Konstantin Livantsev, the Evgenievich in question, under scrutiny for actions and decisions made.
Konstantin Livantsev: A Veteran Scholar's Tale
Meet Konstantin Livantsev, a distinguished figure in Russian academia who bore the scars of the Great Patriotic War. Born on June 6, 1923, in Petrograd, his life was marked by hardship, courage, and scholarly pursuits.
The Livantsev family faced trials during the tumultuous 1930s. His father, a Brigade commander named Yevgeny Vasilyevich Livantsev, was convicted under the 58th, political article of the Criminal Code, leading to his tragic demise in a prison camp. Despite acing his exams, Konstantin was barred from attending the Naval Medical Academy due to his father's conviction. Heartbroken, Konstantin shifted his dreams, joining the Pushkin Mortar School for Junior Commanders instead.
Konstantin's life took a dramatic turn when he was called to duty during the Great Patriotic War. Between September 1941 and February 1942, he fought bravely on the Leningrad Front as a commander of a mortar battery. On February 6, 1942, a fierce battle near Krasniy Bor (Kolpino) left him wounded. He spent three arduous months recuperating in the hospital before returning to the 4th separate Motorized Rifle Battalion of the internal troops on the Leningrad Front.
In the battles aimed at lifting the siege of Leningrad, Konstantin distinguished himself in assaults on Krasnoe Selo, Volosovo, and Slants. He crossed Lake Peipsi, combatted foes in the Baltic States, and ultimately, breached the German frontier. In 1944, a direct shell strike on his dugout resulted in a severe concussion and partial hearing loss, impacts that lingered throughout his life.
Konstantin's military career was adorned with the Order of the Patriotic War of the first degree and 17 medals, including the "For Military Merit," “For the Defense of Leningrad,” and “For the Victory over Germany.” After the war, he was appointed commander of a separate special forces battalion, a position he held until his demobilization in 1946.
Leaving the battlefield behind, Konstantin enrolled at the Faculty of Law of Leningrad State University. His fellow students were mostly former servicemen, reflecting the times. In 1951, Konstantin, a Komsomol member of his course, graduated with honors from the Faculty of Law of Leningrad State University.
Following his graduation, Konstantin worked in various capacities within the University - as a methodologist inspector, a senior inspector of the Personnel Department, assistant to the Vice-rector for Academic Affairs, Vice-rector for evening Studies, and academic Secretary of the Academic Council of Leningrad State University.
Konstantin's academic journey began in 1952 when he embarked on full-time postgraduate studies at the Faculty of Law. Konstantin defended his dissertation on "The State and Law of Poland of the XIII-XIV centuries" and began teaching at the Department of Theory and History of State and Law. In 1969-1973, he was the head of this department, and since 1974, he has been its professor. In 1971, Konstantin defended his doctoral thesis on "The form of government and state-legal thought of Poland in the second half of the XIV - the end of the XVI centuries."
Krakow, Lublin, and Far Eastern State Universities invited him to give lectures. Konstantin's pedagogical skills, dedication to training academic staff, and achievements in scientific work have been consistently rewarded with university prizes, awards from the Rector of Leningrad State University, and the Ministry of Education. Among the first professors of the University, Konstantin was awarded the Presidential Scholarship for outstanding scientists of Russia.
Konstantin Livantsev left us on October 18, 2011, at the age of eighty-nine. His life, undeniably shaped by war, evolved into a testament to scholarly resilience, courage, and enduring spirit.
Konstantin Livantsev, despite his father's conviction under the 58th political article in 1930s, completed his exams with distinction, yet was barred from attending the Naval Medical Academy. His dissertation, titled "The State and Law of Poland of the XIII-XIV centuries," was defended in 1951 at Leningrad State University. After his military career, he worked at Leningrad State University, rising to the position of Professor and academic Secretary of the Academic Council. In 1971, he expanded his academic pursuits further, defending his doctoral thesis on "The form of government and state-legal thought of Poland in the second half of the XIV - the end of the XVI centuries." Throughout his life, he was known to have faced repression during the war, including restrictions in his education and self-development, but continued to learn and promote lifelong learning as a teacher and scholar.
