Regimental museums of the Russian army: from officer libraries to libraries of museums

The first regimental museums were created on an initiative and on money of officers and brother-soldiers. Initially they were at officer libraries, and over time became the integral accessory of each military unit (establishment). Their further development needed the corresponding standard and legal base. In the order on military department No. 279 of September 15, 1884 about introduction in action «Regulations on officer meetings in separate parts of armies» specifically it isn't mentioned the museums, however, it gave such opportunity for their opening. Rules testify to it (charters, provisions) officer meetings in which there were the certain heads devoted of. On pages of the military press extensive discussion concerning the structure of the museums was developed. Authors of publications imparted experience of their organization, brought up problem questions and offered ways of their decision. On opening of the museums special permission of the sovereign of the emperor was required. For their organization lump sums were allocated: for the military units existing from 50 till 100 years -300 rubles, from 100 to 150 years - 500 rubles and of 150 years and more - 800 rubles. Further financing of the museums consisted of annual vacation from treasury at a rate of the sum allocated for officer libraries and assignment of 20% from annual net income of regimental soldier's shops and buffets. «The museum library» was one of obligatory departments of again created museums. It entered: compositions of brother-soldiers on participation in operations and everyday life, various instructions, stories for soldiers, descriptions of feats of ancestors, biographies of chiefs, commanders and officers, the diary records which were published, literary works of ranks of a regiment, meeting of cuttings from periodicals. Here belonged: rules of military meetings, the provision on libraries, hand-written and printing catalogs of books, the press of libraries and the officer meetings, the sent regimental stories from related military units. By the beginning of the XX century at military meetings of the majority of military units of the Russian army in close cooperation with officer libraries the museums worked. Over time there was a need of carrying out congress of representatives of the regimental museums for development of uniform normative documents, an exchange of experience of museum work. At the initiative of the Moscow department «Imperial Russian military and historical society» in the Moscow military district the first congress of keepers of the regimental museums took place on April 20th, 1913. Thus, the museums, with libraries at them, became an indispensable component of regiments and one of nice military traditions of the Russian army.

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