Julius Bunin biography. Ink device Yulia Bunina. Personal life of Ivan Bunin

13 On January 1890, the first issue of the journal “Bulletin of Education” was published in Moscow. In January 1915, Vestnik, which by that time had become one of the best pedagogical publications, turned 25 years old. It was wartime, and despite the fact that there were many suggestions from readers and admirers of the magazine, as well as urgent requests from many members of the staff to organize celebrations on this occasion, the editors did not immediately agree.

Making a positive decision, the management believed that if we were to hold a celebration, then it was necessary to organize it taking into account the current circumstances, and since it was impossible to do without celebrations entirely, then it was better to hold them intimately, modestly, without pomp, taking a serious approach to preparing the event. The organizing committee was asked to pre-write the history of the magazine, speed up the previously planned survey among readers, and analyze and summarize the results of their responses. The questions were interesting and would contribute to a comprehensive and objective assessment of the journal.

In the first (January) issue of “Vestnik” for 1915, an article by N.F. was published. Mikhailov “In memory of the founder of the magazine “Bulletin of Education””, essay “From the history of “Bulletin of Education”” (1890–1915), the final materials of the survey - reviews from readers about the “Bulletin of Education”, by the way containing not only positive, but also critical reviews and offers; a welcoming letter from Academician D.N. was also included. Ovsyaniko-Kulikovsky, one of the authors of the magazine, whose work “Russian Literature of the 19th Century” “Vestnik” published during 1903 and received a lot positive feedback. The editors also intended to publish in a small edition a “Systematic index (by author and subject) of all articles published in the Vestnik over the past 25 years, in a slightly different form than what was published in the annual index.

About the history of "Bulletin of Education"

AND The journal “Bulletin of Education” was founded in 1890 at his own expense by the doctor of the Moscow children’s hospital, author of books on medicine and pedagogy, Egor Arsenievich Pokrovsky. There was no shortage of pedagogical press at that time, but Pokrovsky believed that raising children was a joint task of teachers and doctors. However, there was no special publication in Russia in which they could publish their works on the moral and physical education of a child. Having justified the need for such a publication, Pokrovsky established the “Vestnik” and addressed it to parents and educators. In the new magazine, articles on pedagogical skills were successfully combined with special articles on sanitation, school hygiene, and child physical training, which aroused great interest.

The magazine gained popularity. “Bulletin of Education”, edited by Pokrovsky (the publisher also acted as the author) was accepted in society, “approved by the scientific committee of the Ministry of Public Education for fundamental libraries, secondary educational institutions, both male and female, and, moreover, was admitted for free people's libraries". They became interested in the magazine, and the number of subscribers grew.

In 1895, at the peak of success, the founder of the magazine passed away. After his death, at the request of Pokrovsky’s wife and daughter, the publication of Vestnik was taken over by Nikolai Fedorovich Mikhailov, a sanitary doctor, Pokrovsky’s comrade-in-arms, who worked with him in the magazine from the first issue and could take over financial liability. At first he helped edit the magazine N.D. Sinitsky, later a private assistant professor at the Yaroslavl Democratic Lyceum, and in 1897 the editor-publisher invited Yuli Alekseevich Bunin, head of the Statistical Bureau of the Poltava provincial department, a mathematician by education and a journalist by vocation, to this position. Mikhailov and Bunin worked closely for the benefit of the magazine until its closure in 1917, they did not share portfolios, they did everything in concert, and although Yu.A. In some biographical articles, Bunin is called either a deputy editor or an executive secretary; in fact, he was the editor, and N.F. Mikhailov - editor-publisher (or, as some authors write, “nominal editor”) and author of articles on medical topics.

Without contradicting Pokrovsky's idea, the new editors continued to publish articles on pedagogy and medicine, but thematically expanded the range of publications and increased its volume in accordance with the increased needs of readers. If in the first years the magazine was published in a volume of 11–12 printed sheets, now it was increased to 15, and in subsequent years to 20 sheets. Annual set (eight thick volumes, and since 1901 nine; in summer months the magazine was not published), which subscribers received, was a real encyclopedia, meaningful and useful reading on many issues of raising children.

In addition to materials on pedagogy and school medicine, the editors published articles on various fields of knowledge: natural history, social science, ethics, philosophy, issues of art, literature. Among the authors were outstanding people: academicians V.M. Bekhterev, I.A. Bunin, V.I. Vinogradov, D.N. Ovsyaniko-Kulikovsky, I.I. Yanzhul, professor M.M. Kovalevsky, I.I. Mechnikov, F.F. Erisman and many other equally eminent professionals in their industry. Yu.A. contributed a lot of new and interesting things to the further prosperity of the magazine. Bunin.

In Russian state archive literature and art (RGALI) there are preparatory materials for the anniversary article about the magazine, containing information for the characteristics of the “Bulletin of Education”, where Yuli Bunin writes: “Under the editorship of E.A. Pokrovsky, the goal of the magazine was “to disseminate reasonable information among Russian society about the possible correct establishment of issues of education in the family and school.” The new editors considered the main task to be “identifying issues of upbringing and education based on scientific pedagogy in the spirit of democracy and freedom of personal development.” According to Yu.A. Bunin, the magazine during this period paid great attention to “social pedagogy”, the editors attracted authors from Germany, Austria and other countries to collaborate, and periodically covered “current phenomena in various areas public education here (in Russia. - T.G.) and abroad, strived to ensure that upbringing and education were built on reasonable pedagogical principles, and not in favor of one or another political, nationalist or clerical tendencies.” The author also noted that “in the materials of recent months (1914 - T.G.) attention is drawn to the fact that it is necessary to protect society, and especially the younger generation, from feelings of national exclusivity, chauvinism and enmity caused by the war; on the contrary, it is necessary to maintain sublime and noble feelings that ensure progress and solidarity of peoples in the future”*.

Yuli Alekseevich Bunin (1857–1921) - editor of the "Bulletin of Education"

YU Liy Bunin, in his views, education, life experience, and human qualities, was the most suitable candidate for the position of editor of such a magazine as “Bulletin of Education.” He was a talented child, always strived for knowledge and passed full course studying at the Voronezh Classical Gymnasium, at that time one of the best educational institutions of this type.

Parents specifically left home for Voronezh for several years in order to prepare their sons, Yuli and Evgeniy, to enter the gymnasium, where they were accepted from the age of 10 if they had good preparation and the ability to pay for their studies. Financially it was not easy for the family, but Alexey Nikolaevich and Lyudmila Alexandrovna did everything to achieve their goal. Judging by some data, the children entered in 1869, when the eldest, Yuli, was 12, and Evgeniy was 11 years old. Evgeniy’s studies did not work out, but Yuliy studied brilliantly, loved literature, and showed a penchant for mathematics. In the matriculation certificate, which was issued to him on June 15, 1877, it is noted that he studied for 7 years at the Voronezh classical gymnasium and spent one year in the 8th grade, “for the entire period of study<...>behavior was excellent, efficiency in attending and preparing lessons, as well as in completing written work was excellent, diligence was excellent and curiosity was excellent.”

Taking into account all this, as well as excellent successes in the sciences, especially in ancient languages, the pedagogical council decided to award him a gold medal and issue him a certificate granting all the rights indicated in paragraphs 129-132 of the Charter of gymnasiums and pro-gymnasiums, approved by the Highest on July 30, 1871 Voronezh. And on August 9, 1877, he submitted a petition to the rector of the Imperial Moscow University with a request to admit him to the mathematical department of the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics. He was twenty years old and older than many of the freshmen. He enthusiastically studied mathematics, listened to lectures on literature at the Faculty of History and Philology, and became involved in social work. Life promised a bright future. But the time of his studies at the university (1877–1881) coincided with the special political activity of students, and Julius, while still in Voronezh, became interested in revolutionary ideas, read a lot, his reference books were the works of Belinsky, Chernyshevsky, Dobrolyubov, Gleb Uspensky. In Moscow, he met several old friends from the Voronezh circle and began to collaborate with them. E.V., who knew him at that time. Ignatova noted that among other students who were part of the populist circle, “Yuliy Bunin was distinguished by the greatest efficiency, energy and devotion to the working masses. He put his whole soul into every social enterprise, showed resourcefulness, initiative, and enterprise; moreover, he was extremely sincere, kind, and responsive.”

Starting from the first year, his studies and his social revolutionary activities went in parallel. Political gatherings, meetings, rallies - he took part in everything and was soon taken into account by the police. He was often arrested, spent several days in prison with a group of students, and after repeated warnings ended up on the list of politically unreliable students. In March 1881, for participating in riots, for which this time he may not have been guilty, fourth (last) year student Yuli Bunin, among thirty students from different faculties, was “dismissed from the university for a period of one year, without the right of reinstatement.” at Moscow University"*.

After a year, Yu. Bunin returned to the fourth year of the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics of Novorossiysk University (Odessa), then moved to Kharkov University, where in 1882 he defended his qualifying work, receiving the degree of Candidate of Mathematical Sciences; Later there he studied statistics at the Faculty of Law. Revolutionary ideas still excited him, and in Kharkov, as memoirists testify, he headed a populist circle. In 1883, in an underground printing house, under the pseudonym Alekseev, he published the brochure “A Few Words about the Past of Russian Socialism and the Tasks of the Intelligentsia,” as well as “The Project for the Organization of the People’s Party,” “The Action Program of the Circle of Populist Workers,” and other documents. When the police found out about this activity, he had to go illegal, then he was arrested and in July 1885 exiled under police supervision to his father’s estate - the village of Ozerki, Yeletsky district.

His successful teaching career began in Ozerki, here he was raising his younger brother, who, after the next vacation, did not return to the Yelets gymnasium to continue his studies and studied with Yuli at home. Seeing Ivan’s extraordinary poetic talent, Julius tried to develop his talent and give him a real education. He not only went through the entire gymnasium course with him, but also passed on his knowledge in many university subjects: literature, history, philosophy.

He returned to Kharkov again, and then, until moving to Moscow in 1897, he headed the Statistical Bureau in Poltava. He constantly published in southern Russian newspapers, increasingly studying the history and practice of journalism. In RGALI and in the Oryol State Literary Museum I.S. Turgenev (OGLMT) there are autographs of Yu. Bunin’s rough sketches and texts, apparently never published, that are devoted to the newspaper business: these are articles analyzing the contemporary press, proposals for improving some publications of that time. So, in 1896 in Poltava, despite obstacles from censorship, for a year together with his colleagues and his brother, I.A. Bunin, published as an independent publication the “unofficial part” of the Poltava Provincial Gazette, which was distributed among the rural population. This was done without additional subsidies, based on Yu. Bunin’s proposals for a more economical use of funds spent on the publication of “PGV”. On his initiative, in 1896, the newspaper “Khutoryanin” was opened in Poltava, which was very necessary and useful for rural residents, and several projects were implemented aimed at raising awareness and educating the rural population of the Poltava region.

After moving to Moscow, Yu. Bunin took up exclusively journalistic activities, and in particular, performed all the functions of the editor of “Bulletin of Education”: he wrote for the magazine, edited articles received by the editor, corresponded with the authors, carried out all organizational work. Political activity weakened a little, but, in his words, “he remained true to the idea of ​​​​the struggle for the happiness of the people.”

In Moscow, he did a lot of social work. He was one of the founders and permanent chairman of all meetings of the Sreda literary circle (1899–1918), editor and chairman of the board of the Book Publishing House of Writers in Moscow. From 1907 to 1914, he headed the Society of Periodicals and Literature (in 1914 he was elected an honorary member), advocated for the creation of a professional magazine for journalists and writers, and achieved this. The first issue of the Journalist magazine was published in January 1914, and there he is listed among those who agreed to cooperate with the magazine. At one time he headed the Society for Assistance to Writers and Journalists, was a member of the board of the Tolstoy Society, took part in the creation of the Writers' Club and the Union of Journalists, and participated in the work of many public organizations.

Boris Zaitsev, who knew Yuliy Bunin well from Sreda, wrote in an essay dedicated to him: “His calm and noble, gentlemanly tone was appreciated by everyone. There was something solid and good quality, like good material in an expensive suit, about him, and it could not be ignored.<...>Julius was a measure, a model and a tradition. In essence, from him alone, from his speeches, judgments, meetings, trips abroad, one could feel all that life, all that time.”*

Anniversary of “Bulletin of Education”

YU bills of the “Bulletin of Education” were celebrated on January 25, 1915, the meeting was held in the premises of the Literary and Artistic Circle chaired by N.D. Sinitsky, who made a report “The History of “Bulletin of Education”” and noted the main milestones of his path. All materials of the meeting were published in the second (February) issue of “Vestnik” and came out in a separate print along with the texts of greetings expressed in numerous addresses, letters, telegrams from organizations, individuals, friends and authors of the magazine.

Most of these greetings were addressed to the editors, represented by N.F. Mikhailov and Yu.A. Bunina. Members of the literary circle “Sreda” (commission for literary interviews of the Moscow Society for Assistance to Writers and Journalists) after greeting N.F. Mikhailova addressed Yu.A. with a welcoming speech. Bunin as the chairman of the circle.

The report on the anniversary celebrations says that from the young representatives of “Sreda” Yu.A. Bunin received a congratulatory address in verse (by Ada Chumachenko), decorated with a drawing by the artist A.M. Vasnetsova,
and representatives of the old “Wednesday” presented, along with the address, the “Inkwell” (this is how the item is designated. - T.G.) with nineteen autographs engraved on it: Leonid Andreev, Ivan Bunin, Ivan Belousov, Vikenty Veresaev-Smidovich, Alexei Gruzinsky, Sergei Glagol, Boris Zaitsev, Alexander Karzinkin, Nikolai Krasheninnikov, Sergei Mamontov, Sergei Makhalov, Ivan Popov, S. Semenov , Alexander Serafimovich, Elena Teleshova, Nikolai Teleshov, Lev Khitrovo, Maria Chekhova, Ivan Shmelev*.

After many fruitless searches, I decided that this item was lost or was in private ownership.
Institute, but not so long ago I learned that it was acquired by the museum on March 13, 1968 from a private person, Zoya Mikhailovna Andrievskaya**, and is located in the OGLMT, in the Yu. Bunin fund, among the material monuments. The item turned out to be not just an inkwell, but a very beautiful oval-shaped inkstand, in the center of which there is a bust of Homer, on the sides there are two inkwells with glass reservoirs. Engraved on the base: “To Yuli Alekseevich Bunin from the comrades of the old “Sreda””. And then all the above autographs belonging to famous writers, journalists, creative people- members of the famous literary circle. Some signatures have faded a little over time, but are easily recognizable. The gift that was presented to Yu.A. Bunin during the celebrations - this is another sign of respect that he enjoyed among his contemporaries.

According to the recollections of many who knew him, he was a kind, sympathetic, sensitive person who was loved in his family, valued in society, whose authoritative opinion was always listened to. Despite his gentle character, he knew how to make decisions and take responsibility. His life experience was great importance for the formation of the Russian press, including for the development of the “Bulletin of Education”.

Many people left warm memories of him: N.D. Teleshov, V.F. Hoda-
Sevich, V.N. Muromtseva-Bunina, Skitalets (S. Petrov) and others. Unfortunately, the end of his life was sad. The revolution did not bring him happiness. After the closure of the "Bulletin of Education" he was left completely out of work, seriously ill, and lived from hand to mouth. He died in Moscow on July 17, 1921 in poverty, from which no one could rescue him. Friends wrote appeals to various authorities, asked to support him financially (food rations were provided), and briefly placed him in various hospitals. In complete despair, on February 23, 1921, he wrote a letter to the People’s Commissar of Health N.A. Semashko, in which he described his plight and asked to extend his stay at the “Health Resort”. The resolution was positive, he was extended for a month, then, according to Zaitsev’s recollections, he was transferred to a rest home for writers and scientists, but it was no longer possible to save him, the disease did not recede. When admitting him to the last hospital, the doctor said that they could treat him, but there was nothing to feed the patients. Julius Alekseevich did not burden anyone, and he soon died there. He was buried at the Donskoye Cemetery in Moscow.

Remembering his death, Boris Zaitsev wrote in the essay “Yuliy Bunin”: “Out of strange stubbornness, he did not want to go south with his brother in 1918 and remained in Moscow - to observe the death of the world to which he belonged and under which he himself once laid a dynamite cartridge.” . Manuscripts, letters, and memories of him remain. To date, the ink device is the only item found that belonged to Yuli Alekseevich Bunin.

Every year, in the last issue of the journal, the editors placed a “Systematic index of all articles” published during the year, according to the model: 1) index by authors; 2) index of subjects. It was not possible to establish whether a consolidated index was published.

A series of articles by D.N. Ovsyaniko-Kulikovsky later formed the basis of his book “The History of the Russian Intelligentsia.”

CIAM. F. 418. Op. 291. D. 62: Imperial Moscow University. Yuliy Bunin, student. 1877 L. 2 volume: Certificate of maturity from the Voronezh classical gymnasium. June 15, 1877 (copy).

Ignatova E.IN. Moscow populists of the late 70s // Group “Emancipation of Labor”: From the archives of G.V. Plekhanov, V.I. Zasulich and L.G. Deycha. Sat. 5. M.;L.: Gosizdat, 1926. P. 46.

Bunin Yu.A. Handwritten autograph of the proposal article “Project for the reorganization of Poltava Provincial Gazette.” OGLMT RDF. F. 17, No. 3447 of.

I. A. Bunin's diary entries for 1922 are filled with the bitterness of the irretrievable loss of his older brother Yulia. On January 21, Ivan Alekseevich writes: “... And all the thoughts about Yulia, about how he once came, young, starting his life, to Ozerki... And somehow I still can’t believe that I will never see him again...” Three days later, a new entry: “I don’t suffer for Julia as desperately and strongly as I should, perhaps because I don’t think through the meaning of this death, I can’t, I’m afraid. . The terrifying thought of him is often so distant, an amazing flash of lightning... Is it even possible to think of it? After all, it’s already a very firm thing to say to yourself: it’s all over.”

In various literature - local history, literary studies - not only the year of birth of the laureate’s elder brother is indicated Nobel Prize I.A. Bunin, but also the place of his birth. And Yuliy Aleseevich was born on July 7 (19), 1857 in the district town of Usman, Tambov province (now the city of Usman, Lipetsk region). The parents, apparently, were traveling from the Mosolovka estate, which is now in the Usmansky district of the Lipetsk region. The birth certificate of Ivan Alekseevich’s elder brother has been preserved: “By decree of His Imperial Majesty, from the Tambov Spiritual Consistory, that the birth and baptism of the son of the Yeletsky landowner Collegiate Registrar Alexei Nikolaevich Bunin, Julia, according to the metric books of the city of Usman, Cathedral Church for one thousand eight hundred and fifty The seventh year is listed as follows: Collegiate Registrar Alexei Nikolaevich Bunin, passing through the city of Usman, and his legal wife Lyudmila Aleksandrovna, their son Julius was born on the seventh of July, of the same month and date he was baptized by the priest Stefan Dobrov with the clergy...” Yuli Alekseevich was baptized in the Usman Epiphany Cathedral Church.

Alexey Nikolaevich and Lyudmila Alexandrovna apparently moved to Voronezh in 1867. The elder Julius, and later his brother Evgeniy, began to attend the Voronezh men's classical gymnasium on Bolshaya Dvoryanskaya Street (now Revolution Avenue). The educational institution was located not far from the house where the Bunin family lived. The gymnasium building has been preserved - it is one of the buildings of the Technological Academy. As Ivan Alekseevich recalled, and as documents testify, Julius was an extremely capable student. He freely wrote essays in difficult “dead” Latin. He showed particular success in mathematics. At the gymnasium, Bunin became acquainted with the works of democratic writers: the gymnasium students read Chernyshevsky, Pisarev, Dobrolyubov. One of the teachers conducted propaganda among the gymnasium students, and a secret circle was created in the gymnasium. His passion for revolutionary ideas did not affect his studies: Julius graduated from the 1st Voronezh Classical Men's Gymnasium with a gold medal. At this time, his family had already moved to the Butyrki farm in the Yelets district of the Oryol province (now the Stanovlyansky district of the Lipetsk region) - this was facilitated by the “passion for the club, for wine and cards ...” of Alexei Nikolaevich himself.

In the fall of 1874, Julius entered the mathematics department of Moscow University. Like most students, Yuliy Alekseevich tried to be closer to his fellow Voronezh residents. With five Voronezh residents, he settled in Kozitsky Lane. At this time, the youth was seething, student gatherings were taking place in the country, the intelligentsia went to the “people”, promoting “socialist” teachings, calling on the peasants to revolution. Julius also did not escape the fascination with populist ideas. He joined a populist circle and distributes banned literature. Having learned about the arrest of Kyiv University students in March 1878, Moscow students not only collected money and warm clothes for them, but also held a rally within the walls of their native “alma mater”. The police noted that Yu. Bunin was among the speakers. How I remembered Native sister a prominent landowner, and later a comrade-in-arms of G.V. Plekhanov in the Marxist group “Emancipation of Labor” V.N. Ignatov - E.N. Ignatov: “Through Bunin and his comrades, the three of us joined the new world, which before we met we had only heard from afar " In March 1879, a number of university students were searched. Yuli Alekseevich was among them. In the fall of 1879, at the apartment of the Ignatov sisters, he organized a meeting of the “Black Redistribution” party circle, at which Plekhanov’s comrade-in-arms L.G. Deich spoke. According to the memoirs of I. A. Bunin’s wife, Vera Nikolaevna Muromtseva, Yuli Alekseevich was a participant in the congress of the Populist Party in June 1879 in the county resort city of Lipetsk. Having successfully graduated from the Faculty of Mathematics, Yuliy entered the Faculty of Law of the University. He is interested in statistics. The same V.N. Muromtseva writes that Yulia Alekseevich “both at the gymnasium and at the university was destined scientific career, but he abandoned it for the sake of his desire to benefit the people and fight the existing system.” At the beginning of 1880, the police made new arrests in many cities of the empire, but Bunin's group continued to fight.

At the end of 1880, Yuliy Alekseevich met a prominent figure in the revolutionary movement, A.I. Zhelyabov. Later I.A. Bunin will leave memories of this in the seventh issue of “Bulletin of Education” for 1909.

In March 1881, Zhelyabov and his supporters managed to assassinate Tsar Alexander II, but there was no revolutionary explosion. Students at Moscow University categorically refused to send a wreath to the coffin of the murdered autocrat. The police made further arrests. The suspect Bunin was also detained. He was expelled from the university and deported to Ukraine, to the city of Kharkov.

Yuliy Alekseevich, having arrived in Kharkov, managed to enter the university there. He plunges headlong into the revolutionary movement. In Kharkov, the populists organized a printing house in which they began to print leaflets and proclamations in Russian and Ukrainian. Among the underground workers, someone named Alekseev especially stood out. This was Yuliy Bunin. In November 1883, he published the brochure “A few words about the past of Russian socialism and the tasks of the intelligentsia.” This work would later be included in the program of classes with workers in Marxist circles, for which it was hectographed in Kyiv, St. Petersburg and Moscow. The Kharkov populists sent Yu. Bunin to the capital to negotiate with the so-called “working group” of the Narodnaya Volya members. But both sides never found common language, we didn’t agree on anything.

The police closely monitored Yuli Alekseevich. She even recorded his stay with his parents in Ozerki in the summer of 1883. Ivan was especially looking forward to the arrival of his older brother. Julius helped him prepare to enter the Yeletsk boys' gymnasium. According to the memoirs of Bunina-Muromtseva, Yuliy Alekseevich “after daytime reading and other activities, he would walk in the evenings and take Vanya with him, talk about the stars, about the planets, knowing that from infancy his little brother loved the celestial bodies...” For the first time, Yuliy also accompanied Vanya to the gymnasium. According to Muromtseva’s memoirs, “... only Yuliy and his father laughed...”, and everyone else “held back their sobs... cried...”. Little Vanya was afraid of the entrance exams, but “...Julius assured that there was nothing to worry about...”. Trained by his older brother, Ivan Alekseevich successfully passed the exams.

A provocateur and police agent made his way into the ranks of the Kharkov Narodnaya Volya members. And although he was liquidated, the police managed to learn a lot about the revolutionaries. And she dealt the first blow to the underground printing house. Julius Alekseevich, fearing arrest, left Kharkov and settled in Moscow in January 1884. For five months without a passport, he hides with friends. But in Moscow there was also a provocateur and police agent, a certain Gurovich. He “helped” Yuli Alekseevich “rescue” a fake “residence permit”.

Trying to hide his stay in Moscow, Yuliy Bunin leaves the capital and lives in the North Caucasus in Kislovodsk and Pyatigorsk. Later in his memoirs he wrote: “Having returned from there (from North Caucasus) in the fall I was arrested at my father’s estate in the Oryol province, where I went, having previously inquired that there was not sufficient evidence against me and that nothing terrible threatened me.” But the police very carefully and painstakingly searched for the author of the brochure under the name Alekseev. The police department soon announced an all-Russian search for a candidate for rights across the empire (Yuliy Alekseevich graduated from the Faculty of Law of Kharkov University). His characteristics were also reported: “...26 years old, below average height, small mustache, shaves his beard, oblong face, long nose with a hump, thin build.” And already in September 1884, Yuli Alekseevich was arrested by the assistant to the head of the Oryol provincial gendarme department on his father’s estate - Ozerki. He was imprisoned for a short time, initially in the Yeletsk district prison, and then, at the request of the gendarmes from Kharkov, he was sent to Ukraine in connection with the printing house. Parents came to say goodbye to their son. School student Vanya was also with them. Later, Ivan Alekseevich in the novel “The Life of Arsenyev” will describe the meeting as follows: “... the sight of my brother, his prison isolation and lack of rights, struck me in the heart, he himself understood it well, felt all his humiliation and smiled awkwardly. He sat alone in the farthest corner near the doors to the platform, youthfully sweet and pitiful in his thinness, in his light gray suit, over which was thrown his father’s raccoon fur coat. It was empty around him. The gendarmes continually removed the women, men and townsfolk who crowded around and looked with curiosity and fear at the living socialist... But they took my brother away, my father and mother left... After that it took me a lot of time to get over my new mental illness.” The Bunin family was shocked by the arrest of their eldest son. According to Bunina-Muromtseva: “It never occurred to them that their Yulenka, so quiet, wouldn’t hurt a fly, was taking part in the revolutionary movement...”.

In Kharkov, Bunin was kept in a local prison for more than a year while the investigation was ongoing. One of the main pieces of evidence for the police was Bunin’s address found in an underground printing house. But Yuliy Alekseevich “... is very conspiratorial with soft character traits, he even gave the investigator the impression of being accidentally involved in a revolutionary case, and therefore got off lightly...”

On July 3, 1885, Yuli Bunin, accused of a state crime, was “subject to public police supervision for three years with a ban on living in areas declared under heightened security conditions for that period.” At the end of July 1885, Julius Alekseevich arrived in Yelets and, with the permission of the police chief, was “installed” on the estate of Ozerka’s father, Yelets district, Oryol province. Bunin describes his brother’s arrival in “The Life of Arsenyev”: “I still remember that special cautious pallor with which I was struck by the familiar and at the same time completely new, alien face of my brother... It was one of the happiest evenings in the life of our family.”

The financial situation of the Bunin family was terrible. Julius “has no occupation, does not receive benefits...”, the estate did not bring any income. The younger Ivan was forced to leave the gymnasium due to non-payment of school fees. The elder Julius insisted that he, having two university degrees, would study with his brother and prepare him for the matriculation certificate, at least for the seventh grade of the men's gymnasium. Julius turned out to be an excellent teacher. He recalled later: “When I arrived from prison, I found Vanya still a completely undeveloped boy, but I immediately saw his talent. Less than a year had passed before he had grown so mentally that I could already have conversations with him almost as an equal on many topics. He still had little knowledge, and we continued to replenish it by studying the humanities.” It is also interesting that Yuliy Alekseevich soon switched to teaching methods characteristic of high school, - lecture and seminar. Walks became frequent. On January 27, 1886, Ivan Alekseevich wrote in his diary: “Juliy lives in Ozerki - under police supervision, he is obliged not to go anywhere for three years. In winter I write poetry. Frosty memories sunny days, moonlit nights, walks and conversations with Julius.”

The brothers usually took walks twice a day: before afternoon tea and after dinner. Various conversations were held, a lot was said about literature. After making sure that younger brother not inclined to exact sciences, and especially to mathematics, Julius began to encourage his literary pursuits. It was he who insisted that Ivan send his poem “The Village Beggar” to the magazine “Rodina”. And when it was published, the delight of the younger brother and the whole family knew no bounds. Yuliy Alekseevich was also happy for Ivan, not realizing that he had become the “godfather” of the future classic of Russian and world literature.

The link has expired. On August 24, 1888, Yuliy Alekseevich, having received a certificate to leave, hurried to Kharkov. The police were now closely monitoring him, recording all his residential addresses and behavior. In the spring of 1889, Ivan Alekseevich also came to him. He lived here for no more than two months. In the spring of 1890, Julius moved to Poltava, where he received a lucrative position in the statistical department of the provincial zemstvo. Ivan asks him to find him “a place in Poltava, forty, thirty-five rubles” in order to be able to live with “her ( common-law wife Ivan Alekseevich-Varvara Vladimirovna Pashchenko - V.E.), and most importantly with you (i.e. with Julius - V.E.), in one city! In Poltava, Ivan Alekseevich works as a librarian, statistician, and correspondent. It was in Poltava that the younger Bunin “first began more or less seriously to write fiction.” It was here that Bunin broke up with Pashchenko. And Julius came to his brother’s aid in this difficult time. As a sign of great gratitude, it was the first collection of poems, published in 1891 in Orel, that Ivan Alekseevich dedicated to “Dear brother and deeply respected friend Yu. A. Bunin.”

In March 1895, Yuliy Alekseevich decided to move from Poltava to Moscow. He invited his brother with him: “You need to establish personal relationships with editors, you are already published in thick magazines, and no one knows you.” He advised his brother to start a relationship with the editors of Russian Vedomosti and Russian Thought. But on his first visit he was unable to find a job in the Mother See. Although Yuli Alekseevich was called to the capital to the Ministry of Finance, he could not go there “due to his convictions.” Soon a place was found for the older brother: the editor-publisher of the journal “Bulletin of Education” N.F. Mikhailov offered him the position of head of the editorial office. On June 15, 1897, Ivan Alekseevich, in a letter to the poet I. A. Belousov, reported that he was also going to follow his brother to move to Moscow: “... now I will be in Moscow almost forever in the winters...”. With the advent of Yuli Alekseevich, Bulletin of Education became one of the best Russian pedagogical publications. When the 25th anniversary of this magazine was celebrated in January 1915, according to the younger Bunin, it was “honoring Julius.” I. A. Bunin also published in the magazine under the pseudonym I. Ozersky. In addition to heading the editorial office of “Bulletin of Education”, Yuliy Alekseevich fruitfully collaborated with a number of reputable publications - “Journalist”, “New Word”, “School and Life”. It is not without reason that at the beginning of the 20th century, a number of magazines and newspapers in Russia considered Bunin Sr. “their correspondent and employee.” In Moscow, Yuliy Alekseevich becomes an active participant in various literary circles. In the mid-90s, he became a member of the Tikhomirov circle, where he met Gilyarovsky, Mamin-Sibiryakov, Zlatovratsky, Stanyukovich, and in the future the famous Leonid Sobinov. N.D. Teleshov in his “Notes of a Writer” notes: “The senior Bunin, Yuli Alekseevich, was the head of the editorial office of the journal “Bulletin of Education.” The acquaintance that began between me and Yuliy Bunin led us to a close friendship for twenty-five years - until his death... The younger Bunin, Ivan Alekseevich, although he published his poems and stories in magazines, was still very little known at that time... " .

Soon they began to gather at Teleshov himself. Initially the circle was called “Parnassus”. We met first on Tuesdays, and then invariably on Wednesdays. Subsequently, this association became known as the “Moscow literary environment.” In the fall of 1899, a new circle arose, uniting not only writers, poets, but also artists. Yuli Alekseevich was elected a member of the circle’s directorate. Bunin Sr. also joined the board of the Society of Workers of Periodicals and Literature. According to the memoirs of Bunina-Muromtseva, at Yuli Alekseevich’s “at five o’clock, when the reception in the editorial office ends... there is a tea party. Younger brother / Ivan - V.E./, during his stay in Moscow, does not miss these gatherings...” The brothers sometimes met several times a day, took walks around Moscow together, and went on trips around Russia. Together they take care of their sister Maria, who was married to driver Laskarzhevsky and lived with her mother at the Gryazi junction station /now in the Lipetsk region/. In one of the letters to his younger brother on September 25, 1909, Julius asked: “Have you sent money to ours, as you promised, otherwise they are probably sitting there without a penny. As I told you, I left them only 25 rubles. Please go immediately if you didn’t send it.”

The brothers often came to Gryazi, visiting their sister, mother and nephews. Ivan Alekseevich’s first wife, Anna Tsakni, once remarked that her memory preserved “the wonderful man Yuli Alekseevich Bunin, who was literally the father for Ivan Alekseevich, without him he would not have become what he became: a wonderful poet and writer. Soft, soulful person“He literally charmed and could not help but like him.”

In 1912, when the 25th anniversary of Ivan Alekseevich’s literary activity was celebrated, many publications published a photograph depicting the brothers, and Yuliy Alekseevich certainly began his speech at all celebrations in the same way: “Dear brother, Ivan!” . . "

The beginning of the February and then the October revolutions scattered the brothers. In May 1918, Julius escorted his younger brother and his wife Vera Nikolaevna Muromtseva from Moscow. They didn't know that they were parting forever. Ivan Alekseevich watched his brother from afar. In September 1918, he wrote, worried about the fate of his relatives: “eternal anxiety for loved ones... meanwhile, Yuli Alekseevich became seriously ill again.” Soon Yuliy Alekseevich becomes a member of the literary department of the Palace of Arts. This included Yesenin, Prishvin, Gilyarovsky, Belousov. He gets sick often. He is placed in health resort No. 2 in Moscow. But the disease did not subside. In July 1921 he died. Yuli Alekseevich was buried in the cemetery of the Donskoy Monastery.

Ivan Alekseevich, having learned about the death of his older brother, was shocked. In his diary he will write: “... And all the thoughts about Yulia, about how he once came, young, starting his life, to Ozerki... And somehow I still can’t believe that I will never see him again. Four years ago, saying goodbye to me at the station, he cried... I can’t remember this...” In another entry: “... So I wrote 3 new stories, but now Julius will never recognize them - he, who always knew my new line, starting from the very first Ozersky ones.” In an entry dated February 5, 1922: “I saw in a dream a train, something like a large train car, in which Vera and I were going somewhere. And Julius. I cried, feeling great tenderness for him, told him what it was like for me without him.

He is calm, simple and kind...” Ivan Alekseevich often sees his older brother in dreams: on February 13, he dreamed of “... his empty apartment, with newspapers tied up and stacked on the tables. Now I remember him without any poignancy. Sometimes the thought again: “he’s already rotted in Moscow, somewhere in a grave!” - and it no longer cuts, but only dullly presses, only mentally terrifies.”