Browse Exhibits (3 total)

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  Berdyaev's House

  Welcome to Berdyaev’s House in Clamart

  От Kураторa:

  Дом Николая Александровича Бердяева один из немногих уголков сохраняющий дух эпохи. Комната-музей хранит книги, письма, личные вещи философа в их первоначальном виде. Это было одно из желаний самого Николая Александровича переданное и оформленное в документе «Réalisation de Promesse de vente» (перев.: Выполнение обещаний о продаже) отредактированное и подписанное между Евгенией Юдифовной Рапп и архиепископом Николаем Еремином, настоятелем храма Трех Святителей в Париже, 16 января 1955 года. В этом документе есть очень важное уточнение: «Сохранить нетронутым в том состоянии, в котором он находится, рабочий кабинет г-на Николая Бердяева». Вот уже на протяжении 70 лет это предписание бережно хранится. Дом открыт и принимает посетителей в течении всего года. Желающие посетить и прикоснуться к вещественному наследию философа с радостью принимаются в Кламаре. Для посещения желательно заранее договориться и записаться по электронному адресу: iosif1978@gmail.com.

  Иеромонах Иосиф (Павлинчук)

  From the Curator: 

  The house of Nikolai Aleksandrovich Berdyaev is one of the few places that preserves the spirit of the era. The museum room keeps books, letters, and personal belongings of the philosopher in their original form. This was one of the wishes of Nikolai Aleksandrovich himself, conveyed and formalized in the document "Réalisation de Promesse de vente" (transl.: Fulfillment of promises to sell) edited and signed between Eugenia Yudifovna Rapp and Archbishop Nikolai Eremin, rector of the Church of the Three Hierarchs in Paris, on January 16, 1955. This document contains a very important clarification: "To preserve intact in the condition in which it is, the study of Mr. Nikolai Berdyaev." For 70 years now, this order has been carefully preserved. The house is open and receives visitors throughout the year. Those wishing to visit and touch the material heritage of the philosopher are gladly received in Clamart. For a visit, it is advisable to make an appointment in advance by email: iosif1978@gmail.com.

  Hieromonk Joseph, Panteleimon Pavlinciuc

  A Brief History of Berdyaev and His Clamart Home

  • 1922: Exiled from the Soviet Union amidst the suppression of intellectuals, Berdyaev relocates to Berlin.

  • 1924: He leaves Berlin for Paris, citing economic and political reasons. (Most sources indicate 1923, but letters from Shestov suggest otherwise.)

  • 1928: At 54, Berdyaev settles at 14 rue de Saint-Cloud, Clamart, a suburb of Paris, where he resides for several years.

  • 1937: Berdyaev and his wife Lydia move to 83 rue du Moulin de Pierre, Clamart, inheriting the house from family friend Florence West.

  Clamart as Berdyaev’s Intellectual Hub

  • Clamart Home: This residence becomes Berdyaev’s main base for the remainder of his life, anchoring his philosophical and spiritual pursuits.

  • Creative Peak: While living here, Berdyaev authors many major works, including:

    • The New Middle Ages (1924)
    • On the Appointment of Man (1931)
    • On Slavery and Human Freedom (1939)
    • The Russian Idea (1946)
    • The Kingdom of the Spirit and the Kingdom of Caesar (published posthumously in 1951)

  • Lydia Berdyaeva’s Reflections: Lydia documented her husband’s relentless work ethic, noting his inability to rest without writing.

  • 1946: Berdyaev writes his will, bequeathing his property, including the Clamart house, to his sister-in-law Eugenia Rapp.

  • March 24, 1948: Berdyaev passes away in his Clamart home at the age of 73.

  Preserving Berdyaev’s Legacy

  • Posthumous Preservation: Eugenia Rapp dedicates herself to safeguarding Berdyaev’s legacy, initially planning to transfer his manuscripts to Cambridge University but later donating them to the National Library of France.

  • 1959-1960: Berdyaev’s archive is transferred to the State Archive of Literature and Art in the Soviet Union after lengthy negotiations.

  • House Transfer: Following Eugenia Rapp’s death in 1960, the house is bequeathed to the Orthodox religious association and becomes associated with the Church of the Three Saints Doctors in Paris, serving as both a residence and a study centre for Berdyaev scholars.

  • Chapel and Preservation: The house now includes a chapel dedicated to the Holy Spirit, adorned with an iconostasis by monk Gregory Krug. The Clamart residence continues to honour Berdyaev’s legacy, hosting Divine Liturgies and welcoming researchers and visitors, particularly during European Heritage Days.

  For more information, see the following links:

  https://rprt.northwestern.edu/people/research-scholars/the-house-of-berdyaev-a-place-of-convergence.pdf

  https://www.chebucto.ns.ca/Philosophy/Sui-Generis/Berdyaev/essays/lossky.htm

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  Nikolai Berdyaev

  Nikolai Alexandrovich Berdyaev (1874-1948) was born in the city of Kiev (Kyiv) to an aristocratic Russian family. From an early age, he became interested in philosophy even though, as he states, “[nobody ever suggested it] the impulse came entirely from within me.” He prized his independence from an early age, and never felt he belonged in the aristocratic circle in which he was raised. He felt himself “having fallen into an alien realm” from which he ought to flee. That feeling brought a child of merely fourteen years old into contact with the greatest minds of the last century, for he desired answers to his questions that few could satisfy. Before he turned twenty, he had read works by Arthur Schopenhauer, Immanuel Kant, and G.W.F. Hegel, which drew him to an idealist philosophical worldview that never quite left him. These works inspired him to become a philosopher. 

  Berdyaev initially pursued a legal career, studying at the University of Kyiv's Faculty of Law. However, his passion for philosophy and political engagement soon took precedence. Drawn to the works of Karl Marx, he joined the Kyivan Marxist movement, and in 1898, he was arrested for participating in the socialist movement and exiled to Vologda in Northern Russia.

  While spending his time in exile, Berdyaev grew critical of Marxist materialist determinism and its lack of spiritual depth, predicting that the ideology would lead to the suppression of individual freedom and creativity, which were becoming foundational to his philosophy. He began a period of spiritual questioning that led him to the intellectual and cultural movement known as the Russian Renaissance. There he encountered the philosophical, theological, and literary endeavors meant to realize Fyodor Dostoevsky's dictum that "the world will be saved by beauty." By 1917, he had returned to Orthodox Christianity and had become its idiosyncratic but forceful champion. These influences combined to assist him in developing a Christian philosophy of the person as the irreducible value in politics, society, and culture.

  His outspoken Christianity, views on individual freedom, and criticism of Marxism made him a target of the Soviet regime after the Russian Revolution of 1917. Berdyaev publicly defied the new Soviet order, lecturing on forbidden spiritual and philosophical topics. In 1922, the Soviet government exiled him (along with other intellectuals and religious figures such as Sergei Bulgakov, Semyon Frank, and Nikolai Lossky), who were critical of the regime -- on the "philosophy steamers" headed for Germany. 

  Berdyaev briefly settled in Berlin briefly before moving to the environs of Paris, where he remained for the rest of his life. In Paris, he continued his work as a philosopher and writer, engaged in theological and philosophical conversations with French intellectuals, and edited the religious-philosophical journal Put (The Way), which became a central platform for Russian emigre discussions on politics, religion, and philosophy. His later works explored the theological, philosophical, and political dimensions of the philosophy of personalism, adding to it a Christian existentialist dimension. His books were read in India, Japan, and Latin America, and he received letters from philosophers, clergy, and ordinary people worldwide.

  He passed away suddenly in 1948 while working at his desk in Clamart, France. His Clamart house now serves as a museum of his work.

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  Themes

  Below, please find a curated selection of thought-provoking quotes from Nikolai Berdyaev’s works, highlighting his reflections on freedom, politics, faith, and meaning. Each quote provides insight into Berdyaev’s philosophy, inviting visitors to explore his ideas on human dignity, spiritual knowledge, and Christianity's role in modern society. Organized by theme, these excerpts serve as an entry point into Berdyaev's multifaceted philosophy. Each excerpt links to the source article for those who wish to learn more. 

  Explore the site to discover a broad array of Berdyaev’s works, themes, and intellectual contributions. Whether you're here to reflect on a single line or delve into the full scope of Berdyaev's writings, we hope this resource enriches your understanding of his legacy.