The Pirogov Museum in Vinnytsia is replenished with a unique sword

On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Pirogov’s Estate Museum opening in Vinnytsia and the 25th anniversary of the national status of the institution, a 19th century sword, an analogue of the prize weapon with which the outstanding scientist, doctor and teacher was buried, was presented to the museum. The sword was gifted by the Mayor of Vinnytsia Serhii Morhunov at the celebration.

The Pirogov Memorial Complex was opened to the public on September 9, 1947. The estate museum is a national tourist magnet and one of the 7 Wonders of Vinnytsia region, which has received almost nine million visitors from all over the world since its opening.

At the celebrations held on September 9 on the occasion of the museum’s anniversary, Mayor of Vinnytsia Serhii Morhunov noted the significant role of Nikolai Pirogov in the development of the city. For Ukraine, Pirogov is a native historical figure: a resident of Odesa, Kyiv and Vinnytsia, a man who represented Vinnytsia and its glorious medical history even before the economic boom of the late 19th century and who consciously chose to live in the lands where he had the opportunity to realize his talent and embody humanistic ideas.

“You all know the story of Nikolai Pirogov’s sword, which disappeared in 1930. Oleksandr Fedoryshen (head of Vinnytsia Museum) found a sword made in 1872, which was put into service after the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1871, and we decided to restore historical justice. There is a version that Emperor Franz Joseph presented a similar sword to Pirogov, who was a guest consultant to the Red Cross Society at the time. This sword which belonged to a French military medical service officer is most likely similar to the one with which Nikolai Pirogov was buried in January 1882,” – said the Mayor of Vinnytsia.

It is known that in the 1930s the sword was stolen under mysterious circumstances, and since then detective searches for traces of the lost relic have continued. Although the sword’s blade was designed to deliver stabbing blows, it was essentially a ceremonial weapon, not a combat weapon. By presenting a similar weapon, the mayor of Vinnytsia restored historical justice to a certain extent, showing respect for the figure of Pirogov, as well as for the funerary culture and ceremonial of the late 19th century.

This gift is an original sword made of steel and brass. The specialists of the Kyiv workshop “Kuznia Fantazii” just made new scabbards for this symbolic cold steel weapon and also applied two inscriptions in Latin on the blade by metal etching: “In eternal memory of Nikolai Pirogov 5.12.2021” and “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:55-57).

The hilt of the sword depicts the emblem of military medics of the time: a serpent wrapped around the staff of the ancient Greek god Asclepius, topped with a mirror (a mirror is a symbol of caution for a doctor). The composition is framed by a wreath of oak and myrtle leaves. On the opposite hilt is the coat of arms of Vinnytsia of Pirogov’s time, which was made for the city in 1860 by heraldist B. Kene. The date 2021.12.5 engraved on the sword is a symbolic designation of the 140th anniversary of the great physician’s death, which was commemorated in December 2021. Unfortunately, the coronavirus outbreak did not allow us to celebrate this date.

When handing over the new exhibit to the museum, Serhii Morhunov added: “I think it will be an interesting exhibit for you. You will decide where it will be and what story it will tell. And to prevent the sword from being accidentally stolen again, the city council will provide video surveillance. I think that the entire local community is proud that we have a museum and that we have such a team. Congratulations!”

At the end of the ceremony the employees of the Pirogov’s Estate Museum were presented with certificates, gifts and gratitude (including from the Vinnytsia City Council and its Executive Committee), and the staff and its director were thanked on behalf of all Vinnytsia residents for their dedicated work even in a difficult time for Ukraine.

Additional information

Nikolai Pirogov, as a retired employee of the Ministry of Education with the rank of privy counselor (civilian equivalent of the rank of lieutenant general), had the right to carry a ceremonial cold weapon, which was an integral element of the ceremonial uniform.

The brilliant surgeon died on December 5, 1881. The official funeral took place in January 1882, after the scientist’s body had been embalmed and a crypt had been built. In the same month, the Kyiv newspaper “Zarya” published an article by Pirogov’s student Serhii Shkliarevskyi, in which he described the funeral of his teacher: “…The lid of the coffin was removed, the body of the deceased, dressed in the ceremonial uniform of a privy counselor with a sword on a sling and a cross in his crossed hands, was covered with a white brocade coverlet…”. The sword was mentioned for the second time in 1927 by the researcher Serhii Yakymovych: according to his recollections, the sword was already lying near the coffin. In 1956, Mykhailo Dal, chairman of the Pirogov Commission of the Ministry of Health of the Ukrainian SSR, wrote in his article about Pirogov that during the doctor’s funeral “…he had a valuable sword in his uniform, a gift from the Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph… In 1930, the coffin was robbed. The attackers broke the glass of the inner coffin and stole the sword and the cross…”.