«Only culture history can answer this question»: part of a lecture of L. E. Kertman

Unique audiotapes with the lectures of Lev Efimovich Kertman (a founder of the Department of General History of Perm University) on the course «Theory and Methodology of History» delivered by him in the winter of 1986 to the students of the history faculty are kept in the archive fund of the Department of General History of Perm University. A part of the lecture devoted to theoretical and methodological issues of culture history was chosen to be published in an anniversary issue of «Vestnik». In this lecture L. E. Kertman justified the key points of his historic cultural researches: not only scientific and artistic works, but also spiritual life of common people must serve the subject of culture history; not only history gives the deep understanding of culture, but vise versa - culture helps to understand history. The lecturer stated: «Without understanding the spiritual life of a given society… we can't understand history, we lie to ourselves». Memoir books devoted to Professor Kertnam are full of admiration of his talent for delivering a lecture. This publication gives an insight into his talent and shows why his lectures produced some magical effect on the audience. This part of lecture is of particular importance, as it gives information on a lecturer's plans for the next, 1987, year: «It would be a good job to write such a book, and, probably, next year I will find the time to do it. A title for this work could be "Culture cell" or "Spiritual Life Cell"». Obviously, his plans didn't come true, but his words proved that L. E. Kertman considered theory and history of culture to be utterly important.