Fomichyov Sergej Alexandrovich

   Scientific Secretary of Pushkin committee at the Russian Academy of Sciences; professor of Philology; holds a PhD degree. S. A. Fomichyov is the head of Pushkin research department at the Institute of Russian Literature "Pushkin House." Born on June 14, 1937 in Gorkov. His father was a school teacher, who was killed in the Second World War, when young Sergej was only six years old. In 1947 Fomichyov family moved to the town of Pushkin in Leningrad region. In 1954 S. A. Fomichyov was accepted to Leningrad Institute of Education, however three years he was forced to leave, because of his openly incorrect political views, which went against the grain of the official political dogma. His rebelious spirit was to be tested many times in the years to come. However he was not alone in his desire to change the official establishment, and he had always found people, who offered support to him. With their help, S. A. Fomichyov could continue his education at Glasov Pedagogical College. There he attended lectures, conducted research, as well as had access to the library's collection of rare and forbidden books. Nevertheless his studies were interrupted on the final month of his senior year for the same political reasons, as in the first time. In the years after his expulsion he worked at different construction sites in small towns and villages of Kazahstan, and went through a two-year military service, after which he went back to Glasov College and passed all exit exams in order to receive his diploma of Higher Education. In 1962 S. A. Fomichyov married and returned to the town of Pushkin, where he worked as school literature teacher for the next five years. At the same time, in 1966 he enters Graduate school of the Pushkin House Institute of Russian Literature. There he writes dissertation and commentaries on A. S. Griboedov. Despite a wide-spread opinion that all facts of Griboedov's biography have been made known, Fomichyov took a difficult task to rediscover the famous poet in the light of new research. He publishes many articles and books about A. S. Griboedov and literate tradition of the XIXth century, and founds Griboedov Museum in Hmelit.
   In 1972 he accepts position of scientific secretary at the Institute of Russian Literature. Together with V. N. Bascov realizes a few and difficult projects, such as compilation of the Dictionary of Russian Writers and publishing the Scrap Books of A. S. Pushkin, which helped many generations of future researchers in this field. In 1980 Fomichyov was expelled from his position at the Pushkin House Institute with accusations in "anti-soviet" activities. These accusations were based on Fomichyov's involvement in exchange of important documents between Pushkin House archives and a well-known American researcher.
   During the following years he has conducted researches related to Russian literature and cultural history. When he entered Pushkin House, as the head of the department of A. S. Pushkin, he continued his dedicated and meticulous labor in publishing all newly discovered information and studies in the field, making them available to the wider circles of specialists. He is the editor of the revised and expanded edition of commentaries to the works of A. S. Pushkin, as well as one of the authors of Pushkin Encyclopedia. He constantly presents his theories at various meetings, conferences, and on the pages of many academic periodicals. Despite his serious and time consuming academic work, S. A. Fomichyov remains warm and open person, who is never tired to share his knowledge, erudition, and inexhaustible sense of humor with friends, colleagues and students.

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