Grech N.I. (1787-1867), writer, journalist

Categories / Literature. Book Publishing/Personalia
Categories / Press. Mass Media/Personalia
GRECH Nikolay Ivanovich (1787, St. Petersburg - 1867), journalist, publisher, writer, philologist, Privy Councillor (1843), corresponding member of the Petersburg Academy of Sciences (1827). Graduated from the Senate Junker School (1804), attended the St. Petersburg Pedagogical Institute as an external student (1803-05). In the 1810s adhered to radical views, from the early 1820s changed to a moderate-liberal position. Within different years served at the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry for Finances, and Ministry for People"s Education. Grech gained prominence as a pedagogue and philologist. His major works include: Brief History of Russian Literature (1822); Concise Grammar of the Russian Language (republished 11 times); Complete Grammar of the Russian Language (1827). From 1808 up to the end of his life was active as a publisher, editor and co-editor of quite a number of journals, such as Syn Otechestva (in 1812-39 editor, until 1838 - publisher, from 1825 jointly with F. V. Bulgarin) and the Severnaya pchela newspaper (jointly with Bulgarin). In 1820-30 hosted a literary conversazione — so called Grech"s Thursdays. In his novel Voyage to Germany (1831) Grech was the first in Russian literature to give a detailed exposition of Petersburg Germans. His other works: Black Woman (1834); Literary Voyages (1830-40); Notes on My Life (1850-67) provide an extensive coverage of the Petersburg public and literary life of the early 19th century. In 1810 joined the Free Society for the Friends of Philology, Science and Arts, from 1818-23 was a member of the Free Society of Russian Philology Friends. Resided at 15 Nevsky Prospect in 1821 - 1831; in 1831-65 — in his house at the Moika River Embankment, section of house 92; at 18 Gorokhovaya Street. Buried at Volkovskoe Lutheran cemetery.

References: Бурнашев В. Из воспоминаний петербургского старожила: Четверги у Н. И. Греча // Заря. 1871. Апр. С. 3-45; Сидяков Л. С. Пиковая дама и Черная женщина Н. И. Греча: Из истории раннего восприятия повести Пушкина // Болдинские чтения. Горький, 1985. С. 164-173; Литературный Петербург пушкинской эпохи: Адрес. указ. / Сост. В. Ф. Шубин // Дома у Пушкина: [Сб. ст.]. СПб., 1994. С 100-111. (Арс; № 1).

I. E. Vasilyeva. Bulgarin Faddei Venediktovich
Grech Nikolay Ivanovich
Gorokhovaya St./Saint Petersburg, city, house 18
Moika River Embankment/Saint Petersburg, city, house 92
Nevsky prospect/Saint Petersburg, city, house 15
Бурнашев В. Из воспоминаний петербургского старожила: Четверги у Н. И. Греча // Заря, 1871
Сидяков Л. С. "Пиковая дама" и "Черная женщина" Н. И. Греча: Из истории раннего восприятия повести Пушкина // Болдинские чтения. Горький, 1985
Бурнашев В. Из воспоминаний петербургского старожила: Четверги у Н. И. Греча // Заря, 1871
Литературный Петербург пушкинской эпохи: Адрес. указ. / Сост. В. Ф. Шубин // Дома у Пушкина: [Сб. ст.]. СПб., 1994
Сидяков Л. С. "Пиковая дама" и "Черная женщина" Н. И. Греча: Из истории раннего восприятия повести Пушкина // Болдинские чтения. Горький, 1985 Russian Academy of Sciences
1812