The length of service of soldiers in the tsarist army. Recruitment of the Russian Imperial Army

To recruit the army necessary to fight the Great Northern War of 1700-1721, Peter I introduced conscription in 1699. Russia became the first country in the world to implement compulsory “conscription” into the army.

The first intake amounted to 32 thousand people. Recruitment was not of an individual, but of a communal nature, that is, the population of a particular territory was told the number of recruits that it should supply to the state. Men from 20 to 35 years old were involved in the recruitment service. For most of the 18th century, service was for life. Only in 1793 was service limited to 25 years.

During the reign of Peter I, a record number of recruitments were carried out - 53. In total, about 300 thousand people were called up for military service. Due to losses in battles and desertion total number hardly exceeded 200 thousand people. To this were added more than 100 thousand irregular troops: Cossacks, mounted Tatars and Bashkirs.

By 18th-century standards, Russia had a gigantic army. Under Peter I, the population was 12-13 million people, therefore, 2.5% of the population was put under arms. IN European countries at that time, the share of military personnel from the country’s population did not exceed 1%. Moreover, the size of the army did not decrease after the end of the Great Northern War, but continued to grow throughout the 18th century. The intensity of recruitment reached its climax during the Seven Years' War, when 200 thousand people (mostly peasants) were conscripted during the five years of Russian participation in this conflict. By this time the army had grown to 300 thousand people. By the end of the 18th century, the Russian Empire apparently possessed the largest regular army in the world - 450 thousand people.

I. Repin “Seeing off a recruit”, 1879.

The maintenance of such an army required enormous expenditures from the treasury. Under Peter I, warring Russia devoted an average of 80% of budget income to military expenditures, and in 1705 a record was set at 96%. In fact, the entire country worked only for the development of the army and military industry. In the second half of the 18th century, in years of peace with the most negative economic conditions, the Russian army continued to absorb 60-70% of the budget. TO early XIX century, due to rapid population growth, the share of military expenditures decreased proportionally, but remained the same high level – 50-60%.

Recruitment for most peasants was the only way to avoid serfdom. The average annual recruitment was 80 thousand people. Of these, about half each year were serfs. Russia was conditionally divided into eastern and western parts, which alternately had to satisfy the needs Russian army in recruits. Of the seven people to be recruited into the army, usually one went to serve, completely freed from previous obligations to his owner-landowner. The soldier passed on his new free fortune to his children. This social lift became especially important after the abolition of lifelong service. It was military retirees who became the founders of the layer of commoners who did not fit into the class system Russian Empire.

Meanwhile, many people tried to avoid recruitment by the Rekturt, regardless of social status. And if the bourgeoisie managed to pool together to buy a conscription card, which exempted them from conscription, then the peasants were usually purchased by the landowners. However, the purchase of this document was a very expensive undertaking - by the middle of the 19th century it cost 570 rubles. But thanks to this mechanism, up to 15% of potential recruits were released from service annually.

Against this background, the market for fake recruits flourished in the Russian Empire. The landowners, not wanting to lose peasants, looked for people who were ready to replace them for piecework wages. Usually people agreed to become a lifelong (later - 25 years) soldier for 100-150 rubles. Because of this practice, the Russian army has always had a high percentage of people from marginal and criminal sections of society. But the authorities turned a blind eye to this, as this allowed them to avoid shortages.

Materials: Kalyuzhny D., Kesler Y. Another history of the Russian Empire - M.: Veche, 2004; Hosking J. Russia: people and empire (1552-1917) - Smolensk: Rusich, 2001

A very interesting material that describes in detail the process of recruitment, training and service in the Russian Imperial Army by lower ranks, non-commissioned officers and officers.

Recruitment of the Russian Imperial Army

1. Recruitment of the Russian Imperial Army by lower ranks

3. Recruitment of the Russian Imperial Army with officers and the procedure for their military service

1. Acquisition Russian Imperial army lower ranks

The recruitment of the army by lower ranks was carried out on the basis of the law on universal conscription, introduced in 1874 by the Imperial Manifesto during the military reforms of the 60-70s. XIX century and subsequent amendments to it, including those from 1912.
In accordance with the law, the following methods of recruiting troops were determined:
- mandatory (carried out by drawing lots, since the number of young people who had reached conscription age was too large);
- voluntary (at the expense of volunteer so-called “hunters”).

Men who reached the age of 20 on January 1 of the year of conscription were called up for active service. Military service was personal and therefore cash ransom or replacement of one conscript with another was not allowed, with the exception of replacement between brothers, including cousins.

The regulations of 1912 determined the following service periods:
- in the infantry and foot artillery - 18 years: 3 years of active service and 15 years in the reserve (of which 7 years in the 1st category reserve);
- in the cavalry, horse artillery and engineering troops - 17 years: 4 years of active service and 13 years in the reserve (of which 7 years in the 1st category reserve).

At the end of the total service period in the reserve, all reservists were assigned to the State Militia and remained there until they reached the age of 43. Cossacks and those foreigners who were classified as Cossacks (for example, Kalmyks) carried out military service under slightly different conditions.
Since the number of young people reaching military age each year exceeded the required number of recruits, various types of benefits were allowed, such as complete exemption, exemption from service in peacetime, deferment of conscription and reduction of terms of service.

The following were completely exempt from service: only sons, sole breadwinners in families, and widowers with children. Depending on specific family circumstances, such beneficiaries were in turn divided into 4 categories. According to the type of activity, priests, scientists and students of the Academy of Arts were exempted from military service.
The deferment was given to conscripts who drew lots, whose family, property and health status made it possible to classify them as beneficiaries, as well as students of higher and secondary educational institutions until they graduated from school or until they reached 30 and 24 years of age, respectively. IN war time they could be drafted into the army by the Highest permission. The duration of active military service was reduced to 2 years, regardless of the type of military service, for persons who had a medical, veterinary or pharmaceutical education.

In accordance with the laws of the Russian Empire, the following were not conscripted for military service:

Residents of remote places, such as Kamchatka, Sakhalin, Yakutia, Yenisei, Tomsk and Tobolsk provinces and indigenous residents of Finland (Finland paid a cash tax of about 12 million marks annually);

Foreigners of Siberia. Astrakhan. Arkhangelsk province. Transcaspian region. Turkestan, the Caucasus and the Stavropol province (while the Kurds, Abkhazians, Kalmyks, Nogais and some others contributed a cash tax).

Thus, military service in the Russian Empire extended: on the basis of the general charter - to 87.5% of the population, and the Cossack charter - to 2.5%. and 10% were completely exempted from service.

The recruitment of troops in the Russian Empire was carried out on a territorial basis. All counties were divided into 3 groups: Great Russian, Little Russian (main) and foreign (additional). Each infantry regiment or artillery brigade had its own recruiting areas in all three groups, with most of the conscripts coming from the main ones. In peacetime, this system greatly facilitated the replenishment of troops with recruits, and in wartime, it improved the organization of mobilization. However, the manning areas were not territorially connected to their units, which increased the number of transportations. Conscription for military service was carried out simultaneously throughout the country in the period from September 1 to November 1.
Upon arrival at their unit, the recruits underwent training for 4 months in drill training, the basics of service organization, and literature; studied regulations, instructions and weapons. Then they were taken to the oath - the warrior’s solemn vow of allegiance to the Tsar and the Fatherland. The oath was taken in a solemn atmosphere in the presence of the clergy and senior military leadership. The text of the soldier's oath was different for Orthodox Christians and Muslims or Jews, and it was also different when lower ranks were promoted to officers.

Young people who had reached the age of 18, as well as those, were accepted into military service voluntarily or as “hunters.” who previously received a deferment or even exemption from service, but with age restrictions (up to 30 years). “Hunters” were accepted into all branches of the military, but only for combat positions. An exception was made for those who had technical education. The “hunters” were on government pay and were required to serve the term established by law on a general basis. According to their education, they could enjoy benefits on the same basis as other conscripts.
Young people who had reached the age of 17, had at least one year of education at a secondary school and were fit for health could enter active military service as volunteers. Volunteers were accepted into all branches of the military only for combat positions and were supported at the expense of the treasury (except for the guard, where they were supported at their own expense). The service life for them was set at 2 years of active service and 16 years of service in the reserve. Reception was carried out by the regiment commander if there were vacancies during the period from January to October each year. Volunteers served on a general basis, participating in all classes and exercises. The exception was household work, for which they were not assigned. Those who supported themselves at their own expense were allowed to live in private apartments outside the camp collection period. As for uniforms, the distinctive sign military uniform Volunteers had a three-color edging on their shoulder straps.

At the end of the first year it was possible to take production exams for the rank of warrant officer, etc. in case of successful completion, the volunteers then served a period of active service (reduced for them to 1.6 years) in officer positions.
At the end of the second year of service, they could take exams at a military school course with subsequent promotion to the rank of second lieutenant (cornet, cornet).
For those volunteers who had the specialty of a doctor (medical or veterinary) or pharmacist, the service life was determined to be 1.8 years. Moreover, after the first four months of service, they were appointed to positions in accordance with their specialty.

In the pre-war period, about 450 thousand recruits were annually drafted into the Russian army, which amounted to an average of a third of all young people who reached military age.
Data from the military statistical yearbook for 1912 make it possible to analyze the composition of the lower ranks of the Russian army regarding their social and marital status, as well as education, nationality and occupation:
- 99% of the lower ranks were tax-paying and Cossack classes, and only 1% were nobles, merchants and clergy.
- 72% of all lower ranks were Russians (Ukrainians and Belarusians incl.). 7% are Poles and 1% are Lithuanians. The remaining 10% were made up of other nationalities inhabiting Russia (Tatars, Bashkirs, Mordovians, Chuvashs, Jews, Germans, some peoples of the Caucasus, etc.). As for religion, the majority were Christians, as well as Muslims from the European part of Russia.

However, we note that there were some restrictions for persons of Jewish nationality. Jews were not allowed into the fleet, guards, quartermaster department teams, fortress artillery, and fortress mine companies. border guards and escort teams. Jews were also not accepted into military schools and were not allowed to take exams for the first officer rank. They were prohibited from being appointed clerks, captains, pharmacists, even if they had special education. As for Jewish doctors, they were not appointed to those units where, according to the staffing schedule, there was only one doctor.

2. Training of non-commissioned officers

With the introduction of universal conscription, the role of the non-commissioned officer, the immediate commander and closest mentor of the soldier, increased significantly. Much attention was paid to the selection and training of super-conscripts, at the expense of non-commissioned officers who had served their active service. The non-commissioned officers of the army were replenished mainly from the rank and file by selecting among them the most literate, distinguished by their zeal and ability for service, and according to their at will.

Non-commissioned officers were trained in regimental (divisional artillery) training teams in all branches of the military. Privates who served for at least 1 year 9 months were enrolled in the regimental school. (Cossacks have 1 year 4 months). The training team was organized at the regimental headquarters, had a separate room and its own farm. It was headed by an officer - the head of the regimental training team, and the required number of officers who conducted the classes were assigned to help him. A doctor, a veterinarian, a regimental priest and a weapons manager were also invited to teach. General supervision of the training team was entrusted to one of the regiment's headquarters officers as a battalion commander.
In general, the number of soldiers studying at the school should have been at least half the regular number of non-commissioned officers of the regiment.

Training was conducted in winter time after the end of the camp training. Students had to learn charters, instructions, rules, maintenance of weapons, tactical combat techniques, etc. To consolidate practical skills, students were alternately involved in fulfilling the positions of junior commanders in the regimental training team.

Every year at the end of training, a special commission chaired by the regiment commander took exams in all subjects from candidates for non-commissioned officers. Those who successfully surrendered returned to their companies. If vacancies arose, graduates of regimental training commands were appointed to the position of squad commander and received the rank of junior non-commissioned officer. In the future, they could be appointed to the position of platoon commander. By the way, there was a provision according to which lower ranks could not be promoted to non-commissioned officers without completing the regimental training command course, with the exception of special cases of military distinction. In teams of reconnaissance officers and mounted orderlies, non-commissioned officers could also be promoted without graduating from regimental school.

On top conscript service Combat non-commissioned officers and corporals, as well as volunteers and hunters, were retained at the end of their mandatory period of active service, at their own request and at the request of their superiors. After 15-20 years, long-term service members were subject to dismissal and enlistment, according to age, into the reserves or militia.
All long-term employees were divided into 2 categories:
- ensigns promoted to this rank from combat non-commissioned officers after graduating from military schools at divisions, artillery brigades and individual units. Sub-ensigns held the positions of sergeant majors (sergeants), platoon commanders (senior non-commissioned officers, fireworks). These positions were filled based on special rules according to the general candidate list;
- non-commissioned officers and corporals. They were not required to take a military school course, but if they wished, they could take it in any year of service and receive the rank of ensign.

The number of conscripts of both categories in each unit was determined by special states (statements). So. in a company or squadron it was supposed to have 3 long-term servicemen of the 1st category (sergeant major and 2 platoon commanders with the rank of ensign) and 3 long-term servicemen of the 2nd category, i.e. a total of 6 people. Long-term service members had additional pay and a number of benefits in terms of clothing supplies. Sub-ensigns were entitled to a separate room in the barracks.

In addition to regimental and military schools, which trained non-commissioned officers for combat positions, in Russia by this time there were educational establishments, who trained specialists for artillery and engineering troops. There were an average of 8-10 non-commissioned officers per private: in the infantry - 10, in the cavalry - 11, in the technical troops - 7, and among the Cossacks - 6.

3. AcquisitionRussian Imperialarmy officers and the procedure for their military service

Until 1914, the officer corps of the Russian army was replenished mainly by graduates of military schools. In addition, according to existing provisions, volunteers in the second year of service, as well as combat non-commissioned officers of all branches of the military who have a certificate of completion of full course of a higher or secondary educational institution and have served the required period of active service (including at least one year in the rank of non-commissioned officer).

Military schools accepted young people who were fit for health reasons. military service aged 17 to 28 years (to artillery and engineering schools from 16 to 22 years old) with secondary and also incomplete secondary education (to Cossack and infantry schools with a 3-year period of study).
Admission to schools was carried out without entrance exams based on the certifications of the educational institutions from which they graduated (the list of secondary educational institutions giving the right to enter military schools without exams was determined by special regulations), but in some cases, as a rule, in infantry schools with a 3-year period of study, they could Exams are also held in some subjects. It should be noted that graduates had significant advantages when entering military schools cadet corps. All remaining vacancies after the enrollment of cadets were filled by all others, including volunteers and hunters. Only graduates of cadet corps were admitted to the topographical school without exams. The lower ranks, called up for military service by lot, were accepted into schools only after completing active military service on a general basis.
The duration of training in infantry and cavalry schools was 2 years, and in special ones, that is, in artillery and engineering. - 3 years. In all Cossack and some infantry schools there were so-called general classes, where persons with incomplete secondary education completed their education within 1 year to the level of secondary school programs. Due to this, the duration of training in them was 3 years. In Russia before the First World War there were 21 military schools:

In addition to military schools, officers (mainly for the guard) were also trained by the Corps of Pages, where, in addition to general classes corresponding to the seven classes of the cadet corps, there were 2 special classes with a military school program. The Corps of Pages was the most privileged educational institution in Russia, and only those children whose parents occupied a position of at least 3rd class on the table of ranks had the right to enter it. The number of students in the Corps of Pages (pages and chamber-pages) was small and amounted to just over 300 people. With the outbreak of war in 1914, additional infantry schools were opened in Kyiv (Nikolaevskoe) and Tashkent, as well as the Nikolaevskoye Artillery School and Alekseevskoye Engineering School (both in Kyiv).

In general, military school programs included special disciplines: tactics, artillery, fortification, military topography, military history, military legislation and general education subjects: mathematics; physics; chemistry, drawing, German and French languages, as well as drill, physical training and horse riding.
Students of military schools - cadets - were considered to be in active military service with the rights of volunteers and were supported entirely by the treasury, with the exception of a small number of svokoshniks in the Nikolaev Cavalry and Engineering Schools, who paid 550-600 rubles for training. in year. In addition, according to the rules existing for the period in question, upon admission to cavalry schools, a so-called reverse payment in the amount of 600 rubles was required. (300 rubles upon admission and 300 rubles upon transfer to next course). After graduating from college, the reverse was transferred to the young officer’s place of service and was used by him to buy a horse. In terms of combat, the schools consisted of 2-4 company battalions, squadrons, hundreds and batteries (8-gun) and numbered on average 200-450 cadets in infantry schools. 120-350 - in cavalry or Cossack. 300-500 - in artillery, 250 - in engineering and 50 people (the smallest number of students) were in the military topographic school.

Since 1913, in all military schools, except for the Corps of Pages, where only children of hereditary nobles were accepted, all class restrictions on admission were abolished (before that, predominantly nobles were admitted to the Alekseevskoe, Pavlovsk Infantry and Nikolaevskoe Cavalry Schools). In this regard, the class composition of the cadets looked as follows: 43% - sons of hereditary and personal nobles. 28% are the sons of merchants, honorary citizens and townspeople. 16% are peasants. 9% are Cossacks. 3% are sons of clergy and about 1% are foreign nationals. Note that in the civil service, grades 14-10, the table of ranks gave honorary citizenship, and from grades 9 to 4 - personal nobility.

Upon graduation from school based on the results final exams for each graduate was determined GPA, according to which they were all divided into 3 categories.

Those who graduated from the school in the 1st category were promoted to the first officer rank of second lieutenant (cornet, cornet) and received seniority (length of service in officer ranks) of 1 year. Moreover, the best of them could be promoted to the rank of second lieutenant of the guard, which corresponded, according to the table of ranks, to the rank of lieutenant in army units.
Those who graduated from the school in the 2nd category were also promoted to the rank of second lieutenant (cornet, cornet), but without seniority.
And finally, those who graduated from the school in the 3rd category were released into army units as non-commissioned officers and received their first officer rank only after 6 months of service in the army, and without exams. The right to choose the place of upcoming service was also made on the basis of the derived average score - but with the provision of some benefits to those who held junior command positions during their training at the school. At the same time, enrollment in guards regiments and units was carried out only with the consent of the officers' meeting of the regiment after a comprehensive consideration of the candidate. The so-called “Guards” score had to be no lower than 9 in all subjects, and in drill training - no less than 11. However, service in the Guard required significant financial expenses, which most officers who had no income other than their salary. couldn't afford it. For example, the monthly expenses of an officer of the Life Guards Hussar Regiment were 400-500 rubles. The money was spent on friendly feasts, dinner parties in the officers' meeting, on the purchase of expensive horses and the observance of certain rules established by tradition (the guard officer had to occupy the most expensive places in theaters, drive luxury cars, etc.).

Each of the officers who graduated from the school was required to serve in the army from 3 to 4.5 years (1.5 years for each year of training). Volunteers and non-commissioned officers, in case of successful completion exams, returned to their units and received their first officer rank at the same time as college graduates.
After graduating from college, young officers were appointed, as a rule, to the positions of junior officers of companies, squadrons (hundreds), batteries, and in subsequent ranks up to and including staff captain (staff captain, captain) after reaching 4 years of service in each rank.

According to the established regulations, promotion to the first officer rank and subsequent ranks was carried out personally by the State. Emperor with the announcement of production in The highest order. However, in wartime this was also allowed by order of the Commander-in-Chief followed by the Highest approval. The promotion of officers to subsequent ranks was carried out on the recommendation of their superiors strictly in the order of the sequence of ranks.

To obtain the rank of captain (captain, captain), a vacancy was required, as a rule, the position of company or squadron commander. Appointment to vacant positions was made taking into account the seniority of officers and if they had served in the rank of captain for at least 4 years. Promotion to the rank of lieutenant colonel was also carried out when there were vacancies for positions corresponding to this rank. However, at the same time, 50% of the positions were to be filled by captains, taking into account their seniority, and the remaining 50% - by captains at the discretion of the command on the basis of positive certifications without taking into account the principle of seniority. Of the same share, 10% of vacancies were allocated for captains nominated for promotion to lieutenant colonel for special distinctions and 20% - for those who received higher education military education at one of the academies. Among other things, for appointment to the position of lieutenant colonel, taking into account seniority, at least 7 years of service in the rank of captain was required, and for appointment according to certification - at least 3 years. In both cases, it was required to have at least 3 years of experience commanding a company.

When promoting to colonel, seniority (with the exception of the guard) did not matter at all, and lieutenant colonels were appointed to vacant positions solely on the basis of certification. However, in addition to good certification, it was required that the person nominated for the position of colonel be no older than 55 years, have a total period of service in the officer ranks of at least 15 years, of which at least 3 years actually held a position corresponding to the rank of lieutenant colonel (battalion commander, assistant regiment commander ). The rank of colonel, which corresponded to the 6th class of the table of ranks, among other things, also gave the rights of hereditary nobility. Let us note that in the civilian field (including for officials of the military department) hereditary nobility was given with the rank of 4th class, i.e. the rank of full state councilor.
Lists of captains by seniority in the infantry, cavalry and railway troops were compiled separately for each unit, in artillery - for each of its types, and in the engineering troops - for all troops. The seniority of infantry and cavalry lieutenant colonels was recorded throughout the army, but preference in appointments was given to transfers within the division and corps. The seniority of lieutenant colonels in the artillery and engineering troops was determined in the same way as for captains.

Some exceptions to the specified rules for the rank of officers were made for the St. George cavaliers and for graduates of the Nikolaev Academy General Staff, who could be promoted to the rank of captain or lieutenant colonel even in the absence of vacancies, in excess of the set, but subject to the fulfillment of the remaining requirements for length of service. The same rules provided for preferential conditions for the appointment of graduates of the Nikolaev General Staff Academy to the positions of regiment commanders.

Further promotion of colonels to the rank of major general and further to full general was not determined by any special rules, except for the established periods of service in the previous rank, and depended only on appointment to the corresponding position at the Highest discretion. Candidates for senior command positions, from the commander separate brigade and to the commander of the military district, was considered by the Higher certifying commission at the Military Council. The period of service in the previous rank for obtaining the rank of major general and lieutenant general was established at 8 years, and for promotion to the rank of full general - at 12 years. IN special cases, for especially outstanding merits, as a reward by the Highest permission, these terms could be reduced by 2 years, or even promotion to the next rank could be allowed without appointment to a position corresponding to this rank.

Due to the established procedure for rank promotion, rather long terms of service and a limited number of vacancies opening annually, the promotion of most officers in peacetime was very slow. Many company and squadron commanders, never having received vacancies as a battalion commander or assistant regiment commander, resigned upon reaching the age limit for senior officer ranks. In this regard, officers serving in various military department institutions and headquarters were in a more privileged position, since there were more staff officer and general positions there.

As for the combat officers of the army infantry and cavalry, i.e. the overwhelming number of officers, their service time before receiving the rank of colonel averaged 24-29 years. Thus, the average age of colonels, provided that they received their first officer rank at 20 years old, was about 44-49 years. At the same time, guards officers received the rank of colonel after an average of 21 years, and representatives of the titled aristocracy and some graduates of academies - after 19 years. In general, for successful promotion, a combat officer needed to pass the level of company commander as quickly as possible and receive the position of battalion commander.
As for the commanders of companies and squadrons (hundreds), their age ranged from 31 to 55 years. Moreover, some of them have been in corresponding positions since 1900.

During their service, officers could further improve their military and special knowledge in military academies and officer schools.

It should be noted that in the service records of officers there was no column about nationality, and when studying this issue, religion was taken into account, since in the overwhelming majority of cases the professed religion determined nationality. Thus, Russians (including Ukrainians and Belarusians) and Georgians professed Orthodoxy, while the Germans were mainly Protestants (including the Baltic Germans), and the majority of Poles were Catholics, etc. In addition to Jews (persons of the Jewish faith), as mentioned earlier, some restrictions in obtaining an officer rank and serving applied to other nationalities, such as Poles (in some cases, officers married to Poles). They were not sent to serve in the Warsaw Military District, in fortresses in the European part of Russia and in the Caucasus, but total number their number in each army or guards unit should not exceed 20% (all of the above also applied to the lower ranks). In addition, there were restrictions on the admission of Poles to military schools and academies (no more than one Pole was accepted per course, except for the Academy of the General Staff and the Military Legal Academy, where they were not allowed at all). In general, restrictions on nationality (religion) for officers, military officials, doctors and volunteers were secretly regulated by a secret instruction of 1888, according to which the total number of “non-religious” in the troops should not exceed 30%. a- when units are deployed outside Russian provinces, the number of natives, that is, “non-religious”, should not exceed 20%.

Having served the mandatory period after graduating from a military school or academy (1.5 years for each year of training), each officer in peacetime had the right to voluntary dismissal from service, regardless of length of service. In wartime, dismissal from service was permitted only for health reasons. An officer could also be fired on the recommendation of his superiors or by decision of the officer's court of honor for actions he committed that were incompatible with the concept of officer honor.

At the beginning of the 20th century, in order to streamline the service of officers and generals, service limits were established, which depended both on the rank and on the position held by the officer. Thus, for chief officers they amounted to 53 years in the infantry and 56 years in the cavalry, and for combatant staff officers, regardless of the type of troops, - 58 years (for non-combatant positions, the maximum service life was set at 60 years). In higher positions, the maximum service periods were even longer and amounted to 63 years for division commanders, and 67 years for corps commanders. In some cases, subject to excellent certification and excellent health, the terms of service for some categories of positions at the Highest discretion could be extended, but, as a rule, no more than 2 years.

An officer's service was recorded in a formal or service record, which was the main document characterizing the officer's service. The officer's service record was compiled and constantly kept at the headquarters of the regiment (or artillery brigade), where it was kept by the regimental (brigade) adjutant. It was signed by the commander of the regiment (brigade). In the service record, in addition to personal data (rank, surname, first name, patronymic, year and place of birth, what class one comes from, Family status, religion), the educational institutions in which the officer studied, the content he received in his service, his property status (whether he, his parents and his wife have any family or acquired real estate), punishments associated with restrictions were also indicated. service, participation in hostilities, wounds and concussions received in battles against the enemy, and special assignments performed by him beyond his direct duties. A separate section included information about the officer’s service: the time of entry and receipt of the first officer rank, further movements in the service and transfers from one duty station to another, indicating the reasons for the transfer; awarded orders, insignia and highest favors, as well as time spent on long vacations, indicating the reasons; being captured by the enemy and being dismissed, also indicating the reasons.
In addition to a purely official function, the service record also determined the position and rights of the officer and his family in society (the right to hereditary nobility and all benefits in accordance with official position and length of service). When submitting various applications (for transfers, appointments to vacancies, transfers to another unit, etc.) they were accompanied by " short note about the service."

Upon dismissal, officers who had not served the full terms established by the regulations on military service (17-18 years) were enlisted in the reserve, in which stay was mandatory for them. Some officers, after completing their service in the compulsory reserve, could remain in the voluntary reserve. This was practiced mainly to acquire the right to receive the next rank, in order to increase the emerital pension, but at the same time. Age restrictions were established: for headquarters officers - 50 years, and for chief officers - 40 years. The same period limited the re-recruitment of officers (for combat positions) who had not previously commanded battalions or companies. Generals and officers who had reached the age limit, as well as having served their prescribed periods of service in the reserve, were dismissed from service altogether, that is, they retired.

The right to wear a uniform upon retirement was given to generals, staff officers, as well as captains (captains, captains) who had earned the rank of lieutenant colonel (military sergeant major), regardless of length of service, and other chief officers - with at least 25 years of service. Chief officers, from among the St. George cavaliers and those dismissed due to injury or shell shock. received while performing their official duties in peacetime or war, the right to wear a uniform was received regardless of length of service. Retired officers, including St. George's Knights who wore a uniform were noted special signs differences in uniform.

Taking into account the great needs for officers, during the mobilization and subsequent replenishment of the loss of officers during hostilities (especially junior ranks), the rank of warrant officer was introduced for the wartime period. In peacetime, the rank of ensign, followed by transfer to the reserve at this rank (reserve ensign), was promoted to lower ranks after passing the appropriate exams in special military commissions once a year, at the end of the camp training. Volunteers and non-commissioned officers from the "lot" and hunters, and in some cases, privates who passed the exam for the rank of non-commissioned officer and who, by their education, met the requirements for volunteers, were allowed to take the exam. For "drawn" and hunters, subject to successful passing of exams, the period of active service was reduced to 2 years, and they were promoted to the rank of ensign upon transfer to the reserve. Volunteers, after passing the exams at the end of the first year of service, upon the recommendation of the command, were promoted to warrant officers and completed active service in officer positions (except for the guard). In wartime, the rank of ensign could be received by non-commissioned officers for combat distinction, and all others - only after completing short-term courses. According to the provisions on service that existed before the war, warrant officers could subsequently only rise to the rank of chief officer, and after the end of the war, all wartime officers were subject to transfer to the reserve.

The analysis shows that, in accordance with the staffing table in the field troops, there was 1 general per 2,000 lower ranks and officers on average (in the infantry - 2,346, in the cavalry - 1,131, in the artillery - 2,299, in the technical troops - 25,528, and among the Cossacks - by 2289 people). As for the officer corps, there was an average of 1 officer per 27 lower ranks (in the infantry - 31, in the cavalry - 27, in the artillery - 30, in the technical troops - 26 and among the Cossacks - 21 people).

In total, as of April 1914, there were 1,574 generals in the Russian army (169 full. 371 lieutenant generals and 1,034 major generals, of whom graduated from the General Staff Academy: 106 (62.3%) full generals, 223 (60%) generals - lieutenant and 565 (54.6%) major generals) and more than 39,000 combatant staff and chief officers. The shortage of officers amounted to 3,380 people, mostly chief officers, while many generals and staff officers served in positions that were not listed in the staffing table of the War Ministry, or in other departments in general. As for the political rights of officers (including those dismissed from retirement with the right to wear a uniform), they, like all ranks in active military service, were prohibited from joining any political parties and organizations formed with political purpose, to attend meetings at which political issues are discussed, to take part in gatherings and demonstrations of any kind, as well as to stand for elections to the highest and local authorities authorities (State and city dumas).

Based on materials from the book by O.D. Markov "Russian Army 1914-1917"]

Until the end of the 17th century, protective function state was carried out by the Streltsy army. They lived on lands issued by the king and were ready to attack the enemy at the first call. The first regular army appeared only during the first Russian Emperor, Peter the Great.

The history of the creation of the Russian army takes place from the village of Preobrazhenskoye, to which young Peter was exiled, along with his mother Natalya Naryshkina. There he gathered his army from the children of the boyars, his peers. On the basis of this amusing army, Peter the Great's Preobrazhensky and Semenovsky regiments were created.

They showed themselves brilliantly, arriving to defend Peter at the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. The second time they showed themselves during the battle of Narva, where they were the only ones who stood to the death. As a result of this battle, the Life Guard was created, which became the basis of the army of the Russian Empire.

Beginning of conscription into the Russian army

During northern war, 1705 Peter issued a decree introducing the recruitment of soldiers into the Russian army. From that moment on, the training of lower ranks began. Service in tsarist army was difficult and many people wonder how many years you served in the tsarist army?

In those days, the country was constantly in a state of war, for this reason people were drafted into the army for life.

For the nobles there was no choice; they all had to serve, albeit in the officer rank, except for the guards regiments. The peasants had to choose who they would send to serve. Most often this choice was determined by lot.

The nobles lived in the regimental barracks and received the usual soldier's rations. In the first years of the creation of the state army, escapes of recruits were frequent occurrences, so for safety they were shackled. Later, recruits began to be marked with a cross tattoo on the palm. But Peter generously rewarded his soldiers for good service. A number of bonuses were introduced for participation in significant battles.

Changing the period of military service

Under Peter the Great, they carefully ensured that family ties were not used in assigning titles; titles were assigned only on the basis of personal merit. Soldiers drafted from ordinary peasants had the opportunity to receive a noble rank for service to the Fatherland and pass it on by inheritance.

After the change in Peter's reign, the nobles gradually began to receive the opportunity to be exempt from military service. At first, one family member had this right to manage the estate, but later the service life was reduced to 25 years.

Under Catherine II, the nobles had the opportunity not to serve at all. But the bulk of the nobles continued to serve, since it was a good source of income, and not everyone had estates. In those days, one could buy oneself out of service by paying for an expensive recruit ticket.

Pension for retired soldiers

In Tsarist times in Russia, soldiers who had already served and were of advanced age were cared for with reverence. Under Peter the Great, almshouses were created at monasteries, where they cared for injured soldiers.

Under Catherine II, the state took on this responsibility. All soldiers received pension benefits, and if a soldier was injured, pension benefits were assigned regardless of how long he served. When transferred to the reserves, they were entitled to a considerable payment, with which they could build an estate, as well as a small allowance in the form of a pension.

Due to the fact that the length of service in the army was shortened, many retired officers appeared who were still able to serve. Under Paul, such soldiers were collected into separate companies. These companies served in the protection of prisons, city outposts and other significant objects; they were sent to train young recruits. After service, retired soldiers and officers were exempt from paying taxes and had the right to do what they liked.

Personal life of a soldier

Soldiers were not forbidden to marry. In addition, the girl, being a serf, became free after marrying a soldier. To accompany their husbands, after a certain time, wives were allowed to settle next to the regiment. Soldiers' children were under the control of the military department almost from birth. Upon reaching a certain age, they were required to study. Regimental schools were created to train them. Thanks to their training, they had the opportunity to obtain an officer rank.

In matters of housing for soldiers, everything was more complicated. At first they stayed with local residents, but later they began to build military settlements for soldiers. Each settlement had a church, a hospital and a bathhouse. Barracks began to be built only towards the end of the 18th century.

Organization of the conscription principle in the army

In the 19th century there was a significant revolution in matters of military service. During this century, the service life was reduced to 10 years. Emperor Alexander II carried out a military reform, which resulted in a change from conscription to universal conscription. The reform affected not only conscription, but also the military administration system and the system of military educational institutions.

In addition, the military industry was developed and the army was rearmed. The whole country was divided into military districts. A central management headquarters was created ground forces. The entire male population, aged 21 and older, served in the army.

But too many people were subject to conscription, so not everyone was sent to serve, but only those fit for military service and who would be drawn by lot. Everyone was divided into two groups:

• The first to whom the lot fell were sent to the location of the active army.
• The second to the militia, from which they could be called up in the event of mobilization.

The call was carried out once a year in the autumn after the harvest.

Early 20th century army

At the beginning of the 20th century, the service life was 3 years for infantry and artillery. Served in the navy for 5 years. After serving in the army, a semi-literate peasant could gain decent knowledge and advance in life, and the service life was not as long as, for example, in Peter's times. But while undergoing military service in imperial army the ordinary soldier had some limitations. He had no right to marry or engage in trading activities. During his service, the soldier was exempt from paying debts. If he had a debt, he had to wait until he left the army.

Under Nicholas II, the army still formed the backbone of the state. It was staffed according to the principle of conscription, adopted under Alexander II. As long as they were proud of the officer's uniform and preserved the memory of the conquests made by the Russian army, it was invincible. But at the beginning of the 20th century, an unhappy time began for the Russian army.

The war of 1904-1905 was a significant blow. As a result of the First World War, the Russian Empire itself disappeared. Active mobilization took place throughout the country. The soldiers all went to the front as one to repulse the enemy. Only the Bolshevik leaders did not support the start of the war. The leader of the proletariat, Vladimir Lenin, condemned the actions of the authorities. A few years later, this war was used to change power. The tsarist system was replaced by a revolutionary system, which finally changed the composition of the army and its principles.
Everyone tried to destroy the memory of the Russian army possible ways. The image of the tsarist officers was denigrated in the Red Army, but when faced with a real threat, the army of the Red Army during the battles of the Second World War showed the best features of the old Russian army. The exploits of the great commanders were not forgotten; the Russian army spirit, which was the basis of all victories, was remembered.

On February 23, Russia celebrates Defender of the Fatherland Day. IN Soviet time it was established as a holiday in honor of the Red Army created after the revolution. The new Red Army completely renounced continuity with the old pre-revolutionary army. Shoulder straps and titles were abolished, and the institution of commissars appeared.

Only years later Soviet army began to vaguely resemble the pre-revolutionary one.

IN pre-Petrine times The military class were the archers, who spent their whole lives on public service. They were the most trained and almost professional troops. In peacetime, they lived on land that was granted to them for their service (but lost it if for some reason they left the service and did not pass it on), and performed a lot of other duties. The archers were supposed to maintain order and participate in putting out fires.

In the event of a serious war, when it was necessary big army, a limited recruitment was carried out from among the tax-paying classes.

The service of the archers was for life and was inherited. Theoretically, it was possible to resign, but to do this you had to either find someone to replace you or earn it through diligent service.

Shackles for the conscript

A regular army appeared in Russia under Peter I. Wanting to create a regular army on a European model, the tsar issued a decree on conscription. From now on, people were recruited into the army not for individual wars, but for permanent service. Recruitment was universal, that is, absolutely all classes were subject to it.

At the same time, the nobles found themselves in the most disadvantageous position. Full service was provided for them, although they almost always served in officer positions.

Peasants and townspeople recruited only a few people from the community. On average, only one man out of a hundred was recruited. Already in the 19th century, the entire territory of the country was divided into two geographical stripes, from each of which 5 recruits per thousand men were recruited every two years. In force majeure situations, an emergency recruitment could be declared - 10 or more people per thousand men.

The community determined who to recruit. And in the case of serfs, as a rule, the landowner decided. Much later, towards the end of the existence of the recruitment system, it was decided to draw lots between candidate recruits.

There was no conscription age as such, but, as a rule, men between the ages of 20 and 30 became recruits.

It is very interesting that the first regiments in the regular army were named after the names of their commanders. If the commander died or left, the name of the regiment had to change in accordance with the name of the new one. However, fearing the confusion that such a system invariably generated, it was decided to replace the names of the regiments in accordance with Russian localities.

Being recruited was perhaps the most significant event in a person’s life. After all, this practically guaranteed that he would leave his home forever and never see his family again.

In the first years of the existence of the recruitment system under Peter, escapes of recruits were so frequent and widespread that on the way to the “recruitment stations”, which simultaneously played the role of assembly points and “training”, the recruits were accompanied by escort teams, and they themselves were shackled at night. Later, instead of shackles, recruits began to get a tattoo - a small cross on the back of the hand.

A curious feature of Peter's army was the existence of the so-called. full money - compensation paid to officers and soldiers for the hardships they endured while in enemy captivity. The reward differed depending on the enemy country. For being in captivity in European countries, compensation was half as much as for being in captivity in a non-Christian country. Ottoman Empire. In the 1860s, this practice was abolished due to concerns that soldiers would not show due diligence on the battlefield and would be more likely to surrender.

Since the time of Peter the Great, the army has widely practiced paying bonuses not only for individual feats in battle, but also for victories in important battles. Peter ordered to reward each participant Battle of Poltava. Later, during the Seven Years' War, for victory in the battle of Kunersdorf, all lower ranks who participated in it received a bonus in the form of a six-month salary. After the expulsion of Napoleon's army from Russian territory In the Patriotic War of 1812, all army ranks, without exception, received a bonus in the amount of six months' salary.

No cronyism

Throughout the 18th century, the conditions of service for both soldiers and officers were gradually relaxed. Peter was faced with an extremely difficult task - to literally create a combat-ready regular army from scratch. We had to act by trial and error. The tsar sought to personally control many things, in particular, almost until his death, he personally approved every officer appointment in the army and vigilantly ensured that connections, both family and friendly, were not used. The title could be obtained solely on one's own merits.

In addition, Peter's army became a real social elevator. Approximately a third of the officer corps of the army of Peter the Great's times were made up of ordinary soldiers who had risen to the top. All of them received hereditary nobility.

After Peter's death, a gradual easing of service conditions began. The nobles received the right to exempt one person from the family from service so that they would have someone to manage the estate. Then their period of compulsory service was reduced to 25 years.

Under Empress Catherine II, nobles received the right not to serve at all. However, most of the nobility were landless or small-scale and continued to serve, which was the main source of income for these nobles.

A number of categories of the population were exempted from conscription. In particular, honorary citizens - the urban stratum somewhere between ordinary townspeople and nobles - were not subject to it. Representatives of the clergy and merchants were also exempted from conscription duty.

Anyone who wanted (even serfs) could quite legally buy their way out of service, even if they were subject to it. Instead, they had to either purchase a very expensive recruiting card, issued in exchange for contributing a significant amount to the treasury, or find another recruit in their place, for example, promising a reward to anyone who wanted it.

"Rear Rats"

After lifelong service was abolished, the question arose of how to find a place in society for people who spent most of their adult lives away from society, in a closed army system.

In Peter's times such a question did not arise. If a soldier was still capable of at least some kind of work, they found a use for him somewhere in the rear; as a rule, he was sent to train new recruits; at worst, he became a watchman. He was still in the army and receiving a salary. In case of decrepitude or severe injuries, soldiers were sent to the care of monasteries, where they received a certain allowance from the state. At the beginning of the 18th century, Peter I issued a special decree, according to which all monasteries had to equip almshouses for soldiers.

During the time of Catherine II, the state took over the care of the needy, including old soldiers, instead of the church. All monastic almshouses were dissolved, in return the church paid the state certain amounts, to which were added government funds, for which there was an Order of Public Charity, which was in charge of all social concerns.

All soldiers injured in service were entitled to a pension, regardless of their length of service. Upon leaving the army, they were provided with a large one-time payment for building a house and a small pension.

The reduction of service life to 25 years has led to a sharp increase in the number of disabled people. In modern Russian, this word means a person with disabilities, but in those days any retired soldiers were called disabled, regardless of whether they had injuries or not.

Under Paul, special disabled companies were formed. With these words, the modern imagination pictures a bunch of unfortunate cripples and decrepit old people, but in fact only healthy people served in such companies. They were staffed either by veterans of combat service who were close to the end of their service life, but at the same time healthy, or by those who, due to some illness, became unfit for combat service, or by those transferred from the active army for any disciplinary offenses.

Such companies were on duty at city outposts, guarded prisons and other important facilities, and escorted convicts. Later, on the basis of some disabled companies, escorts appeared.

A soldier who served his entire term of service could do whatever he wanted after leaving the army. He could choose any place of residence and engage in any type of activity. Even if he was called up as a serf, after his service he became a free man. As an incentive, retired soldiers were completely exempt from taxes.

Almost all retired soldiers settled in cities. It was much easier for them to find work there. As a rule, they became watchmen, constables or “uncles” for boys from noble families.

Soldiers rarely returned to the village. Over the course of a quarter of a century, people managed to forget him in his native land, and it was very difficult for him to once again adapt to peasant labor and the rhythm of life. Apart from this, there was practically nothing to do in the village.

Beginning with Catherine's times, special homes for the disabled began to appear in provincial cities, where retired soldiers unable to provide for themselves could live on full board and receive care. The first such house, called Kamennoostrovsky, appeared in 1778 on the initiative of Tsarevich Pavel.

In general, Pavel was very fond of soldiers and the army, so after becoming emperor he ordered the Chesme Palace, one of the imperial travel palaces, to be converted into a home for the disabled. However, during Pavel’s lifetime this was not possible due to problems with the water supply, and only two decades later he opened his doors to veterans Patriotic War 1812.

Retired soldiers became one of the first categories of people to receive the right to a state pension. Soldiers' widows and young children also received the right to it if the head of the family died during service.

"Soldiers" and their children

Soldiers were not forbidden to marry, including during service, with the permission of the commander. Soldiers' wives and their future children were included in a special category of soldiers' children and soldiers' wives. As a rule, most of the soldiers' wives got married even before their chosen ones entered the army.

"Soldiers" after their husband's conscription for service automatically became personally free, even if they had previously been serfs. At first, recruits were allowed to take their family with them into service, but later this rule was abolished and the recruits' families were only allowed to join them after they had served for some time.

All male children automatically fell into a special category of soldiers' children. In fact, from birth they were under the jurisdiction of the military department. They were the only category of children in the Russian Empire who were legally obliged to study. After studying in regimental schools, “soldiers’ children” (from the 19th century they began to be called cantonists) served in the military department. Thanks to the education they received, they did not very often become ordinary soldiers, as a rule, having non-commissioned officer positions or serving in non-combatant specialties.

In the first years of its existence, the regular army usually lived in field camps in the summer, and in the cold season went to winter quarters - billeting in villages and villages. They were provided with huts for housing local residents within the framework of housing duties. This system led to frequent conflicts. Therefore, from the mid-18th century, special areas began to emerge in cities - soldiers' settlements.

Each such settlement had an infirmary, a church and a bathhouse. The construction of such settlements was quite expensive, so not all regiments received separate settlements. In parallel with this system, the old billet, which was used during military campaigns, continued to function.

The barracks we are accustomed to appeared at the turn of the 18th–19th centuries, and at first only in large cities.

By call

Throughout the 19th century, the service life of recruits was repeatedly reduced: first to 20 years, then to 15 and finally to 10. Emperor Alexander II carried out a large-scale military reform in the 70s: conscription was replaced by universal military service.

However, the word “universal” should not be misleading. It was universal in the USSR and is in modern Russia, and then not everyone served. With the transition to the new system, it turned out that there were several times more potential conscripts than the needs of the army required, so not every healthy young man served, but only the one who drew the lot.

It happened like this: the conscripts cast lots (pulled pieces of paper with numbers from a box). According to its results, some of the conscripts were sent to the active army, and those who did not draw lots were enlisted in the militia. This meant that they would not serve in the army, but could be mobilized in case of war.

The conscription age was somewhat different from the modern one; one could not be drafted into the army before the age of 21 and after the age of 43. The conscription campaign took place once a year, after the completion of field work - from October 1 to November 1.

All classes were subject to conscription, with the exception of the clergy and Cossacks. The service life was 6 years, but later, at the beginning of the twentieth century, it was reduced to three years for infantry and artillery (in other branches of the military they served for four years, in the navy for five years). At the same time, those who were completely illiterate served a full term, those who graduated from a simple rural parochial or zemstvo school served for four years, and those who had higher education- one and half year.

In addition, there was a very extensive system of deferments, including those based on property status. Generally not subject to conscription The only son in the family, a grandson with grandparents who had no other able-bodied descendants, a brother who had younger brothers and sisters without parents (that is, the eldest in a family of orphans), as well as university teachers.

A deferment on property status for several years was provided to business owners and migrant peasants to organize their affairs, as well as to students of educational institutions. Part of the foreign (i.e., non-Christian) population of the Caucasus was not subject to conscription, Central Asia and Siberia, as well as the Russian population of Kamchatka and Sakhalin.

They tried to recruit regiments on a territorial basis, so that conscripts from the same region would serve together. It was believed that the joint service of fellow countrymen would strengthen cohesion and military brotherhood.

The army of Peter the Great became a difficult test for society. Unprecedented conditions of service, lifelong service, separation from their native land - all this was unusual and difficult for the recruits. However, in Peter’s times this was partly compensated for by excellent working social elevators. Some of Peter's first recruits laid the foundation for noble military dynasties. Subsequently, with the reduction of service life, the army became the main instrument for the liberation of peasants from serfdom. With the transition to the conscription system, the army turned into a real school of life. The length of service was no longer so long, and conscripts returned from the army as literate people.

“Hazing” and abuse of officers against soldiers in the tsarist army became widespread largely due to the officially introduced and long-standing system of corporal punishment.
The elders oppressed the younger ones both in the active army and in military educational institutions.

Tyrant officers

The cruel treatment of subordinates by tsarist officers by historians who have studied this topic is considered the main reason for hazing in the army until the 19th century. As a result of such abuse, soldiers deserted en masse from their units. The situation began to change in better side only at the end of the century, when all-class military service was introduced in Russia. The number of escapes decreased as the length of military service also decreased (soldiers previously served in the tsarist army for 25 years).

From the orders that have survived to this day, you can find out how old soldiers and officers treated recruits - in addition to direct fist “suggestion,” they were flogged with whips, spitzrutens, and part of their salaries were taken away... Arakcheev, according to the recollections of contemporaries, left the grenadiers without mustaches, tearing out them personally. The following also spoke out in favor of using spitzrutens on soldiers: outstanding commanders tsarist army, like Rumyantsev and Suvorov.

Only upon completion Crimean War The institution of corporal punishment in the Russian army was temporarily abolished, and the number of cases of officers beating soldiers gradually began to decrease. Officer positions in the army began to be occupied by volunteers (yesterday's students), and this significantly changed the relationship between superiors and subordinates.

"Tsuki" in military schools

Hazing relationships were also common in the tsarist military schools; they were, in particular, described by A.I. Kuprin, himself a former officer. “Hazing” was expressed in the attempts of senior students to assert themselves over junior cadets; this phenomenon was called “tsuk.” It is believed that Russian cadets adopted this vice, which was the aimless mockery of elders against younger ones, from students of German and French universities.

IN late XVIII century, Catherine II signed a decree according to which the cadet corps had to be isolated from society so that the corrupting temptations of social life would not penetrate to future officers from the outside: this measure was forced, since cases of theft, gambling, drunkenness and brawls became more frequent among cadets. The Tsarina had abolished corporal punishment in the army, but Alexander I reintroduced it in 1805. As a result, so-called “hardened” began to appear among the students of the cadet corps - cadets who boasted to their comrades of their ability to endure more than a hundred lashes for their pranks. Such prowess, as the “hardened” believed, gave them the right to spread rot on those who were younger and weaker.

“Hazing” in the tsarist military educational institutions arose, among other things, because their students, before enrolling in the cadet corps, due to their age, did not yet have time to properly socialize and build a normal system social relations and fit into it. Separate model social society they were formed in the closed world of a military school. “Tsukanye” with its hierarchical and behavioral rules by the end of the 19th century had spread to almost all educational institutions of pre-revolutionary Russia.

According to the recollections of officers, hazing between senior students and junior students of the cadet and cadet corps, expressed in bullying and mockery, especially became more frequent before the start of the First World War. The cadets themselves explained such manifestations as a way of “filtering” future officers - supposedly “tsuk” helped to weed out morally and physically weak candidates for military leadership. However, contemporaries wrote in the press of that time that “thanks to” the “tsukani”, a depressing atmosphere reigns in the barracks of military schools, more typical of a prison cell or a prison department.

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