Jahrbücher für Geschichte Osteuropas
Im Auftrag des Osteuropa-Instituts Regensburg
herausgegeben von Martin Schulze Wessel und Dietmar Neutatz
Ausgabe: 60 (2012), 1, S. 132-133
Verfasst von: Chester Dunning
Sigismund von Herberstein Zapiski o Moskovii: V dvuch tomach [Rerum Moscoviticarum Commentarii. In zwei Bänden].
Tom 1: Latinskij i nemeckij teksty, russkie perevody s latinskogo A. I. Maleina i A. V. Nazarenko, s rannenogo verchnenemeckogo A. V. Nazarenko [Band 1: Lateinischer und deutscher Text, russische Übersetzung aus dem Lateinischen von A. I. Malein und A. V. Nazarenko, aus dem Frühneuhochdeutschen von A. V. Nazarenko]. Moskau: Pamjatniki istoričeskoj mysli, 2008. 774 S., ISBN: 978-5-88451-242-9.
Tom 2: Stat’i, kommentarii, priloženija, ukazateli, karty [Band 2: Aufsätze, Kommentare, Anhänge, Register, Karten]. Moskau: Pamjatniki istoričeskoj mysli, 2008. 655 S., ISBN: 978-5-88451-243-6.
Sigismund von Herberstein (1486‒1566), a brilliant Slovenian scholar and diplomat, undertook two missions to Russia (in 1517 and 1526) as the representative of the Holy Roman Emperor. During the course of those embassies Herberstein spent about a year in Russia. On the basis of his own observations and many years of research, he eventually published one of the very first and certainly the most important account of Russia written in the sixteenth century. Herberstein’s sharp mind, his ability to speak and read Slavonic languages, his wide-ranging travels and experience as an ambassador, and his direct observations while visiting the court of Grand Prince Vasilii III combine to make Herberstein’s account a work of enduring value for anyone interested in early modern Russia. Indeed, Herberstein’s book, originally published in Latin, was quickly translated into German and other languages and soon became the foundation for the West’s view of early modern Russia. Herberstein’s book was consulted by many later writers whose accounts of Russia often contain material lifted directly from Herberstein. Modern scholars have mined Herberstein’s book for every scrap of evidence and have written extensively about the strengths, weaknesses, and varying degree of accuracy of his information as well as his “negative” views of early modern Russian political culture. Today there are literally dozens of editions of Herberstein’s text available in several languages (including two English translations). There are also several electronic versions of his text available on the internet. Moreover, Herberstein apparently now has his own Facebook page.
The extraordinarily valuable edition of Herberstein’s account of Russia under review here is the product of more than ten years of painstaking scholarship by a team of scholars under the guidance of A. L. Khoroshkevich, T. P. Gusarova, A. V. Nazarenko, A. G. Tiul’pin and Reinhard Frötschner. Volume 1 contains three parallel texts of Herberstein’s account: the revised Latin edition published in 1556, the German translation published in 1557 and a modern Russian translation of the 1556 Latin text composed by A. I. Malein and A. V. Nazarenko. Random spot checking of the three texts reveals the great care and precision that went into this monumental project. Students having difficulty with the Latin or early modern German texts can easily find an accurate modern Russian translation of any vexing passages. Volume 1 also contains illustrations, maps and other incidental texts found in the earliest editions of Herberstein’s book. Even more valuable is the inclusion of Russian translations of several documents associated with Herberstein’s embassies to Moscow. Volume 2 contains essays on the historical context of Herberstein’s embassies to Russia, Herberstein’s life and work, and the composition, publication and early translation of his account of Russia. This volume also contains two hundred pages of useful commentary on Herberstein’s text based upon exhaustive line-by-line study of his account and careful reading of more than four centuries of scholarship concerning Herberstein and his book. Also included are genealogical tables and an excellent bibliography of published works related to Herberstein and his account of Russia. Volume 2 ends with very useful indexes of geographic terms, personal names and subjects. Although many versions of Herberstein’s famous book are available today, this two-volume edition is undoubtedly the best and most useful version published to date. It deserves to become the twenty-first century’s standard edition of Herberstein’s invaluable study of early modern Russia.
Zitierweise: Chester Dunning über: Sigismund von Herberstein: Zapiski o Moskovii: V dvuch tomach. Tom 1: Latinskij i nemeckij teksty, russkie perevody s latinskogo A. I. Maleina i A. V. Nazarenko, s rannenovoverchnenemeckogo A. V. Nazarenko. Moskau: Pamjatniki istoričeskoj mysli, 2008, ISBN: 978-5-88451-242-9; Tom 2: Stat'i, kommentarii, priloženija, ukazateli, karty. Moskau: Pamjatniki istoričeskoj mysli, 2008. ISBN: 978-5-88451-243-6, http://www.dokumente.ios-regensburg.de/JGO/Rez/Dunning_Herberstein_Zapiski_o_Moskovii.html (Datum des Seitenbesuchs)
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