Colonization in the context of the tasks of the Russian Empire`s executive bodies in the first half of the 19th century (on the example of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and activities of its leaders)

Keywords: Kochubey V. I., Kurakin A. B., Kozodavlev O. P., Lanskoy V. S., German question in the Russian Empire.

Abstract

The activity of the Ministry of the Internal Affairs in the period 1802–1837 is studied. It was the stage when this state institution was responsible for the processes of colonization. The activities of the ministry and its leaders are considered in terms of its indirect influence on the formation and the content of the “German issue”. It is proved that some changes in sentiments about foreign colonization had been preceded the formation of the “German issue”.
Even though colonization (as a state project) provided the emigrant flows with long-term guarantees of resettlement, it was perceived rather ambiguously by the Russian society. The attitude to colonization and its presentation by the Ministry of Internal Affairs depended on some components: the historical situation in the Russian Empire (acute social problems, serfdom issue, discussions about social injustice), the human factor (a person on the position of a minister) and public thoughts. Since the first change in the paradigm of colonization was explained by economic reasons (1804, V. I. Kochubey’s leadership), next shift (1810, the cadence of O. P. Kozodavlev) had a political reasons and it was accompanied with statement about social injustice and necessity to provide the indigenous peasantry of the empire with same level of guardianship. Throughout the second decade, the land issue was constantly announced as a main reason to slow down and reject the colonization. Despite the law of 1819, colonization was still having some inertia for the following decades. The objective results of the foreign settlements` development (both positive and negative) periodically caused new discussions about the role of colonies and efficiency of funding spent
on the project (during the cadence of V. S. Lansky). They gradually transitioned into a political stream with theses about the colonists’ disrespect for the Russian government and Russian laws, their neglect of their obligations to be a model farmer (A. A. Zakrevskyi’s leadership). Even though the critics had drawn attention to the certain groups of settlements, the blame would be extended to all colonists in future. It is concluded that certain components of “German question” arose much earlier than 1840s, and its appearance was connected not only with the difficulties of colonization itself but also with urgent issues of the social development of the empire.

References

1. Berdniko L. (2011). Karl Gablits Tavricheskiy. Novyy bereg, no. 31. URL: https://magazines.gorky.media/bereg/2011/31/karl-gablicz-tavricheskij.html (in Russian).

2. Varadinov N. V. (1858–1863). Istoriya Ministerstva vnutrennikh del: in 8 vol. SPb. (in Russian).

3. Venger N. V. (2011). «Nìmec’ke pitannâ» v ocìncì Ì. S. Aksakova ta Û. F. Samarìna: dìalog z rosìjs’kim suspìl’stvom u desâtilìttâ «velikih reform» (1860–1870). Voprosi germanskoj istorii: sb. naucn. trudov. Dnepropetrovsk. P. 30–52 (in Ukrainian).

4. Gablic K. I. (1821). Kratkoe opisanie žizni i služby tajnago sovetnika Karla Ivanovica Gablica. Syn Otecestva, no. 44. Р. 120–170 (in Russian).

5. Ditc Â. (1997). Istoriâ povolžskih nemcev-kolonistov. Moskow. 493 р. (in Russian).

6. Klaus A. (1868). Sektatory-kolonisty v Rossii. Vestnik Evropy, book. 6. P. 256–300 (in Russian).

7. Konovalova O. (1997). Pis’ma gercoga de Rišel’e k S. H. Konteniusu (1803–1811) kak istocnik dlâ izuceniâ processa kolonizacii Ûga Rossii. Rossijskie nemcy: Istoriografiâ i istocnikovedenie. Moskow. P. 334–347 (in Russian).

9. Kocubej V. P. (1807). Otcet ministra vnutrennih del za 1805 g. SPb. (in Russian).

10. Kurakin, knâz’ Aleksej Borisovic. Russkij biograficeskij slovar’. SPb., 1896–1913, vol. 9. P. 569–570 (in Russian).

11. Lazans’ka T. Ì. (2003). Vìl’nì hlìborobi. Enciklopedìâ ìstorìï Ukraïni: in 10 vol. K. Vol. 1. P. 260 (in Ukrainian).

12. Manifest ob ucreždenii ministerstv (1802). Polnoe sobranie zakonov Rossijskoj imperii I. Vol. 27. P. 243–244 (in Russian).

13. Nekrasov V. F. (2002). MVD Rossii: ènciklopediâ. M. P. 12 (in Russian).

14. Ob ucreždenii škol Saratovskih kolonistov dlâ obuceniâ detej russkomu âzyku. ŽMVD, 1834, book. 1. P. IV (in Russian).

15. O presecenii dal’nejšego pereseleniâ v Rossiû inostrannyh vyhodcev (5 avgusta 1819 g.). Polnoe sobranie zakonov Rossijskoj imperii I. Vol. XXXVI. P. 25 (in Russian).

16. O pravilah priëma i vodvoreniâ zagranicnyh pereselencev (9 maâ 1802 g.). Polnoe sobranie zakonov Rossijskoj imperii I. Vol. XXVII. P. 136–137 (in Russian).

17. Pis’ma gercoga Armana Èmmanuila de Rišel’e Samuilu Hristianovicu Konteniusu. 1803–1814 / Sost. i red. O. V. Konovalova (1999). Odessa. 282 p. (in Russian).

18. Popecitel’nyj Komitet ob inostrannyh poselencah Ûžnogo kraâ Rossii, 1799–1876 (1998). Odesa. Vol. 1. 364 p. (in Russian).

19. Pravila dlâ prinâtiâ i vodvoreniâ inostrannyh kolonistov (20 fevralâ 1804). Polnoe sobranie zakonov Rossijskoj imperii I. Vol. XXVIII. P. 137–140 (in Russian).

20. Rossiâ pod nadzorom: otcety III otdeleniâ 1827–1869: Sbornik dokumentov. M., 2006. 706 p. (in Russian).

21. Suhomlinov M. I. (1882). Istoriâ russkoj akademii. Vypusk šestoj: O. P. Kozadavlev. SPb. (in Russian).

22. Fadeev A. M. (1897). Vospominaniâ: v 2 c. Odessa, T. 1. 256 s. (in Russian).

23. Fond «Kontora opekunstva novorossijskih inostrannyh poselencev» 1781–1857 gg. / Sost. N. L. Ûzbaševa, D. Û. Meškov (1997). Dnepropetrovsk, Kiev. T. 1. 272 p. (in Russian).

24. Severnaâ Pocta, s.-peterburgskaâ gazeta (1809–1819). Ènciklopediceskij slovar’ Brokgauza i Efrona: v 86 t. SPb., 1890–1907. Vol. 32. P. 250 (in Russian).

25. Severnaâ pocta, 1810, no. 23 (in Russian).

26. Ceculin N. (1903). Kocubej V. P. Russkij biograficeskij slovar’ A. A. Polovceva. SPb. Vol. 9. P. 366–382 (in Russian).

27. Šhandra V. S. (2002). Malorosìjs’ke generalgubernatorstvo, 1802–1856: funkcìï, struktura, arhìv. K. 355 p. (in Ukrainian).

28. Šhandra V. S. (2005). General-gubernatorstva v Ukraïnì: XIX – pocatok XX st. K. 427 p. (in Ukrainian).

29. Šhpilevskij M. Politika narodonaseleniâ v carstvovanie Ekateriny II. Odessa, b.g. 179 p. (in Russian).

30. Janovskij A. Ministerstvo vnutrennih del. Ènciklopediceskij slovar’ Brokgauza i Efrona: in 86 vol. SPb., 1890–1907. Vol. 19. Pp. 186–187 (in Russian).

31. Transformation of the Southern Ukrainian Steppe: Letters and Papers of Johann Cornies / Translated by Ingrid I. Epp, edited by H. L. Dyck, John R. Staples (2015). Тoronto. Рp. 77–78 (in English).
Published
2022-12-29
How to Cite
Venger, N. (2022). Colonization in the context of the tasks of the Russian Empire`s executive bodies in the first half of the 19th century (on the example of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and activities of its leaders). Modern Studies in German History, (48), 16-26. https://doi.org/10.15421/312021-2202