Archival collections relating to Maksim Bahdanovich
Belarusian archives
The main body of archival material on Maksim Bahdanovich is concentrated at the Belarusian State Archives-Museum of Literature and Art (BDAMLM). Records relating to the life and work of this Belarusian poet, prose writer, literary critic, publicist and public figure can be found in more than 20 fonds (record groups) and in the archive’s library.
The biggest part of the sources are held in fonds 153 (Collection of papers relating to the family of Maksim Bahdanovich). The collection initially comprised two series. The first series contains 87 files dating from the period 1887-1965, which are classified by name: papers relating to Maksim Adamavich Bahdanovich, Marya Apanasauna Bahdanovich (nee Myakota, mother), Adam Yahoravich Bahdanovich (father), Vadzim Adamavich and Leu Adamavich Bahdanovich (brothers), Alyaksei Adamavich and Alyaksandr Adamavich Bahdanovich (stepbrothers), Pavel Adamavich Bahdanovich (stepbrother), as well as the photographs of Maksim Bahdanovich’s relatives on maternal and paternal sides. Among the records in this series are three autographs of Maksim Bahdanovich: a postcard to the editors of the newspaper Nasha Niva (1909), a letter to his brother Leu of 20 March 1914, and a note to Zoska Veras written during the youth game at the party (1917).
The other series includes 98 files from the period 1883-1975. These are the papers of Adam Yahoravich Bahdanovich (father), Leu Adamavich Bahdanovich (brother), Vyacheslau Adamavich (stepbrother) and Pavel Adamavich (stepbrother).
In the 1990s, the third series was compiled which includes 27 files with 243 records dating from the years 1977-1993. These are mainly the articles about Maksim Bahdanovich on the 90th, 95th and 100th anniversaries of his birthday.
In the other fonds there are records documenting the use of Maksim Bahdanovich’s legacy (manuscripts of musical works and songs), assessment of his creative life by bibliographers and figures in literature and art (articles, essays, verses).
At the National Historical Archives of Belarus in Minsk (NHAB) there are 11 fonds containing records on the family history of Maksim Bahdanovich, his life and work.
A complex of records pertain to the ancestors of Maksim’s mother – an old Belarusian family of Myakota, its noble origins and recognition in nobility (1799-1864).
A considerable part of records pertain to Maksim Bahdanovich’s relatives on paternal side – peasants at the village of Kasarychy, Babruisk district, Minsk province (1811-1858), and Adam Yahoravich himself, his scholarly and literary activities (1868-1887).
A separate group is comprised by records from the years 1878-1910, connected with the history of Karkazevich’s house on Alyaksandrouskaya Street in Minsk, where Maksim Bahdanovich was born.
Several records from 1916 and 1917 illustrate the financial position, service and public activities of Maksim Bahdanovich. These records, including 11 autographs by Maksim Bahdanovich (texts of official documents and autograph signatures) were created by the Minsk division of the Belarusian Society for Assistance to War Sufferers and the Minsk province food committee.
The National Historical Archives of Belarus in Hrodna has three records pertaining to the creative work, service and public life of Adam Bahdanovich (the 1890s), and the first printed work by Maksim Bahdanovich – a story “The Musician” (newspaper “Nasha Niva”. 1907. 6 July).
The records and materials relating to Maksim Bahdanovich can be found in the eight fonds of the National Archives of the Republic of Belarus (NARB) and its library.
This Archives holds a writ of protection by the BSSR Plenipotentiary to the Government of the RSFSR issued to Adam Yahoravich Bahdanovich for transferring the personal archive of Maksim Bahdanovich from Yaroslavl to Minsk (1923), and typescript copies of speeches by the Belarusian writers Kandrat Krapiva and Vasil Barysenka on Soviet radio in 1942 made in response to a wide coverage of Maksim Bahdanovich’s life and work by the Occupation authorities in propaganda purposes.
A considerable part of the archive’s records illustrate the events held by the
authorities and the public to honour the memory of Maksim Bahdanovich from 1918 to 1989
(memorial parties and jubilee celebrations, giving his name to libraries and schools, the
erection of the monument, the establishment of the museum etc.).
The Belarusian State Archives of Films, Photographs and Sound Recordings
(BDAKFFD) preserves a large number of records relating to the family of Maksim
Bahdanovich and his creative heritage. These include nearly 40 photographs of Maksim and
his relatives (mainly copies of records held in BGAMLI). The eight film records highlight
his life and work, creative relations and memory tribute to Maksim Bahdanovich. Over 30
sound records are the recitation of the poet’s verse recorded for radio programmes and the
recordings of musical works with lyrics by Maksim Bahdanovich performed by theatre
artists, singers and chorus.
Belarusian museums, libraries, scholarly institutions
One of the main repositories of Maksim Bahdanovich’s heritage is Maksim Bahdanovich Literary Museum in Minsk and its two branches – “Belarusian Hut” (on Rabkorauskaya Street in Minsk) and “Rakutseushchyna Estate” (in Maladzechna district).
In addition to many museum exhibits, these institutions hold records collections relating to Maksim Bahdanovich (manuscripts, printed editions, photos, audio recordings, film records).
The manuscript heritage includes eight autographs by Maksim Bahdanovich: a Russian-language book of poetry “Zelenya”, two short poems, personal notes written in summer 1915 during his staying in Old Crimea (several pages from the so-called Diary), as well as four dedicatory inscriptions on books and two on photographs. Besides, there are reminiscences about Maksim made by his father Adam Yahoravich Bahdanovich and his friends (Zoska Veras, Dziyador Dzyabolski etc.), handwritten papers of his relatives and friends, autographs by the Belarusian figures in culture and art.
The museum collections also include personal papers of the Bahdanovichs and their relatives-in-law, records of public and cultural life in Belarus documenting the memory of Maksim Bahdanovich.
The museum’s audiovisual collection comprises nearly 4,000 photographs and negatives. These are the well-known photographs of Maksim Bahdanovich, his relatives and friends, the places connected with him, the researchers into his life and the events perpetuating his memory. In addition, the Museum holds many sound recordings and film records: gramophone records, discs and tape recordings of verses, songs and musical compositions with lyrics by Maksim Bahdanovich, tape recordings of the recollections of him and the celebrations in his memory, as well as three motion pictures and a video film about Maksim Bahdanovich (in digitized form, on CDs).
The impressive book collection contains 6 exemplars of the only lifetime poetry book of Maksim Bahdanovich “The Garland” with the poet’s autograph signatures and the books of his everyday reading, as well as the editions of the Belarusian writers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries and the poet’s successors, translations, dedications, literature about his life and work.
The Maksim Bahdanovich Museum in Hrodna holds a complex of records relating to Maksim Bahdanovich’s brothers Leu and Vadzim and his sister Nina, who died at the age of eight. Among the exhibits are the family photographs and personal belongings of Maksim Bahdanovich, a lifetime edition of his poetry book “The Garland” (1913).
At the National Library of the Republic of Belarus there is an autograph copy of Maksim Bahdanovich’s dedication addressed to his college friend Mikalai Kakueu on the book “The Garland” and the lifetime editions of his booklets “The Czech brothers”, “Belarusian Renaissance”, etc.
The manuscript collection of the Yakub Kolas and Yanka Kupala Institute of Language and Literature at the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus has three autographs by Maksim Bahdanovich: an autographic list of his verses, stories and articles published in the Russian press in 1912-1914, his record of aphorisms and language expressions, and an epigram “Nikolai Ivanych! Are you?” (1916).
The Russian State Archives of Literature and Art has autographs of Maksim Bahdanovich’s translation into Russian of Yanka Kupala’s verse “Reaping” and his translations of Agafangel Krymsky’s poetry from Ukrainian, a postcard of 26 April 1912 addressed to Valery Bryusov, and a 1913 dedicatory inscription to Mikalai Ashukin on the book “The Garland”.
The Maksim Bahdanovich House-Museum in Yaroslavl holds one of the largest in Russia collections of Maksim Bahdanovich’s printed works and literature about him.
The manuscript department at the Russian State Library in Moscow has a letter of 22 April 1913 written by Maksim Bahdanovich to the scholar and philologist Fyodor Korsh.
The manuscript department at the Science Library of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine has an autograph of Maksim Bahdanovich’s article “Beauty and power. A study of Shevchenko’s verse”.
The manuscript department at the Library of the Academy of Sciences of Litva
holds the largest part of Maksim Bahdanovich’s autographs from the years 1911-1917: six
originals of his verses (1913-1917), nine translations of Paul Verlaine,
“Postscriptum”, a final part of his critical essay on Belarusian literature
“Hlyby i slai” from 1911, six letters to the editors of the newspaper
Nasha Niva in Vilna, two letters to the editors of the anthology Maladaya Belarus in
Petersburg, and two letters to Vatslau Lastouski.