Articles about Kobrin: As a part of VKL and RP

On August 15, 1795 Catherine II sent to the Senate the decree in which it was told: "In requital of the well-known merits of our general field marshal, Alexander Suvorov-Rymniksky's column as all and l of an awn blow she we granted it in eternal and hereditary possession from come to our treasury in the Lithuanian province from economy of Bozhestskaya who was among royal table manors, the Key Kobrin with other Keys, folvarka and settlements..." The Lithuanian province — the territory of the Western Belarus included in structure of Russia after the third section of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1795. Active participation in the military affairs preceding this event was accepted by the commander A. V. Suvorov.

Carrying out will of the queen, the Russian troops under Suvorov's command suppressed the movement of the confederates opposing to sections, but standing on conservative positions and fighting for the "gold shlyakhetsky liberty". However soon in Poland the real patriotic fight which was headed by Tadeush Kosciusko (1746 — 1817), the son of a poor shlyakhtich from a manor of Sekhnovichi (the former Kobrin County, nowadays Zhabinkovsky district of the Brest region) was developed. Having brilliant military education and the fighting experience got during war of the United States for independence, Kosciusko inflicted a number of defeats over imperial troops. Being the convinced republican, he published the famous Polanetsky versatile person exempting peasants from a serfdom. But it was negatively apprehended by a shlyakhta and magnates, and concerned neighbors — Prussia, Austria and Russia where landlords undividedly dominated, hurried them to the aid. Catherine II decided to accelerate an outcome in the military way, having sent "to suppression" A. V. Suvorov.

For the first time Suvorov appeared in Belarus in 1769, ordering the Suzdal regiment in battle with group of confederates at the village of Orekhovo (Maloritsky district). In two years he acts in the Birch direction — the World — Nesvizh, then through Kletsk goes to Pinsk. In 1794 Suvorov arrives to Kobrin from Volhynia to stop approach of the case of confederates moving from Brest under command of the general Serakovsky. The advance party of confederates was broken on September 3 at the village of Dyvin (Kobrin district). Having defended on this occasion thanksgiving in local church, Suvorov directs the regiments to Kobrin and straight off takes it. Then on September 5 — 6 fight at the Krupchitsky monastery where the main forces of Serakovsky approached followed. Having got beaten, confederates hasty receded, the way to Brest was open. Still remained several hills towering over mass graves of the dead. There are they to the right of the highway highway Kobrin — Brest before turn to sanatorium "Bug" (a stop "Pinery").

In October, 1794 after T. Kosciusko's defeat under Matseyovitsami (The Warsaw voivodeship) the patriotic movement quickly began to decline.

Meanwhile in the Lithuanian province the administrative-territorial reorganization was carried out. In December, 1795 from its structure allocated the Slonimsky province which included the Kobrin County. Before it the Lithuanian general - the governor N. Repnin allowed Kobrin inhabitants to register anew in estates (petty bourgeoises, merchants, shop handicraftsmen) and allocated them with the earth. Having become the center of the county, Kobrin restored the city rank.

In the city there was a district board created on the Russian sample on the basis of "Establishment for management of provinces" of 1775. The district administration was headed by the captain-district police officer elected for three years from among the local (Russian) nobility. The nobility assemly led by the leader who was directly influencing executive power of the city and county was of particular importance. The meeting included also the Catholic shlyakhta which swore to the imperial government and also the Russian landowners who recently received here lands.

The city was allocated in an independent administrative unit with the electoral magistrate and the mayor (burgomaster) who was engaged in economic and charitable affairs. Executive power belonged to the governor of a town who was appointed by the government from among retired officers. Instead of former judicial authorities were established district court — for noblemen, magistrate — for citizens, the top and lower punishments — for the state peasants, and ordinary serfs were exposed to court of the landowner of the owner. At adjudgement quite often were guided by provisions of the old Statute of Grand Duchy of Lithuania.

City map of Kobrin (end of the 18th century)

Untouched were property rights of Catholic church, however she was forbidden to turn Orthodox Christians into the belief. Many of uniats came back to Orthodoxy again.

As soon as the local administration was notified on the royal decree concerning the count Suvorov, mezhevshchik got to work. Within Kobrin the commander got the territory from the remains Top and Nizhny Novgorod of locks which on city map of the end of the 18th century are called as circles, and "Province" with park. The owner was absent, occupied with military affairs. The confided representative sent them — the colonel Koryotsky told the boss, 1 that the lock so decayed what to live in is mute it is impossible. Suvorov addressed with the letter to St. Petersburg, complaining about such gift. From there command followed to find to the field marshal the dwelling more decently.

At the end of Gubernianskaya Street the house of rather poor shlyakhtich which left these places was empty. In that small house, coming back at the end of 1795 from Warsaw, the first time the new owner of the Kobrin Key also stopped, without assuming that here he should live and in the future.

In 1796 Catherine II died, to a throne there ascended Paul I. The "German rules" established by the new autocrat in army were contrary to A. V. Suvorov's views. The conflict was about to happen. The field marshal thought of resignation, having decided to leave in the Kobrin Key where his lieutenant colonel-managing director managed. The mad emperor himself also thought, to get rid as if from objectionable to him the commander. At the beginning of February, 1797 the humiliating decree in which it was frankly declared that Suvorov, "as there is no war followed and there is nothing to do to it", is put aside from service. At the end there was the emperor's addition: "Without the right of carrying a uniform".

In the March afternoon Suvorov dressed in an unusual civilian dress touchingly said goodbye to the 3rd army billeted in Tulchin and, having got into an ordinary-looking closed sleigh, moved on the North, to the Lithuanian province. A few years ago on the same road it conducted the soldiers, following the order of the mother queen. Now it was driven by will of the new monarch. The well-known name stunned station inspectors, horses were given immediately. Soon the Suvorov closed sleigh already rolled on Ratnenskaya Street, then turned through the market to Gubernianskaya and stopped at the modest house where the glorified commander had to live the last years of the life.

The local manor three times surpassed all family heritage of Suvorov in the Novgorod province. Its size confused the retired field marshal believing that to him, the military person not to cope in this agricultural life. Therefore he invited to himself the army friends. Eighteen officers resigned. To them in Kobrin found different occupations and duty stations, the count Rymniksky promised to allocate all with the earth. There arrived a faithful striker Prokhor Dubasov — Proshka. His swiftness, ingenuity and extensive everyday knowledge were highly appreciated by the commander who was a simple and sociable person.

Suvorov began acquaintance to new possession with the "Province" which was approximately in verst from the downtown. The place was pleasant to it. Here, in park silence and a cosiness, more than once it will begin to come on foot. Behind old manour house there was a pond in which the retired field marshal, despite the seventh decade coming to an end, bathed in April, striking Kobrin inhabitants. Traveling over the granted villages, Suvorov got acquainted with life and life of local peasants, listened to the dialect which was unusually sounding for him.  

Near the house on Gubernianskaya the building of the ancient Peter and Paul church constructed four centuries ago towered. Almost daily visiting her, the disgraced commander trod the footpath through the next kitchen gardens. He climbed up a belltower when it was necessary to call, or sang on a choir in chorus. Low growth, rather narrow in shoulders, Suvorov possessed a mighty "commander" bass that got to it respect of choristers and parishioners. He remained is faithful to the soldier's habits, ate the most unpretentious food, slept at the opened window on a rigid bed. Distracting from burdensome reflections, the old count willingly entered conversation with all who visited him whom he met on the way. Sometimes in Kobrin the passable landowners and grandees going from St. Petersburg or Moscow to the western and south countries of the expanded empire looked — is more often not from good motives, and just to be curious, how is the commander without army who "did not lose fights",

Suvorov quite often was lost in melancholic thoughts, the presentiment of any trouble did not abandon him. And it is valid, she did not keep itself waiting. The flattering courtiers surrounding Paul I whispered to the emperor about dangerous proximity to border of the famous Kobrin inhabitant: it appear, say, it behind it, will bring many troubles of the empire. Besides with an ulterior motive at it in Kobrin there live these eighteen officers. And whether there is no plot here?

And here to the Lithuanian province of its majesty to the order the official of secret office Nikolev rushes on personal. On April 22, 1797 in the evening it arrived to the city. Suvorov who went to bed early and got up early already slept. But the imperial courier demanded to rouse immediately him and right there started reading the decree: "To go to you to Kobrin or other place of stay of Suvorov from where to bring it to Borovitsky villages, where and to consign Vyndomskoma (to the governor of a town — N. P., L. K.) and in case of need to demand the help from any administration". Having listened to command of the emperor Paul I, the field marshal asked how many to it it is given on collecting. Only four hours, Nikolev answered. There was no time left for necessary registration of papers on transfer of lands to the retired officers living in the Kobrin Key as well as for other monetary affairs. Donative manors did not bring in any incomes, means almost any yet. Unless awards and other awards... Nikolev hurries. Suvorov feverishly reflects over a financial problem and makes the painful decision — having given for pledge of an award to the glavnoupravlyayushchy Koritsky, to borrow one thousand rubles. At four o'clock work on documents for grant of villages to officers ended. All this was ratified literally in the last minutes. Suvorov came to a porch at which his few friends on exile gathered, silently bowed to all and got into the waiting state crew. Afterwards hurried Proizha, bearing a small road trunk rt. rather poor belongings of the famous commander.

Last review. (Artist N. N. Voshchuk)

Nikolev took away Suvorov to the village of Konchanskoye of the Novgorod province under vigilant supervision of Vyndomsky. But on it business did not come to an end. On May 20 the Pavlovsk official appears in Kobrin again, arrests all Suvorov officers who settled here and escorted by sends to Kiev. Nearly four months interrogated them to find out about "plot". When that was not found, they were released on receipt. Most of officers came back to Kobrin.

Having spent two heavy years to Konchanskom, A. V. Suvorov appeared in the thick of military events again. At insistance of the allies of Russia who were at war with Napoleonic France, Paul I forcedly agreed to appoint the old field marshal the commander-in-chief of the Russian-Austrian army operating in Italy. On March 3, 1799 on the way to Vienna Suvorov stopped by in Kobrin where economic affairs detained him for six days.

In 1799 Suvorov wonderful athletes in the Italian and Swiss campaigns showed to Europe outstanding qualities of the Russian soldier, advantage of Suvorov military school and "to win against sciences". At the beginning of February, 1800 the famous commander returned home. On February 3 suddenly the state of his health worsened. To a Kobrin manor of Alexander Vasilyevich the favourite pupil and the associate general P. I. Bagration accompanied it (1765 — 1812). Suvorov expected to stay several days here, waiting for grand welcome in St. Petersburg, but because of an illness stay in Kobrin dragged on.

Suvorov, struggling with an illness, took advices of the paramedic Nahum and ate nothing. But the illness progressed, it was necessary to address medical specialists. The special arrangement of the patient was caused by the Kobrin doctor Kernison who managed to lift up it. Suvorov even began to visit the Peter and Paul church. However he again flatly refused drugs that caused new deterioration. On March 6, 1800 arrived Alexander Vasilyevich's son — Arkady and the nephew — A. I. Gorchakov. With them the St. Petersburg physician-in-ordinary Veykart to whom right there was a collision of the patient was.

On March 7, 1800 through Kobrin passed march a summary battalion of Ekaterina's and Moscow grenadierial regiments — those heroes of Suvorov campaigns to Italy and Switzerland. They specially passed on Gubernianskaya Street where on a porch of the house, felt in, these minutes simplification, proshchalno welcomed them "the father is a soldier" and the generalissimo. Yes, it was the last meeting of A. V. Suvorov with army. At the end of the month, without having waited for recovery, he ordered to carry himself to St. Petersburg and Kobrin — this time forever left...



• Bon Sforts
• Great victory under gryunvaldy
• Free city of Kobrin
• Suvorov's time
• Kobrynski lock
• Kobrynskiya knyazi
• Kobrynsky economy of 1519.
• Kobrynski cathedral of 1626.
• Spask_ manastyr
• Tadevush Kastsyushka
• At a skladza of VKL i RP
• To Shchastsa of a knyazyo¸na of Kobrynskay
• Hour Suvorava
• To return back