History as the Reading of Universe, or Philosophical Experience in Arbat Street, Moscow: From the Reminiscences on Sigurd O. Schmidt

The subject of this paper are the analytical reminiscences on Sigurd O. Schmidt (1922-2013), outstanding Russian historian and historical thinker. The paper deals with the problem of philosophical meaning of studies in different primary historical sources. The very experience of reading of the Universe based on solid historical information as well as general historical knowledge is described as a kind of fruitful preconditions of philosophical studies. Professor Schmidt, the son of Russian cosmologist Otto Schmidt and the nephew of unique philosopher Yakov Golosovker, was the well-known historian of Medieval Rus', but also the author of different works on historiography, the historical studies of Moscow and its suburbs, the theory of archives' management, cultural studies and last, but not least on methodology of history. Professor Schmidt made a substantial contribution in the process of mutual rapprochement of historical and philosophical knowledge. This process seems to be an important part of general dynamics of the whole complex of socio-human studies during the last five or six decades. During these decades his contribution in upbringing of young specialists in socio-human disciplines, as well as his popular lections through radio and TV, was also the matter of exclusive importance in the history of contemporary intellectual life in Russia.