In late 1981, the staff of the Ulyanovsk Museum of Local History received a letter from the library of the Leningrad Mechanical Institute. It read that one of the library rooms contained a small wall cabinet that was often called “Goncharov’s cabinet”. They never mentioned the circumstances as to why such a name had been given to it. A photograph of the cabinet was enclosed; however, it was too blurry to say anything for certain. So, the letter was quite forgotten amidst the whirlwind preparations for the museum’s opening day.
A few years later, the employees of the Ulyanovsk Museum happened to do some research at the Russian State Archive of Literature and Art. There they found a letter written by Alexey Polotebnov, the executor of Goncharov’s will. In his letter, Polotebnov addressed Alexandra Treygut, Goncharov’s housekeeper, with the following,
A few years later, the employees of the Ulyanovsk Museum happened to do some research at the Russian State Archive of Literature and Art. There they found a letter written by Alexey Polotebnov, the executor of Goncharov’s will. In his letter, Polotebnov addressed Alexandra Treygut, Goncharov’s housekeeper, with the following,
