“In the strong hands of the government”: Letters from I. P. Kornilov and A. D. Stolypin about the transformation of the Vilno Museum of Antiquities

Abstract

Published letters and notes of the heads of the “Commission for reviewing and informing and proper order of objects in the Vilno Museum of Antiquities” by I. P. Kornilov and A. D. Stolypin to M. N. Muravyov, as well as copies of official notes attached to them by Kornilov to K. P. Kaufman (LVIA, fund 439, unit 69) are a valuable source on the history of the imperial memory policy in the western outskirts of Russia. The exposition of the museum, created in 1855 by Count E. P. Tyshkevich, reflected the understanding of local history of the Polonized Vilna intelligentsia, and up to a certain point did not contradict the ideas of the central Russian authorities. In the foreground there were monuments of Polish history and culture presented, evidence of the presence of the “Russian element” was practically absent. Following the Polish uprising of 1863, a public upswing brought leaders of the “old Russian party” to Vilna, whose views contained nationalistic elements intertwined with democratic. M. N. Muravyov invited a typical representative of this “Russian direction” to the post of trustee of the Vilno educational district- I. P. Kornilov. Under his leadership, a specially created commission proceeded to “transform” the exposition. This task was greatly facilitated by the organizational and scientific deficiency of the previous administration of the museum. However, Kornilov and A. D. Stolypin, who replaced him in the position of Commission Chairman, considered their main goal to be the restoration of the “Russian principles” violated by the “Polish rule.” As one of the ways to achieve this goal, they saw the removal of the most “demonstrative” Polish exhibits, some of which were supposed to be returned after the exposition loses its “national exclusiveness.”