Journal’s content № 1 2026
Actual theme: International Holocaust Remembrance Day
S.A. Tikhankina. The events of Kristallnacht through the eyes of eyewitnesses
The article analyzes video evidence and eyewitness accounts of the events of Kristallnacht, highlighting the common and specific aspects for understanding the perception of the tragic events by their participants.
Keywords: Kristallnacht, pogrom, Holocaust, discrimination, Kaliningrad, Konigsberg.
A.V. Krylova. Russian students studying the «childhood aspect» in the issues of the Second World War and the Holocaust using the materials of «The three dolls» textbook: difficulties and opportunities
The article is devoted to determining the possibility and expediency of using the materials of «The three Dolls» textbook in history classes with university students and developing a concept that allows to maximize its effect in the educational process (taking into account the student body, the country, time and other factors). The author concludes that this textbook, after appropriate adaptation (adjusting the questions to the texts for a more adult audience), can be effectively used to study the Holocaust in Russian high schools and that it is necessary to create a similar textbook that provides information about the occupied territories of the USSR.
Keywords: World War II, the Holocaust, children, history textbooks, methodological approaches to teaching.
History and Society
M.A. Bychkov. The Danubian Principalities in Russian foreign policy at the beginning of the 18th century.
The article analyzes the place of the Danubian Principalities (Moldavia and Wallachia) in Russia’s foreign policy in the early 18th century. The Prut campaign was their first joint political and military action. It created a realistic opportunity to resolve diplomatic issues that had arisen in the 17th century. However, the poor organization of the campaign and a lack of understanding of the situation led to its failure. This, in turn, set back political relations between the countries by half a century.
Keywords: Wallachia, foreign policy, Danubian Principalities, Moldavia, Prut campaign, Russia.
V.L. Danoyan, V.D. Anisimov. Police reform of Catherine II.
The article studies the state activity aimed at the creation of a law enforcement body — the police. The main articles of the «tatute of Blagochenie or Police» and other documents related to the creation of police bodies are analyzed. The structure of police bodies, their competencies, staffing, legal basis of activity are studied.
Keywords: police, legislation, law and order, reform, complete collection of laws of the Russian empire, gorodnichy, private bailiff, politsmeister, office of welfare, overseers, city, word court, Catherine II.
N.А. Zhamaletdinov. Russia’s trade relations with the North American colonies in the 18th century.
The article deals with trade relations between Russia and 13 North American colonies in the 18th century. The article systematizes the existing information on the problem and analyzes the impact of British colonial policy on Russian-American trade. The conclusion is made about the reasons for the development of trade between the countries, which consist in a significant degree of globalization of American consumption and deformation of the colonial economy.
Keywords: Russia, Great Britain, North America, British colonies, Navigation Act, international trade, the consumer revolution, imports, export.
A.V. Ryabinkin. Provision of military aid by the USSR to the Spanish Republican government in 1936-1939.
The article is devoted to the activities of the USSR in providing military assistance to the Spanish republican government in 1936-1939. The author examines the essence and features of the work of the Soviet government in providing assistance to the republican Spain. Based on the generalization of scientific research, the article presents materials on the provision of military assistance in the training of troops and forces, and of the fleet of the Republican Forces of Spain by Soviet volunteers and the specifics of volunteer training for international units and formations. The author notes the relevance of understanding new historical sources introduced into scientific circulation and supplementing the research base on the military cooperation with foreign countries.
Keywords: Spain, military aid, Civil war, training of military specialists, defense of the country, Republican troops.
Methodic
R.V. Pazin, M.S. Ruzhnikov. Organizing the process of teaching history to high school students with an emphasis on preparation for the Unified State Exam: results of testing a modernized advanced level program.
This article examines the key educational impacts of piloting a modernized advanced history program with a focus on preparation for the Unified State Exam (USE). A methodology for evaluating its effectiveness is proposed. A significant increase in USE history scores at School № 2116 by more than 15 test points was recorded, along with a significant reduction in the proportion of students who failed to meet the established minimum threshold, and an increase in the proportion of high-scorers.
Keywords: educational process; Unified State Exam; learning effectiveness; Federal State Educational Standard; specialized school.
O.Yu. Strelova, E.V. Khachko. Regional component — local studies course: problems of adapting regional textbooks to the course «History of Our Land».
The authors of the article, based on their experience of preparing methodological recommendations, discuss the meanings and optimal ways of adapting innovative textbooks on regional history for grades 5-11 to the course «History of Our Land».
Keywords: regional component, local history, axiological criteria for selection and adaptation of the content of regional textbooks to the course of local history.
M.S. Pykina. Study the role of the Russian Orthodox Church in the political struggle of the 14th century in secondary school.
The question of the role of the Russian Orthodox Church in the beginning of the unification process of the Russian lands is studied in the XIth class as a part of review and generalizing course «History of Russia from the earliest times until 1914». Advanced level of history in secondary school requires such tasks and techniques that would not only expand the knowledge of students on the subject but also form the skills of interpreting sources and analyzing historiographical assessments. The author offers productive tasks, which can be implemented by the teacher in different modules of the lesson or extra-curricular activity.
Keywords: The Rise of Moscow, Russian Orthodox Church, work with sources, formation of skills.
Young scientists’ works
A.S. Sokolov. The Romanov diaries as a genealogical source.
This article examines the information potential of the diaries of members of the House of Romanov in the context of genealogical research. The characteristics of this type of source are analyzed, including the influence of demographic factors and the author’s personality on their content. Both the strengths of the diaries and the shortcomings that hinder the clarification of certain aspects of the genealogy are identified.
Keywords: diaries, genealogy, House of Romanov.