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Ambiguous loyalty to the Russian Tsar: the universities of Dorpat and Helsinki as nation building institutions
Ambivalente Loyalität gegenüber dem Russischen Zar: die Universitäten von Dorpat und Helsinki als Institutionen des Nation Building
[journal article]
Abstract 'Despite several attempts in the eighteenth century to re-establish the University of Dorpat, the Baltic Germans succeeded only in 1802 in re-founding this precious institution meant for the education of the local German-speaking elite. The Baltic German nobility had power over the whole area, rulin... view more
'Despite several attempts in the eighteenth century to re-establish the University of Dorpat, the Baltic Germans succeeded only in 1802 in re-founding this precious institution meant for the education of the local German-speaking elite. The Baltic German nobility had power over the whole area, ruling it in political, religious, economic and cultural respect. In return for their numerous privileges, they demonstrated an almost proverbial loyalty to the Russian tsar. Until the middle of the nineteenth century, several high posts in the Russian government and in the Russian army were taken by members of the Baltic German nobility. A similar ambiguity characterized the attitude of the Finnish elite. On the one hand, the exceptionally privileged position of the Grand Duchy of Finland within the Russian empire forced them to act loyally towards their occupier. On the other hand, Finnish national awareness increased from the 1820's, a development towards which the university contributed to a large extent. As the Baltic German elite was educated at the University of Dorpat, the Finnish elite had its own university, first in Turku/ Abo and, from 1827, in Helsinki. Certainly when the university moved to the new capital, it was given explicit instructions to 'build the nation'. Also the location of the new imperial university was significant in this respect: on the Senate's square with at the opposite side of the square the government and next to it the imposing cathedral.' (author's abstract)|... view less
Keywords
post-socialist country; state formation; education; German language; loyalty; subject of study; university; eighteenth century; historical analysis; aristocracy; Baltic States; elite formation; political elite; German; reform; elite; Finland; Fin; USSR successor state
Classification
Social History, Historical Social Research
Method
historical
Document language
English
Publication Year
2008
Page/Pages
p. 99-126
Journal
Historical Social Research, 33 (2008) 2
DOI
https://doi.org/10.12759/hsr.33.2008.2.99-126
ISSN
0172-6404
Status
Published Version; peer reviewed