Pioneer of Russian Journalism Nikolai Novikov portrayed in the Presidential Library

May 8, 2019 marks the 275th anniversary of the birth of Nikolai Ivanovich Novikov (1744–1818) - a journalist, the creator of the most serious satirical trend in publishing, one of the largest figures of the Russian Enlightenment. He was one of those multi-talented national figures who forced history to move in the enlightening humanistic direction despite the inertia of the old time. The documents and rare books about him are available in the Presidential Library’s collections.

“We have little information about Nikolai’s childhood years, reports S. Usov in his publication. “We only know that he grew up in a pious family and was religious himself from an early age. He was taught literacy by the village bishop, who, of course, could not give him any information, except for the ability to read, perhaps barely to write. However, Novikov's parents were aware of the need for more education for their son, and in 1758 they took him to Moscow, where from January 12, 1755 there was already existed a university, and a noble school was founded in conjunction with him”.   

Thanks to his service in the prestigious Izmailovsky regiment, he personally participated in the events of June 28, 1762, as a result of which Catherine the Great came to power in the country, and was even promoted to non-commissioned officer. Nikolai Novikov, an educated and very well-read young man, was included in the number of young people who were entrusted with keeping protocols in the commission of deputies to compose the draft “New Code”. Later Novikov was appointed clerk, his abilities were obvious to the highest officials.

Conscientiously performing his new work, Nikolai discovered all the life of the common people: builders, traders, craftsmen and, of course, the Russian peasantry, the most disadvantaged in their rights. A new vision of life forced Nikolai Ivanovich to resign from the service.

He set his goal to protect the humiliated estates and the censure of the vices of noble people and decided that this could be done most successfully by means of journalism.

In 1768, Novikov who took part in the empress’s literary evenings, published his first essays on savings. It was a sonnet and translations of works by French authors, the spirit of freedom loving which will enter into his flesh and blood.

In 1769, Novikov began to release his first magazine called The Drone. There the journalist ridiculed the self-interest and cruelty of landlords, flatterers of all stripes from different classes, judges who, when making decisions, are guided not by the materials of the case, but by their own profit. The pages of the magazine were filled with recognizable types and phenomena, the articles were really bold, topical and immediately became readers' favorites. According to N. Karamzin (these words are cited in the book by V. Bogolyubov “Nikolai Novikov and His Time” (1916), presented on the portal of the Presidential Library), “ Novikov in the youngest years has become known to the public for his excellent authorial talent: without education, without teaching to write wittily, pleasantly and with a moral purpose”.

Nikolai Ivanovich found it possible to criticize the state policy, which led to a tough debate with the magazine “Everythings”, which Catherine herself published, constantly arguing in print with a certain Pravdulyubov (the publisher Novikov was hiding behind this pseudonym). Already in 1770 the “Drone” was closed.

However, the release of these two journals and their public skirmish contributed to a sharp increase in the number of periodicals. The capitals launch "And this, and that", then "Podenschyna", "Smes’", "Pleasant with useful" and, finally, "Hell Post". Novikov launches Pustomelya magazine; in its content it was even bolder edition, therefore its life turned out to be shorter than that of the Drone. Then there were the "Painter" and "Wallet", the latter was closed in two months.

Novikov went the other way. In 1775, he became part of the Masonic Lodge, where he was represented almost the entire noble color of society. Ignoring the mystical component of Freemasonry, the writer found here the support of his educational activities. Together with his friend and colleague I. G. Schwarz, the writer established the Friendly Scientific Society, which was later transformed into a printing company in Moscow. It launched a vigorous activity on a completely different level of discussion of social problems - with a serious philosophical background. About the magazine “Morning Light”, the most intellectual Masonic edition, was spoken of as the Catherine period that had turned journalism into a general cultural phenomenon.

Novikov's extraordinary organizational skills made his printing house one of the best in all of Europe. By 1788, about half of all books produced by the Russian Empire were printed in it. Novikov discovered for readers many classic works of both domestic and European authors. In 1772 he published a work which included biographies of about three hundred Russian thinkers. In 1783 Novikov created the first Moscow public library, which was absolutely free.

The government has long been indignantly glaring at the Masons, whose social activities annoyed with their results, and it was decided to put an end to it.

As a result, Catherine orders "To destroy this venerable society..." The book “The Story of the Fathers and Sufferers of Solovetsky”, published, presumably, in Novikov’s printing house, came across the eyes of the authorities. This book was the reason for his arrest. In Moscow, 20 books were banned in 1786–1787 and 48 books were printed without censorship.

In 1792, the publisher was arrested and imprisoned in the Schlusselburg Fortress. Paul I liberated Novikov at the very beginning of his reign. At an audience with the sovereign, Novikov received assurances that the government would do everything so that the publisher’s affairs were settled: “I give you a hand and a word that your penny will not be lost; just give me time and trust my word”.

Cases, however, did not go at all the way Novikov would have liked. The sale of his property began: his Orlov estate, printing presses, paper, the house on Sadovaya Street left for debt.

In 1818, Nikolai Novikov died in poverty - a journalist who gave his life to the struggle for free public opinion, for real, not declared publicity, for the right of writers to be the spokesmen for the people.