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Abstract:

The article examines the archival book of memoirs by the writer, thinker, Konstantin Alexandrovich Chkheidze (1897–1974), an important figure for Eurasian movement. The memoirs were written by him in Prague in 1967–1971 commissioned by the Czech Literary Foundation. The Caucasian theme is one of the central ones in the book, which develops in the chapters on childhood in Mozdok, the 1917 Revolution, and the Civil War. It also intervenes in the narrative of the author’s studies at the Petrovsky Poltava Cadet Corps and the Tver Cavalry School, as well as his experiences during the Russian Exodus, his stay in Constantinople and the island of Lemnos, staying and working in Bulgaria and Russian Prague, and his time in a Soviet camp. By presenting milestones in history and describing the everyday and cultural characteristics of the North Caucasian peoples, especially the Kabardians and Balkars, Chkheidze emphasizes the value of tradition and believes that its destruction is one of the causes of the civil unrest. The writer emphasizes the components of the moral and spiritual way of life of the highlanders that can serve as a foundation for overcoming the civilizational crisis and building a holistic image of the future. By examining the fate of the Caucasian peoples (ethnic groups) within the Russian Empire and later the USSR, Chkheidze argues for the principle of symphonic unity as the basis for the development of a multinational state.