death. A contemporary easily established a connection between the fictional ancient world and Russian reality. At the same time, complex historical and modern problems were solved in a romantic, abstract way: the principle of historicism was ignored, the era was reproduced in a general, typical, rather than specific way artistic depiction. Real details ancient world did not have a serious meaning for the author: instead of the word “tyrant” Kuchelbecker used “tsar”, and instead of the word “forum” - the old Russian “veche”. Deliberately distracted from a specific historical era, the poet fell into rhetoric and declarativeness.

After 1825 creative forces the poets do not weaken. In his lyrics, notes of despair, sorrow, and reconciliation begin to sound, but they do not determine its main pathos. Kuchelbecker V.K remained an “unrepentant Decembrist.” The reasons for the pessimistic mood are the defeat of the December uprising, isolation from friends, from real life, and the inability to again fight for the ideas dear to the poet. The hero of Kuchelbecker’s post-December lyrics is a persistent man who has not lost faith in the justice of his ideological convictions,

"My Destiny", (1834),

In the poem “The Fate of Russian Poets” (1845), Kuchelbecker again returns to the theme of poetic service, glorifies heroic feat in the name of the ideals of his Decembrist youth.

Vilhelm Karlovich's lyrics become more diverse in genres and themes. Poems in which Decembrist motifs continue

"Hero and Singer"

“Three shadows”, 1840, published in 1862), are distinguished by energy, precision and conciseness of expression that is unusual for Kuchelbecker. The poet shows a taste for artistic detail, his style becomes clearer and simpler. A strict persecutor of elegy and message, the poet reconsiders his views, turning to lyrical meditation and poetic reflection. New aesthetic principles also affected large forms in the poet’s work. Of course, in many ways these were only the first attempts, timid searches, but they found expression in

dramatic tale "Ivan, the merchant's son" (1832-42, published in 1939),

Their appearance was facilitated by translations of Shakespeare's plays. Of particular interest in this sense are the mystery “Izhora” and the tragedy “Prokofy Lyapunov”.

In Izhorskoye, Vilhelm Karlovich portrayed “ extra person", and condemned him. Artistic style mysteries, clear and natural, almost colloquial language testified to a revision of the previous poetics.

To an even greater extent, such an attempt was made by Kuchelbecker in the tragedy “Prokofy Lyapunov,” where for the first time the poet turned to the depiction of the people. The tragedy of Prokofy Lyapunov, according to the author, was his isolation from the people. New aesthetic quests - a consequence of Kuchelbecker's ideological evolution - were not embodied in his work with sufficient completeness and certainty. The poet remained a Decembrist both in his worldview and in his aesthetic views, but he caught the spirit of the times, although he was forcibly torn away from Russian life, from the ideological and literary struggle, from Russian literature, which adopted Pushkin’s realist method.

Died - Tobolsk.

Wilhelm Karlovich Kuchelbecker(10 (21) June 1797, St. Petersburg, Russian empire- August 11 (23), 1846, Tobolsk, Russian Empire) - Russian poet, writer and public figure, friend and classmate of Pushkin at the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum, collegiate assessor, Decembrist.

Family

Father - State Councilor Karl Kuchelbecker (December 28, 1748 - March 6, 1809), Saxon nobleman, agronomist, first director of Pavlovsk (1781-1789).

Younger brother - Mikhail Karlovich Kuchelbecker.

The elder sister is Ustinya Karlovna Glinka (1786-1871).

Sister - Ulyana (Yulia) Karlovna Kuchelbecker (02/1/1795 - 07/9/1869), because of her brother she was fired from the Catherine Institute, where she was a class lady.

Education

Wilhelm spent his childhood in Livonia, on the Avenorm estate. In 1808 he entered a private boarding school in the city of Verro (now Estonia), from which he graduated with a silver medal. In 1811, on the recommendation of his relative, Minister of War Barclay de Tolly, he was admitted to the Imperial Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum (lyceum nicknames are “Kyukhlya”, “Gesel”, “Beckerkuchel”) as a first-year student. Comrade A.S. Pushkin at the Lyceum showed an early interest in poetry and began publishing in 1815 in the magazines “Amphion” and “Son of the Fatherland.”

He graduated from the Lyceum in 1817 with the rank of IX class. At the graduation ceremony on June 9, 1817, he was awarded a silver medal for success and scholarship.

Service

After graduating from the Lyceum in 1817, he was enrolled together with A.S. Pushkin in the College of Foreign Affairs. From 1817 to 1820 he taught Russian and Latin languages at the Noble boarding school at the Main Pedagogical Institute, where among his students were Mikhail Glinka and A.S. Pushkin’s younger brother, Lev. On August 9, 1820 he retired. On September 8 he went abroad as secretary to Chief Chamberlain A.L. Naryshkin. I visited Germany and Southern France. In March 1821 he came to Paris, where he gave public lectures on the Slavic language and Russian literature in the anti-monarchist society Athenaeum. The lectures were stopped due to their “love of freedom” at the request of the Russian embassy. Kuchelbecker returned to Russia.

From the end of 1821 to May 1822, he served as an official of special assignments with the rank of collegiate assessor under General Yermolov in the Caucasus, where he met Griboyedov. The similarity of characters and destinies soon brought the writers closer together - Kuchelbecker carried the good memory of his friendship with Griboyedov, which quickly turned into admiration, throughout his life.

After a duel with N.N. Pokhvisnev (a distant relative of Ermolov) he was forced to leave the service and return to Russia.

Retired

After his resignation, he lived for a year on his sister’s estate in the Smolensk province. On July 30, 1823 he moved to Moscow. He taught at the Kister women's boarding school and gave private lessons.

In April 1825 he moved to St. Petersburg. He lived with his brother Mikhail Karlovich, and from October 1825 with Prince A.I. Odoevsky.

Decembrist

Since 1817, a member of the secret pre-Decembrist organization "Sacred Artel". Two weeks before the uprising on December 14, 1825, he was introduced by Ryleev to the Northern Society. He was on Senate Square with the rebels, attempted to assassinate the emperor’s brother (Grand Duke Mikhail Pavlovich), tried to shoot at the generals twice, but both times the pistol misfired. After the defeat of the rebels, he escaped abroad, but was identified and arrested on January 19, 1826, upon entering the outskirts of Warsaw by non-commissioned officer Grigoriev. His serf servant Semyon Balashov was arrested with him, and he was shackled in iron, which had been taken from him on April 30, 1826.

On January 25, he was taken to St. Petersburg in shackles. Placed in the Peter and Paul Fortress on January 26, 1826, in No. 12 of the Alekseevsky Ravelin.

Imprisonment

Convicted of the first category on July 10, 1826. Sentenced to hard labor for 20 years. On July 27, 1826 he was transferred to Kexholm Fortress. Signs: height 2 arshins 9 4/8 vershoks, “white face, clean, black hair, brown eyes, long nose with a hump.”

On August 22, 1826, the term of hard labor was reduced to 15 years. On April 30, 1827 he was transferred to the Shlisselburg fortress. On October 12, 1827, by decree of the emperor, instead of Siberia, he was sent to prison companies at the Dinaburg fortress (now in Daugavpils, Latvia). On April 15, 1831, Kuchelbecker was sent to Revel via Riga. From Revel on October 7, 1831 he was sent to Sveaborg, where he arrived on October 14, 1831.

By decree of December 14, 1835, he was assigned to settle in the provincial town of Barguzin, Irkutsk province (now the village of Barguzin, Barguzin district of Buryatia).

In Barguzin

Arrived in Barguzin on January 20, 1836. His younger brother, Kuchelbecker, Mikhail Karlovich, already lived in Barguzin. The Kuchelbecker brothers started a large farm, growing crops new to Siberia. Mikhail Karlovich opened in his house for local residents free school. According to the assumptions of V.B. Bakhaev, Wilhelm Karlovich taught at this school.

He continued to engage in literary activities: he wrote poems, poems, elegies, critical articles, translated from European and ancient languages, completed the “Diary”, ethnographic essay“Inhabitants of Transbaikalia and Transkamenye”, the poem “Yuri and Ksenia”, the historical drama “The Fall of the House of Shuisky”, the novel “The Last Column” and others. In a letter to Pushkin he reported interesting observations about the Tungus.

On January 15, 1837, he married the daughter of the Barguzin postmaster, Drosida Ivanovna Artenova (1817-1886).

Children: Fedor (born dead - 12.6.1838), Mikhail (28.7.1839 - 22.12.1879), Ivan (21.12.1840 - 27.3.1842) and Justina (Ustinya, born 6.3.1843) in marriage Kosovo.

According to the most humble report of gr. A.F. Orlova Yu.K. On April 8, 1847, Glinka was allowed to take into her care the young children Mikhail and Justina who remained after the death of her brother, so that they would be called Vasilyev, not by their father’s last name. In 1850, under this name, Mikhail was assigned to the Larinsky gymnasium, after graduating from it he entered the Faculty of Law at St. Petersburg University in 1855, and in 1863 became an ensign of the Tsarskoye Selo rifle battalion. According to the amnesty manifesto on August 26, 1856, the children were granted the rights of the nobility and the father's surname was returned.

Akshinskaya fortress

At his own request, he was transferred to the Akshinsky fortress. Left Barguzin in January 1840. In Akshe he gave private lessons. In 1844, he received permission to move to the village of Smolino, Kurgan district Tobolsk province. On September 2, 1844, he left Aksha.

Mound

He lived in Kurgan since March 1845, where he lost his sight. VC. Kuchelbecker first lived with N.P. Richter, teacher of the Russian language at the Kurgan district school. Judging by Kuchelbecker’s diary, the family moved into their home on September 21, 1845, and the Decembrist himself was “in addition sick,” although the very next day he received the guest of the exiled Pole P.M. Vozhzhinsky. Before the entry of the Kuchelbecker family, the house belonged to the exiled Poles Klechkovsky, who moved to the vacated house of A.E. Rosen. Thanks to the local history research of Boris Nikolaevich Karsonov, it was possible to prove with accuracy: Kuchelbecker lived in Kurgan itself. Although in letters to high dignitaries in the capital, Kuchelbecker claimed that he lived in Smolino. In his historical essay Boris Karsonov writes: “Wilhelm liked his house: four large rooms and two small ones in the middle. For the first time in Siberian exile, he had a separate office. True, its decoration was sparse, even by Kurgan standards.”

Tobolsk

On January 28, 1846, Kuchelbecker was allowed to travel to Tobolsk for treatment. Arrived in Tobolsk on March 7, 1846.

Wilhelm Karlovich died in Tobolsk on August 11 (23) from consumption. He was buried at the Zavalnoye cemetery.

Kuchelbecker's widow lived in Irkutsk, receiving an allowance of 114 rubles from the treasury. 28 kopecks silver per year, at the request of the Governor-General of Eastern Siberia M.S. Korsakov and the official with special assignments under him A. Makarov, from 1863 she was also given an allowance from the Literary Fund of 180 rubles. in year. In September 1879, she left for Kazan, and then to St. Petersburg; after the death of her son, she filed a petition for the restoration of her previous pension, which was paid to her before leaving Siberia; the petition was granted on June 24, 1881. At her funeral, it was issued at the request of Prince. M.S. Volkonsky, son of the Decembrist, 150 rubles May 19, 1886.

Literary activity

Since 1815, Kuchelbecker published poems in various magazines, and from 1823 to 1825 he published the almanac “Mnemosyne” with A. S. Griboyedov and V. F. Odoevsky. In the early 20s he actively opposed sentimentalism. The following works belong to his pen: the tragedy "The Argives" (1822-1825), "The Death of Byron" (M. 1824), "Shakespeare's Spirits" (1825), "Izhora" (1825), excerpts from the diary and the poem "The Eternal Jew" .

Kuchelbecker was an employee of the Free Society of Lovers of Russian Literature from November 10, 1819, and a full member of the society from January 3, 1820.

Selected works in two volumes

poet, Decembrist; genus. June 10, 1797 in Gatchina, d. August 11, 1846 in Tobolsk. According to Kuchelbecker’s own testimony, he is German by father and mother, but not by language: “until I was six,” he says, “I didn’t know a word of German, my natural language was Russian.” But the situation in which his childhood years passed on the estate of his father Avinorme (Estonian province), the environment, the early manifested inclination towards fantasy and enthusiasm, fueled by a passion for knightly poetry, and then his studies in the city of Verro (Estonian province) made the boy Kuchelbecker is not at all a Russian youth. He entered the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum (immediately after the latter opened) with a very unsteady knowledge of the Russian language. Upon brilliant completion of the course at the Lyceum, from which Kuchelbecker emerged as a decent connoisseur of new languages ​​and literature and an enthusiastic admirer of the classical world, he joined the College of Foreign Affairs and at the same time was a senior teacher of Russian and Latin at the Noble Boarding School, established at the Main Pedagogical Institute; at the same time, he was the secretary of the Society for the Establishment of Schools using the Method of Mutual Education, gave private lessons (by the way, he was the tutor of the future composer M.I. Glinka) and was an active member of the Free Society of Lovers of Literature, Science and the Arts. But pedagogical classes, the leisure from which he devoted to literary studies; Kuchelbecker soon left. In August 1820, he went abroad as a secretary to the Chancellor of the Russian Orders, Chief Chamberlain A.L. Naryshkin. In 1821, having visited Germany and southern France with Naryshkin, Kuchelbecker lived in Paris. There he became close to some writers and scientists and gave public lectures to the Atlienee Royal on the Slavic language and Russian literature. These lectures have not reached us, but they were hardly successful, at least A.I. Turgenev, in whose hands they were, calls them a curiosity; for Kuchelbecker, the consequences of his debut before the French as a lecturer were very sad: after one lecture, in which he spoke about the influence of the free city of Novgorod and its veche on ancient Russian writing, he received an order through the embassy to stop giving lectures and return to Russia; Naryshkin broke off all relations with him. Returning to St. Petersburg, Kuchelbecker found himself in a very dire situation: without funds and under suspicion about his lectures in Paris. However, at the request of A.I. Turgenev and gr. Nesselrode, he managed to get a place in Tiflis to serve under Yermolov, with whom in the fall of 1821. he went to the Caucasus. But even here he did not stay long: the next year he had a major quarrel with one of Ermolov’s associates, which ended in a duel; Kuchelbecker had to leave his service, and at the same time he had to part with A.S. Griboedov, with whom he was on very friendly terms. He went to the Smolensk province and until half of 1823 lived on his sister’s estate (the village of Zakupe). Financial insecurity forced Kuchelbecker to look for some kind of service. He intended to move to serve in St. Petersburg, dreamed of publishing a magazine, and then looked for a place in Odessa with the city. Vorontsov; but neither personal requests nor the petitions of friends were successful, and he spent a little over two years in Moscow, living on the funds that provided him with lessons. In Moscow, he, together with Prince V.F. Odoevsky, published 4 books in the collection “Mnemosyne”. The main goals of this now little-known publication were: “to disseminate several new thoughts that flashed in Germany; draw the attention of readers to little-known subjects in Russia, or at least force them to talk about them; to put limits to our passion for French theorists; finally, to show that not all objects have been exhausted, that while we are looking for trinkets for our studies in foreign countries, we forget about the treasures that are located near us.” True, not all the goals outlined by the editors were achieved with equal success, but Mnemosyne quite successfully introduced the Russian public to the fruits of German culture and philosophy, and this collection is of great historical and literary interest, although it did not enjoy outstanding success in its time; In addition to the editors, such major writers as Pushkin, Griboedov, Baratynsky, Prince took part in it. Vyazemsky and others. In “Mnemosyne,” by the way, Kuchelbecker also included his interesting, extensive memories of his trip abroad. Kuchelbecker spent 1825 without specific activities, partly in Moscow, partly in St. Petersburg, partly on his sister’s estate. In the fall of this year he returned to St. Petersburg and settled with his friend Prince. A. I. Odoevsky. Here he joined the company of people who took part in the outrage on December 14th. On the evening of this fateful day, having left the capital, Kuchelbecker spent several days on the estates of his relatives (in the Pskov and Smolensk provinces) and intended to flee abroad. But immediately upon arrival in Warsaw he was recognized, arrested and taken to St. Petersburg. The investigation showed that Kuchelbecker belonged to the Northern Society, into which he was introduced by Ryleev; The Supreme Criminal Court found him “guilty of attempted murder.” book Mikhail Pavlovich during the riot on the square, belonging to secret society with knowledge of the goal and the fact that he personally acted in the rebellion with the shedding of blood, he himself shot at General Voinov,” etc. By a court verdict, he was classified as a first-class state criminal and sentenced to death by beheading; but at the request of Grand Duke Mikhail Pavlovich he was pardoned: the death penalty was replaced by 15 years of imprisonment in fortresses, and after this period by lifelong exile to Siberia. Kuchelbecker spent 10 years in prison, first in Peter and Paul Fortress, then Shlisselburg, Dinaburg, Revel and, finally, Sveaborg; in December 1835 he was sent to settle in eastern Siberia, to the Trans-Baikal region, in the city of Barguzin, where his brother Mikhail Karlovich lived, also exiled for participating in the disturbance on December 14th. At first, life in Barguzin seemed to Kuchelbecker “pleasant and free”; It seemed to him that for complete well-being he lacked only the means and the society necessary for him. But soon he began to experience languor and boredom, which his marriage could not dispel; he married the daughter of a local postmaster, but his wife did not understand and did not share his passion for poetry and did not sympathize with his poetic pursuits, in which Kuchelbecker still found his only consolation. He complained bitterly that he was “bogged down in insignificant petty torments, drowned in dirty worries.” with their own literary works He thought, by the way, to ease his financial situation, but his two-time attempt to ask permission to publish his works was unsuccessful. Need and illness finally broke the fragile health of the weak Kuchelbecker, and at the beginning of 1845 he began to see poorly, and soon he was almost blind; in August next year he died of consumption in Tobolsk, where he was allowed to move in consideration of his poor health. All the Decembrists who were in Tobolsk were with him in last minutes his life and paid him their last tribute. So sadly ended the long-suffering fate of Kuchelbecker, whose name was preserved by history not so much because of his services to domestic literature, how much due to special conditions: his name could not be excluded from the constellation of glorious names of our writers early XIX centuries, for the latter always considered him the closest member of their circle; on the other hand, Kuchelbecker could not be forgotten due to his ill-fated fate.

Already at the Lyceum, his passion for poetry manifested itself, but for a long time he could not cope with the technique of our versification, for which he was subjected to frequent ridicule from his later famous comrades; A. I. Turgenev reproached him quite thoroughly for stylistic errors against the Russian language even in the 1820s. But as a kind, dear comrade, Kuchelbecker was very much loved by his classmates, among whom were Pushkin, Delvig, Pushchin, Baron Korf, etc. Everyone who knew him was attracted to Kuchelbecker as a young man by his ability to be sincerely carried away, his sensitivity, kindness of heart, gullibility; Even the difficult trials that befell the ill-fated writer during his life did not erase these traits in his character. Griboedov wrote about him: “he gives himself to everyone he meets with the most sincere passion, cordiality and love”; Zhukovsky told him: “you were created to be kind... you have a tender heart”; book Vyazemsky found in him “much worthy of respect and compassion”; for Pushkin he was always “my dear brother of lyceum life.” And the entire circle of his acquaintances, among whom were almost all of our outstanding writers of that time (Pushkin, Zhukovsky, Delvig, Gnedich, Baratynsky, Griboedov, Odoevsky, Turgenev, Prince Vyazemsky, etc.) always treated him with cordiality, everyone sympathized with him in his misfortunes, which befell him so often, and did everything they could to make his existence easier. In 1823, V.I. Tumansky wrote to him: “some inevitable fatum controls your days and your talents and seduces both from the straight path.”

However, in Kuchelbecker’s literary activity there are features that clearly and favorably distinguish him from the crowd of mediocre writers of that time. Kuchelbecker began writing early and while still a lyceum student, he had already seen his works in print signed: Wilhelm. His first experiments were poetry and articles of a critical nature. Kuchelbecker's poetic activity in both the early and late eras is much lower than his critical articles. Kuchelbecker's verse is heavy, unsteady and exposes the author as an inept versifier; Kuchelbecker's style is far from correct, thanks to his imperfect knowledge of the Russian language and passion for Shishkov's literary opinions. We must agree with Kuchelbecker’s contemporaries that in his poems a lot of intelligence, knowledge, and erudition are noticeable, but that true inspiration, without which poetry turns into poetry, is almost not noticeable. Kuchelbecker had a lot of enthusiasm, exaltation, fantasy, sensitivity, but he was not given poetic pathos. But no one can deny his sincerity and the most ardent love for poetry. Perhaps the best poetic works of Kuchelbecker should be recognized as the poems he wrote in exile: they contain a lot of living religious feeling and their soft, elegiac tone, alien to bitterness, touches the soul of the reader. All of Kuchelbecker's smaller poems are lyrical and predominantly elegies. Kuchelbecker’s small poetic works do not have great poetic merits, nor do larger ones, such as “Shakespeare’s Spirits”, the mystery “Izhora”, and the poem “The Eternal Jew”. It is known that even Pushkin, who treated his friend with such sympathy, called him “Shakespeare’s Spirits” rubbish, and Belinsky completely rejected his poem. Kuchelbecker’s critical articles have more merit and significance, although one cannot help but admit that in the field of criticism, Kuchelbecker did not have firmly established convictions. So, despite all his respect for Pushkin, he once did not find it difficult to put him on the same level as the Puppeteer, and Prince. Shikhmatov was compared to Calderon. Nevertheless, some of Kuchelbecker’s theoretical views on literature deserve, in their time, attention; such as, for example, his attempt to be strictly critical of the authorities of old times, pointing to “the faith of the forefathers, morals, domestic chronicles and folk tales as the best, the purest, most reliable source for our literature"; Kuchelbecker’s calls for realism, nationality, his serious discussions about romanticism, etc. were not without significance for that time. Therefore, despite some of Kuchelbecker’s oddities and delusions, we must recognize his remarkable intelligence, excellent familiarity with foreign literature (especially German) and undoubted abilities, the correct development, direction and expression of which were greatly harmed by his extreme exaltation and lack of a sense of proportion. As a person, Kuchelbecker had a lot good sides, of which the main ones are his sincerity and kindness. It seems that no one understood him better than Baratynsky, who, by the way, wrote about him: “He is an interesting person in many respects... he has great talents, and his character is very similar to the character of the Genevan eccentric (Rousseau); the same sensitivity and distrust, the same restless pride, attracting immoderate opinions in order to distinguish oneself in a special way opinions, and sometimes the same enthusiastic love for truth, for the good, for the beautiful, to which he is ready to sacrifice everything; a man at once worthy of respect and pity, born for the love of glory and for misfortune.” A less benevolent, but perhaps more accurate description of him was given by E. A. Engelhardt: “Kuchelbecker has great abilities, diligence, good will, a lot of heart and good nature, but he has absolutely no taste, tact, grace, measure and specific purpose. The sense of honor and virtue sometimes manifests itself in him with some kind of quixoticism. He often falls into thoughtfulness and melancholy, is subjected to torment of conscience and suspicion, and only when carried away by some extensive plan comes out of this painful state.”

There is no complete collection of Kuchelbecker's works; his poems and articles were published in the following magazines and collections: “Amphion” (1815), “Son of the Fatherland” (1816–1825), “Blagonamerenny” (1818–1825), “Competitor of Education and Charity” ( 18191821), “Nevsky Spectator” (1820), “Polar Star” (1825), etc. In addition, Kuchelbecker included many works in the collection “Mnemosyne”; After Kuchelbecker's death, some of his works and his diary were published in " Domestic Notes"(vol. 139), "Bibliographic Notes" (1858), "Russian Antiquity". Largest quantity Kuchelbecker’s poems are included in the “Collected Poems of the Decembrists” (Library of Russian Authors, issue II, Berlin 1862) and in the book “Selected Poems of V.K. Kuchelbecker”, Weimar, 1880. The following works by Kuchelbecker were published separately: “The Death of Bayon” ", Moscow 1824; “Shakespeare's Spirits” dramatic joke in two acts, dedicated to A. S. Griboedov, St. Petersburg. 1825; “Izhora” mystery, St. Petersburg. 1835 (published anonymously, and only the first part, the rest did not see the light of day); “The Eternal Jew” poem, St. Petersburg. 1878 Many of Kuchelbecker’s works remained in manuscript.

The literature on Kuchelbecker is extensive. The greatest amount of information has been preserved about him as a participant in the outrage on December 14; This kind of information can be found in all the literature about the Decembrists. Main sources and manuals: “Reports of the investigative commission”, St. Petersburg. 1826; A. I. Dmitriev-Mamonov, “Decembrists in Western Siberia", M. 1895·, M. I. Bogdaposhich, "History of the reign of Emperor Alexander I"; Schnitzler, "Histoire intime de la Russie", Brux. 1847, III; N. A. Gastfreund; "Kuchelbecker and Pushchin"; St. Petersburg 1901 (formerly in Vesti. World History;" 1900, No. 12); A. N. Pypin, “History of Russian ethnography”; his, “The Social Movement in Russia under Alexander I”; N. I. Grech, “Notes about my life”, St. Petersburg. 1886 the characterization of Kuchelbecker made by Grech is very harsh and not entirely fair, and in general the information he gives about Kuchelbecker is largely inaccurate; see his memoirs in “Polarn. Zvezda" 1862 and in "Russk. Bulletin" 1868, No. 6; For biographical sketches about Kuchelbecker, see “Russk. Antiquity" 1875, vol. 13 (amendments to this article in "Ancient and Modern Russia" 1878, No. 2) and in Kolyupanov's "Biography of A.I. Koshelev", vol. I, M. 1889 ., book. II (there is also a list of Kuchelbecker’s works in the notes); in addition: “Russian Archive” 1870 NoNo 2, 6, 89; 1871 No. 2; 1881, No. 1; “Russian Antiquity” 1870, No. 4; 1873 No. 7; 1875 v. 13; 1883 vols. 39 and 40; 1884 v. 41; 1891 v. 69. Notes: M.I. Glinka, St. Petersburg. 1887, P. A. Karatygina, St. Petersburg. 1880; I. I. Panaeva, St. Petersburg. 1876, etc.; dictionaries of Gennadi, Brockhaus, Toll, etc.; “Collection of antiquities. papers of Shchukin”, vol. VIII, M. 1901; "Contemporary" 1869, VII; "WITH. fri. Ved." 1866 No. 176; Grot, “Pushkin, his lyceum comrades and mentors” St. Petersburg. 1887; “New. Time" 1880, No. 1640. Works of A. S. Pushkin (ed. Literary Fund and Academic); Works by A. S. Griboedov St. Petersburg. 1889; “Ostafievsky archive of the book. Vyazemskikh" vol. II, St. Petersburg. 1899 (and approx.). About the father of V. K. Kuchelbecker Karl Ivanovich (d. in 1809), the first director of Pavlovsk, see “Russian Antiquity” 1870, vol. I, pp. 429434 and in the book “Pavlovsk. Essay on history and description." St. Petersburg 1877. About the son of V.K. Kuchelbecker, Mikhail Vilgelmovich, (b. July 29, 1840, d. December 22, 1879) see “New Time” 1879 No. 1374. “Rumor” 1879, No. 356, "Voice" 1879, No. 325.

Iv. Kubasov.

Kuchelbecker, Wilhelm Karlovich

— famous writer(17971846). K. studied at the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum, where he was a friend of Pushkin; friendship did not prevent the latter from pursuing K.’s poetic exercises with epigrams. Since 1815, K.’s poems began to appear in the “Bulletin of Europe” (signed William),“Son of the Fatherland”, “Well-Intentioned”. In 181720. K. served in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In 1820, he went abroad and gave lectures on Slavic literature at the Paris Athenée, suspended at the request of the Russian embassy as too liberal. In 1822, K. served in the Caucasus under Yermolov; became close friends with Griboyedov there. In 18231825 he lived in Moscow, where, together with Prince. Odoevsky, published four books in the collection: “Mnemosyne”. K. participated in the Decembrist conspiracy and shot at the leader on Senate Square. book Mikhail Pavlovich; then he fled and, intending to hide abroad, arrived in Warsaw, where he was recognized by signs reported by his former friend Bulgarin. Sentenced to death, he was pardoned at the request of the leader. book Mikhail Pavlovich, and sentenced to eternal hard labor, replaced by solitary confinement in Shlisselburg and Kexholm. K. was not particularly in need financially, he received books and just could not publish his works, despite the intercession of Zhukovsky. Shortly before his death, K., according to Grech, was transported to his sister’s estate, where he died. K., without being distinguished by talent, could not break out of the shackles of the old school: his works were written heavy tongue and dotted with a mass of Slavicisms. In the role of a politician, which he hoped to play, he was completely sincere, although he was very carried away, for which Pushkin compared him with Anacharsis Kloots. Separately, K. published: “The Death of Byron” (M., 1824); "Shakespeare's Spirits", a dramatic joke (St. Petersburg, 1825); “Izhora”, mystery (St. Petersburg, 1825). In “Russian Antiquity” (1875 and 1878), extracts from his diary and a poem written by him in 1842: “The Eternal Jew” were published. Cf. Grech, “Notes of a non-Decembrist” (B., 1862 and “Russian Bulletin” ", 1868, No. 6; biased and often unfair characterization).

Big Encyclopedic Dictionary, ed. F.A. Brockhaus and I.A. Efron (1890-1907, 82+4 volumes [more precisely, half-volumes, but most often the number of the half-volume is indicated as volume, for example vol. 54; more correct than volumes 43, of which 2 are additional.])

Kuchelbecker, Wilhelm Karlovich

(10.6.179711.8.1846). Retired collegiate assessor, writer.

Genus. In Petersburg. Father stat. owls Karl Kuchelbecker (12/28/1784–3/6/1809), Saxon nobleman, agronomist, first director of Pavlovsk (1781–1789), was close to Paul I in the last years of his life; mother Justina Yak. Lohmen (20.3.175726.3.1841, in 1836 was in the Widow's House). Until 1808 he lived on the Estonian estate Avinorm, granted to his father by Paul I, in 1808, on the recommendation of a distant relative M. B. Barclay de Tolly, he was assigned to the private Brinkman boarding school at the district school of Verro in Livonia, and in 1811 to the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum, he graduated from it with the rank of IX class (1st graduation, comrade A.S. Pushkin) 10.6.1817. Enlisted together with Pushkin in the College of Foreign Affairs. Affairs, at the same time taught Russian and Latin at the Noble boarding school under Gl. Pedagogical Institute (later 1 gymnasium), retired 9.8.1820, left St. Petersburg abroad as a secretary under Chief Chamberlain A. A. Naryshkin (recommended by A. A. Delvig) 8.9. After a stay in Germany and Southern France, in March 1821 he came to Paris, where in the anti-monarchical society Athenaeum he gave public lectures on the Slavic language and Russian literature; their content aroused the displeasure of the government, and Küchelbecker was asked to immediately return to Russia. At the end of 1821 he was appointed to the Caucasus as an official of special assignments under A.P. Ermolov with the rank of count. as., remained in this position only until May 1822, when, after a duel with Pokhvisnev, he was forced to resign and leave Tiflis. He lived for a year on the estate of his sister Yu. K. Glinka p. Purchase of the Dukhovshchinsky district of Smolensk province, from July 30, 1823 he settled in Moscow, where he taught at the University boarding house and gave lessons in private houses, while simultaneously being engaged in literary activities, in 1824-1825 he published a book. V. F. Odoevsky’s collection “Mnemosyne”, from April 1825 he lived in St. Petersburg, first with his brother M. K. Kuchelbecker (see), and from October with the Decembrist Prince. A. I. Odoevsky (see). There were no peasants. Member of the Free Society of Lovers of Russian Literature (employee 11/10/1819, active member 3.1. 1820).

Member of the pre-Decembrist organization "Sacred Artel" and the Northern Society (November December 1825). Active participant in the uprising on Senate Square.

After the defeat of the uprising, he fled from St. Petersburg, was arrested at the entrance to the outskirts of Warsaw by non-commissioned officer Grigoriev 19.1.1826, brought to St. Petersburg in chains 25.1, placed in the Peter and Paul Fortress (“Kuchelbecker can be unchained. 1/26/1826”; “Kuchelbecker sent to be imprisoned and kept still. 26.1.1826") in No. 12 Alekseevsky ravelin. His serf servant Semyon Balashov was arrested with him, who was shackled in iron, taken from him on April 30, 1826.

Convicted of the first category and upon confirmation on July 10, 1826, sentenced to hard labor for 20 years, transferred to the Kexholm Fortress on July 27, 1826, the term was reduced to 15 years on August 22, 1826, delivered to the Shlisselburg Fortress on April 30, 1827. According to Vysoch. by order, instead of Siberia, he was sent to the prison companies at the Dinaburg fortress 10/12/1827 (signs: height 2 arch. 91/2 vers., “white face, clean, black hair, brown eyes, long nose with a hump”), arrived there 17.10 . 1827, it is allowed from time to time to notify your mother by letters about yourself 5.8.1829, according to Vysoch. order (communicated to the III Department by the general on duty of the General Staff on April 10, 1831) he was sent under the strictest supervision through Riga to Revel 15.4. 1831 (arrived there 19.4), where he was kept in the Vyshgorod castle, from where, by order of Ch. headquarters (27.4.1831) sent by water to Sveaborg to the prison companies 7.10.1831, arrived there 14.10.1831. By decree of December 14, 1835, he was released from the fortress and sent to settle in the city of Barguzin, Irkutsk province, where he was delivered on January 20, 1836; at his own request, he was transferred to the Aksha fortress on September 16, 1839, where he gave lessons to the daughters of Major A. I. Razgildeev (he left from Barguzin in January 1840), transfer to the village of Smolino, Kurgan district was allowed 9.6.1844, left Aksha 2.9.1844, arrived in Kurgan (where he lived before leaving for Tobolsk) 25.3.1845, allowed to go to Tobolsk for treatment 28.1.1846, arrived in Tobolsk 7.3.1846. He died in Tobolsk and was buried in the Zavalnoye cemetery.

Wife (from January 15, 1837) Drosida Iv. Artenova (1817–1886), daughter of a tradesman, Barguzin postmaster. Children: Fedor (dead 12.6.1838), Mikhail (28. 7.1839 22.12.1879), Ivan (21.12.1840 27.3.1842) and Justina (Ustinya, b. 6.3. 1843) in marriage Kosovo. According to the most humble report of gr. A.F. Orlova Yu.K. Glinka is allowed to take in her care of the young children Mikhail and Justina who remained after the death of her brother, so that they are called not by their father’s last name, but by Vasiliev 8.4.1847. Mikhail, under this surname, was assigned to the Larinsky gymnasium in 1850, after graduating from it he entered the Faculty of Law at St. Petersburg University in 1855, in 1863 ensign of the Tsarskoye Selo Rifle Battalion. According to the amnesty manifesto of August 26, 1856, the children were granted the rights of the nobility and the father's surname was returned. Kuchelbecker's widow lived in Irkutsk, receiving an allowance of 114 rubles from the treasury. 28 kopecks silver per year, at the request of the general. lips East Siberia M. S. Korsakov and the official with special assignments under him A. Makarov, from 1863 she was also given an allowance from the Literary Fund of 180 rubles. in year. In September 1879, she left for Kazan, and then to St. Petersburg; after the death of her son, she filed a petition for the restoration of her previous pension, which was paid to her before leaving Siberia; the petition was granted on June 24, 1881. Issued for her funeral at the request of the prince. M. S. Volkonsky, son of the Decembrist, 150 rubles. 19.5.1886. Sisters: Justina (12.7.178415.7.1871), married to G. A. Glinka, brother of the Decembrist V. A. Glinka (see); Julia (c. 1789 - after 1845), class lady of the Catherine Institute; brother: Mikhail (see).

VD, II, 133199; TsGAOR, f. 109, 1 exp., 1826, d. 61, part 9, 52; 1828, no. 255.

Kuchelbecker, Wilhelm Karlovich

poet, comrade at the Pushkin Lyceum; genus. 1797 June 10, in Gatchina; August 11, 1846, in Tobolsk, exiled for participation in the riot of December 14, 1825

Russian Biographical Dictionary (1896-1918, ed. Russian historical society, 25 vols., unfinished; the publication was initially carried out under the supervision of A. A. Polovtsov [Polovtsev; 1832-1909], who has been Chairman of the Society since 1978)

Kuchelbecker, Wilhelm Karlovich

Russian poet from the Russified Germans, small nobles. He studied at the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum with Pushkin. Later he became close friends with Griboyedov.

Having gone abroad as the secretary of Chief Chamberlain Naryshkin, he gave lectures on Russian literature in Paris in 1821, which were discontinued due to their “love of freedom” at the request of the Russian embassy. He began writing and publishing poetry while still at the Lyceum [from 1815]. In 1824–1825, together with V.F. Odoevsky, he published the almanac “Mnemosyne”. Two weeks before December 14, 1825, he was introduced by Ryleev to the Northern Island. He was on Senate Square with the rebels and attempted to assassinate the Tsar’s brother. He attempted to escape abroad, but was identified and arrested in Warsaw. He spent ten years imprisoned in fortresses, then was exiled to a settlement in Siberia, where he became blind and died of consumption.

The high civic spirit and nationalistic tendencies characteristic of some Decembrist circles forced K., first a student of Zhukovsky and a representative of the “Germanic trend” in poetry, to speak out in the early 20s. with the demand to “throw off the German diarrhea chains.” K. puts forward the slogan “ high art"; from the “Karamzinists” Pushkin and his friends goes to the classics “into the squad of the Slavs,” defining his position as a “romanticist in classicism.” The cult of Germany and Zhukovsky is replaced in Kazakhstan by the cult of Derzhavin. In contrast to the main lyrical genre era “effeminate, colorless” elegy K. calls for the revival of the “high” ode (article “On the direction of our poetry, especially lyrical, in last decade", "Mnemosyne", part 2), contrasts the "artificially meager", Europeanized "jargon" of the Karamzinists with the "barbaric", but "rich and powerful" "Slavic-Russian" language of the classics; heroes of Byronic poems, “weak, outdated grumblings” bearers of “strength” and “glory”, heroes of tragedy. In his “Argives,” K. gave an example of a high, “civil” tragedy, politically aimed at the fight against the “tyrant.” K.'s literary activity was mainly theoretical value. His artistic practice invariably, starting from the lyceum, served as a target for ridicule, not always fair: some of K.’s “attempts” entered literature (for example, he was the first to use white iambic pentameter in tragedy, which is used to write Pushkin’s “Boris Godunov”, etc.). Of undoubted interest is K.’s diary, in which, according to the fair expression of a new researcher, “the literary atmosphere of the 20s is preserved.” The unlucky fate of K., created according to Baratynsky’s apt observation “for the love of fame and for misfortune,” served for Yu N. Tynyanova subject of artistic treatment (“Kyukhlya,” the story of the Decembrist,” Leningrad, 1925).

Bibliography: I. Shakespeare's spirits, Dramatic joke, St. Petersburg, 1825; Found a scythe on a stone, Comedy, 1839; Collection poem. Decembrists, ed. Fomina, vol. II, M., 1907; Complete collection verse., M., 1908 (edition is far from complete and textually unsatisfactory); Izhorsky, Mystery, M., 1908 (1st ed., St. Petersburg, 1835); Review of Russian Literature, collection of articles. “Literary Portfolios”, Leningrad, 1923; Poets-Decembrists, collection. edited by Yu. N. Verkhovsky, Guise, M. Leningrad, 1926; Diary, Preface by Yu. N. Tynyanov, ed., intro. and approx. V. N. Orlov and S. I. Khmelnitsky, “Surf”, L., 1929.

II. Kotlyarevsky N., Literary activity of the Decembrists, I, V.K. Kuchelbecker, “Russian wealth”, 1901, NoNo 3 and 4; Rozanov I.N., Kuchelbecker Lensky, “Red Niva”, 1926, No. 6; Tynyanov Yu. N., Archaists and innovators, “Priboy”, Leningrad, 1929 (articles “Archaists and Pushkin” and “ Argives, the unpublished tragedy of Kuchelbecker").

III. Chentsov N. M., The Decembrist Revolt, Bibliography, edited by N. K. Piksanov, Giza, M. L., 1929.

D. Blagoy.

"Literary Encyclopedia" (vol. 1-9, 11, 1929-39, unfinished).

Kuchelbecker, Wilhelm Karlovich

Prominent Russian poet, translator, critic, public figure, more famous work. other genres. Genus. in St. Petersburg, the son of a Russified German, he graduated from the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum, where he became close friends with A. Pushkin and A. Delvig, worked at the College of Foreign Affairs. affairs and taught Russian. and lat. language in the boarding house at Ped. in-those, served as an official in special assignments under General A.P. Ermolov, traveled to Germany and Italy. He began writing early, becoming one of the brightest poets of Pushkin's circle. An active participant in the Decembrist uprising, K. fled to Warsaw after its defeat, but was detained there, tried and sentenced to death; the sentence was subsequently commuted to imprisonment and exile to Siberia. Mn. prod. K. saw the light only in the 20th century.

K.'s poetry is imbued with tyrant-fighting motives and faith in victory reason and justice; the same sentiments, expressed directly or allegorically, can be found in the journalistic op. ? "European Letters" (1820 ); entered Sat. "Decembrists" (1975 ); in this production the author seems to be looking at modern times. to him Europe through the eyes of an American of the 24th century. The satirical sketch “The Land of the Headless” (1824) can be considered as the first draft of lit. dystopia in Russia: a hero who flew in like a hero E. Po, on hot-air balloon on Moon, discovers there the country of Acephalia (i.e., Headless) with the capital Akardion (i.e., Heartless), where morals reign that are unacceptable to the author and grew up. reality.

Kuchelbecker, Wilg. Charles.

Vengerov S. A., “Critical-biographical dictionary of Russian writers and scientists” (Pg., 1915-1918, unfinished)

All biographies of Russian writers in alphabetical order:

Poet, Decembrist; genus. June 10, 1797 in Gatchina, d. August 11, 1846 in Tobolsk. According to Kuchelbecker’s own testimony, he is German by father and mother, but not by language: “until I was six years old, he says, I didn’t know a word of German, my natural... ... Large biographical encyclopedia

Kuchelbecker, Wilhelm Karlovich- Wilhelm Karlovich Kuchelbecker. KÜCHELBECKER Wilhelm Karlovich (1797 1846), Russian poet, Decembrist. Sentenced to imprisonment and eternal exile. Odes, messages, tragedies, romantic drama Izhorsky (published in 1835), poems, novel... ... Illustrated encyclopedic Dictionary

- (1797 1846), poet and lit. critic, Decembrist. Op. After 1825, K. appeared in print anonymously. There is an assumption that L. was familiar with K.’s mystery drama “Izhorsky,” publ. in 1835; a number of Izhorsky’s monologues are thematically and phraseologically close... ... Lermontov Encyclopedia

Kuchelbecker, Wilhelm Karlovich writer and Decembrist (1797 1846). He studied at the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum together with Pushkin and Delvig. Served briefly in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; taught Russian and Latin at the Pedagogical Institute. In 1820... Biographical Dictionary

Kuchelbecker Wilhelm Karlovich- (17971846), Decembrist poet. Genus. In Petersburg. He studied at the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum (181117) together with A. S. Pushkin, A. A. Delvig, I. I. Pushchin. Published since 1815. At the Lyceum he became a member of the pre-Decembrist “Holy Artel” (dissolved in... ... Encyclopedic reference book "St. Petersburg"

- (1797 1846) Russian poet, Decembrist. Friend of A.S. Pushkin. Participant in the uprising on Senate Square (1825). Sentenced to imprisonment and eternal exile. Odes, messages (The Death of Byron, 1824; Shadow of Ryleev, 1827), tragedies (Argives, 1822... ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

Russian writer, Decembrist. From noble family Russified Germans. He graduated from the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum (1817), where his friendship with A. S. Pushkin and A. A. Delvig began. Served in the Collegium... ... Big Soviet encyclopedia

- (1797 1846), Decembrist poet. Genus. In Petersburg. He studied at the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum (1811-17) together with A. S. Pushkin, A. A. Delvig, I. I. Pushchin. Published since 1815. At the Lyceum he became a member of the pre-Decembrist “Sacred Artel” (dissolved in 1817).… … St. Petersburg (encyclopedia)

It can't be said that Wilhelm Kuchelbecker reached special heights in art or social activities, however, his name is firmly established in national history and Russian literature. Fate gave the talented student of the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum a meeting with the greatest people of his time: Pushkin, Griboyedov, Pushchin, Odoevsky, - but his hot temper did not allow him to find a place in life.

The ugly duckling of the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum

At the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum, Kuchelbecker, because of his awkwardness, dreaminess and deafness in his left ear, was the subject of endless ridicule - they drove him to attempt suicide. One day, a teenager tried to drown himself in a pond, from where he was pulled out by his comrades, who immediately drew a caricature of the unfortunate man in a local magazine.

The hot-tempered Kukhlya, as his fellow lyceum students called him, was saved by one thing - he was distinguished by great gentleness, and with his knowledge and perseverance he knew how to win people over.

But Kuchlya was still interested in his writings, because in those years versification was the most popular activity among lyceum students.

Wilhelm, read your poems,
To help me fall asleep faster...

This is how Alexander Pushkin described Kuchelbecker’s poetic talent in “The Feasting Students.” The clumsy lyceum student was a favorite hero of lyceum epigrams, messages and ironic lines of the “sun of Russian poetry” (which is why Pushkin and Kuchelbecker once met in a duel, but still remained close comrades).

Reproduction of a drawing by schoolgirl Nadya Rusheva “Pushkin reading poetry to Delvig and Kuchelbecker.” Photo: RIA Novosti

Talented Loser

In 1817, Kuchelbecker graduated from the Lyceum with a silver medal and, together with Pushkin, entered the College of Foreign Affairs. From that moment on, the wanderings of the future Decembrist began.

A graduate of the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum preferred teaching Russian literature at the Noble boarding school under the Main Directorate to the diplomatic service. pedagogical institute, but because of an unsuccessful romance, he decided to move away from home. As chief chamberlain of the nobleman Naryshkin, Kuchelbecker went to Europe, from where he was forced to return to Russia, as he attracted the attention of the authorities with a “freedom-loving” lecture on Russian literature.

Kükhlya wanted to work in the Ministry of Finance, engage in professorship in Edinburgh or the Crimea, get a position as a professor of Russian at the University of Dorpat, serve in Odessa, publish a magazine - but none of his plans came true. As a result, the talented lyceum student joined the society of people who took part in the December uprising.

On December 14, 1825, Kuchelbecker became one of the most active participants events on Senate Square. It is known that he shot the emperor's brother - Prince Mikhail Pavlovich, but the gun misfired.

Diary of Wilhelm Kuchelbecker and his books, published anonymously with the assistance of A. S. Pushkin. Museum of the Decembrists in Moscow (closed in 1997). Photo: RIA Novosti / Oleg Lastochkin

“A poet in Russia is more than a poet”

Kuchelbecker was lucky enough to leave unnoticed Senate Square, when it became obvious that the uprising was doomed. However, the unlucky Decembrist with the characteristics of “height 2 arshins 9 4/8 vershoks, white face, clean, black hair, brown eyes, long nose with a hump” was quickly found.

In the winter of 1826, a talented lyceum student found himself in the casemates of the main political prison in Russia - the Peter and Paul Fortress. He faced the death penalty, which was commuted to twenty years of hard labor. Later, this sentence was commuted, but, despite the fact that the prisoner Kuchelbecker was kept in sufficient mild conditions(could write and receive letters, read new books, communicate with his confessor), the poet was deeply unhappy.

However, Kuchelbecker remained faithful to his first poetic experiments: the philosopher and romantic put the purpose of the poet above all else. In one of his latest works, entitled “The Fate of Russian Poets,” the dying, sick Decembrist wrote:

The fate of poets of all tribes is bitter;
Fate is executing Russia the hardest of all:
Ryleev was born for glory;
But the young man was in love with freedom...
The noose tightened the insolent neck.

The grave of the Decembrist V.K. Kuchelbecker in Tobolsk Photo: RIA Novosti / Sergey Vetrov