The teen years of Mikhail and Fedor Dostoevsky (new archival materials of 1837-1839)

The article introduces into scientific circulation archival documents from the funds of the Russian State military-historical archive (RGVIA, Moscow), which give additional material for the construction of the scientific biography of brothers Mikhail and Fedor Dostoevsky in one of the least studied periods , from 1837 till 1839, the time of Mikhail Dostoevsky’s admission to the Engineering corps and the first two years of training of Fedor Dostoevsky in the Main engineering school. Archival data are supplied with the materials of printed sources of the era, mostly introduced into scientific circulation for the first time. The new data give a comprehensive picture of the educational process in the Main engineering school in the period of 1838–1839. In scientific circulation are introduced all the disciplines and courses attended by Dostoevsky twice, as far as he was kept for a second year, and during his study in the 3rd conductor class, and during his first and second years study in School. The content of these courses is described shortly but in details; the bibliographic list contains the titles of the course books. For the first time all 19 teachers whose lectures Dostoevsky attended during this period are systemized. The names of eight of them are introduced into scientific use for the first time. In addition, there were identified the names of 20 teachers, both full-time and the invited tutors, who were part of the examination Committee administering the annual exam passed by Dostoevsky in 1839. The Names of seven of them are also introduced into scientific circulation for the first time. Biographical data on the rest of the teaching staff are updated and supplemented.