In 1919, V.I. Lenin issued a directive to Evgeny Chirikov, stating: “Evgeny Nikolaevich, leave. I respect your talent, but you bother me. I will be forced to arrest you if you do not leave.” Consequently, Chirikov was expelled from Russia in 1920.
Born into a modest noble family on July 24 (August 5), 1864, Chirikov faced frequent relocations due to his father’s official assignments in the Kazan and Simbirsk provinces. Initially studying at Kazan University in the Faculty of Law, he later transferred to the Faculty of Mathematics. In 1887, he, along with Lenin, was expelled and exiled to Nizhny Novgorod for participating in riots. During this period, he resided in Kholodny Lane. Chirikov’s popularity during the late 19th and early 20th centuries was noteworthy, comparable to figures like Chekhov and Gorky.
The house in Komarovo, featured in the narrative, became the property of Valentina Chirikova (nee Iolshina), the wife of the writer, starting in 1907.
Around 1916, the Chirikovs sold their property to Anna Nikolaevna Petrovskaya, the wife of another local summer resident, Court Counselor Leonid Konstantinovich Petrovsky, who served as an official for special assignments in the St. Petersburg detective police. According to current neighbors, the house reportedly received the status of a monument, although it remains unoccupied despite being in a suitable condition.
In 1920, Chirikov was expelled from Russia. Abroad, he continued to write and gained prominence as one of the most renowned authors of the Russian emigration.
The fate of these pre-revolutionary houses, including Chirikov’s residence, remains uncertain. Without government support for restoration, the hope is that the current owners will have the strength and resources to preserve these historic homes in their proper form.
