On April 27, 2016 at the Centre of Humanities of Yaroslav the Wise Novgorod State University All-Russian scientific conference “The battles were local”: heroism and tragedy of the North-Western and the Volkhov fronts’ troops’ timed to 75-year anniversary of both the beginning of the Great Patriotic war and formation of the North-Western and the Volkhov fronts.

This meeting was organized by Yaroslav the Wise Novgorod State University, Saint Petersburg Institute of History of the RAS and search expedition “Dolina”.

The president of the university Anatolii Gavrikov and director of the Institute Nikolai Smirnov delivered their welcoming speeches to the participants of the conference.

Scholars, professors and teachers, students and pupils from both Saint Petersburg and Novgorod region along with students of local lore and war veterans took part in this scientific event.

The conference is accompanied by book exhibition based on the materials from funds of the Novgorod State University library.

The publishing house of Yaroslav the Wise Novgorod State University issued publication composed by G.M. Kovalenko “The town of “Hanseatic memories”. Novgorod in the view of German travelers of the 17^th-19^th centuries”.

Hanseatic background of Novgorod is a part of its myth. This book presents the reader with the descriptions of Novgorod from the writings of German travelers of the 17^th-19^th centuries, which are of great interest for modern people owing to rare data on everyday life of this town. These sources include a lot of details on the way of life, customs, morals and manners of the Novgorod citizens.

The publication was prepared as part of the agreement between Yaroslav the Wise Novgorod State University and Saint Petersburg Institute of History of the RAS.

On April 13, 2016 at the “Academics House” (“Dom uchionyh”) took place regular conference of beginner researchers “Scientists of the 21st century”.
Pupils and students of high schools of Saint Petersburg participate in this conference organized by the “Academics House” (“Dom uchionyh”) in constant cooperation with Saint Petersburg Institute of History of the RAS for 20 years in a row. Candidates of Science in History A.I. Bogomolov, S.V. Kulikov and Doctor of Science in History, professor V.V. Noskov were the jury members of the workshop “History”.

On April 15, 2016 will be 90-year anniversary of Doctor of Science in History, professor Iurii Georgievich Alekseev, Russian scholar well known and admired both in Russia and abroad.
Being a disciple of I.I. Smirnov Iurii Georgievich maintains the best traditions of the home scholars.
For more than thirty years he was firmly connected with the Institute, at first as post-graduate, then as a research fellow.

His multiple works based on a wide amount of deeply studied sources and well examined works of other scholars were dedicated mostly to economic, social and political history of Russia in 14^th-16^th centuries.
For more than forty years Iurii Georgievich carries out his teaching activity firstly at the Herzen State Pedagogical University and then since 1992 at Saint Petersburg State University. He educated several generations of scholars.

We, both friends and colleagues, congratulate Iurii Georgievich at this truly historical date.

“Avrora” publishing house issued a new edition of the book composed by A.I. Rupasov and A.N. Chistikov entitled “Russian-Finnish border. 1918-1938. Studies on its history” («Sovetsko-finlyandskaya granitsa. 1918—1938 gg. Ocherki istorii»).

Since the moment Finland became independent the problem of border demarcation emerged. This process took almost twenty years. Due to mutual jealousy supported on the one hand by Finnish radicals and on the other by Komintern activity frontier zone turned into an area of instability.

The authors examine not only a problem of border demarcation, but also issues concerning customs border at the Gulf of Finland, counteraction to smuggling and espionage and others.

This new edition contains many substantial addenda and alterations.

On April 4, 2016 regular session of the Seminar on history of post-war soviet society (period of 1945-1965) took place. This seminar works at Saint Petersburg Institute of History of the RAS (SPbIH of the RAS) and ensures collaboration of scholars, employees of museums and archives, professors, tutors and teachers along with post-graduates. The report on activity of the Soviet state to rebuild Karelian Isthmus in the second half of 1940s was delivered by post-graduate student of the Institute of History of Saint-Petersburg State University (SPbSU) V.A. Orav. Scholars and employees of SPbIH of the RAS, SPbSU, the Herzen State Pedagogical University, the Central State Archive of Saint Petersburg and other institutions as well as post-graduates and students participated in this session and discussed the report.

On March 30, 2016 a group of students and post-graduates of the University from Bielefeld, Germany (Osteuropäische Geschichte-Universität) accompanied by professor Stephan Merl visited the institute. It is the third visit of professor Merl with his students to SPbIH of the RAS.

Young German colleagues were acquainted with the history of the Institute, recent publications. Researchers from both Russian and Western sections of the Scientific and Historical Archive of SPbIH of the RAS presented them some documents, and our guests showed a genuine interest both to the content of the collections. Library staff member E.Z. Panchenko informed the visitors about the activities of the library.

Both guests and hosts highly appreciated the results of this meeting and voiced the hope to continue and strengthen the effective cooperation between the University and the Institute.