О праздновании 200-летия ученого и дипломата И.Гошкевича в Париже
26.08.2014 г.The 37th session of UNESCO General Conference decided to include in the calendar of anniversaries for 2014-2015 the 200th anniversary of the birth of Joseph Goshkevich. The exhibition dedicated to a prominent diplomat, scholar who born in Belarus, is organized by the National museum of the history of Belarus in the framework of the jubilee events.
The following organizations participated in the realization of the Exhibition project: the Ministry of foreign affairs of Belarus, the Embassy of Japan in Belarus, the National museum of art of Belarus, the National historical archive of Belarus, Russian historical archive, the Foreign policy archive of the Russian Empire, the National library of Belarus, and Japan Tobacco International.
Life and work of an outstanding political figure, scientist-orientalist Joseph Goshkevich were closely connected with Belarus, Russia, and Japan, their history and culture. Being the first Russian consul, Goshkevich stood at the origins of establishment of diplomatic relations between the Russian Empire and the Orient in the mid-19th century. Fascinated by the culture of the East, Josef always remained patriot of Russia and Belarus.
Joseph Goshkevich was born on March 16 (March 4, old style), 1814 in Retchitza district, Minsk province (now Gomel region). His father – Antony Goshkevich served as a priest in St. Michael's church in Strelichevo village, Retchitza district. The whole Goshkevich family belonged to a priestly one; it included, in particular, St. John Kormyansky.
After graduating in 1835 from Minsk Theological Seminary, he continued his studies in St. Petersburg Theological Seminary.
On August 29, 1839 Joseph was included in Russian spiritual mission to China, where he spent almost 10 years. The objectives of the mission in Beijing were the following: to study the Manchu, Chinese and Mongolian languages, to get acquainted with Chinese history, culture and religion. In parallel, Joseph was engaged in astronomy and meteorology, gathered the collection of plants. As a result of his stay in China, Joseph wrote articles to the fundamental research “The works of the members of Russian Spiritual mission in Beijing”.
In 1852 being an official of special assignments of the Asian Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry Goshkevich was sent as a translator and adviser to Japan in the composition of Putyatin’s mission on board the frigate “Pallada”. During his voyage on board the frigate “Pallada” Goshkevich participated in the first Russian expedition deep into South Africa, studied geology, conducted observations in ethnography, botany, and geography, gathered a large collection of flora and fauna of IndoChina, the Philippines, Korea and Japan, which he later presented to the Zoological Museum of the Russian Academy of Sciences in St. Petersburg.
At that time Japan was closed to the foreigners country. Putyatin with the help of Goshkevich tried to draw the country into trade relations with the rest of the world. On January 26, 1855 Joseph participated in the procedure of concluding the Treaty of Shimoda between Russia and Japan – the first diplomatic agreement between these two countries on the establishment of permanent peace and sincere friendship.
After leaving Japan on July 14, 1855 on board the brig “Greta” Goshkevich was captured by the British, who at that time were sailing smoothly. The crew of the brig was sent to Hong Kong, where it remained in captivity for nearly a year – from August 1, 1855 to March 30, 1856. In captivity Joseph together with Japanese Tatiban Kosai compiled the first Japanese-Russian dictionary which was published in 1857.
On Putyatin‘s recommendation Joseph was appointed a consul to the Japanese city of Hakodate which at that time was the Japanese center of international relations. Goshkevich’s service as a consul lasted eight years and ended in 1865. In Hakodate the first Russian school was opened and Russian alphabet for the Japanese was published on the initiative of Joseph Goshkevich. In a letter of Putyatin to the direction of the Russian Foreign Ministry he wrote about Goshkevich the following: “I cannot but praise his abilities, multilateral education and strict accuracy of performing all entrusted to him affairs. It was impossible to elect an official with greater merits and, moreover, such a modest one, who would to such an extent satisfy the purpose of his appointment”.
In 1864 his wife Elizabeth died (she was buried in the Foreign cemetery in Hakodate). Joseph’s health deteriorated, he missed his Motherland much.
Upon his return from Japan, Goshkevich served again in the Asian Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry in the rank of collegiate adviser. In 1867 he returned to Belarus, acquired estate Mali not far from Ostrovets (now Grodno region). There he worked on the book “On the roots of the Japanese language”, which was published in 1899 after his death.
In 1871 Joseph and his wife Catherine were approved to the class of hereditary nobility. A year later their son Joseph was born, later he became an honorary magistrate of Vileika district.
Goshkevich’s merits were repeatedly marked by Russian highest awards. Thus, the first edition of “Japanese-Russian Dictionary” was awarded a medal of St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences and the Demidov Prize. Goshkevich received the medal “In memory of the war 1853-1856”; in 1857 he was awarded the order of St. Anne of the 2nd degree, the order of St. Stanislav of the 3rd degree and “Insignia for the blameless service for 15 years”.
Bronze bust of Joseph Goshkevich made by Russian sculptor O. Komov (1989) was installed in the museum of Hakodate (Hokkaido Prefecture). In the village of Mali local population placed a memorial in his honor (author R. Grusha); in Ostrovets village there was made a bust of Goshkevich, created by sculptor V. Yanushkevich. In Minsk one of the streets was named after him.
The organizers of the Exhibition express sincere gratitude to:
Matei Berzdorf – Director of the Museum of the history of photography in Krakow – for the organization of the exhibition from the Museum collections;
P. Kravchenko – Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Belarus in Japan (1998-2003) – for presented materials;
A. Maldis – Doctor of philology, Professor – for his consultations and presented materials.
The organizers of the Exhibition:
Nina Kolymago, Deputy Director of the National museum of the history of Belarus, the Head of the project;
Tatyana Shklyar, the Head of the exhibition Department of the National museum of the history of Belarus, the curator of the exhibition;
Oleg Ladisov, scientific Secretary of the National museum of the history of Belarus, the author of the concept;
Aleksey Shinkorenko, Director of the “Center of photography”, the author of artistic concept.
