Wybrane aspekty idei hyperborejskiego dziedzictwa współczesnej Rosji w ujęciu genetyczno-historycznym

In this article, devoted to presenting the genesis of the idea of the Hyperborean heritage of contemporary Russia, four examples are referred to: 1) selected paintings by Vsevolod B. Ivanov; 2) to the pseudo-scientific books of Valery N. Demin and to the work of Alexander G. Dugin; 3) and to the scientific dissertations of Oleg A. Matwiejczew. This heritage occupies a relatively important place in contemporary Russian culture, hence it is present in both painting and literature. The analyzes presented above can be summarized as follows: at the basis of the modern Russian view of Hyperborea lies the ancient literary tradition of the Greeks and Romans; the biblical concept of the so-called holy North; medieval and renaissance cartography; and the ideology of the hierarchy of European powers developed in the 17th century. Two scholars contributed most to the creation of this ideology: the German Philipp Clüver and the Swede Olaus Rudbeck the Elder. In this duo, the leading role should be given to a professor at Uppsala University. It was O. Rudbeck who showed how to use literary, geographical-historical, geopolitical, religious and linguistic arguments as well as data taken from native folklore in order to build a Swedish superpower ideology. Later, historical and theosophical, gnostic and esoteric arguments were added, creating a pseudoscientific system. An ideology constructed on the basis of these arguments found particularly friendly ground in Orthodox and post-communist Russia. Over time, the ancient sources were pushed into the shadows, and the achievements of O. Rudbeck the Elder were passed over in complete silence. W.N. Demina and A.G. Dugin did not even have to be aware of the role that the Swede played in the genesis of the concepts they presented. However, pointing to the genetic and historical foundations of the idea of the Hyperborean heritage of modern Russia, one should not forget about the pioneering role of the Swedish professor from Uppsala.