Today, on July 24, we celebrate the 195th anniversary of Nikolay Chernyshevsky, a philosopher, writer, thinker, a native of Saratov. On October 4, 2023, SSU will celebrate the 100th anniversary of Saratov State University being named after Chernyshevsky.
Saratov State University bears the name of a famous countryman for a reason – Chernyshevsky supported education and promoted the opening of a university in the city. ‘It was Chernyshevsky who was one of those who promoted the establishment of a university in Saratov, for the sanctuary of sciences to exist. His name will remain for centuries in the historical fate of Russia. Chernyshevsky was not just a writer, a thinker, he was a man of encyclopedic knowledge, a university man, a scholar,’ Professor of the Department of Russian and World Literatures Aleksei Gaponenkov said.
Chernyshevsky’s wish was shared by other influential residents of Saratov. In the 1850s, Chernyshevsky headed the educational community of the advanced Saratov intelligentsia. ‘Chernyshevsky, Kostomarov, Belov, Melantovich, Paskhalova, a doctor Stefani, Sorochinsky, Lomtev...’, as the literary critic A.A. Demchenko noted, the participants of the community discussed how important it was to share the foundations of scientific knowledge and improve the prestige of education.
‘In this community, in the middle of the 19th century, there appeared the idea of establishing a university in Saratov. Subsequently, this idea was repeated and, finally, in 1909, the Imperial Nicholas University was opened in Saratov. Chernyshevsky was a symbol of our city at that time and is now. I think that is why Saratov State University was named after Nikolay Chernyshevsky,’ Director of the Chernyshevsky Museum-Estate Elena Manova commented.
In terms of the development of science and education, Chernyshevsky always relied on the younger generation. He spoke about the university as follows, ‘it is necessary for every young person to stay in it in order to embrace the proper views for themselves.’
Chernyshevsky did not find the opening of the university in his small homeland, but he dreamed about it all his life. Read more about Chernyshevsky's life in Saratov and his role in enlightenment in the longread published for the writer's 194th birthday.
