They say that a person is a style. When last emperor from the Holstein-Gottorp dynasty of the Romanovs, his brilliant style was most clearly manifested in resolutions. They are short, precise, capacious, aphoristic and always to the point. These are real gems! And they say that he was a mediocre person! No, he's very talented... Let's honor these resolutions drawn by the most august hand.

On the message that two counties are introducing a universal initial education- “How many times have I said, THERE IS NOTHING TO HURRY WITH THIS!”, and the words: “introduce universal education” are underlined by His Majesty's own hand.

The Kherson governor reports that cases of offenses in workers' districts have become more frequent. The king is laconic: "ROZG!".

From Astrakhan they write about the "glaring need" for the construction of a second gymnasium in the city. But the king does not agree: "IN NO EVENT NOT A GYMNASIUM, BUT IS A TECHNICAL SCHOOL."

From the Baltic city of Tukums in 1905 they report that the uprising was suppressed without opening fire. The monarch is again dissatisfied: "THE WHOLE CITY SHOULD BE DESTROYED."

With Far East report the arrival of "anarchist agitators" there, highest hand draws his verdict: "THE DETAINED ARE HANGED". And really, why all this trouble with courts and consequences ...

Witte reports that Richter's punitive detachments in the Baltics are shooting peasants without any formalities. Review of the Sovereign: "YES YES GOOD WOMAN!".

The Council of Ministers proposes to exempt the children of some poor parents from tuition fees. Tsar against: "I AM AGAINST EXEMPTION FROM TEACHING FEE."

Prisoners were shot in the Riga prison. The emperor is pleased: “Well done convoys! DON'T GET OUT!".

The officers of the Phanagoria regiment ordered the soldiers to shoot at the crowd of strikers, some were killed. The Holy Monarch writes: "THE ROYAL THANKS TO YOUNG FANAGORIANS!".

It is reported from Ufa that a workers' demonstration has been shot and 47 people have been killed. The sovereign regrets: "It's a pity that it's not enough."

General Kazbek informs the king that the rebellion of the soldiers under the red flag was suppressed without bloodshed. The tsar shakes his head reproachfully: "SHOULD, SHOULD SHOT ..."

From Vologda they write that the strikers are imprisoned in "workers' houses", where they are forced to "work off the losses caused by their labor." The king marks: "YES - AFTER THE ROCK".

The State Council called for the abolition of the right of the police to flog any peasant at their discretion. The emperor does not agree: "WHEN I WANT, THEN I WILL CANCEL."

One of the resolutions of Nicholas II - "READ WITH PLEASURE" - already during the life of the monarch became catchphrase. Therefore, when the manifesto on the abdication of Nicholas II appeared, the satirist Arkady Averchenko placed it in the journal "New Satyricon" with the note: "I read it with pleasure. Arkady Averchenko."

What a man we lost 100 years ago!

The main progress in a hundred years is almost 3/4 of the peasants of that time, who lived semi subsistence farming, moved to the cities, and because of this, the standard of living of Russians has sharply increased in general. Life in Moscow a century ago and today is compared by the Interpreter blog.

Was the suffering that befell the Russians in the 20th century in vain? To do this, let's turn to impartial statistics and see how the standard of living of people has changed during this time.

To begin with, let's figure out how the ruble of the beginning of the twentieth century correlates with the ruble of our time. The only impartial calculation is the ratio of the ruble and the dollar then and now. According to the inflation calculator, 1 dollar in 1913 is equal to 25 dollars today. In 1913, the exchange rate of the ruble against the dollar was 1.94 rubles to the dollar. That is, the royal 1 ruble is approximately equal to 715 modern rubles. There is also a change in the purchasing power parity of the ruble and the dollar over a hundred years. It has a lot of tolerances, stretches, etc., and according to PPP, the royal ruble is generally equal to 510-520 rubles. But there are many questions to such calculations, and let's still focus on the rate of 1:715 (although both conversion methods still have critics).

The salaries of townspeople of the beginning of the 20th century and of our time are well known. But here we must immediately make an important caveat: urban population then it was 15-20%, and 80-85% lived in the village. Let's talk about peasants below.

Income

The average wages of workers were 30 rubles - 21.5 thousand rubles for our money. Skilled workers at a few modern factories of that time could receive 50-70 rubles, or 35-50 thousand. Conclusion: in the provinces, modern workers receive about the same as their counterparts of the tsarist time. In Moscow and at the raw materials processing plants (metallurgical, chemical, etc.) - more, at the level of skilled workers of that time.

Janitor 18 - rubles or 11 thousand for modern money. In the provinces, janitors receive the same amount, in Moscow and a number of major cities- more.

Second lieutenant (modern analogue - lieutenant) 70 rubles or 50 thousand in modern money. Wages haven't changed much in 100 years.

Policeman (ordinary police officer) 20.5 rubles or 15 thousand in modern money. Today, a police officer receives 2.5-3 times more.

Teacher elementary school 25 rubles or 18 thousand in modern money. In the provinces, the teacher receives a little more, in Moscow 3 or more times. Approximately the same amount - 20-25 rubles - was received by ordinary postal employees, assistants to pharmacists, orderlies, librarians, etc. Today, their colleagues have about the same salaries.

Gymnasium teacher 70 rubles or 50 thousand in modern money. AT good gymnasiums teachers today receive 1.5 or more times more.

Doctor 100 rubles or 70 thousand in modern money. In the provinces, doctors now receive less, in Moscow - about the same.

Colonel 325 rubles or 230 thousand rubles. Officially, the colonel now receives less.

Privy Councilor (high-class official) 500 rubles or 360 thousand in modern money. The heads of departments, the deputy minister, today officially receive about the same or less (but they have various allowances).

MPs State Duma received a salary of 350 rubles, or 250 thousand in modern money. Now the deputies of the State Duma receive about 1.5 times more.

The governors had salaries of about 1,000 rubles, or 700,000 rubles in our money, and the ministers, 1,500 rubles a month, or 1 million rubles in modern money. Officially, governors now receive 2-4 times less, a number of ministers - about the same.

Conclusion: the average wage level has not changed much over a hundred years.

Expenses

A loaf of fresh rye bread weighing 400 grams is 4 kopecks, or 28 rubles in modern money. The prices are about the same.

A loaf of white butter bread weighing 300 grams - 7 kopecks, or 50 rubles for our money. Now white bread is a little cheaper.

Potatoes 1 kilogram - 15 kopecks, or 100 rubles. Now potatoes are cheaper.

Pasta not from durum wheat 1 kilogram - 20 kopecks, or 150 rubles. Prices are about the same.

Durum flour pasta 1 kilogram - 32 kopecks, or 220 rubles. Roughly similar prices.

Sugar 1 kilogram - 25 kopecks, or 180 rubles. Now sugar is cheaper.

Coffee beans 1 kilogram - 2 rubles, or 1400 rubles. The prices are about the same.

Salt 1 kilogram - 3 kopecks, or 210 rubles. Now salt is cheaper.

Fresh milk 1 liter - 14 kopecks, or 100 rubles. Now milk is cheaper.

Russian-made medium-quality cheese 1 kilogram - 70 kopecks, or 500 rubles. Now the prices are about the same.

Butter 1 kilogram - 1 ruble 20 kopecks, or 850 rubles. Now oil is cheaper.

Sunflower oil 1 liter - 40 kopecks, or 280 rubles. Now it is much cheaper.

Steam chicken 1 kilogram - 80 kopecks, or 560 rubles. Now chicken is much cheaper.

Eggs for one dozen - 25 kopecks, or 180 rubles. Today, eggs are two to three times cheaper.

Meat beef steam tenderloin 1 kilogram - 70 kopecks, or 500 rubles. About the same prices.

Meat pork neck 1 kilogram - 40 kopecks, or 280 rubles. Now it costs a little more.

Fresh fish zander river 1 kilogram - 50 kopecks, or 350 rubles. Now it costs about the same. - Cigarettes 10 pieces - 6 kopecks, i.e. 12 kopecks for 20 pieces, or 85 rubles. The prices are about the same.

Now some prices for clothes.

A shirt for a suit - 3 rubles, or 2100 rubles. About the same prices.

A business suit for clerks (lower middle class) - 8 rubles, or 5,700 rubles. About the same. Business suit for a university teacher - 18 rubles, or 13 thousand rubles. About the same.

Long coat - 15 rubles, or 11 thousand rubles. About the same.

Summer boots for the middle class - 10 rubles, or 7 thousand. The prices are similar.

A number of other goods and services.

Imported medium-level car - 2,000 rubles, or 1.4 million rubles. The prices are about the same.

Rent furnished room 20-25 sq. m in good area cities - 25 rubles, or 18 thousand rubles. About the same prices.

Renting a three-room apartment (not counting the servant's room) in a good area of ​​the city - 80-100 rubles, or 60-70 thousand rubles. Prices are lower for Moscow (given that the area of ​​such an apartment could reach 100 sq. m. or more) and are about the same for other large Russian cities.

Taking into account the balances of income and expenses, we see that the standard of living of the average city dweller of the beginning of the 20th century and the present time has not changed much (something has become a little cheaper, something the same), but still, at first glance, it has grown a little. But an important clarification is needed here.

First, the working day for most workers then was longer - an average of 10 hours instead of the current 8 hours.

Secondly, many workers worked 6 days a week, and few could afford the current paid vacation of 28 days (workers and small employees had vacations a maximum of a week a year).

Thirdly, at that time, women were almost not engaged in hired labor, but were housewives, or (maximum) engaged in subsistence farming - when conditions on the outskirts of cities made it possible to have cattle and a garden. Most often, women sat with children and worked at home.

Fourth, families at that time had more children than today. In cities, 3-5 children were the norm. And therefore, the husband's income - the only income - then had to be divided by 5-7 people. Today (with a few exceptions) two incomes - a husband and a wife with 1-2 children - are divided by 3-4 people.

Fifth, at that time, most employees had no pensions and almost no social benefits. Most of the middle class had to save money for old age (for example, to create an annuity in the form of buying real estate).

(And we still do not take into account the factor high cost everyday life - many families, especially those with a large number children, were forced to have cooks and other domestic workers. I had to go for groceries almost every day (except in winter), as there were no refrigerators. Prepare firewood for the winter. Etc.)

Taking into account these factors, the standard of living of citizens on average per person (husband, wife and children; i.e. per capita level) has increased significantly in our time.

Peasants

As mentioned above, 80-85% of the population tsarist Russia were peasants. Basically, they lived on a semi-subsistence economy. Taking into account the production of their own products "for themselves" and from the sale, from otkhodnichestvo, the peasants had an income of 30-50 rubles per person per year (in some cases more - next to major cities when it was possible to conduct intensive farming; data from the American historian Seymour Becker from the book "The Myth of the Russian Nobility: Nobility and Privileges" last period Imperial Russia).

Taking into account the fact that families were on average 6-7 people, the total income of the farm was 200-300 rubles a year. With our money, the income per person in the village was only 2.5-3 thousand rubles a month. That is, if we take the average city dweller of that time and a huge mass of peasants, then the income of the average Russian will "dilute" to 5-6 thousand rubles a month for modern money. Now these incomes are many times higher.

It turns out that the main achievement over these hundred years is a sharp increase in city dwellers, from 15-20% to 70-80%, and, accordingly, due to this, an increase in the standard of living in general. Is this the merit of the communist and then the liberal authorities, or is it overall result world progress - everyone can answer based on their political views.

Only one thing cannot be denied: in Russia, as in other similar countries that have embarked on the path of industrial development and Art Nouveau, the descendants of the peasants benefited the most in the 20th century.

Good day, dear reader! Digging in archival materials, sometimes you find very interesting data. Today I am citing some hundred-year-old figures for the Kotelnich district, which give some idea of ​​the life of our ancestors.

What happened a hundred years ago

In the county in use peasants there were 74653.3 tithes of all land, including arable - 368383.3 dess., haymaking - 181410.5 dess. For 1 peasant yard accounted for 17.0 dec. (18.5 ha) of all land, of which 9.1 dess. - arable land (9.9 ha).

There were 61,564 horses in the county, of which 50,709 were workers. AT peasant There were 164,227 heads of cattle in the farms and the county, including 111,668 cows, 101,367 sheep, 30 goats, and 9,444 pigs.

From total number peasant There were 5,518 households without horses (13.3 percent), without cows - 4,885 (11.8 percent), and without livestock at all - 3,652 (8.8 percent). peasant farms in which there were 3 horses, there were 1812, 4 horses - 225, 5 horses - 34.

Among the implements of tillage in the county there were 25557 two-share plows, 23447 roe deer, 287 single-plow plows and 701 cherkush. peasants there were 48172 wooden harrows with wooden teeth and only 272 harrows with iron teeth.

In Kotelnichsky district was 2081 peasant a yard engaged in beekeeping, with the number of ridges (beehives) - 7649.

35,879 households were covered by crafts, including local ones - 18,960, or 45.7 percent; latrines - 2833 (6.8 percent), mixed - 14077 households (34 percent). 50122 men and 29338 women were engaged in local crafts. 21,819 men and 1,219 women were engaged in seasonal work, and in total - 102,498 people.

In the county, among all local crafts, carpentry occupied the first place in terms of the number of employed persons. There were 7422 carpenters in the county. There were 4,791 sawyers, 3,409 bast-workers, 2,622 tailors, 2,221 felters, 1,660 wool beaters, 1,593 shoemakers and blacksmiths, and 1,500 blacksmiths. In total, there were more than 60 local crafts in the county.

Among the seasonal crafts, the first place was occupied by a cart, which employed 2114 people.

In the spring of 1892, 154,160 acres (168,034 ha) were sown with spring crops in the county. Potatoes this year occupied 6496 acres (7080 ha), flax - 18256 (19899 ha), horticultural crops - 4206 acres (4585 ha).

In the autumn of 1892, the harvest of grain from one tithe is characterized by the following indicators: rye - 32.2 pounds, or 4.7 centners per hectare, barley - 39.3 pounds (5.8 centners), oats - 42.6 pounds (6. 2), wheat - 36.4 pounds (5.3), peas - 27.6 pounds (4), potatoes - 269 pounds (39.48), flax - 9.1 pounds, or 1.3 q.

"If not me, then who?"
The use of materials is permitted only with the written consent of the blog owner.
Rychkov Leonid Nikolaevich

In 1913 the country was at the peak of its greatness. The last pre-war year. There are no riots, the harvest is wonderful, gold pieces. Even the first secretary of the Central Committee of the CPSU, N.S. Khrushchev, recalled with nostalgia (in 1959) his young years:

“I married in 1914, twenty years old. Because I had good profession- a locksmith, - I was able to immediately rent an apartment. It had a living room, kitchen, bedroom, dining room. As a locksmith in the Donbass before the revolution, I earned 40-45 rubles a month. Black bread cost 2 kopecks a pound (410 g), and white bread cost 5 kopecks. Salo went for 22 kopecks a pound, an egg - a kopeck apiece. Good boots cost 6, at most 7 rubles. And after the revolution, wages dropped, and even very much, while prices went up a lot ... Years have passed since the revolution, and it pains me to think that I, a worker, lived much better under capitalism than workers live under Soviet power . Here we have overthrown the monarchy, the bourgeoisie, we have won our freedom, and people live worse than before ... "

In 1913, the system seemed unshakable. Lenin sadly admitted: we will not see a revolution in our lifetime ... Optimists predicted that in 20 years peaceful life the country will become the richest and most powerful in the world. Unfortunately, history has not given Russia a peaceful life.

Let's see if the democratic Russian Federation surpass tsarist Russia or still have something to work on (according to the publication "Russia. 1913. Statistical and documentary reference book". St. Petersburg: RAS, Institute Russian history, 1995).

100 years ago, about 94 million people lived within the current borders of the Russian Federation (Russian Federation) (the entire empire had about 174 million inhabitants, ranking third after british empire and China). Now the Russian Federation, having increased to 143.2 million people, is already in 9th place in the world in terms of population. We even grew up here. But in the territory they lost: 3,336,935 sq. km.

In 1913 rural population was 85%, urban - 15%. Now the opposite is 25% to 75%. By 1913, the growth of production (or GDP) was 10-15% per year. Today in Russia GDP growth in 2013 is projected at 3%. An interesting detail: in 1913 the Ministry public education the autocracy allocated 14.6% of the budget, and in 2013 the Ministry of Education received three times less from the State Duma and the government. And about the sore. 100 years ago, the Russian per capita accounted for 7 liters of alcohol per year, and now - 17.

In 1913, the gross grain harvest in Russia was 92.5 million tons. Russian empire gave half of the world's rye crop, ranked 2nd in the world in terms of wheat harvest. And last year we collected only 71 million tons. If a hundred years ago Russia was in first place among grain exporters, now it is only in fourth place, leaving behind the USA, Canada and Australia. In 1913, almost a thousand kilometers of railways were built in Russia. Today, there is no such indicator in our statistics.

True, today agricultural products are no longer the main export commodities. If in 1913 57.4% of exports accounted for Agriculture, 37 — for the commodity sector, today the share of commodity exports has grown to 70%.

The exchange rate of the Nikolaev ruble was tied to the cost of a troy ounce of gold. Compared with the current price of gold, it turns out that one tsarist ruble is equal to about 1,300 of ours. The same Khrushchev, as a novice locksmith, would receive 52,000 rubles with our money. Of course, salaries in 1913, like today, were different - both by profession and by region. The average annual salary of a worker in tsarist Russia in 1913 was 320 rubles. Or 34,700 rubles a month for modern money.

The movers were paid 20(26 thousand for the current ones) rubles per month. received the same amount janitors and policemen. The salary paramedic was 50(65 thousand) rubles, officers - 100(130 thousand), like the teachers of the Law of God. Deputies of the first State Dumas received 350 rubles each(almost half a million of ours).

In the capital Petersburg Putilov workers were paid at least 100 rubles a month(130 thousand), repairmen tramcars— 90 rubles(117 thousand), workers' assistants - 75 each(97,500). Also, grants were given for the education and maintenance of children, free departmental medical care (including medicines), full payment for the ballot (up to 45 days a year), paid two-week vacation, compensation for renting housing, etc. were provided.

Housing was tight. People mostly huddled in rented apartments. Renting an apartment of 50 meters in the capital cost a month in terms of current rubles - 32 and a half thousand. About the same as now. Canvas trousers went in the shop for a ruble (1300), and shirts cost the same. An expensive demi-season coat could be ordered for tailoring for 19.50 (25 thousand with a penny), and a chic suit for 16.75 (almost 22 thousand). Again, almost current prices.

A pound of meat cost 19 kopecks. So, a kilogram is 46.39 kopecks. Or, in our opinion, 600 rubles. Buckwheat cost 10 kopecks per pound (130 rubles per 400 g), sugar - 12 kopecks per pound (more than 300 rubles per kilo), milk - 8 kopecks per bottle (over 100 rubles).

Worked and provided for a family of 7-8 people, most often the head of the family. At the same time, on average, less than half of the earnings were spent on family food (up to 49%). In Europe and the USA at that time, food was spent 20-30% more! Yes, Russian workers and peasants consumed much less meat, but this was due to the Orthodox tradition. Large quantity fast days of the year.

The most important event on the calendar anniversaries 1912 was the centenary of the Patriotic War of 1812.

A hundred years ago

Journal: , 2012
Rubric: A year in history. 1812th

It was dictated by the need to pay tribute historical memory people who crushed the "invasion of the twelve languages" a hundred years ago, as well as the current political moment. The world was heading towards the First World War at full speed, and the preservation of the historical memory of heroic traditions became not only a cultural and educational, but also a political task.
In 1898 the Moscow governor Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich unofficially visited the Borodino field and outlined his thoughts on the need for a large-scale celebration of the centenary of the Battle of Borodino. In a report sent by him to the main headquarters of the War Ministry, it was proposed to publish a detailed public description of the battle of Borodino and an illustrated guide to the Borodino field. Sergei Alexandrovich advocated the creation of a museum of the Battle of Borodino. To do this, it was necessary to carry out the alienation of private lands on which the remaining defensive structures of the times of 1812 were located, to organize their protection, restoration and topographic survey of the Borodino field.
Despite the high social position of the author, these proposals remained unnoticed until 1902, when a commission was formed under the chairmanship of General N.N. Obruchev to consider the issue of creating a museum in memory of the Patriotic War of 1812 (4, pp. 183-188). The shooting of the Borodino field with the reconnaissance of the surviving fortifications was carried out from June 17 to August 1, 1902 by the collegiate military topographer F. Bogdanov.
In the summer of 1901, the headquarters of the Moscow District collected information about the surviving fortifications. Comparing the safety and value of fortifications with the cost land plots, the headquarters staff made proposals on the desired alienation of land in the Borodino field area. However, things stalled again. This was due to Russo-Japanese War and the revolution of 1905 that followed.
The idea of ​​holding celebrations dedicated to the centenary of the Battle of Borodino was returned only in 1907. The anniversary events were organized by the Russian Military Historical Society with branches in many Russian cities. It was assumed that the coming triumph would strengthen the shattered prestige of the autocracy, would contribute to the growth patriotic sentiments in society in the face of the impending Second Patriotic War, as the First World War was called before the revolution.
The main anniversary celebrations were to take place on August 25-26, 1912 at the Borodino field and on August 27-30 in Moscow. The stay of the tsar and the august family in Moscow was to once again “symbolize the historical reconciliation of Nicholas II with Moscow after the Khodynka disaster” (5, p. 40). The organizers also pursued foreign policy goals. The expectation of the coming world war forced the existing military ties between the armies of the Entente countries to strengthen. A deputation of the War Ministry and the Union of the Armies society was expected to arrive from France for the celebrations.
Moscow was supposed to become the center of celebrations, so the main organizational difficulties in preparing the celebration fell on the shoulders of the Moscow authorities. After the tragic death of Sergei Alexandrovich, Vladimir Fedorovich Dzhunkovsky (1865-1938) became the governor of Moscow. He established himself as an experienced administrator, in particular, leading the work on the elimination of the consequences of the Moscow flood of 1908.
As Dzhunkovsky recalled: “ Preparatory work required a lot of effort and were very difficult, especially on the Borodino field, located within the province, which is why all the care and responsibility for organizing the celebrations fell on me. In Moscow, the responsibility lay with the mayor, with the exception of August 28, the day of the highest review of the troops on the Khodynka field, which at that time was outside the city limits, and within the territory entrusted to me” (2, p. 6).
Under the jurisdiction of the Moscow governor were important objects. Dzhunkovsky was engaged in the construction of a highway from the Borodino station to the Bolshaya Smolenskaya road (now Mozhaisk highway), the construction of a railway line from the Borodino station to the Borodino field with the construction of a platform and a pavilion for parking imperial train. He oversaw the capital engineering and restoration work at the Shevardinsky redoubt, Semyonovsky flushes, the Raevsky battery, the repair of the Borodino station and roads on the Borodino field. The subject of special concern of the Moscow governor was the restoration of the main Borodino monument, the putting in order of the grave of Prince Bagration, the construction of a new Invalid House and the creation of a museum in it.
As Vladimir Fedorovich later wrote, the tension grew as we approached the date of the celebrations. In early August 1912, he spent the lion's share of his time on the Borodino field, arriving daily from Moscow. In the last week before the start of the Borodino celebrations, he moved to Borodino "with all his office, leaving in Moscow ... deputy vice-governor" (2, p. 13).
Dzhunkovsky had to quickly solve unexpected problems. For example, during the repair of the main Borodino monument, it suddenly turned out that it was surrounded on all sides by allotted peasant land and therefore a road could not be brought to it: Dzhunkovsky purchased 120 square fathoms of land with his own money and built a road from the newly erected Invalid House to the monument (2, p. . nine).
Serious problem arose during the construction of the monument to M.I. Kutuzov in the village of Gorki. This monument was erected at the expense of the Military Historical Society on the site of the Headquarters of Kutuzov during the Battle of Borodino. As in the case of the Borodino monument, the proposed plot of land was occupied peasant allotments. An attempt by the Military Historical Society to buy this land from the peasants failed. The society turned to Dzhunkovsky for assistance. The authority of the Moscow governor was so high that the local peasants not only agreed to sell their land, but presented it to V.F. Dzhunkovsky, who transferred the land for the construction of the monument (2, p. 11).
A major role was assigned to the creation of a museum dedicated to Patriotic War 1812. A special committee began this work as early as 1908. However, the question of where the museum should be located was not resolved until the beginning of the anniversary celebrations. Its location in different time Borodino field, and the square in front of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow, and the building of the Arsenal in the Moscow Kremlin were also called. None of these options were implemented, and the exhibits collected by 1912 were presented at a large exhibition in the Imperial Historical Museum, open from September 1912 to March 1913. According to documents stored in the State Historical Museum, 42,194 people visited it in 171 days.
Monuments were erected on the Borodino field military rank. In total, 34 monuments were erected for the 100th anniversary of the war. They were built at the expense of the soldiers and officers of those military units who took part in the battle in 1812. Through the efforts of officials railway in one of the premises of the station a small memorial museum dedicated to the Battle of Borodino.
By August 22, in the vicinity of Borodino, military units and deputations from various public, religious, and patriotic organizations that had arrived for the celebrations began to concentrate.
Throughout Russia, inquiries were made to governors about veterans of the War of 1812. There were only 25 of them, all over 110 years old. The oldest, former sergeant major A.I. Voitinyuk, a direct participant in the Battle of Borodino, was in his 123rd year. He was so weak that he could not walk without assistance. Of the peasants of the surrounding villages who were eyewitnesses of the Battle of Borodino, only five were able to take part in the celebration.
The beginning of the celebrations was timed to August 25, 1912 - the eve of the Battle of Borodino. At the Spaso-Borodino Cathedral, erected at the expense of his wife the deceased general A.A. Tuchkov, numerous clergy gathered, headed by Metropolitan Vladimir of Moscow. All the alleys near the temple were strewn with spruce branches and fresh flowers. Soldiers and officers lined up near the Raevsky battery, whose ancestors participated in the battle of Borodino. At the grave of Bagration, the highest military ranks: generals, admirals, as well as lower rank officers and representatives of departments.
At 11 am royal train arrived in Borodino. After the solemn meeting, Nicholas II visited the Spaso-Borodino Cathedral, and then went to the Borodino field, where monuments to regiments and divisions stood. At the Rayevsky battery, he mounted a horse and began a detour of the troops. Then the emperor talked with the veterans of the Battle of Borodino.
At noon, a religious procession stretching for four kilometers approached Borodino, which marched with the miraculous icon of the Mother of God from Smolensk itself. This icon was in the army in 1812, it was used to bless the troops on the Borodino field before the battle. Near the main monument mass grave a huge procession with banners and a marching church of Alexander I turned around, and a memorial service was served. By evening, the procession went to the Spaso-Borodino Monastery, and the troops were escorted to the allotted bivouacs. The emperor examined the iconostasis of the Alexander I marching church, which until 1910 was kept in the palace of the Vilna governor-general, and then was transferred to the newly constructed Museum of 1812.
On the morning of August 26, cannon shots rang out on the Borodino field, which announced the start of official trade events. The celebration began with a liturgy in the church of the Spaso-Borodino Monastery and a religious procession to the graves of the heroes of the Battle of Borodino. Then a parade of troops took place, after which the emperor visited the Borodino Palace.
After visiting the palace, Nicholas II, accompanied by the palace commandant, several grand dukes and the minister of the court, inspected the Borodino field and the numerous monuments erected there. At 7 pm, the consecration of the monument to the French soldiers who fell on the Borodino iol took place, and a short liturgy was served.
On August 27, the main events took place in Moscow. In the morning, in anticipation of the arrival of the imperial family at the Alexandrinsky railway station, troops were lined up along Tverskaya Street, crowds of people stood. At two o'clock in the afternoon, the emperor and the entire august family solemnly left the Kremlin Palace for the Assumption Cathedral. The banners of the Russian regiments that participated in the battle of Borodino were taken out of the sacristy, and a solemn divine service was held with kneeling before the military relics. It was led by Metropolitan Vladimir. At the end of the prayer service, a solemn procession to the Chudov Monastery took place.
On this day, Nicholas II visited the Moscow Nobility Assembly, where, after a solemn reception, he was presented with a richly illustrated edition of Moscow Nobility in the Patriotic War.
In the evening, in honor of the anniversary, an illumination was arranged in Moscow. “The most crowded streets were literally flooded with colorful lights. The mass of houses shone with electric bulbs located along the architectural lines of the facades” (2, p. 43).
The central event of August 28 was the grandiose parade of troops on the Khodynka field, in which 40,000 people took part. It involved the troops of the Moscow garrison and those units that took part in the celebrations at the Borodino field. The beginning of the review was scheduled for 10 o'clock in the morning, and already at 9 o'clock the stands of the Khodynsky airfield were bursting with an abundance of people. The emperor's tour of the troops and the solemn procession lasted up to 4 hours.
Then Nicholas II visited the Moscow City Council where he was greeted by its chairman. In the evening, a solemn reception was held at the Grand Kremlin Palace, which was attended by the leadership of the troops quartered in Moscow and the command of the Moscow Military District.
On the twenty-ninth of August, a solemn service, attended by the entire court, official lindens of Moscow and the province, ministers, dignitaries and members of official delegations, took place in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. In the evening of the same day, a religious procession took place to a tent specially installed on Red Square with military banners placed in front of it, which was accompanied by a gun salute and the ringing of the bells of the Kremlin cathedrals. The tsar's manifesto was read and a solemn prayer service was performed with the participation of all Moscow spiritual choirs. After this, the procession went through the Nikolsky Gates of the Kremlin to the Assumption Cathedral.
At 2 pm on the Cathedral Square of the Kremlin, a review of pupils of Moscow secondary educational institutions. The solemn meeting with the emperor included greetings, gymnastic performances, the performance of the anthem-march by the combined choir of students and the passage of the pupils in a ceremonial march.
At 3 pm Nicholas II with children visited the anniversary exhibition in Historical Museum. Recognizing the merits of its organizers, Dzhunkovsky believed that it could have been more complete if “it had not been hampered by external circumstances as well. The onset of summer time, and consequently the absence of most of the owners of private collections, did not make it possible to collect many documents and objects that constituted private property... thus, the present exhibition did not exhaust the material that could be collected and exhibited” (2, p. 52).
At 6 o'clock in the evening imperial family examined the panorama of the Battle of Borodino by F.L. Roubaud (2, p. 12), located on Chistoprudny Boulevard. The festivities on Red Square ended the official celebrations dedicated to the centenary of the War of 1812.
On August 30, 1912, a nationwide prayer service was held on Red Square "in memory of the deliverance of Moscow from twelve languages."
The contribution of the Moscow Governor to the preparation and holding of this anniversary was highly appreciated by the public. Dzhunkovsky was elected chairman of the Borodino Society, created on the days of the celebration,