Alexander Radishchev (Алекса́ндр Ради́щев) (1749-1802)

Death: 24th September 1802
Location: Literatorskie Mostki, Saint Petersburg, Russia
Cause of death: Suicide - poison
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Russian author who was arrested and exiled under Catherine the Great. He brought the tradition of radicalism in Russian literature to prominence with the publication in 1790 of his Путешествие из Петербурга в Москву / Journey from St. Petersburg to Moscow. His depiction of socio-economic conditions in Russia earned him exile to Siberia until 1797, when he was freed by Catherine’s successor Tsar Paul. 
Under the reign of Alexander I, Radishchev was briefly employed to help revise Russian law, a realisation of his lifelong dream. Unfortunately, his tenure in this administrative body was short and unsuccessful and in 1802 a despondent Radishchev committed suicide by drinking poison.

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