The Turgenev Library (russian: link=no, Русская общественная библиотека имени И. С. Тургенева) is a Russian
public library
A public library is a library that is accessible by the general public and is usually funded from public sources, such as taxes. It is operated by librarians and library paraprofessionals, who are also Civil service, civil servants.
There are ...
located in
Paris, France
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...
. The library was founded in 1875.
It is the oldest Russian-language library outside of Russia.
History
The library was founded for Russian-speaking emigrants by
German Alexandrovich Lopatin, a notable follower of
Narodnik movement. The idea was to create a book depository and an accompanying centre for revolutionary youth in France. Lopatin had no means to fund the library, so it was primarily sponsored by
Ivan Sergeyevich Turgenev, who lived in Paris at that time. The author's personal books formed a basis for the new library.
On February 15, 1875 Turgenev organised a matinee that brought together prominent cultural workers from Paris; including
Ilya Repin
Ilya Yefimovich Repin (russian: Илья Ефимович Репин, translit=Il'ya Yefimovich Repin, p=ˈrʲepʲɪn); fi, Ilja Jefimovitš Repin ( – 29 September 1930) was a Russian painter, born in what is now Ukraine. He became one of the ...
,
Vasily Polenov
Vasily Dmitrievich Polenov (Russian: Васи́лий Дми́триевич Поле́нов; 1 June 1844 – 18 July 1927) was a Russian landscape painter associated with the Peredvizhniki movement of realist artists. His contemporaries would ca ...
,
Mark Antokolski
Mark Matveyevich Antokolsky (russian: Марк Матве́евич Антоко́льский; 2 November 18409 July 1902) was a Russian Imperial sculptor of Lithuanian Jewish descent.
Biography
Mordukh Matysovich Antokolsky''Boris Schatz: The ...
, as well as Russian Ambassador
Nikolay Alexeyevich Orlov
Nikolay Alekseyevich Orlov (russian: Николай Алексеевич Орлов; April 27, 1827 — March 17, 1885) was a Russian nobleman, soldier, social reformer and diplomat. He started his career as an officer in the Russian army, and ...
. As a result, 2,000
francs were collected to purchase books and to pay the rent for the library. In 1883, Turgenev died and the library was named after him.
Despite the financial difficulties, the library's holdings kept increasing. It had 3,500 volumes in 1900, 17,000 in 1913, 50,000 in 1925, and 100,000 in 1937. After the
1917 Russian Revolution
The Russian Revolution was a period of political and social revolution that took place in the former Russian Empire which began during the First World War. This period saw Russia abolish its monarchy and adopt a socialist form of government ...
the library became one of the most principal centers for
White émigré culture. In 1937, the library gained splendid premises in a fifteenth-century mansion, the so-called ''Hôtel Colbert'' in ''
Rue de la Bûcherie
Rue de la Bûcherie is a street in the 5th arrondissement of Paris, France.
History
Near the cathedral Notre-Dame de Paris and the Place Maubert, between La Seine and Boulevard Saint-Germain Rue de la Bûcherie is one of the oldest Rive Gauche ...
''. The library held valuable rarities including first printings of
Voltaire
François-Marie Arouet (; 21 November 169430 May 1778) was a French Age of Enlightenment, Enlightenment writer, historian, and philosopher. Known by his ''Pen name, nom de plume'' M. de Voltaire (; also ; ), he was famous for his wit, and his ...
,
François de La Rochefoucauld,
Nikolay Karamzin
Nikolay Mikhailovich Karamzin (russian: Николай Михайлович Карамзин, p=nʲɪkɐˈlaj mʲɪˈxajləvʲɪtɕ kərɐmˈzʲin; ) was a Russian Imperial historian, romantic writer, poet and critic. He is best remembered for ...
,
Sudebnik of Tsar Ivan IV (with the comments of
Vasily Tatishchev
Vasily Nikitich Tatishchev (russian: Васи́лий Ники́тич Тати́щев) (19 April 1686 – 15 July 1750) was a prominent Russian Imperial statesman, historian, philosopher, and ethnographer, best remembered as the author of the f ...
).
The library was practically destroyed during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
. In October 1940, all books, pictures, portraits and busts were placed in more than 900 crates and taken to an unknown destination.
The Turgenev Library was partially restored and reopened in 1959.
At present, its collection consists of 60,000 books and periodicals.
See also
*
American Library in Paris
The American Library in Paris is the largest English-language lending library on the European mainland. It operates as an independent, non-profit cultural association in France incorporated under the laws of Delaware. Library members have access t ...
- Largest English-language lending library on the European mainland
*
Polish Library in Paris - Oldest cultural institution outside of Poland
Notes
References
*
External links
Official Site
{{Authority control
Libraries in Paris
1875 establishments in France
Libraries established in 1875
Ivan Turgenev