Monument to Catherine II in Yekaterinodar: the practice of monumental commemoration in the context of the historical culture of the Kuban Cossacks

Salchinkina Angelina Rostislavovna ORCID: 0000-0002-4692-5362 PhD in History Associate Professor; Department of History and Political Science; Kuban State Agrarian University named after I.T. Trubilin 350044, Russia, Krasnodar Territory, Krasnodar, Kalinina str., 13, room 308 eclipsis@yandex.ru

In the late 19th century – early 20th centuries, the process of applying various forms of commemorative practices intensified on the territory of the Russian Empire. In the context of the transformation of social and political life, the construction of monuments made it possible to find landmarks in the past (both real and mythologized), clothe them in monumental images and broadcast certain values to various social groups or society as a whole.

Naturally, the practices of monumental commemoration, which are an important tool for the formation of historical culture, could not fail to come to the attention of modern researchers. The subject of specialists' study is not so much the events of the past, as their interpretations and mechanisms of translation through the creation of sculptural compositions. But if the origins and evolution of the Russian monumental tradition are considered in Russian historiography in some detail ^{[1; 2; 3; 4]}, the commemorative practices of the Kuban Cossacks from the perspective of the concept of historical culture remain unexplored.

The principles of scientific objectivity and historicism are at the heart of the development of this research area. The degree of reliability of the presented scientific results is due to the source base, primarily materials from 4 funds of the State Archive of the Krasnodar Territory and the local newspaper "Kuban Regional Vedomosti". The leading research methods include historical and genetic, recreating the process of creating a monument to Catherine II in Yekaterinodar, historical and cultural, which allows analyzing the role of the socio-cultural environment at the stages of the monument's design, its implementation and presentation to the public, and historical and systemic, bringing together all the interrelationships and interactions of the structural components of the historical culture of the Kuban Cossacks on the example of the monument creation the Empress. The identity approach opens up new opportunities for interdisciplinary research. Its application makes it possible to analyze the ways of broadcasting and interpreting information about the corporate values of the Kuban Cossacks, through which their group identity is preserved.

In the 1880s, the issue of creating a monument to Catherine II was repeatedly raised on the initiative of the outstanding Kuban historian and public figure E. D. Felitsyn. An important anniversary was ahead – the 100th anniversary of the landing of the first Black Sea Cossacks on the Kuban land, which was granted to them by the Empress. The idea of the monumental commemoration of the empress reached the Main Directorate of the Cossack troops, having received approval. This unanimity on the part of different social groups can be explained by several reasons. Firstly, in the XIX – early XX centuries, the tradition of creating monuments to significant historical dates was consolidated and widespread. Secondly, the image of Catherine II was in demand by both the "upper classes" and the "lower classes". For the official authorities, he was the personification of the military power and territorial expansion of the Russian Empire, for the Cossack community – a symbol of the beginning of a new life. As noted by the modern historian O. V. Matveev, who studies the historical representations of the Kuban Cossacks, "the evil stepmother, the "enemy of the mats" for Ukraine and the Zaporozhtzi becomes "the life-giver and benefactress Ekaterina Alekseevna" for Kuban" ^{[5, p. 413]}.

The famous sculptor M. O. Mikeshin was commissioned to design the monument, who by that time had already become famous for creating one of the most striking monuments of the mid–19th century - the Millennium of Russia in Novgorod. In addition, the sculptor had experience in creating monuments to Catherine II. His vision of the image of the empress as a majestic autocrat could be contemplated on Alexandriyskaya Square in St. Petersburg and on Trade (Catherine) Square in Irbit. Later, when the concept of the monument in Yekaterinodar is approved, the local newspaper Kuban Regional Vedomosti will write that "the monument is conceived wittily and fully expresses the idea, but its general appearance is heavy and resembles other monuments of M. O. Mikeshin" ^{[6, p. 2]}. Indeed, the sculptor's works were distinguished by multi-tiered complex compositions with a deep semantic load. But that is why his candidacy was pleasing to the official authorities. M. O. Mikeshin was a master of creating "all-encompassing" monuments, in the space of which significant historical periods were placed and the achievements of autocratic Russia were glorified.

In 1892, after receiving a message that the proposal for the construction of the monument had been received by the Main Directorate of the Cossack Troops, M. O. Mikeshin made pencil sketches of the general appearance of the monument ^{[7, p. 55]}. However, time passed, and the contract with the sculptor was not concluded. The Kuban administration, relying only on the military budget, was puzzled by the high cost of the monument. In July 1895, a long-awaited note appeared in the local press that the case for the construction of a monument to the Empress on Fortress Square was moving forward: the model of the monument was ready, and its design was sent for approval ^{[8, p. 2]}.

In the same month, the censors were allowed to present a description of the Yekaterinodar project to the general public. In the Moscow printing house, M. O. Mikeshin published a "Description of the project of the monument to Empress Catherine II", in which he revealed the task of creating the monument – to reflect religion, patriotism and gratitude to the autocratic tsarina. According to the sculptor, a public monument should contain the memories formed in the minds of the people and pass them on to subsequent generations. The monument itself in a visual form "should represent a well-known idea" about great figures who "left an indelible mark of their activities in the historical life of the people" ^{[9, p. 3]}. The "idea" of the monument in Yekaterinodar was supposed to reflect popular ideas about the benefactors of the Kuban Cossacks – Catherine II, who granted favors and "called the Cossacks to a new life", and Prince G. A. Potemkin, their first intercessor before the Empress. The shape of the monument was also described. The central place on the high pedestal was given to Catherine II with a scepter and a power, in front of which fell a long bundle with the text of the Highest Charter of 1792. The contents of the Empress's charter were to serve as a reminder to everyone in whose "eternal possession" are the lands on the Taman Peninsula and the Right Bank of the Kuban. On the right, against the background of the most important elements of the symbolic representation of the army – regalia and relics, "generously sacrificed by the Empress", was the "idol of the resurrected Cossacks" G. A. Potemkin. On the right there are "national heroes, the last elders of the Zaporozhtzi and the first elders of the Black Sea Cossacks" – military judge Anton Golovaty reading a letter, koshevoi ataman Sidor Bely listening to him and military esaul Zakhar Chepega making the sign of the cross ^{[9, p. 6]}. In his work, M. O. Mikeshin gave an explanation of the primacy among the chieftains, given to A. A. Golovat. He called him "the truly brilliant administrator of the region and the organizer of the fate of the Black Sea, which is now the Kuban army" ^{[9, p. 30]}.

In his project, M. O. Mikeshin paid tribute to oral traditions, thanks to which the memory of the "old days" has been preserved. To this end, the sculptor placed a blind kobzar and his indispensable guide companion on the back of the monument. Probably, the poet Taras Shevchenko served as the prototype of the folk singer. This is evidenced by the memoirs of M. O. Mikeshin's friend D. A. Agrenev-Slavyansky. In the description of their last meeting, when the sculptor was working on the drawing of "Kobzar Shevchenko", the words of the master are given: "Here, brother, I am illustrating Shevchenko; I wanted to convey his thought more accurately and put my soul into his characters. I work hard, I want to work more, because maybe I don't have long to live" ^{[10, p. 3]}.

According to the author, the monument was supposed to reflect the entire life of the army, starting from its foundation. Despite the fact that the decrees of Emperor Alexander II on the creation of the Kuban Cossack Army (1860) and on the approval of its seniority since 1696 have already been adopted. (1874), a different threshold of collective memory is indicated on one of the cartouches – 1792 ("the year of the mercies of Empress Catherine II"). Like other attributes of the monument (the Zaporozhye tradition in clothes, forelocks and mustaches of the figures of atamans and kobzars), this date was supposed to emphasize the continuity of the Kuban Cossacks with the Cossacks, while not going into the undesirable history of the Zaporozhye Sich for the official authorities. The monument was complemented by numerous details significant from the point of view of the Cossacks' service to the Throne – a list of victories won by Russia in the XVIII–XIX centuries with the participation of Kuban Cossacks, a line on the lower base with the names of atamans from S. I. Bely to Ya. D. Malama, words from the folk song "Oh, God bless us"^[1].

The "Description of the monument project to Empress Catherine II" contained a historical reference, which was traditionally prepared before the presentation of the monument project. In M. O. Mikeshin, it was an excerpt from the fundamental historical work of the Kuban historian E. D. Felitsyn "Kuban Cossack Army 1696-1888: a collection of brief information about the army", published in 1888 in Voronezh. The choice of the plot was of particular importance. It raised a difficult issue for both the official authorities and the Cossacks – the liquidation of the Zaporozhian Sich and the transfer of Cossacks to Russian service. The historical background provides the most optimal version for all parties. Prince G.A. was called the initiator of the destruction of the Sich. Potemkin, who quickly repented of this and, under the influence of a "stirring conscience" and "extreme necessity", corrected a "strange and incomprehensible mistake", revived the Zaporozhye army under the "flattering name "troops of loyal Cossacks" ^{[9, pp. 16-17]}. The image of Catherine II was beyond criticism. She presented herself as the "Mother Tsarina", who, after the heroic participation of the Cossacks in the war with Turkey, favored them with great generosity. This version of the liquidation of the Zaporozhian Sich was very popular in the late XIX – early XX centuries. It can be found both on the pages of regimental histories and memoirs of the Kuban Cossack Army ^{[11, pp. 9-13; 12, pp. 29; 13, pp. 6-10]} and in the local press. It is worth giving as an example the idea of the historian of the Kuban Cossacks, esaul (in the future Colonel) I. I. Dmitrenko, inherent in the mass consciousness of that time. He published his reflections in the Kuban Regional Gazette on the day of the centenary of the death of Catherine II: "We, the sons of Kuban, on this sad day of our inexpressible sorrow, must remember and pray for the soul of our crowned mother, to whose autocratic word we owe our well-being, who called our ancestors to a new life, since the memory of the greatness of the queen is bright and bright in the soul of every Kuban citizen, who, even during the life of the Monarch, "stopped digging long ago, hammered the queen at that time and prayed for everything to God that pointed the way to the Kuban" ^{[14, p. 4]}.

In September 1895, on behalf of M. O. Mikeshin, architect-artist E. E. von Baumgarten made an estimate of the monument. She was sent to the Main Engineering Department, which concluded that the amount presented was too high. M. O. Mikeshin did not manage to solve this problem. In the first month of 1896, he died. The Kuban Regional Gazette published reflections of people close to the sculptor about the causes of his death. Singer and conductor D. A. Agrenev-Slavyansky believed that M. O. Mikeshin was knocked down by the endless nagging of contractors and unnecessary negotiations with the engineering committee related to the construction of the monument in Yekaterinodar. Referring to personal correspondence with the sculptor, he noted that the author of the monument was also concerned about the lack of money. All these hardships knocked down the "Russian hero", who "fell like an oak tree in full force and power" ^{[10, p. 3]}. Architect-artist E. E. von Baumgarten, confirmed that the revisions by the Kuban authorities of the estimate in order to reduce it greatly influenced "the impressionable and already broken by illness Mikhail Osipovich" ^{[10, p. 3]}. However, M. O. Mikeshin's project was destined to come to life. His widow Maria Petrovna appealed to the head of the Kuban region, Major General J. D. Malama, with a request to continue her husband's business on the same terms. According to the calculations presented, the total amount of expenses for the construction of the monument should have amounted to 180,337 rubles. 89 kopecks ^{[15, p. 2]}.

On August 12, 1896, the model of the monument, which was designed by the late M. O. Mikeshin, was presented to Emperor Nicholas II and his wife Alexandra Feodorovna in the Grand Palace of Peterhof. 7 months after the sculptor's death, the model of the monument to Catherine II received the Highest approval ^{[16, L. 87]}. The local press also noted the symbolic coincidence of the dates: "Mikeshin's first work, his monument to the millennium of Russia, was opened on September 8, 1862, and the last work, the monument to Catherine II, will be laid on September 8" ^{[17, p. 2]}.

The solemn laying of the foundation of the monument was scheduled for one of the days of the celebration of the 200th anniversary of the Kuban Cossack Army. A ceremonial was prescribed especially for this event, which was published in advance in the Kuban Regional Gazette ^{[18, p. 2]}. It combined traditional elements for pre–revolutionary celebrations - religious and military rituals. The main distinguishing feature from the all–Russian ceremonies was the presence of a Cossack component - the presence of officers and officials of the Kuban Cossack army, the detour of troops by the ataman with a mace, the removal of military banners granted by Catherine II and Alexander II, participation in the event of Cossack units, including His Own Imperial Majesty's convoy.

On September 9, 1896, on the second day of the festivities, at 9:25 a.m., the ceremony of laying the monument to the Empress on the Fortress (Ataman) Square began. A pit was dug at the site of the foundation filling, above which stood poles decorated with flags, gilded double-headed eagles and monograms of Catherine II and Nicholas II. After the detour of the troops by the commander-in-chief, Lieutenant General Ya. D. Malama, a prayer service began, during which Bishop Agafodor told "about the significance of monuments in general, and the real monument in particular" ^{[19, p. 3]}. The service ended with the proclamation of eternal memory to the Empress and long-term to the Imperial House to the sounds of fireworks from 31 artillery shots. The troops and the place of laying were sprinkled with holy water, and a plaque with an inscription about the event, several silver rubles and credit cards were placed in the pit. Religious rituals were replaced by military ones – the parade began, which was hosted by the general from the infantry E. S. Tsytovich. The Cossacks marched ceremonially past the banners placed in front of the house of the punished chieftain. After that, the military units were dismissed to their bivouacs, completing the festive ceremony.

A new round of work on the monument began with the fact that in 1899 The Military Council created a special commission under the chairmanship of the commander-in-chief of the Kuban Cossack Army. According to the approved regulation, the commission was supposed to monitor the quality of construction work and audit the money spent ^{[20, l. 3-4 vol.]}.

In June 1902, the construction commission signed a contract with the sculptor B. V. By Edwards, who had an excellent reputation in St. Petersburg Academy of Arts. A pledge of 12 thousand rubles was supposed to be a guarantee of conscientiously performed work. It was supposed to be returned to the sculptor after a year from the moment of the final inspection of the monument by a special commission ^{[21, l. 26-26 vol.]}. It is noteworthy that in December 1902, defects in the work of B. V. were revealed. Eduards – the images of the chieftains lost their Zaporozhye attributes. According to the resolution of the commission, the sculptor made corrections important from the point of view of the historical memory of the Cossacks: "the hair on the heads of Atamans Golovaty and Chepega were replaced by oseledets [forelocks], and the moustache of the first was made "Little Russian", and the chest of both were decorated with St. George crosses" ^{[21, l. 31 vol.]}. The work slowly continued until as long as in The revolution of 1905-1907 did not break out in Russia. The difficult internal political situation brought to the fore the need to remind the Cossacks of their inseparable connection with the service of the autocracy ^{[4, p. 140]}.

As a result, in May 1905, work on the monument was completed. In October, the chairman of the commission for the construction of the monument, Major General M. P. Babych sent a report to the punished ataman D. A. Odintsovo with a request to appoint a guard to protect the monument "in view of the developed hooliganism" ^{[22, L. 9]} and presented to the military punished ataman of the Caucasian Cossack troops, Count I. I. Vorontsov-Dashkov a general report on the amounts, spent on the creation of the monument to Catherine II. Of the allocated 150 thousand rubles. of the total military capital of the Kuban Cossack army, 149034 rubles. 96 kopecks were spent. The expenses included the fees of M. O. Mikeshin, B. V. Eduards and S. G. Gone (owner of the Moran A. and Successors plant), payment for the work of technicians and experts, financing of measures for the transportation of monument parts from St. Petersburg and Odessa, the creation of a wooden fence and a park with tree plantations and flower beds, the installation of a water pipe for fountains and an electric network for lanterns ^{[23, l. 1-4 vol.]}. However, due to the difficult situation in Yekaterinodar caused by revolutionary unrest, the reception of the monument by the construction company took place only in May 1906. The final inspection of the monument by the commission for the appointment of the Main Directorate of the Cossack Troops was postponed indefinitely. Only the appeal of B. V. Eduards to M. P. Babych with a request to release him from bail due to "the complete impossibility of having a job in the country due to the difficult time she was going through" moved the case from the spot ^{[21, l. 17-18]}. In November 1906, the commission for the final inspection of the monument, headed by Lieutenant General J. D. Malama, prepared an act according to which "the statue of EMPRESS CATHERINE II meets the dignity and greatness of the MONARCH, fully corresponds to the design tasks outlined by the artist Mikeshin, is beautifully and artistically executed. The whole monument is made well, of appropriate and high-quality material and meets all the above requirements" ^{[21, l. 32]}. As a result, B. V. Eduards was released from bail, and the monument to Catherine II was taken over by the Kuban Regional Government in December 1906. At the same time, Major General M. P. Babych prepared a report addressed to the punished ataman of the Kuban Cossack Army N. I. Mikhailov with a request to present 12 people to the Highest awards - all members of the construction commission, the construction artist and two of his assistants "for the work we have done for six years on the construction of the said monument" ^{[24, L. 1]}. The submission reached the Headquarters of the Caucasian Military District, where it was rejected by its chief, Major General G. E. Berkhman. However, B. V. Eduards persevered and his personal appeal was satisfied with the award of the Order of St. Stanislaus, 3rd degree in 1908.

Of course, the creation of a public monument should be accompanied by a solemn act of opening. As noted by the modern cultural critic S. A. Yeremeyeva, "only accompanying rituals can introduce a soulless, in fact, monument into the field of culture, the emphasized significance of the event gives importance to the monument itself, explains it to others, makes it a part of life" ^{[3, p. 17]}. In this regard, after the manufacture of the monument to Catherine II, preparations for its opening begin. The initial date of the solemn event was set for the day of the military holiday of the Kuban Cossack Army – October 5, 1906. According to the Regulations for ceremonies on the occasion of the opening and lighting of monuments in Bose to the deceased Emperors, approved on September 14, 1902, the Highest presence was required at such events. However, it was impossible to implement this prescription in the midst of the revolutionary crisis. In an attempt to solve the problem, the Military Headquarters of the Kuban Cossack Army sent a new ceremonial specially designed for the opening of the Yekaterinodar monument to the Chief of Staff of the Caucasian Military District ^{[25, l. 10-14]}. The question that sparked the discussion concerned the possibility of a platoon of S. E. I.V. Cossacks and hundreds of old Cossacks arriving at the event without the Highest permission. From August to November, there was correspondence between the Military Headquarters of the army, the Main Directorate of the Cossack Troops and the Headquarters of the Caucasian Military District, as a result of which it was decided that the petition for summoning the Cossacks would not be initiated, and those who expressed a voluntary desire to participate in it would be invited to the ceremony. During the discussion, other problems arose – until November 1906, there was no conclusion of the commission for the final inspection of the monument, the ataman of the Caucasian Cossack troops, I. I. Vorontsov-Dashkov, could not attend the celebration of the military punishment, money was not allocated for the production of medals and brochures. As a result, the opening date of the monument was postponed to May 6, 1907.

On November 13, 1906, the ceremonial, developed by the Military Circle, received the Highest approval ^{[25, l. 27-28 vol.]}. But the political situation in the country and in Yekaterinodar remained difficult, which could jeopardize the holding of the solemn event. N. I. Mikhailov expressed his concerns about this in a letter to G. E. Berkhman. He was worried that the monetary costs required to organize the opening of the monument could "give the richest food to unfriendly people in order to treat this event critically" in a "really not quite calm" time ^{[25, l. 35-35 vol.]}. All this could create the ground for spreading ideas about the need to implement broad Cossacks the tasks of self-government, which were declared by the Cossack deputation in The State Duma. The issue related to the lighting of the monument turned out to be no less difficult for the punished chieftain. In his letter, he wondered: "the monument to Catherine consists of a statue of the Empress surrounded by statues of Potemkin, Anton Golovaty, kobzar and the guide. Is it okay to sprinkle these last ones with holy water" ^{[25, l. 35 vol.]}. N. I. Mikhailov concluded the letter with his proposals, among which were combining the opening of the monument with the gathering of military representatives to resolve pressing Cossack issues, holding a conversation with them about the steadfastness of the rights and duties of Cossacks, reducing the opening of the monument to the prayer service and parade, and most importantly – the postponement of the event to October 5, 1907.

This time, they did not change the opening date of the monument to Empress Catherine II. It took place on the birthday of Nicholas II – May 6, 1907. On this day, the commander-in-chief of the Terek and Kuban Cossack troops, Count I. I. Vorontsov-Dashkov sent a telegram to the emperor, in which he assured of the feelings of "boundless love and loyalty to the grave" on the part of the Kuban Cossacks, and also noted that the celebration of his birth was marked by the lighting of the monument to Catherine II. In response, Nicholas II thanked "the always faithful and glorious Kuban Cossacks for expressing ... feelings of love and devotion" ^{[25, l. 47]}.

The ceremony on the occasion of the opening of the monument in Yekaterinodar was held according to the traditional canon of that time and, despite the difficult political situation, was distinguished by special solemnity. As was customary in tsarist Russia, the secular holiday had a religious flavor, emphasizing the special connection of the monarchy with the Orthodox Church. All this symbolic content of the ceremony, as well as the image of the monument itself, had a deep meaning: in the conditions of turmoil, the official authorities not only tried to demonstrate greatness and power, but also reminded the Cossacks of their promise to the Empress to faithfully serve the Throne.

At 8 a.m., 5 cannon shots sounded in Yekaterinodar, notifying the townspeople about the beginning of the festive events. The main official events unfolded in the morning in Ataman Square and on the streets around it – Krasnaya, Pochtovaya, Bursakovskaya and Serfnaya^[2]. Military units, honored guests, and students of educational institutions took their places there.

At 9 a.m., a platoon of Cossacks of the S. E. I. V. convoy took military regalia from the building of the Military Headquarters, which they carried in accordance with the established procedure along the streets of Gymnasium and Krasnaya. Near the church gates of the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, the clergy joined the procession with banners, and then, to the sounds of the national anthem, all went in procession to the Fortress Square.

The ceremony was opened with a thanksgiving prayer and a solemn proclamation of many years to the entire Reigning House, during which all those present, except the troops, knelt down. During the commemoration of Empress Catherine II, the veil was lowered from the monument. After that, the musicians played the "Transfiguration March", the artillery fired 360 shots, and bells rang in all the churches of the city. The religious part of the ceremony ended with the proclamation of many years to the Russian army and all loyal subjects, as well as sprinkling the monument with holy water. The parade continued the event, during which the troops twice passed by the majestic monument. Upon its completion, the convoys with the clergy left the Fortress Square, carrying away the military regalia.

According to the popular tradition at the beginning of the twentieth century, from all over Russia in Congratulatory telegrams were sent to Yekaterinodar. They intertwined joyful feelings about "the opening of the monument to the great Empress, who strengthened the cause of the rule of the Russian state in the fertile North Caucasus" (A.M. Kolyubakin), with wishes to the Kuban Cossacks "prosperity for the benefit of the Motherland, the Tsar and the Fatherland" (M. P. Babych), longevity "to help the tsar for military exploits, yes for Russian Russian statehood and Russian enlightenment among the diverse peoples of the vast Mother Russia" (A. Lvov), unity "in the performance of duty to the tsar and the Motherland" (N. V. Rodzianko) ^{[22, l. 176, 164, 167, 174]}.

Thus, the monument to Catherine II is an important translator of the historical culture of the Kuban Cossacks. The idea of its creation was timed to coincide with the anniversary date of the landing of the first Black Sea Cossacks on the Taman Peninsula, and was implemented during a period of aggravation of the political situation in Russia in general, and in Yekaterinodar in particular. In this regard, the official authorities, as the final authority for approving the monument project, invested in it the idea of state power and the permanent presence of Russia in the southern territories. The significance of the monument was also emphasized by the opening ceremony, which, despite the revolutionary crisis, was held on a special scale. The monument, which was built for the Kuban Cossack army at its expense, received approval among the Cossacks. They saw in it both the popular idea of their Zaporozhye roots, and a reminder of who owns the lands between the Black and Azov Seas. The government, promoting and supporting this interpretation of the collective past, pursued a specific political task – to remind the Cossacks of their duty to faithfully serve the Throne.

The fate of the monument to Empress Catherine II turned out to be sad. He was destined to stand in the center of Yekaterinodar for only 13 years. The monument, erected during the period of revolutionary upheavals, as a symbol of the inviolability of internal state orders and the connection of the monarchy with the Cossacks, was dismantled by the new government on November 4, 1920.

^[1] The words from the song "Oh, God bless us" (only by the authorship of A. A. Gololovaty) are also placed on the monument to the Zaporozhian settlers in Taman. However, the last line is written on it as "Sho won showed us the Taman road" instead of the words "Sho showed us the Kuban road", which adorn the monument to Catherine II.

^[2] Now Ataman Square is Yekaterininsky, Pochtovaya – Postovaya, Bursakovskaya – Krasnoarmeyskaya, Serfnaya – Pushkin streets.