En
Ru
Russian lawyer, political writer and politician Sergei Andreevich Muromtsev was born
On September 23 (October 5) 1850 in St. Petersburg in the old noble family was born a major public figure of 19th c., a prominent scholar and a founder of sociological jurisprudence in Russia, the Chairman of the First State Duma of Russia, a liberal, and a humanist — Sergei Andreevich Muromtsev.
In 1860 Muromtsev family moved to Moscow, to the house in Skatertny lane. In 1867 Sergei graduated from the Moscow gymnasium №3 with a golden medal and entered the Moscow State University, Faculty of Law. The program, compiled by Myronmtsev himself, was considerably broader than the University’s course. He even intended to study in the Faculty of Law in parallel with the Faculty of Mathematics, but it was the shortage of money that prevented him from implementation of this plan.
After graduation from the university, for excellence displayed in study of sciences, Muromtsev gained the degree of the Candidate of Law and stayed in the faculty for two years to improve his knowledge of sciences and prepare for the professorship. Many years did he spend abroad, mainly working in Germany, as well as in other countries of Europe. During his study course at the University of Göttingen he listened to the lecturers delivered by the prominent German jurist Rudolf von Jhering.
In 1874, having returned to Russia, Sergei Andreevich launched his work under the Master Thesis entitled “On Conservatism in Roman jurisprudence”. In October — December 1874 he brilliantly passed exams for Master Degree. In autumn 1875 — he received a title of Associate Professor of the university, and in 1877 — Professor of Roman Law. His work entitled “Essays of the general theory of Civil Law” was published in 1877.
In 1884 in view of government’s persecution of liberal professorate, Muromtsev had to leave the university. Having entered the Order of Attorneys at Law of the Moscow Judicial Chamber, Sergei Andreevich was involved in the public and political activities and joined the liberal camp. Three years, in 1887, he was elected as a member of the council, and after three years — a deputy chairman.
During 1879 – 1892 Muromtsev worked as an editor of the “Judicial bulletin” (Russian: “Yuridicheskiy vestnik”).
In 1897 Sergei Andreevich was a member of the Moscow City Duma, participant of zemstvo and city congresses, in 1898 — he was allowed to conduct lectures on Civil Law and Civil Legal Procedure at the Imperial Alexander Lyceum.
In 1906 Sergei Andreevich became deputy of the First State Duma and at its first session on April 27 (May 10) was elected as its chairman. Russian liberals appreciated positively the work of Muromtsev in the position of the Chairman of Duma. He consistently supported implementation of liberal reforms, respect to the representative government body. The historian A.A. Kizevetter remembered that he was “tough, stern, solemn, he stood his own ground and held the session with firmness, in full awareness of rightness of his actions. But despite his severity, all the members of the First State Duma not only listened to him, but cordially loved him. They all felt that the Duma was dear to Muromtsev, because he had a deep affection for his Fatherland, for the good of which he entered Duma”.
Muromtsev tried to suppress deputies’ mutual insults or their attacks against members of the government: “Sharp ideas are always permitted, but a decent way of expression is a necessary condition of dignity of the peoples’ representation”.
When the First State Duma was dissolved on July 8 (July 21) 1906 S.A. Muromtsev together with many of Duma’s members moved to Vyborg where he presided over meetings, which resulted into publication of a famous “Vyborg appeal” (“To people from people’s representatives”) — an appeal of the First State Duma’s group of deputies (Cadets, Trudoviks (members of the “Labour Group”, and social-democrats), which was a reaction to Duma’s dissolution. With others he was taken to court and sentenced to 3 months’ imprisonment, which he served in Moscow in 1908.
On October 4 (17) 1910 Sergei Andreevich Muromtsev passed away and was buried at the Don cemetery in Moscow. On Muromtsev’s grave his party and prison fellow F.F. Kokoshin said favorite words of Muromtsev: “Warden, is the dawn near?” — “It’s still dark, but the morning comes soon”. “S.A. died suddenly, while sleep, on October 4 1910. He did not wait until the new dawn. But he entrusted us with his hopes and himself, as a memory, as a symbol, as a banner”, — P.N. Milyukov wrote.
Lit.: Аронов Д. Б. Сергей Андреевич Муромцев: учёный, политик, педагог. Орёл, 2003; Винавер М. М. С. А. Муромцев, как адвокат. СПб., 1911; В. Д. Муромцев. М., 1980; Кизеветтер А. А. Сергей Андреевич Муромцев, председатель Первой государственной думы. М., 1918; Малышева А. Муромцев С. А. // Сравнительное конституционное обозрение. 2005. № 4. С. 193-199; Медушевский А. Сергей Андреевич Муромцев: «Великий труд на благо избравшего нас народа…» // Российский либерализм: идеи и люди. М., 2004; Нечаев В. М. С. А. Муромцев как учёный и профессор. СПб., 1910; Яблочков Т. М. С. А. Муромцев, как учёный. Ярославль, 1910.
Based on the Presidential Library’s materials:
Булла К. К. Группа депутатов Первой Государственной Думы [Изоматериал] : [фотография]. 1906;
Булла К. К. Депутаты Первой Государственной Думы [Изоматериал] : [фотография]. 27 апреля 1906;