V.I. CHAPAEV: MYTHS AND REALITY IN VIEW OF DOCUMENTS AND MEMORIES ANALYSIS

Vasily Ivanovich Chapaev is one of the most legendary figures in the history of Russia. His name is strongly associated with the Civil War of 1917–1922, his life and activities were widely covered in literature, cinema and folk art. The personality of V.I. Chapaev is accompanied by a variety of myths and legends, which can be verified with the help of documents and memories. The purpose of the study is to identify which aspects in the life of the legendary commander are covered in detail in the sources, and which aspects of V.I. Chapayev’s activities are exposed poorly in the sources. To achieve this goal, the following tasks will be solved: identification and analysis of the main sources characterizing the life and activities of V.I. Chapaev; assessment of the reliability and objectivity of various types of sources; comparison of memories about V.I. Chapaev by the degree of the author’s proximity to the legendary divisional commander, in which the memoirists have disagreements. Materials and methods. To achieve the purpose of the study, a set of general scientific and specific historical methods was used. The historical and chronological method was used to reconstruct the biography of V.I. Chapaev and the chronology of the events in which he participated; a comparative historical method – for analyzing various sources devoted to V.I. Chapaev, and identifying their similarities and differences; hermeneutic method – for interpreting texts of documents, memoirs and historical works; the method of historical criticism – for assessing the reliability and objectivity of sources. The source base of the research was collections of archival documents, biographical studies and memoirs dedicated to V.I. Chapaev. Research results. The study of documentary sources and memories about V.I. Chapaev identified a number of features that affect their historical value and reliability. The main types of documents presented in publications are orders, reports on military operations and telegrams. The memories of relatives and comrades-in-arms give a better idea of V.I. Chapaev’s personal qualities, making him more popular, but have a subjective character. Conclusions. Documentary sources dedicated to V.I. Chapaev show him as a hero of the revolution, characterizing him as a talented military leader and a brave commander. At the same time, his difficult character is noted. The information presented in the sources focuses on combat operations and military results. The memoirs of the divcom’s closest comrades-in-arms: N.M. Khlebnikov, S.F. Danilchenko, D.A. Furmanov, I.S. Kutyakov are valuable, since these people were direct witnesses to the life and work of V.I. Chapaev, while the information they provide is often contradictory.