The Care of the Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna on Children during the Great War: Dormitory for Young Volunteers in Moscow (1915—1917)

Abstract

In 1915, in order to organise the care of children who ran away to the front during the Great War and, due to various circumstances, found themselves on the streets, the Grand Duchess Elisabeth Fiodorovna established the charity organisation “The Hostel of Her Imperial Highness the Grand Duchess Elisabeth Fiodorovna for Young Volunteers in Moscow”. During its short life the organisation transformed from a modest station for young volunteers into a fully staffed, specialised educational institution. The hostel had at its disposal a summer colony, an official parochial school, a church, and courses in higher elementary education. Thanks to this socially important project of Elisabeth Feodorovna, more than 350 young volunteers were able to receive an education and enrol in secondary schools. The article uses archival materials from the Manuscripts Research Department of the Russian State Library, many of which are being researched for the first time.