The Creative Legacy of V.I. Picheta (1878–1947): Source Study

Оn the march 5th 1945 Vladimir Ivanovich Picheta wrote in his diary the following: «One should be honest, objective and unbiased in science. I will say only that I have lived my whole life, relying on my “head”. I loved science and gave all my stamina to science. I was an altruistic toiler. I asses myself like this with honor». From this passage only it can be understood how important is analysis of creative legacy for understanding the personality of V.I. Picheta and any other historian. Intellectual biography allows us to understand the relationship between the historian and his time. An integral part of such research is a study of his works. This paper offers a detailed examination of the creative legacy of the Russian historian of the first half of the 20th century – V.I. Picheta. While historians have not explored Picheta's work as the crucial source for understanding his life, this investigation seeks to reassess the existing view on the creative legacy of V.I. Picheta. The method of the studies of the sources of historiography will provide a more accurate investigation of the evolution of professional interests and approaches of V.I. Picheta. In sum, the significance of this research lies in presentation of the creative legacy of the historian as an holistic system, not as a set of some groups which are united by a common theme of works.