This is a story about the Oberiuts – a group of writers and avant-garde artists of the late 20s – early 30s of the last century. OBERIU – Association of real art – was founded by our most talented poet Daniil Kharms. An active Oberiut was his brightest colleague Alexander Vvedensky. It is clear that in the early 30s the group was covered by Stalinist repressions. Under Khrushchev, everyone was rehabilitated. Now the Oberiuts, the pride of Russian literature, are included in the extracurricular reading programs of humanitarian gymnasiums with an in-depth study of history and literature.
But the ordeals of the Oberiuts did not end there. A high-profile case with their participation flared up in social networks after dismissal of Serafima Saprykina from the St. Petersburg Humanitarian Gymnasium No. 168. More precisely, after the post by Serafima Saprykina on Facebook, where she complains about the onset of repressions in Russia similar to 1937: “Guys, the new 1937, here it is, one step closer to us and our children. I had to write this post for another month back. But I was cowardly, which I did not expect from myself, because I only do what I boast of my courage and honesty. I was frightened, as then, in those days, people were frightened and silent. I understood them. “
And further, closer to the Oberiuts themselves from the same post: “At the end of December 2021, the director of the gymnasium 168 of the Central District of St. Petersburg (school near the Lavra) Lebedeva Svetlana Andreevna (age over 80 years old, has been director for 30 years and does not intend to leave at all) called me, Saprykina Serafima Olegovna, who works as a teacher-organizer, and with a frighteningly distorted face of anger ordered me to quit, as I read poems to tenth graders by “enemies of the people” and “accomplices of the fascists” Vvedensky Alexander Ivanovich and Kharms Daniil Ivanovich.
In general, if you draw analogies with 1937, it looks like a denunciation. Modern social networks, by the way, support this genre quite well. And then they also blow up great scandals. Saprykina’s post is just such an example. Hype immediately arose in defense of the undeservedly injured teacher and against the coming 1937. The girl ascended on the crest of glory. Whoever stood up for the new heroine: from “Echo of Moscow” to the poet Lev Rubinstein and the deputy of the Legislative Assembly of St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region Boris Vishnevsky. And then – a deputy’s request to the Education Committee of the St. Saprykina, and if they are confirmed, bring the director of gymnasium No. 168 S. A. Lebedeva to justice.”
And this is also typical. “Echo of Moscow”: “1937 is on the threshold, obscurantism is all around, Stalinists, Chekists – there is no doubt that everything that Serafima described is pure truth.”
Meanwhile, the administration of St. Petersburg began to understand. The first thing that turned out was that Serafima Saprykina was not a teacher, but a school librarian. In December, she was invited to replace. According to the program on the Day of Heroes – December 29 – the lesson was to be devoted to the battle near Moscow. The replacement of the theme was not agreed upon, and Saprykina read to the children a poem by the Oberiut poet Alexander Vvedensky:
I’m sorry that I’m not a beast,
running on the blue track
saying to himself: believe
and to another self: wait a little.
“In that particular 10th grade, where the library employee Serafima Saprykina came, the children had just finished the topic of the Great Patriotic War. But for some reason, in all classes they discussed the battle for Moscow, and Serafima decided to talk about respected, beloved poets of the Silver Age, what exactly could have been done on another day. And, in fact, the whole conflict arose precisely around this. Not around the content. ” – said the vice-governor of St. Petersburg Irina Potekhina.
Further details began to emerge. Saprykina jumped from school to school, especially not lingering. The 168th gymnasium is her fourth. She has been working there since September, that is, four months. And earlier – in the 70th school. Only 16 days. Even more interesting is that Serafima Olegovna Saprykina was previously Sima Chingizovna Kazimova. According to the information of the joint press service of the courts of the Volgograd region, “by the verdict of the Krasnooktyabrsky district court of Volgograd dated December 17, 2008, Sima Kazimova was found guilty of committing a crime under part 1 of article 111 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. For committing this crime, she was sentenced to two years suspended sentence with six months’ probation.” Article – “intentional infliction of grievous bodily harm.” In a drunken fight, Sima Kazimova stabbed the offender twice in the back with a knife.
After 5 years, Sima Kazimova decides to change everything at once: last name, first name, patronymic. According to the press service of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region, in response to a request from Vesti Nedeli, “in 2013, Kazimova S. Ch. applied to the Federal Migration Service of the Volgograd Region about changing her surname, name and patronymic. After that, she becomes Saprykina Serafima Olegovna. In 2021, this citizen applies through the public services portal for a certificate of the presence (absence) of a criminal record and indicates in the application: Saprakina (Kazimova) Serafima Olegovna. That is, from a past life, she indicates only her last name, and only new first and middle names. As a result , the check is carried out according to two criteria: Saprykina Serafima Olegovna and Kazimova Serafima Olegovna. In both the first and second options, the answer is negative: there is no criminal record. Since the database contains a criminal record on the combination Kazimova Sima Chingizovna. “
Now Sima Kazimova (aka Serafima Saprykina) is proudly posting a certificate from public services on the absence of a criminal record on the Web. But she received it, indicating incomplete data, hiding her former name and former patronymic. During the digital processing of the request, a blank certificate “jumped out”. So there is such a loophole.
And, finally, the director of the Gymnasium, Svetlana Lebedeva, spoke about her love for the Oberiut poets: “I am not at all against these poets, you can talk about any literature, but you can’t change the curriculum on your own, without agreement. I have many grandchildren, to whom, among other things, I read poems by Kharms. They cause real delight in children. “
Now the topic of Saprykina has faded. And no one is pushing about 1937. But as an experience, history is curious. How quickly everything flares up in social networks, how easy it is to deceive and conceal there, how easy it is to become a fakir for an hour, how quickly they are repressed there only on a denunciation – without trial or investigation. And what is all this hype worth… But such are the features of modern culture. The Oberiuts, with all their craving for paradox, never dreamed of such a thing.