Presidential Library tells about poet and official Gavriil Derzhavin

On July 14, 1743, Gavriil Romanovich Derzhavin, a Russian poet and statesman, was born. The Presidential Library's portal presents an electronic collection dedicated to Derzhavin that includes digital copies of rare books, such as one of his first collections, archival documents, and periodicals. Visual materials are also available.

The entire life of Derzhavin, an immortal poet and dignitary, was dedicated to service and poetry. He was an ardent official and often put his public service ahead of his literary pursuits, with poetry and muses taking a backseat. However, his official career was marked by numerous storms, setbacks, and challenges, leading to a life filled with severe trials. One can only regret that Derzhavin served and lived a life that was not exclusively peaceful as a poet and private person, as noted by the writer Eugene Salias de Tournemire in his work The Poet-Viceroy (1885).

The future poet of the brilliant Catherine's era was born in Kazan Governorate, into the family of a poor military officer. According to Salias de Tournemire, the newborn was so frail and thin that he was "baked in bread", a custom of the time that involved placing the infant in warm dough.

After the death of his father in 1754, the Derzhavin family found themselves in a difficult financial situation. Gavriil did not receive a formal education until he was 14 years old. He was taught literacy by a churchwarden, arithmetic by his father's colleagues, and elementary knowledge by an exiled German, who taught him the German language.

In 1759, Derzhavin entered the Kazan Gymnasium after it opened. In addition to the traditional subjects, the gymnasium also offered music and drawing classes, in which Derzhavin excelled.

In 1762, Derzhavin moved to St. Petersburg to serve his country. Due to an unforeseen circumstance, the young nobleman was not enrolled in military service on time as required by law at that time. Instead, he had to serve as a common guardsman in the Preobrazhensky Regiment.

You can learn about Gavriil Derzhavin's military service from the book Life of Derzhavin: According to His Writings, Letters, and Historical Documents by the famous Russian philologist, Yakov Groth. This book was published in 1880 and not only provides information about Derzhavin's career path - from soldier to officer - but also supports these claims with documentary evidence.

In addition to noting Derzhavin's achievements, the book also mentions that, as a creatively gifted individual, Gavriil continued to develop his skills. For instance, the engraver Chemesov from the Academy of Arts praised Derzhavin after seeing his drawings and even promised to provide financial support for his further studies.

Another book by Yakov Groth, which is available in an electronic format in the collection of the Presidential Library, focuses specifically on Derzhavin's activities and correspondence during the Pugachev rebellion, published in 1861. This edition has been digitized and can be accessed online.

In 1777, Gavriil Derzhavin ended his military career but did not leave public service. During his time in office, he held various positions, including governor of Olonets and Tambov Governorates, secretary of the Cabinet of Catherine II, minister of justice, and retired as a senator and privy councillor. Materials from the electronic collection of the Presidential Library provide information about this period of his life.

For example, the tenth volume of Senate Archives (1903) contains a detailed report by Derzhavin on the case of the Kaluga governor D.  Lopukhin, one of the most prominent corruption cases of the early 19th century.

Despite his duties as an official, Derzhavin continued to pursue his passion for poetry, which he had developed in his youth. The book The Poet-Viceroy notes that during the reign of Catherine, writers enjoyed serving in government and officials were encouraged to write. The empress herself set a good example for others.

In the electronic collection titled Gavriil Derzhavin (1743-1816), the original publication of an ode dedicated to Emperor Alexander I is available. It was titled "Victor, Liberator, and Conciliator of Europe" and was published in July of 1814.

The literary historian Vasily Pokrovsky, who authored The Historical Anthology of 1893, described the poet and statesman as follows: "His poetry is a boundless, multifaceted joy for a person who sees the accomplishment of great deeds before them. His odes are as brilliant as the century in which he lived; they are filled with great images, just like the people who were involved in these events."

Visitors and readers of the Presidential Library can explore digital copies of Derzhavin's works, which are available in a separate section on the library's portal. Additionally, the collection includes research articles on Derzhavin's literary work.