Birthday anniversary of Nikolay K. Girs, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Empire

9 (21) May 1820, near the town of Radzivilov, Kremenets district of Volyn Province, into a noble family was born Nikolai Karlovich Girs, Russian statesman, diplomat, privy councilor (1878), Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Empire (1882-1895). Girs’ uncle was a Russian admiral, Arctic explorer, Count F. P. Litke.

Nikolai Karlovich, having chosen the diplomatic career, graduated from the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum. In October 1838 he began to serve in the Asian Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Empire, where he studied Oriental languages  and history of the East, studied the documents of the department covering Russia's relations with the countries of the East. From 1841 Girs had worked as a junior dragoman (interpreter) at the Russian Consulate in Iasi; in 1848-1850 he worked as a diplomatic officer of the Russian forces’ headquarters in Transylvania. In 1850 he became the 1st Secretary of the Russian mission in Constantinople; from 1851 to1853 - ran a consulate in Moldova, and then, during a year was director of the Office of the authorized commissioner in the principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia.

In 1855-1856 Girs served under the Novorossiysk and the Bessarabia governor-general, and then worked for two years in the position of Consul General in Egypt; in 1858-1863 he once again stayed in the diplomatic service in Moldavia and Wallachia. In the next five years, he served as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary in Persia, in 1869-1872 - in Switzerland, and in the subsequent three years - under the King of Sweden and Norway.

From December 1875 Girs was appointed Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Senator, and at the same time manager of the Asian Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the rights of the director. As one of the closest associates of the Russian Chancellor A. M. Gorchakov, Nikolai Karlovich, in his absence, often took over the administration of the Ministry. In the 1878-1881 the foreign policy of the Russian Empire in many ways was shaped by War Minister, Count D. A. Milyutin, whose position Girs mainly supported. In December 1876 Nikolai Karlovich was elected an honorary member of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences, and three years later - Secretary of State of His Imperial Majesty.

In March 1882 Girs was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs and a member of the State Council. Having vast experience of practical work in the diplomatic service, the minister held a strategic line in Russian foreign policy, which was characterized by restraint, caution and a tendency to look for compromise solutions. He saw a reliable means of maintaining peace in the rapprochement between Russia and Germany and Austria-Hungary, and sought to preserve the Union of the Three Emperors.

Girs’ policy had been repeatedly criticized by both the War Ministry and prominent diplomats, such as P. A. Saburov, N. P. Ignatiev, A. G. Jomini, as well as editor of the newspaper "Moscow News" M. N. Katkov. In 1890, after the resignation of German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, and the appointment to the post of Leo von Caprivi, Russian-German relations damped down. In such circumstances, Girs recognized the need for a rapprochement with France and took part in the development of Russian-French alliance. He contributed to the conclusion of a diplomatic agreement (1891) and signing of a military convention (1893).

Girs supported the orientation of Russian foreign policy to advance in Asia: the minister considered it as a means of weakening the position of England, not only in Asia but also in Europe. However, he feared a serious aggravation of Russian-British relations and spared no effort in order to avoid a military clash with England in 1885.

During his service as Minister of Foreign Affairs, Girs was awarded with all the highest Russian orders, including the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky (1883), St. Prince Vladimir, 1st class (1888), St. Andrew the Apostle (1894). In 1893-1894, due to illness, he ceased to play a major role in Russian diplomacy.

14 (26) January 1895, Nikolai Karlovich Girs died in St. Petersburg.

Lit.: Нота российского министра иностранных дел, статс-секретаря Гирса, обменённая 1/13 декабря 1886 года на таковую же ноту австро-венгерского посла при Императорском Российском дворе, по вопросу о взаимной высылке нищих, бродяг и беспаспортных // Собрание узаконений и распоряжений Правительства. 1886. 19 дек. № 115. Ст. 1014—1886; Юбилей пятидесятилетней службы министра иностранных дел Николая Карловича Гирса 13-го октября 1888 г. СПб., 1889.