Petersburg (Petrograd) university colonies: from Revolution to the World War
Students’ colonies performed very important role in the life of Higher educational institutions in Russia at the edge of the XIX-XX centuries. Their influence was significant in the matter of mutual help and education as well as in the organization of political protests. However till the present time the activity of these self-ruled students’ organizations was out of the researchers’ interest. The article aimes to make up the existing lacuna in the historiography and contemplate not only the outlined spheres of colonies life but the special traits of its’ structure, legal status, regional and confessional constitution. We investigated thoroughly the economic activity of the colonies, estimated its efficiency, and distinguished the main sources for the budget formation. While investigating the socio-political activity of the members of the colonies, the attention was paid to the relations between the fraternities and the major political parties. The article also throws the light upon the theme of the First World War and the conflicts between the different national and political groups of students, which became strained with the beginning of the war.