Information about the author:
Konstantin S. Drozdov
Konstantin S. Drozdov, PhD in History, Senior Researcher, Institute of Russian History of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Dmitry Ulyanov St., 19, 117292 Moscow, Russia.
ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6617-5255
E-mail:
Abstract:
The article attempts to analyze the biographies of two generals: F.I. Kobrisov, the main character in G.N. Vladimov’s novel “The General and His Army”, and N.E. Chibisov, the former commander of the 38th Army, who was interviewed by the academic staff of the Mints Commission, his real prototype. For the first time, fragments of Chibisov’s interview from November 1943, devoted to the history of the crossing of the Dnieper, the capture and retention of a bridgehead north of Kiev in the area of the village of Lutezh, are introduced into academic circulation. Based on a comparative historical analysis of Vladimov’s novel and the transcript of a conversation with General Chibisov, the author of the article shows, on the one hand, the main differences, and, on the other hand, many coincidences in the combat biographies of both generals — the real and the fictional one. The main attention is paid to the analysis of events related to the crossing of the Dnieper River by of the 38th Army troops and the circumstances of Kobrisov / Chibisov’s capture of the right-bank bridgehead in the area of Myryatin/Lutezha north of Predslavl / Kiev in September–November 1943. This coincides with the main storyline of Vladimov’s novel, and with the narrative that was voiced by Chibisov during the recording of an interview with him. The author of the article comes to the conclusion that the writer Vladimov, despite the fact that he was not personally acquainted with General Chibisov, did not read the transcript of the conversation with him, nevertheless, was able, by the power of his talent, intuition and imagination, to reliably and historically correctly depict the image of General Kobrisov on the pages of his novel.The writer truthfully showed through a literary image the nature of the Soviet military commander during the Great Patriotic War.
Keywords: “The General and His Army”, G. Vladimov, literary character General F.I. Kobrisov, transcript of conversation, Mints Commission, General N.E. Chibisov, crossing the Dnieper, liberation of Kiev, 1943.
