Lebedev-Polyansky Pavel Ivanovich (1882-1948)

Lebedev-Polyansky Pavel IvanovichSoviet literary critic, participant in the revolutionary movement in Russia, academician of the USSR Academy of Sciences. The real name is Lebedev, the pseudonym is Valerian Polyansky. He was born in the town of Melenki, Vladimir province. During his studies at the Vladimir Theological Seminary, in the underground library he got acquainted with the books of the Russian revolutionary democrats and with Marxism. These ideas forced him to abandon the priest's career. Studying at the Dorpat University (Estonia) at once at two faculties (medical and historical-philological), P.I. Lebedev was engaged in revolutionary activity. In 1904 he was arrested and deported under police surveillance in Vladimir, where he did not stop propaganda work, becoming one of the founders of the Vladimir organization of the RSDLP. From 1908 to 1917 he was in emigration in Europe, continuing his education and revolutionary activities. After the October Revolution, he headed the literary and publishing activities in the country: the commissar of the literary publishing house of the department of the People's Commissariat for Education, the chief of General Directorate for Literature, the editor-in-chief of the Literary Encyclopedia, the director of the Institute of  Russian Literature (Pushkin House), etc. P.I. Lebedev was actively engaged in scientific work. At the same time, he did not lose contact with the Vladimir land. In 1949 the Vladimir Teacher's Institute (later – the Pedagogical University) was given the name of P.I. Lebedev-Polyansky, a scholarship of his name was established, and most importantly, his library (more than 3300 volumes) was transferred to the University.  A monument to P.I. Lebedev-Polyansky was erected in front of the Faculty of Philology (at the Golden Gate) in 1959.