Quite a lot is known about the current foreign consulates in Kharkiv—many countries have diplomatic missions in our city. However, their staff would likely be surprised to learn that the consulates in Kharkiv have a rich history spanning more than 100 years. Unfortunately, the topic of foreign diplomatic missions in Kharkiv during the late 19th and early 20th centuries has been studied very little.
Back then, just as today, consulates represented the interests of their citizens within the territory of another country. Therefore, it is possible that someone working at one of the consular offices in Kharkiv could eventually become a prominent political figure in his home country.
Unfortunately, there are few reference books on this topic published in the early 20th century; some of the records are held in archives outside Ukraine. However, thanks to the excellent “Reference Book on Trade and Industry for Imperial Russian Consuls,” we learn that the overall picture in 1912 looked roughly as follows:
At that time, there were diplomatic missions from 36 countries operating in the Russian Empire.
Odessa is extremely important to us. This is because the city was home to as many as 8 consulates general, 15 consulates, one vice-consulate, and one consular agency: in total, 25 out of 36 countries were represented there.
Next is Kyiv: 1 consulate general, 10 consulates, 3 vice-consulates, and 2 consular agencies, for a total of 16 countries.
The situation with our city is not so straightforward, as the aforementioned directory contains a number of inaccuracies and errors. The “Kharkiv Calendar” guidebook also fails to provide a complete answer to the question of how many consulates there are in Kharkiv, since a number of organizations are not mentioned in it at all. Only by working with archival documents were we able to set the record straight. Compared to Odessa and Kyiv, Kharkiv certainly seems less impressive. Our city had only nine foreign diplomatic missions—but what a lineup they were! Let’s start with the first four in chronological order.
- Consulate General of the Persian Shah.
According to preliminary data, it existed from 1893 and was the first of its kind. From the time of its founding until 1914, Grigory Isaakovich Rubinstein, a titular counselor, served as the consul of His Majesty the Shah of Persia. For several years, the consulate itself was housed in his own home at Sumska Street, 31 (the mansion no longer exists). In 1909, this enterprising diplomat managed to rent out part of the house to the French consulate as well. This was likely very convenient and profitable. In 1914 or earlier, this undoubtedly practical consul apparently left our city, as it was noted that “Vladimir Zakharovich Dubinsky, authorized by the Persian Consul Grigory Rubinstein (Rubinstein resides in the Poltava Governorate) to manage the affairs of the Persian Consulate General…”
There was no Turkish consulate in our city. However, this diplomatic mission is linked to an extremely important and interesting story that took place in 1899, concerning the life of the Islamic community in Kharkiv—a story we will return to in future posts.
- French Consulate
It was the second diplomatic mission to open in Kharkiv. It was first mentioned in the “Kharkiv Calendar” directory in 1901, but that date is completely incorrect. After all, as early as November 30, 1899, French citizen Stéphane Lavollay was appointed vice-consul of France in our beloved city.
Pursuant to a decree of the President of the French Republic dated August 20, 1908, the Kharkiv vice-consulate was upgraded to a consulate. Ludwig Lorantievich Rabiu, who was serving as vice-consul at the time, was promoted to the rank of consul.
Of course, French representatives were involved in the life and activities of the “French Charitable Society,” which has been active in our city since 1876.
Quite a few sites and mansions associated with the activities of this diplomatic mission have survived. In 1911, however, it was located in the magnificent Grand Hotel building on Pavlivskyi Square, which, alas, has not survived to this day.
- German Consulate
It was first mentioned in the “Kharkiv Calendar” directory in 1906. However, this information is also not entirely reliable. The archival records contain at least three files from 1905 related to the establishment of a foreign diplomatic mission from that country in our city. Thanks to this, we can not only determine as precisely as possible the date of the German consulate’s establishment in Kharkiv, but also learn that the first German consul in Kharkiv, Karl Fromann, had previously represented his country’s interests in Tiflis.
In 1911, August Feigel, who had previously served as the German consul general in Constantinople, began representing German interests in our city, replacing Froman.
The consuls of Kharkiv also took an active part in the vibrant activities of the “German Charitable Society,” which was so important to all Germans in Kharkiv.
The society itself was founded in 1885, and in 1910 it solemnly celebrated its first 25th anniversary. According to reports, its membership was not limited to Kharkiv consuls. Among its honorary members was Becker, the former consul of the German Empire in Kyiv.
- Belgian Consulate General
By decree dated July 17, 1907, K. de Wepener was appointed Belgian Consul General, based in the city of Kharkiv. This diplomatic mission was Belgium’s only consulate general for the entire empire at that time and, as can be seen from the document, its jurisdiction covered a considerable area.
For this reason, many important matters concerning the interests of Belgium and its citizens were resolved right here in our city. Throughout the entire pre-revolutionary period, only three people held the post of consul general. Compared to other diplomatic missions, where leadership changed every 2–3 years, this is an extremely small number.
From 1910 through 1917, the Consulate General was located at Myronosytska Street, 31 (where the consul himself also lived). Unfortunately, this building has not survived—which is a shame… because I think some people would have really enjoyed working practically across the street from a house that could have been called “little Kharkiv Belgium.”
Of course, this is only a small part of what goes into the vibrant and interesting life and activities of foreign diplomatic missions in our city.
- About the military pilot school and the airfield in Kharkiv… - 04.11.2020
- Nikanor Savich—A Political Career by Mistake - 13.07.2020
- And once again, about the Cavalry Guards… - 21.01.2020