The thesis is devoted to the comprehensive research of the problem of the charitable activity of the Bessarabian nobility during the military conflicts that took place with the participation of the Russian Empire in the middle of the 19th and at the beginning of 20th centuries. It has been determined that during the Eastern, Russo-Turkish war (1877-1878) and the Russo-Japanese war the Bessarabian aristocrats provided significant financial assistance to the army in the field, navy and irregular units (state mobile militia and flying squads). The main forms of organization of charitable activity were private donations, subscription letters, as well as 1 kopeck deduction from each tithing of the benefactors’ land (later this fixed rate increased to 2 kopecks). At the beginning of the 20th century the aristocrats took an active part in strengthening the navy.
The participation of the local nobles in the organization of charity during the military conflicts in the middle of the 19th and at the beginning of the 20th centuries has been considered. The representatives of the nobility held numerous charity events in order to raise funds for the needs of the sick and wounded servicemen and their families. Women played an active part in this process: they held concerts, performances, plays, lotteries, musical parties. No-draw lotteries became especially popular as the fastest way to raise funds. At the beginning of the 20th century the popularity of charity events gradually began to decline, which was due to the cost price of the events: a significant part of the profit went for printing tickets, garden arrangement, rental of musical instruments.
It has been found out that the aristocrats were most likely to donate the money to the needs of the war-stricken warriors and their families. An important place in charitable activity of the nobility was occupied by orphans. The main forms of cash receipts were earmarked donations, subscription lists, charitable gatherings in the districts of Bessarabia, deductions from profit. The representatives of the Bessarabian nobility in the period of military actions financially supported the Committee for Assistance to the residents of Novorosiisk Krai, Kyshyniv Branch of the Care Society for the wounded and sick warriors, the women's committees, the charitable organization «Bessarabets», the Red Cross. The aristocrats were the organizers of the removal of wounded warriors from theaters of operations; they arranged free buffets in the cities; provided aristocratic ambulance trains and evacuation infirmaries; opened and funded healthcare facilities. The representatives of the noble family took an active part in organizing the work of sisters of mercy.
The significant role of the Bessarabian aristocrats in supplying the army with food and vehicles has been revealed. For the needs of the army in the field, the nobles handed over the foodstuffs, forage, beasts of burden, dray-carts, Bessarabian wine. However, not all aristocrats showed civic awareness in helping troops, some nobles shied away from participating in charity events. At the beginning of the 20th century the representatives of the nobility took an active part in the maintenance of ambulance detachments and Red Cross infirmaries.
On the basis of the worked out material it has been proved that the representatives of the nobility of the southern Ukrainian lands during the period of the military conflicts in the middle of the 19th and at the beginning of the 20th centuries participated in giving medical and financial assistance to the army. The Bessarabian aristocrats provided hospitals, infirmaries and military hospitals with bandages, lint, and linen for bandaging material. During the Russo-Turkish war (1877-1878) and the Russo-Japanese war they played a significant role in the equipment of aristocratic ambulance detachments. At that time, the representatives of the nobility opened sewing workshops in Bessarabia to sew warm clothes and underwear for military personnel.
It has been revealed that the state actively supported the initiative of charity and strongly encouraged active philanthropists. For charities the government gave the Bessarabian aristocrats gratitude, ranks, orders, medals. In the 19th century the nobles received most of the collective gratitude and orders of St. Stanislaus, St. Anne. During the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905 individual gratitude was widely practised. The nobles for their charitable activity in wartime were awarded memorable medals: «In Memory of the Previous War of 1853-1856», «In Memory of the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878»; «In memory of the Russo-Japanese War».
