Pushchin Ivan Ivanovich, whose biography will be presented in this article, was a Decembrist, author of memoirs, a college assessor and judge of the court in Moscow. But most know him as Pushkin’s closest comrade.
Childhood by Pushchin Ivan Ivanovich
The hero of this article was born in Maryino (Moscow province) in 1798. The boy's father was senator and lieutenant general Ivan Petrovich, and his mother's name was Alexandra Mikhailovna. In 1811, the grandfather took the future Decembrist to the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum for education. Of course, this is not exactly what little Pushchin Ivan Ivanovich wanted. Biography in the Lyceum was marked by the main event - an acquaintance with Pushkin. It took place at one of the exams, and later grew into a warm friendship. The closer proximity was facilitated by the proximity of their rooms. Also, Pushkin and Pushchin were engaged in the same circle. Despite this, friends disagreed on many issues. More than once they had disagreements about certain things and people.
Leaving for the army
A year before the end of Pushchin’s studies, the sovereign turned to the director of the lyceum and inquired about the presence of pupils who wanted to go to military service. There were ten such people, including Ivan. A couple of times a week, General Levashev and Colonel Knabenau were engaged in military exercises with them in the Hussar Manege. Final exams "crept" imperceptibly. Pushkin's best friend, Ivan Pushchin, was sad because he would soon have to part with his comrades, who became his family during his studies. On this occasion, his fellow students wrote several poems in the album of the hero of this article. Among them were Illichevsky, Delvig and Pushkin. Subsequently, the album was lost somewhere.
Military service
Immediately after graduating from the lyceum, Ivan Pushchin, whose photo you can see in the article, was promoted to officer and put on a guards uniform. From that moment on, their roads parted with Alexander. By the way, Pushkin did not know anything about the fact that Ivan, during his studies, joined one circle. Pushchin only occasionally mentioned his membership, but did not give details. We will talk more about this below. It should be noted that Alexander did not recognize the truth.
A new meeting with Pushkin
In January 1820, Ivan Pushchin, whose biography is in many literary encyclopedias, went to Bessarabia to his sick sister. He spent four months there. Returning back along the Belorussian tracts, Ivan drove into the postal station and accidentally saw the name of Pushkin in the guest book. The caretaker told him that Alexander Sergeyevich was going to the service. In fact, the poet was sent into exile to the south. “It would be gratifying to hug him, ” Ivan Ivanovich Pushchin wrote in his memoirs. Friendship with Pushkin resumed only five years later.
In 1825, the hero of this article found out that Alexander was exiled to the Pskov province. And Ivan had a strong desire to visit a longtime friend. To begin with, he intended to go from Moscow to Petersburg to celebrate Christmas with his relatives. Then he went to his sister, and from there to the place of Pushkin's exile - the village of Mikhailovskoye. Friends discouraged Ivan from this trip, since Alexander was under the supervision of not only the police, but also the clergy. But Pushchin did not want to listen. The meeting of friends in January 1825 made a strong impression on both. Later, Alexander wrote a poem about this. This was their last meeting.
Secret circle
What did Ivan Pushchin not tell Pushkin during their studies at the Lyceum? At that time, the hero of this article accidentally met people who in the future took part in the creation of the Northern Society, the Union of Welfare and the events of December 14th. Ivan became one of the most prominent members of this circle. For this reason, Pushchin’s military service did not last long either. It just did not give him room for the realization of his convictions. After leaving, Ivan got a job in the provincial institution, and then took the place of a judge in the First Department of the Moscow Court of the Court.
Desire for change
The change of service was due to the fact that the hero of this article wanted to renew the atmosphere of bureaucracy, which, in his opinion, rendered musty. Everywhere reigned depraved crocheting and bribery. Ivan Pushchin hoped that his example of honest service for the benefit of the people would encourage the nobility to assume the responsibilities from which it by all means removed itself.
Northern Society
The first half of the reign of Alexander I was distinguished by a cheerful mood in connection with the rise of public self-awareness. But then everything changed. Opinions on many social issues have changed in government areas. And this crossed out the hope for a better future for many advanced circles, one of which was Ivan Pushchin. In this connection, the attraction to revolutionary work came to the fore. It was impossible to engage in such activities openly, so the circles transformed into secret organizations.
Ivan was a member of the Northern Society. The head of this organization, Ryleyev, like Pushchin, switched from military service to civilian service. Together they fought ignorance and evil. But closer to 1825, politics began to penetrate their program more and more. Something had to be done. And members of the Northern Society began to develop an action plan.
Decembrist revolt
On December 14, 1825, Ivan Pushchin stood with Obolensky on Senate Square. Nearby were other Decembrists. Later, Kuchelbecker (fellow lyceum) testified against them. He stated that Odoevsky, Bestuzhev, Schepin-Rostovsky, Obolensky and Pushchin were leaders in the square and encouraged him to shoot General Voinov, the Grand Duke. Ivan himself denied such a charge. Pushchin was very passionate about the crowd and examined in her an unfamiliar officer without a hat. People around him said that he was a spy. Then Ivan advised to stay away from him. Whoever struck the officer, the hero of this article did not see. Thus, the question of what Pushchin did on Senate Square remains open. He did not say anything about this and many years later in the Notes of the Decembrist.
Arrest
On the evening of December 14, 1825, Ivan Pushchin, whose photo was already in the criminal case against the Decembrists, was arrested along with other members of the Northern Society. They were enclosed in the Peter and Paul Fortress. During interrogations, Ivan either denied everything or was silent. The court found Pushchin guilty of planning a regicide and participating in it. The hero of this article was awarded the first rank in the rating of state criminals. The final sentence is the death penalty by cutting off the head. Six months later, the court commuted the sentence, depriving Ivan of ranks and sending him to eternal hard labor in Siberia. After a couple of months, the term was reduced to 20 years.
Penal servitude
Upon arrival in Siberia, Ivan Pushchin, whose biography is known to all fans of Pushkin, spent several years in hard labor. His life was not particularly difficult. And the very word "hard labor" was applied to the Decembrists, who were in different prisons, only in a conditional sense. They lived as a friendly family, organizing in their barracks a kind of university for doing mental work. Also, Pushchin, together with Mukhanov and Zavalishin, established a small artel. She helped the poor members who came to the settlement. There was also a newspaper artel providing the Decembrists with print publications and books on various subjects (including forbidden ones).
While in the Chita prison, Pushchin translated Franklin's Notes. Ivan was engaged only in the first part. The second was translated by his friend Steigel. The finished "Notes of Franklin" were sent to a relative of Mukhanov, but, unfortunately, the manuscript was lost. Ivan had to destroy the draft copy during the inspection of the prison, since the ink was banned, and the Decembrists received them in a smuggled manner.
Western Siberia
Thanks to the Highest Manifesto of 1839, Pushchina was freed from hard labor. He was expelled to a settlement in the city of Turinsk (Western Siberia) in 1840. For the next four years, Ivan was predominantly reading books. The Siberian climate negatively affected his health. Since 1840, chronic seizures have regularly occurred with Pushchin. In this regard, he wrote a request for transfer to Yalutorovsk. It was satisfied, and after the arrival of Ivan settled in the same house with Obolensky. Then, in connection with the marriage of comrade Pushchin, he moved to a separate apartment.
In addition to Ivan, there were other Decembrists in Yalutorovsk: Basargin, Tizengauzen, Yakushkin, Muravyov-Apostol and others. They regularly went to visit the hero of this article. At such meetings, the Decembrists played cards, discussed the latest political events, etc. Ivan became addicted to farming and spent a lot of time in the garden. But his health did not improve. Pushchin filed a petition to Gorchakov (Governor-General of Western Siberia) for transfer to Tobolsk for consultation with doctors.
Treatment and freedom
After moving and initial treatment, Ivan became a little better. In Tobolsk, he met with old acquaintance Bobrishchev-Pushkin. Together, friends worked on the translation of Pascal. After returning, Pushchin did not complain about his health for some time, but soon the seizures resumed. In 1849, he again asked Gorchakov to send him for treatment. This time in Turin waters. All travel expenses were paid from the treasury. There Pushchin met Bestuzhev and his other comrades. Six months later, Ivan returned to Yalutorovsk. The hero of this article was released after the manifesto of 1856, having spent 16 years in the settlement.
Last years
In 1858, Pushchin Ivan Ivanovich, whose biography is known to many admirers of Pushkin's talent, married Natalya Fonvizina (wife of the famous Decembrist, who died in 1854). A few months after the wedding, the hero of this article died. Pushchin was buried in Bronnitsy near the cathedral. The grave is located near the tomb of Fonvizin M. A.
