Records Concerned with the Russian Geographical Society in the Archive of the Third Section of His Imperial Majesty’s Own Chancellery

Abstract

The making of the Russian Geographical Society (RGO) occurred during the “grim seven years” of Nicholas I’s reign. The reaction to the “Springtime of the Peoples” affected all spheres of public life in the empire. Censorship was tightened and administrative and police oversight of education and science strengthened. This is the first publication of the complete texts of 9 previously unknown records (1848– 1851) from the file “On the Russian Geographical Society”, stored in the holding (“fond”) No. 109 of the Third Section of His Imperial Majesty’s own Chancellery in the State Archive of the Russian Federation. The correspondence between the Head of the Section, A. F. Orlov, and his deputy, L. V. Dubelt, bespeaks their close attention to the RGO’s life: struggle between the factions in the RGO, elections of its governing bodies, and political sentiments among the RGO membership. These documents enable tracing the history of interaction between the RGO, state authorities, and other scientific organizations. Record 1 is Dubelt’s note “On the Geographical Society” of May 1, 1848, addressed to Orlov; record 2 is a memorandum “On the election of vice president of the Russian Geographical Society” of March 15, 1850, by an unknown author; and record 3 is a copy of a perlustrated letter from Count S. G. Stroganov to his brother, A. G. Stroganov, in which he discussed the results of the RGO vicechairman election. Records 4 and 5 comprise the correspondence between Dubelt and Orlov that indicates that Stroganov’s letter became known to the Emperor. Outraged by Stroganov’s accusations, Dubelt prepared an explanatory note (record 6) for the Emperor. Dubelt’s harsher report to Nicholas I (records 7 and 9: draft report and its final version, respectively) was dated March of 1851. A short draft note with a list of persons involved in medal minting in St. Petersburg (record 8) was attached to the case. The publication is supplemented with an annotated list of names mentioned in these records.