Keywords: Ossetian Historical and Philological Society, Kosta Khetagurov, Ossetian studies, Khetagurov studies, minutes of meetings, preservation and study of the heritage.

The paper is dedicated to the activities of the Ossetian Historical and Philological Society for the preservation and study of the creative heritage of a outstanding public figure, journalist, artist, founder of Ossetian literature Kosta Levanovich Khetagurov. The Society has made a significant contribution to the solution of these issues. The year of 1921 was particularly successful and fruitful in the search, accumulation and popularization of biographical facts, literary and artistic heritage of Khetagurov. This year the fifteenth anniversary of the poet’s death was honored. Published excerpts from the minutes of the meetings of the Society from February to May 1921 reveal little-known pages of the activities of the «first scientific institution in the North Caucasus». They significantly complement the knowledge about the initial stage of the formation of the school of the Ossetian studies and the identification of Khetagurov studies as a special direction. The documents show a gradual change in the concept of «celebrating» the event, which was filled with special socio-political content and turned from an event of local significance into an event of all-Caucasian scale. The information contained in the sources gives an idea of the techniques, methods and results of exploration, in particular, allows to reconstruct the process of discussing and adjusting plans and programs to commemorate the memory of Kosta in preparation for the memorable date. The texts contain valuable material on the personal composition and intellectual potential of the members of the Society, on priority areas of activity, on sources of funding, on interaction with authorities and individuals — voluntary assistants to a scientific institution. They also include indirect information, which is important for analysis the socio-political situation in a multinational region in turning-point period of the country’s history. The materials are extracted from fund 13 of the Scientific Archive of North Ossetian Institute for the Humanitarian and Social Studies.

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