Vladimiro Piskorsky: Historian Hispanist, Publicist, Defender of University Autonomy (On the 150th anniversary of his birth)

Abstract

The present article is dedicated to Vladimir Piskorsky (1867-1910) a great Russian historian, author of fundamental studies on Spanish history, student of St. Vladimir University in Kiev, full professor of the Institute of History and Filology in Nezhin (1899-1905) and Kazan Emperor University (1906-1910), honored member of the Royal Academy of Sciences and Arts in Barcelona (1901). The study follows the development of his interest towards Spain, focusing on the destiny that befell tertiary education in Spain. It is the first time that his article named “Spanish Universities”, written during his scholarship in Spain, is introduced to historical circles. Basing on Piskorsky’s correspondence we have followed his route about Spain and revealed his contacts there. Special interest is paid to the relation between observations and reflections of the traveler and worries of Spanish intellectuals known as Generation 98. The study is completed with the ways that Piskirsky offers as a possible solution to overcome university crisis both in Spain and in Russia. It primarily concerns the basic conditions of academic autonomy, which implies freedom of establishing programmes and curricula, investigation lines and cultural policy.