«Letters from Chernihiv Region» by I.L. Shrag as a source for the history of the zemstvo liberal movement in the North of the Left-Bank Ukraine (80s of the 19th century)

Abstract

The article analyzes the public epistolary of the well-known representative of the Zemstvo liberal party of the Northern Left Bank – Ilya LudvigovichShrag. The author comes to the conclusion that «Letters from the Chernihiv region» by I. Shrag is a unique and important source from the history of the Zemstvo liberal movement in the north of Left Bank Ukraine in the 80s of the XIX century, which very eloquently testifies to the ideological and political imperatives of the opposition aristocratic front of the region. In the public epistolary of Ilya Ludvigovych, which was published on the pages of the famous Ukrainian almanac Pravda, a panorama of social life in the Chernihiv province during the Counter-Reforms of Emperor Alexander III is presented, as well as the evaluation judgments and characteristics of the famous liberal regarding the general atmosphere of changes that took place in the Russian Empire at this time. period. In his letters, I. Shrag very eloquently characterized the historical genesis of the reign of Emperor Alexander III, which, according to the actor, was directly connected with the history of the Great Moscow State; presented albeit subjective, but very vivid characteristics to the ruling persons of the Chernihiv province at that time from the circle of reactionary politicians, in particular the Chernihiv governor –O.Anastasyev, emphasizing the demoralizing role of such officials in the life of the province; in sufficient detail, using specific examples, highlighted the reasons for the fundamental and irreconcilable conflict between the members of the Zemstvo liberal party of northern Ukraine and the conservative bureaucracy and the administration of the governor; as a professional lawyer, I. Shrag carried out a legal analysis of the basic counter-reforms of Alexander III – Zemstvo, judicial and city, rightly pointing out the great degradation of the country and society, which these legislative acts caused.