In recent decades, charity in Russia is gaining momentum again. It has even become one of a kind fashion trend and good manners. And this is wonderful: people remember that it is necessary to help those who have remained, so to speak, overboard - orphans, disabled people, lonely old people, even animals. In short, those who are the least protected, but need more than others. Charity in Russia has always existed: from the time of Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavovich, who in 996 drew up the Charter of tithing, and ending with the days in which we live.
A special place in the history of charity is occupied by the activities of the Imperial philanthropic society, which will be discussed in this article.
History of creation
Emperor and autocrat All-Russian Alexander I from childhood was raised in the works of the French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau, so he absorbed his principles of humanism.
The influence of the father also had an important role: it is known that the son of Catherine II, Paul I, was distinguished by philanthropy, he even issued several decrees, thanks to which the quality of life of serfs significantly improved.
If Emperor Pavel had such a human attitude to the lower strata of the population, which at that time was customary to be treated like cattle, what can we say about the rest of the people.
The mother of Emperor Alexander I, Maria Fedorovna, was a famous philanthropist. She founded the Midwifery Institute, the School of the Order of St. Catherine and many other charitable institutions.
The empress had a noble and kind heart; during her reign, the tradition of charity in tsarist Russia expanded and strengthened.
This is the education that Alexander Pavlovich received.
And it is quite natural that on May 16, 1802, at the initiative of Alexander I, an Imperial philanthropic society was created.
Then he was given the name "Beneficial Society."
It was founded to help all kinds of needy without distinction of sex, age and religion, with all manifestations of their needs from infancy to old age.
Upon the founding of the Beneficiary Society, 15,000 rubles were received at his cash desk on the orders of the emperor immediately and 5400 rubles were credited annually. This money came from the treasury of the Romanov dynasty.
Members of the royal family took an active part in creating the Imperial philanthropic society: Empress Maria Fedorovna, her daughter-in-law, Alexandra Fedorovna, her sister, Grand Duchess Elizaveta Fedorovna. Later, the baton was picked up by Empress Maria Alexandrovna, Grand Duchess Alexandra Petrovna and many others.
Members of the royal family built shelters, almshouses, cheap pharmacies, hospitals, shelters, gymnasiums and other charitable institutions at their own expense.
Private individuals also contributed a lot.
Princes, counts, factory owners, landowners and other very rich people who felt connected with the people and wanted to at least to some extent alleviate his difficult fate, also contributed.
Over 4,500 people took part in the charity, many of whom were supporters of the abolition of serfdom.
Some of them even donated their family estates along with souls who paid dues in favor of charitable institutions.
Countess Novosiltseva, for example, after her only son died in a duel, decided to transfer her 24 villages with all the peasants.
Many large officials and representatives of the aristocracy bequeathed their property to the Imperial philanthropic society.
Over the 100 years of its existence, the ratio of private donations to donations from the imperial treasury amounted to a ratio of 11 to 1.
In 1804
Dispensaries were opened in St. Petersburg, there were patients who received not only consultations, but also full treatment. In the same year, a decree was issued on the free treatment of needy patients at home.
Clinics were also opened for people suffering from contagious diseases.
In 1806
They opened the main hospital where they took oculists, and bought glasses for people with visual problems in Germany. The imperial philanthropic society ensured their duty-free import into the territory of the Russian Empire.
Also in the hospital, dentists and obstetrician-gynecologists worked.
Immediately engaged in vaccination against smallpox.
Only “all the poor and poor have the right to be treated in these institutions, whatever their confession, rank and age ... except for the rulers' courtyards and peasants, whom the gentlemen have their stay here.”
For 1 year, 2,500 people visited hospitals, 539 people were called to the doctor’s house, and 869 were consulted by doctors.
In 1812
During the war with Napoleon Bonaparte, the "Class of charity devastated by the enemy" appeared. This institution provided various kinds of assistance to residents of both cities and rural areas.
Six months after the battle of Borodino, the newspaper "Russian invalid" began to appear. The money that was received from its sale went to help the families of the dead and to treat the soldiers wounded in battles.
This newspaper described the exploits of ordinary soldiers who heroically defended their homeland from the French invaders. The newspaper was released until 1917.
The largest investments in charity of the war and post-war period were made by Empress Maria Fedorovna.
This continued until 1814, when the Beneficial Society was renamed the Imperial Philanthropic Society.
Before the reform that was carried out in 1860, this institution was a state organization.
The activity of the Imperial philanthropic society was to help the disabled, the disabled, the terminally ill, the elderly, orphans or those with poor parents.
Assistance was also provided to the poor who were able to work: they were found jobs, tools, and they also helped sell their goods.
In 1816
With the assistance of the famous philanthropists of that time, the Gromov brothers, the Imperial Philanthropic Society established the House of Charity of the Young Poor.
Boys from 7 to 12 years old took them there, taught them to read and write, tailoring, printing and bookbinding.
Girls were admitted to the Women's Professional School, which was also established under the Imperial philanthropic society.
They took girls from free shelters from 12 to 16 years old. They became boarders, they were taught literacy, tailoring and seamstress. In total, 150 students studied at the school.
There was also a department for employing the blind, for example, an orchestra was created for people with visual problems, which included 60 people. They took men of any faith. They were kept for free and given a musical education.
In 1824
During the terrible flood in St. Petersburg, Emperor Alexander I established a special commission to search for and help victims.
The emperor himself took a personal part in this action: he allocated 1,000,000 rubles to help the devastated, searched for the most affected parts of the city, met with them, and in conversation found out how he could help them.
In 1897
With the assistance of the Imperial philanthropic society in St. Petersburg, a canteen for the poor was opened for residents of Galernaya Harbor.
Every day she was visited by more than 200 people.
Board of Trustees
At the time of the foundation of the institution, the Council of the Imperial Philanthropic Society was created, in the development of which the author of the project, Prince Golitsyn, took part, he was appointed the main trustee.
In Kiev, the trustee of the House of Charity was Prince Peter of Oldenburg.
All officials who worked in this organization were considered government employees. Members of the Board of Trustees served on a voluntary basis, and civil servants received a salary.
This organization had branches throughout the empire, by the beginning of the twentieth century throughout Russia spent more than 1,500,000 rubles each year on the needs of the destitute.
Chest sign
For donations and other kinds of assistance on an especially large scale, generous philanthropists were awarded tokens of the Imperial philanthropic society.
This was a distinction before the state; it also served a noble purpose: to increase the prestige of philanthropy among the upper layers of society.
During its existence, the organization played a huge role in the development of private charity.
Imperial philanthropic society provided assistance to the needy, which is difficult to overestimate.
In 1918
After the October Revolution thundered over the whole country, all bank accounts, movable and immovable property were nationalized.
The imperial philanthropic society ceased to exist, as, indeed, the empire itself, along with the monarchy.
Together with them, all charity in Russia practically disappeared. There were no more generous philanthropists (revolutionaries took their lives, someone was forced to emigrate abroad).
All charitable organizations have been abolished.
After the Soviet Union collapsed, this activity is reviving again, and at a considerable pace. In the global charity index, Russia ranks 124 out of 150.
There is hope that this is not the limit, and private charity will continue to develop in the country. The imperial philanthropic society once showed us all such an example.