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Migration from Poland to Russia in thirties of 19th century

Marek Rutkowski Marek Rutkowski Historia Obserwuj temat Obserwuj notkę 2

                On the basis of decree of Ruling Senate of Russian Empire, dated   11th of March 1832,  given after taking into consideration the inflowing requests written on the part of (foreign) owners of factories, clothiers as well as foremen living in Poland, the Russian authorities allowed all those groups of Polish society to move permanently to the Russian territory and settle there. 

As a consequence of such a decree, on the 18th of March 1832 the Russian Minister of Finances - Kankrin - sent the Polish Administrative Committee (government) the czar's personal “ukaz” (order), directed originally to Russian Ruling Senate. As stated previously, described “ukaz” was permitting the living in Poland  manufacturers and clothiers to transfer their machineries and to settle personally down in Russia. Next, on the 25th of April 1832, the Administrative Committee of the Kingdom of Poland recommended to send newly issued in Petersburg law to several Polish ministry offices, i.e.: Government Committee of Domestic Spiritual and Public Educational Affairs as well as Government Committee of Treasury and Finances.

Basing on the new imperial decision, the Polish owners of factories at length of ten years (starting with the introduction of a new law) could built on Russian soil fabric factories, both in cities and on the territory of their administrative districts, “having no necessity to sign up at (stock)exchange ”. During these ten years they also were free from every kind of public weights and taxes. Additionally, Polish workers that were moving to Russia were not at first forced to enter the guilds.

On the 31st of May 1832, the Russian Home Secretary addressed to imperial Governor in Poland - Iwan count Paskiewicz -  writing describing precisely the rules according to which the whole process of migration from Poland to Russia was based. "Rules under which   craftsmen and colonists foreigners may move from Kingdom of Poland do Russian Empire ” were then openly presented. On the 19th of June 1832 new laws were introduced to the structure of Polish formal legislation system by Government Committee of Domestic Spiritual and Public Educational Affairs.Next, on 23rd of January 1833Government Committee of Domestic Spiritual and Public Educational Affairs produced the final writing, fully describing the rules according to which it was possible for Poles and acceptable to Russian authorities "to colonize ” and “settle down” in the territory of Russian Empire. Newly introduced law was printed in two languages in Voivodeship Formal Newsletters. The text was given in Polish and German.

On the 8th of June 1832 the  Government Committee of Domestic Spiritual and Public Educational Affairs presentedthe administrative way of proceedings, leading to receiving the emigration passports. It was accepted as a general rule that all persons' surnames and names (especially these of manufacturers and craftsmen) desirous to emigrate successfully to Russia had to be announced for some period of time at local Polish press. The authorities precisely determined span of time sufficient - in their imagination - to fairly close local society relations with willing to emigrate manufacturers.

It had, however, soon turned out that new emigration laws weren’t properly and efficiently executed by different Polish administrative officers, especially like: members of district police, village mayors as well as municipal mayors. What was more, extremely often  situations happened when - in order to get passport - prospective immigrants could  wait in Warsaw even ten or more days (at that time there were in Poland only two offices issuing passports, one in capital Warsaw and one in Kielce, where Russian military officials/generals decided in such matters).

In this situationGovernment Committee of Domestic Spiritual and Public Educational Affairs wrote special statement regarding thematter of emigration to Russia, where it was (not too sincerely) affirmed that the whole cause of delays lies "in indifferent treatment of given requests in this matter by village mayors and police district officers”. It was underlined again that each person willing to emigrate should firstly contact the local village mayor's office and district police officer or city mayor. In addition it was showed and stated clearly that the duty of continuation of emigration matters rested thereon especially on Polish local officials.

In such circumstances, there was no need to wait any longer for real effect of introduction of new laws. Taking advantage of possibility of relying on newly introduced articles of law, already on the 18th of May 1832 fabric manufacturers from Konstantynow locality folded the application concerning receiving of passports for 132 families, desirous to emigrate from Poland to Russia.

In the same time Russian civil as well as military officials called loudly for  departure to Russian Empire. For example, general of infantry Inzow sent to PolishGovernment Committee of Domestic Spiritual and Public Educational Affairs information about newly open possibilities of settling down in abandoned farms, located on terrain of former German colonies in Russian Bessarabia (next to Black Sea shore). Warsaw ministry published then such an notice (or rather advertisement) in its official decree, dated 11th of April 1833.

The process of emigration from Poland to Russia wasn’t however monotonous. For instance, during  twelve months of 1834 from Kingdom of Poland emigrated (after obtainment of emigration passports) relatively not too many persons. Russian immigration officials wrote down in such period of time only 118 craftsmen relocating to Russia. What was even more surprising, in the same time only 2 craftsmen emigrated from Poland to Prussia. Polish state authorities confirmed on their side that all persons permanently leaving Poland  were engaged in weaving of woolen articles.

Different and truly special  professional group of Polish citizens whose fate was touched by the necessity of emigration from their native country were Polish miners (although in such a case the emigration process most often and openly took place against the will of interested persons). The situation happened when - in the very beginnings of the period after the fall of November uprising of 1830 -1831 - Russian czar and emperor Nikolai the 1st decided “to transfer ” to Russian mining Ural mounties institutions and mines lots of workers and officials of Mining Corps of the Kingdom of Poland.

As a consequence of above described emperor’s decision, on the 29th of  May 1832 Polish Administrative Council  was formally notified by Grabowski - Minister of Secretary of State for the Polish Matters ad litem Russian emperor - about Nikolai’s recommendation of the necessity of informing monarch about possibility of "assimilation” Polish miners (and mining ranks)  in Russia and czarist administrative structure.

 On the 18th June 1832Government Committee of Treasury and Finances presented for evaluation of theAdministrative Council report "in a matter of Polish mining rank comparison with similar ranks obligatory in Russia”. This report was issued mostly for the sake of Polish miners already present in czarist empire.  It concerned also these Polish mining workers and officials who just recently received imperial order to relocate to Russian mines in Ural mountains; as well as these who were simply considered and recommended as especially useful in Russian mining. It was understood that all these interested persons were to be formallyascribed to suitable administrative ranks already existing in Russia. However, receiving detailed opinion ofGovernment Committee of Treasury and Finances, Polish Administrative Council did not present any decisive opinion on such a matter, leaving this question to the Russian authorities and Polish ministry.  Rather strangely, the government affirmed that such an evaluation of Polish and Russian official ranks is too complicated to undertake it in Warsaw only. Government Committee of Treasury and Finances of the Kingdom of Poland was only recommended to follow its own suggestions and specifications in evaluating ranks of Polish miners forced to emigrate to Russia.  Thus, one could have here rather surprising impression of slight reluctance of Polish depended and subdued government to take its responsibility for easing for Russian authorities separating Polish specialists from their native land.

The main facts described in this short article lead us to a conclusion that after the fall of November uprising, Russians ruling in the Polish Kingdom mostly did not encourage immigration to Poland, but rather in many ways made it more difficult; while these intentions were hidden behind some formally positive administrative moves. On the contrary, they encouraged the emigration of Polish craftsmen and industrialists to Russia.

 The above mentioned facts portray us the surprising general migration phenomenon, characteristic  for the country that was governed by inviding power.

 @Copyright Marek Rutkowski

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