The Original Slavophiles: The Roots of an Abiding Debate

In many ways, the upbringing of the brothers Ivan and Peter Kireyevsky was typical for children of the Russian nobility during the early 19th century, but since they were both born with exceptional abilities and grew up among people for whom poetry, philosophy and history were as essential as oxygen, the boys received a truly remarkable education.

Like most young nobles, the brothers were fluent in French, but they also spoke many other languages, both modern and ancient. They spent most of their time reading and thinking, and few saw anything unusual in this.

The brilliantly educated young men could have chosen any of a number of prestigious careers in the Foreign Ministry, where they undoubtedly would have held top positions, perhaps becoming ambassadors or ministers. But they chose another path.

Peter and Ivan Kireyevsky--who were fluent in the languages of Europe, who read the German poets and philosophers in the original, who had made Western Europe their second home--gradually …

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Publication information: Article title: The Original Slavophiles: The Roots of an Abiding Debate. Contributors: Not available. Magazine title: Russian Life. Volume: 49. Issue: 3 Publication date: May-June 2006. Page number: 21+. © 2002 Russian Life. COPYRIGHT 2006 Gale Group.

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