Spring series of historical online lectures of the Narva Museum

• HISTORICAL LECTURE SERIES
• Dates: March 13 to April 21, 2021
• Format: ZOOM lectures
• Duration of each session: 60 minutes.

Cost of one lecture: €5.
Cost of the spring series, 13 lectures from March 13 to April 21, 2021: €35
(available as a separate subscription).

• March 13, Saturday, 11:00. 
• Lecture: "To slide on the hills – to roll in the pancakes: Vastlapäev-Shrovetide".
• Lecturer: Marina Kuvaitseva.
• Language: Russian.

Contrary to popular belief, holidays in the lives of ancestors, both Estonians and Russians, were never a time of carefree idleness. All ritual actions were full of deep meaning and had common features – ancestor remembrance, incantation songs, ritual food, and ritualized behavior. This lecture discusses how our agricultural ancestors sought to actively influence nature through magical rituals. Learn why memorial dishes were prepared for the festive table during Vastlapäev and Shrovetide, why straw dolls were made and then disposed of, why it was essential to visit distant relatives.

• March 17, Wednesday, 18:00. 
• Lecture: "The Streets of Narva on City Maps from the 17th to the 21st Century".
• Lecturer: Svetlana Andreeva.
• Language: Russian.

This lecture will discuss one of the most important pages in the history of our city – the history of Narva's streets. It will cover the process of their formation in the city, the emergence of their names, how the principles of street naming changed, and their renamings. Find out why Narva, the ideal European city, was easy to get lost in, which street was renamed most often, and what Pushkin has to do with it. We will look at several city maps from different times to trace the changes in the layout of the city streets, with a more detailed focus on the history of one of the oldest - Pushkin Street. At the end of the presentation, we will discuss how the city currently handles street renaming.

• March 20, Saturday, 11:00. [BUY TICKET](#)**
• Lecture: "Social Aid and Charity in Narva, 1918–1920".
• Lecturer: Galina Smirnova.
• Language: Russian.

This was an extremely difficult period for the residents of our city. Of all the cities in Estonia during this period, Narva suffered the most. Military actions were conducted both in the city and its surroundings. Industrial enterprises either shut down or operated minimally, and the number of unemployed increased every day. Military refugees flooded into Narva from Russia, and a typhus epidemic began. There was a disruption in the supply of food and basic necessities—clothing, footwear, and other essentials. During such a period, it was very important to provide support to those in need. The lecture will present an overview of the social and charitable assistance provided by the state, city government, and both foreign and Estonian public organizations.

• March 20, Saturday, 13:00. [BUY TICKET](#)**
• Lecture: "The Spread of the Typhus Epidemic in Narva, 1919-1920". PART I.
• Lecturer: Igor Kopõtin.
• Language: Estonian.

At the end of the War of Independence, fierce battles were fought on the Narva front between Estonian forces and the Red Army. Despite a ceasefire being declared in Narva on January 3, 1920, and the Tartu Peace Treaty being signed on February 2, the fight against rapidly spreading infectious diseases—especially typhus—continued in Narva and Virumaa. What were the causes of typhus, how did it spread, and how was it overcome? Were there similarities in fighting this epidemic with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic? These questions will be the focus of the lectures, which will take place in the Zoom environment.

• March 21, Sunday, 18:00.
• Lecture: "Fighting the Typhus Epidemic in Narva, 1920". PART II.
• Lecturer: Igor Kopõtin.
• Language: Estonian.

At the end of the War of Independence, fierce battles were fought on the Narva front between Estonian forces and the Red Army. Despite a ceasefire being declared in Narva on January 3, 1920, and the Tartu Peace Treaty being signed on February 2, the fight against rapidly spreading infectious diseases—especially typhus—continued in Narva and Virumaa. What were the causes of typhus, how did it spread, and how was it overcome? Were there similarities in fighting this epidemic with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic? These questions will be the focus of the lectures, which will take place in the Zoom environment.

• March 24, Wednesday, 18:00.
• Lecture: "The Russian Rockefeller – Ludwig Johann Knop".
• Lecturer: Irina Solodova.
• Language: Russian.

Ludwig Johann Knop was one of the largest entrepreneurs of the Russian Empire. In 1877, for his significant contributions to the development of the Russian textile industry, he was granted the title of hereditary baron by Emperor Alexander II. In this lecture, learn how Knop became a co-owner and major shareholder of over a hundred textile factories. Discover why it was in Narva that he realized his long-held dream of founding the Kreenholm Manufacture, which by the beginning of World War I had become one of the largest textile enterprises in the world, and why he is called the "Russian Rockefeller".

• March 27, Saturday, 11:00.
• Lecture: "The 1993 Referendum on Autonomy in Narva: Failure or Success?"
• Lecturer: Ivan Lavrentiev.
• Language: Russian.

Held by the city authorities of Narva in the summer of 1993, the referendum on the city's autonomy within the Republic of Estonia occupies a special place in the country's recent history. A rare example of such broad popular mobilization, the referendum attracted international attention well beyond Estonia and somewhat influenced state policy towards the Russian-speaking population. However, the referendum was declared unconstitutional and had no continuation, and many participants admit that official Tallinn turned away from Narva for years afterward. This lecture will attempt to answer what the 1993 referendum actually was and how its outcomes can be assessed today. The lecture preparation involved materials from the Narva City Archive, scholarly and popular publications, and periodicals from 1993.

• March 31, Wednesday, 18:00.
•  Lecture: "The Postcard in the Collection of the Narva Museum".
• Lecturer: Svetlana Andreeva.
• Language: Russian.

In our time, an era of internet and mobile communications, people rarely encounter this object. Yet not so long ago, this form of communication was very popular. During holidays, families would sign and send dozens of greeting cards. The postcard is an object of collection activity for any historical museum. Despite its apparent simplicity and commonality, this object has a rich history, and its study is an important source of new information about the past. During the lecture, we will look into the history of the postcard, explore its various genres from cityscape views to caricatures, and learn which Narva view postcard in the Narva Museum's collection is considered the oldest.

• April 3, Saturday, 11:00.
• Lecture: "Life of the Workers at Kreenholm Manufacture, 1857 – 1917".
• Lecturer: Galina Smirnova.
• Language: Russian.

By the end of the 19th century, Kreenholm Manufacture had become the largest enterprise in Europe. It was equipped with the latest English machinery, producing high-quality products that were recognized at all-Russian and international exhibitions. The owners earned substantial profits thanks to cheap energy, the application of new equipment and technology of the time, an unlimited product market, and extensive trade connections with well-organized managerial and technical leadership based on the grueling labor of thousands of workers. How old were the youngest and oldest workers at the factory, what conditions did they live in, and how many hours did they work each day? These and many other social aspects of life at Kreenholm Manufacture will be discussed in the lecture.

• April 7, Wednesday, 18:00.
• ecture: "Narva Through the Eyes of Travelers from the 15th to the 19th Century".
• Lecturer: Irina Solodova.
• Language: Russian.

This lecture will explore the various reasons people have traveled throughout history. We will get to know those whose journeys took them through Narva, a border town, over the centuries. We will delve into the diaries, notes, and memoirs of these travelers to see the city through the eyes of those who saw it for the first time, whether they were modern tourists or witnesses of past events. Find out who didn't like the Narva lamprey?

• April 10, Saturday, 11:00.
• Lecture: "Researching Historical Memory in Narva: Challenges and Opportunities".
• Lecturer: Ivan Lavrentiev.
• Language: Russian.

In recent decades, the study of historical memory—a complex sociocultural perception by contemporary people of past processes, events, and phenomena—has gained increasing popularity in scholarly literature. Narva, with its extremely diverse history rich in regionally significant events, provides an excellent venue for such research. This lecture will examine studies of historical memory in Narva conducted by historians from Estonia, Russia, and Germany, and propose new opportunities for further research on this topic. The lecture preparation utilized publications from international scientific journals and collections, as well as materials from the annual publication of the Narva Museum.

• April 14, Wednesday, 18:00.
• Lecture: "Have Some Tea and Chase Away the Gloom: Traditional Cuisine of Estonia's Old Believers".
• Lecturer: Marina Kuvaitseva.
• Language: Russian.

Western Pechory is often called "Russian Estonia". This region is predominantly inhabited by Russians whose ancestors settled here 300-400 years ago, fleeing persecution in Russia. They were highly religious, meticulously preserving the traditional way of life and customs of their forefathers. To this day, the Pechory people have retained their native language and customs. The lecture will discuss proper table manners and what contributed to the excellent taste of the dishes prepared by the Old Believers. We will find out why the tea ceremony became a crucial ritual and an integral part of daily life despite the Old Believers' strict prohibition on drinking tea. We will also learn why the Easter kulich is made in a stack of seven layers, and when kutya and "razgonny" (chasing away) kissel are served.

• April 21, Wednesday, 18:00.
• Lecture: "The Resurrection of Christ and the Iconography of the Festival".
• Lecturer: Maria Smorzhevskikh-Smirnova.
• Language: Russian.

This lecture will explore the iconographic tradition dedicated to the festival of Christ's Resurrection. Using examples of iconographic monuments from the 15th to the 19th centuries, we will discuss the features of iconographic language and the symbolism of the images of the Crucifixion, Descent into Hell, and Resurrection of Christ. We will compare iconographic scenes of the Eastern and Western churches and learn what the fundamental differences are in the depiction of the same event and where, on the contrary, their iconographic unity is manifested.

Note: A link to the Narva Museum Lecture Series Zoom event will be sent to the email address you provided when purchasing tickets, one hour before the lecture starts.