Alexander R. Korsunsky: The combat experience of a medievalist

Abstract

The article considers the problem how combat experience influenced professional activity in the sphere of medieval studies, based on the case of A. R. Korsunsky (1914–1980). The study draws on documents from the Central Archives of the Ministry of Defense (Moscow) and from the Archive of the Medieval Studies Department of the Faculty of History, Moscow State University. The influence of Korsunsky’s combat experience is studied in the context of some clear parallels with the combat biographies of Ernst Kantorowicz and Marc Bloch. Some important tendencies of their scholarly activity can be explained only by this factor. Korsunsky became a volunteer in July, 1941, at the beginning of the Great Patriotic War. He participated in the battles of Kursk (1943), of Dnieper River (1943) and the Korsun-Shevchenkovsky offensive (1944). At the same time, his scholarly views were greatly influenced by his experience as a propaganda officer and as an officer of the Political Department of the 1st Guards Army Staff (since 1944). The main result of this experience (both combat and that as staff officer) was to strengthen and consolidate his Marxist vision of historical processes, in spite of his critical attitude towards some aspects of Soviet life. While Korsunsky maintained close links with foreign colleagues and saw his work as part of world scholarship, he, like many other former veterans, remained true to Marxist views to the end of his life.