Alexandr Aksakov
Encyclopedia
Alexandr Nikolayevich Aksakov (Алекса́ндр Никола́евич Акса́ков; Repievka, Penza
region, 27 May 1832 – 4 January 1903, Saint Petersburg
) was a Russian
author, translator, journalist, editor, and psychic researcher.
He was the son of religious philosopher Nikolai T. Aksakov and the brother-in-law of writer Sergey Aksakov. His wife's name was Sophie.
While living in Germany with his wife and publishing his writings there, he began to spell his name as Alexander Aksakof to accommodate the German spelling style, and this is the name by which he is most known outside of Russia.
, Aksakov joined the Russian Imperial Ministry of Internal Affairs. In 1852 as a member of the notorious Melnikov-Pecherskiy
’s expedition he traveled to the Nizhny Novgorod
region to investigate the case of the local raskol
movement. In the year of 1858 Nizhny Novgorod’s governor A. N. Muravioff (one of the original Decembrists), Aksakov joined the government’s Office for the State Properties and began working as an official adviser for its Economic division. Later he became the member of His Imperial Majesty's Own Chancellery
(from 1868 to 1878) and retired as the state councillor (which gave him the right to be addressed as ‘your Excellency’).
As a student Aksakov was greatly impressed by the works of Emmanuel Swedenborg, and this led to an all-consuming interest in mediumship
, specifically in its physical manifestations. In 1863 he translated Swedenborg’s «Heaven and Hell» (De Caelo et Ejus Mirabilibus et de inferno. Ex Auditis et Visis) from Latin into Russian, under the title “About Heaven, Universe and Hell as it’s been seen and heard by E. Swedenborg”. In Leipzig
he published his own books "Gospel According to Swedenborg" (1864), "Swedenborg’s Rationalism: The Critical Analysis of his Study of the Holy Bible" (1870) and "The Book of Genesis according to Swedenborg" (1870), which were praised by F. M. Dostoyevsky and N. S. Leskov
.
In the late 1860s Aksakov became famous as one of the organizers (along with professor A. M. Butleroff
and zoologist and writer N. P. Wagner) of the first séances in Russia. He continued to translate major spiritualist works, including those of Andrew Jackson Davis
(both into Russian and German
). In 1874 he started editing the spiritualist monthly «Psychische Studien» based in Leipzig. One of his own best known works on the subject, "Animism and Spiritism", «Анимизм и спиритизм», was published in 1893.
In Europe, Aksakov became known for his study of the mediumship of the British medium Mme. d'Esperance
, whom he later praised as an honest, sincere and mysteriously gifted person. This side of his work has been well documented in A. Conan Doyle
’s The History of Spiritualism. Aksakov also investigated psychic medium Eusapia Palladino
.
Alexandr Aksakov wrote on the great variety of subjects, the most controversial of which was the nature and history of Russian drinking habits. His articles and essays appearing regularly in “The Day” (Dehn, «День») magazine edited by Ivan Aksakov
.
Penza
-Honors:A minor planet, 3189 Penza, discovered by Soviet astronomer Nikolai Stepanovich Chernykh in 1978, is named after the city.-Notable residents:...
region, 27 May 1832 – 4 January 1903, Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
) was a Russian
Russians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
author, translator, journalist, editor, and psychic researcher.
He was the son of religious philosopher Nikolai T. Aksakov and the brother-in-law of writer Sergey Aksakov. His wife's name was Sophie.
While living in Germany with his wife and publishing his writings there, he began to spell his name as Alexander Aksakof to accommodate the German spelling style, and this is the name by which he is most known outside of Russia.
Biography
In 1851, having graduated from the Alexandrovsky (Tsarskoselsky) lyceumTsarskoye Selo Lyceum
The Imperial Lyceum in Tsarskoye Selo near Saint Petersburg also known historically as the Imperial Alexander Lyceum after its founder the Emperor Alexander I with the object of educating youths of the best families, who should afterwards occupy important posts in the Imperial service.Its...
, Aksakov joined the Russian Imperial Ministry of Internal Affairs. In 1852 as a member of the notorious Melnikov-Pecherskiy
Pavel Ivanovich Melnikov
Pavel Ivanovich Melnikov was a Russian writer, known for his opera magna In the Forests and On the Hills, which describe the unique life of Transvolga and its dialects....
’s expedition he traveled to the Nizhny Novgorod
Nizhny Novgorod
Nizhny Novgorod , colloquially shortened to Nizhny, is, with the population of 1,250,615, the fifth largest city in Russia, ranking after Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, and Yekaterinburg...
region to investigate the case of the local raskol
Old Believers
In the context of Russian Orthodox church history, the Old Believers separated after 1666 from the official Russian Orthodox Church as a protest against church reforms introduced by Patriarch Nikon between 1652–66...
movement. In the year of 1858 Nizhny Novgorod’s governor A. N. Muravioff (one of the original Decembrists), Aksakov joined the government’s Office for the State Properties and began working as an official adviser for its Economic division. Later he became the member of His Imperial Majesty's Own Chancellery
His Imperial Majesty's Own Chancellery
His Imperial Majesty's Own Chancery or H.I.M. Own Chancery began as personal chancery of Pavel I and grew into a kind of regent's office, run by Count Arakcheyev from 1815 and until the death of Alexander I of Russia....
(from 1868 to 1878) and retired as the state councillor (which gave him the right to be addressed as ‘your Excellency’).
As a student Aksakov was greatly impressed by the works of Emmanuel Swedenborg, and this led to an all-consuming interest in mediumship
Mediumship
Mediumship is described as a form of communication with spirits. It is a practice in religious beliefs such as Spiritualism, Spiritism, Espiritismo, Candomblé, Voodoo and Umbanda.- Concept :...
, specifically in its physical manifestations. In 1863 he translated Swedenborg’s «Heaven and Hell» (De Caelo et Ejus Mirabilibus et de inferno. Ex Auditis et Visis) from Latin into Russian, under the title “About Heaven, Universe and Hell as it’s been seen and heard by E. Swedenborg”. In Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
he published his own books "Gospel According to Swedenborg" (1864), "Swedenborg’s Rationalism: The Critical Analysis of his Study of the Holy Bible" (1870) and "The Book of Genesis according to Swedenborg" (1870), which were praised by F. M. Dostoyevsky and N. S. Leskov
Nikolai Leskov
Nikolai Semyonovich Leskov was a Russian journalist, novelist and short story writer, who also wrote under the pseudonym M. Stebnitsky. Praised for his unique writing style and innovative experiments in form, held in high esteem by Leo Tolstoy, Anton Chekhov and Maxim Gorky among others, Leskov is...
.
In the late 1860s Aksakov became famous as one of the organizers (along with professor A. M. Butleroff
Aleksandr Butlerov
Aleksandr Mikhailovich Butlerov was a Russian chemist, one of the principal creators of the theory of chemical structure , the first to incorporate double bonds into structural formulas, the discoverer of hexamine , and the discoverer of the formose reaction.The...
and zoologist and writer N. P. Wagner) of the first séances in Russia. He continued to translate major spiritualist works, including those of Andrew Jackson Davis
Andrew Jackson Davis
Andrew Jackson Davis , American Spiritualist, was born at Blooming Grove, New York.- Early years :He had little education, though probably much more than he and his friends pretended. In 1843 he heard lectures in Poughkeepsie on animal magnetism, as the phenomena of hypnotism was then termed, and...
(both into Russian and German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
). In 1874 he started editing the spiritualist monthly «Psychische Studien» based in Leipzig. One of his own best known works on the subject, "Animism and Spiritism", «Анимизм и спиритизм», was published in 1893.
In Europe, Aksakov became known for his study of the mediumship of the British medium Mme. d'Esperance
Mme. d'Esperance
Mme. d'Esperance was a British spiritualist medium who, according to Nandor Fodor, exemplified "the quality evidence available through physical mediumship, but also, the problems that occurred in respect of female mediums in Victorian England".-Biography:Having spent rather troubled childhood full...
, whom he later praised as an honest, sincere and mysteriously gifted person. This side of his work has been well documented in A. Conan Doyle
Arthur Conan Doyle
Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle DL was a Scottish physician and writer, most noted for his stories about the detective Sherlock Holmes, generally considered a milestone in the field of crime fiction, and for the adventures of Professor Challenger...
’s The History of Spiritualism. Aksakov also investigated psychic medium Eusapia Palladino
Eusapia Palladino
Eusapia Palladino was a Spiritualist medium from Naples in the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies ....
.
Alexandr Aksakov wrote on the great variety of subjects, the most controversial of which was the nature and history of Russian drinking habits. His articles and essays appearing regularly in “The Day” (Dehn, «День») magazine edited by Ivan Aksakov
Ivan Aksakov
Ivan Sergeyevich Aksakov was a Russian littérateur and notable Slavophile. He was the son of Sergey Aksakov and younger brother of Konstantin Aksakov. He was born in what is now Bashkortostan....
.
Books
- Александр Аксаков. Анимизм и спиритизм - Animism and Spiritism by A. Aksakov (in Russian)