Archivist and the guardian of memory. The legacy of Vladimir Nechaev (1874–1941) in the context of the history of archival studies

Abstract

This article deals with the scholarly and professional path of Vladimir Nechaev (1874–1941), an underappreciated but influential figure in the Russian archival and museum practices of the early 20th century. Based on the documents from his personal archive kept at the State Historical Museum of the Russian Federation (Fond 480) and other Russian repositories, the study outlines Nechaev’s contributions to the development of archival and museum practice. Special attention is given to his role in founding the Archival Museum in Petrograd, his work with the Central Archives of the RSFSR (Tsentrarkhiv), and his participation in the Soviet-Polish Joint Commission implementing provisions of the Treaty of Riga of 1921. The article traces Nechaev’s transformation from a military lawyer to the director of the first Russian institution combining archival and museum functions. His ideas on the integration of archives, libraries, and museums into a unified system for preserving cultural memory are shown to be methodologically innovative and remain relevant today. Nechaev’s biography is highlighted within the broader sociopolitical changes of his time, and his archive is recognized as a key resource for understanding the history of cultural institutions and on the memory of events in the 20th century.