Passing of Dmitriy Dostoyevsky: A controversial legacy remembered

He gambled in a casino, worked as a tram driver, loved Putin, and supported the war in Ukraine. These are just a few of the things that characterised Dmitriy Dostoyevsky over the years. The last great-grandson of the eminent Russian novelist passed away on Wednesday, 4 September, at the age of 79.

In Russia, the descendants of famous writers who have immortalised themselves in not only Russian but also global culture are still alive and active. One of them was Fyodor Dostoyevsky's great-grandson, Dmitriy, who, as his family announced on Thursday, 5 September, passed away at the age of 79.

Dear friends and followers of Dmitriy Andreyevich! Today, our Grandpa passed away [...] he went peacefully, in his sleep, at home, his death was peaceful. The family had the chance to say goodbye, they all were together, sat, and reminisced about funny and sad things – read the statement published on social media by Dmitriy Dostoyevsky's relatives.

As informed by the family of Fyodor Dostoyevsky's last great-grandson, just before his death, the man complained about a cold that ultimately led to cardiac arrest.

The great-grandson of the famous writer was born in 1945. At first, he did not know who his ancestor was because the communist authorities tried to erase Fyodor Dostoyevsky's books from history. Over time, however, he learned about his family history, eventually acknowledging his roots without fear.

For a long time, this did not help him in daily life. For years, he was a diamond polisher, a taxi driver, an electrician, and a tour guide. In his free time, he liked to spend time in casinos, which he often could thanks to occasional roles in TV series and movies that provided a substantial influx of cash.

Throughout his life, Dmitriy Dostoyevsky tried to recover memorabilia from his grandfather. Due to Fyodor's past, there were not many, but they certainly included a small Bible (this was seized and then destroyed in a museum in Moscow) and the house where the famous novel "The Brothers Karamazov" was written.

Unfortunately, attempts to regain the property were unsuccessful. Towards the end of his life, Fyodor Dostoyevsky's great-grandson became heavily involved in politics, not hiding his sympathy for Vladimir Putin and support for the military actions in Ukraine.