Victor Konstantinovich Serezhnikov: sketch of a biography

Abstract

This is a biographical sketch of a notable Soviet historian of philosophy Victor Serezhnikov. Member of Russian Social Democratic Labour Party, Serezhnikov became one of the first research fellows of the Institute of Philosophy and professor of the faculty of letters of Moscow Institute of Philosophy, Literature and History, writing monographs on ancient philosophers, La Mettrie and Kant and publishing translations of many classical works of philosophy. Even before the October Revolution, while the writings of materialist philosophers remained banned by tsarist censorship, Serezhnikov managed to translate and publish abroad a volume of works of Diderot and another one of La Mettrie. The present sketch of Serezhnikov's biography is for the first time based on documents from various archives. Particular attention is given the role Serezhnikov played in the study of ancient philosophy in pre-war USSR. The author extensively quotes the letters wich Serezhnikov, who was subjected to repressions and died in labour camp, sent to his relatives from prison. The memoirs of Serezhnikov's daughter Vera, reproduced in the Appendix, offer a glimpse into the atmosphere of family life of a Soviet professor of philosophy during 1930s.