Doctor Dubrovin and Count Witte: A history of irreconcilable enmity
https://doi.org/10.25206/2542-0488-2026-11-1-60-69
EDN: QLTGTP
Abstract
The article examines the conflict between the leader of the largest Black Hundred organization of the Russian Empire, the Union of the Russian People, Alexander Dubrovin and the Chairman of the Council of Ministers, Count Sergei Witte. For the first time in historiography, attention is drawn to the emergence of hostile relations between Dubrovin and Witte, which developed back in the late 19th century. The theoretical basis of the study is the anthropological and institutional approaches, the problematic and biographical methods. Using this methodological block, based on the analysis of materials from the prerevolutionary periodical press, the attitude of the leader of the right-wing forces to the prime minister, the accusations brought against him, and the methods of counteracting the policy of the head of government are reconstructed in detail. It is proven that Dubrovin and the Union of the Russian People led by him made a significant contribution to the discrediting of Witte, the loss of his trust on the part of Nicholas II, and the subsequent resignation of the prime minister.
About the Author
A. A. IvanovRussian Federation
IVANOV Andrey Aleksandrovich, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Associate Professor, Professor of the Institute of History
Saint Petersburg
AuthorID (RSCI): 208733
AuthorID (SCOPUS): 56995528600
ResearcherID: O-2946-2016
References
1. Stepanov S. A. Chernaya sotnya. Chto oni sdelali dlya velichiya Rossii? [Black Hundreds. What did they do for the greatness of Russia?] Moscow, 2013. 672 p. ISBN 978-5-99550546-4. EDN: XSBCCX. (In Russ.).
2. Omelyanchuk I. V. Chernosotennoye dvizheniye v Rossiyskoy imperii (1901–1914) [The Black Hundred movement in the Russian Empire (1901–1914)]. Kiev, 2006. 744 p. ISBN 966608-467-8. EDN: MDUSVR. (In Russ.).
3. Ivanov A. A. Pravyye partii Rossiyskoy imperii [Right-wing parties of the Russian Empire]. Saint Petersburg, 2024. 735 p. ISBN 978-5-93615-362-4. EDN: BECHGH. (In Russ.).
4. Saginadze E. O. Reformator posle reform: S. Yu. Vitte i rossiyskoye obshchestvo, 1906–1915 [Reformer after reforms: S. Yu. Witte and Russian Society, 1906–1915]. Moscow, 2017. 279 p. ISBN 978-5-4448-0815-3. EDN: ZTVNLP. (In Russ.).
5. Omel’yanchuk I. V. Prem’yer-ministry Rossiyskoy imperii v otsenkakh pravykh (1905–pervaya polovina 1914 goda) [Prime ministers of the Russian Empire as appraised by the rights (1905–the first half of 1914)]. Tetradi po Konservatizmu. 2020. No. 1. P. 273–311. DOI: 10.24030/24092517-2020-0-1-273-311. EDN: LKYVAG. (In Russ.).
6. Stepanov A. D. Russkiy Garibal’di. Aleksandr Ivanovich Dubrovin (1855–1921) [Russian Garibaldi. Alexander Ivanovich Dubrovin (1855–1921)] // Pravaya Rossiya. Zhizneopisaniya russkikh monarkhistov nachala XX veka [Right Russia. Biographies of Russian Monarchists of the Early 20th Century]. Saint Petersburg, 2015. P. 56–92. ISBN 978-5-91102-042-2. (In Russ.).
7. Kulikov S. V. Sergey Yul’yevich Vitte: Stat’i dlya biograficheskoy entsiklopedii [Sergey Yulievich Witte: Articles for the biographical encyclopedia]. Saint Petersburg, 2022. 668 p. ISBN 978-5-94668-330-2. (In Russ.).
8. Gringmut V. A. Monarkhisty i pravitel’stvo [Monarchists and the government] // Sobraniye statey V. A. Gringmuta [Collection of articles by V. A. Gringmut]. Moscow, 1910. Vol. 4. P. 214–219. (In Russ.).
9. A. V-v. China i ordena ne spasut ot narodnogo prezreniya [The rank and orders will not save from folk contempt]. Russkoye Znamya. 1906. March 16. (In Russ.).
10. Pravyye partii. 1905–1917. Dokumenty i materialy [Right parties. 1905–1917. Documents and materials. In 2 vols. Vol. 1. 1905–1910] / compiled, author of foreword, introduction and commentary by Yu. I. Kiryanov. Moscow, 1998. 720 p. ISBN 5-86004-122-5. (In Russ.).
11. Osveshcheniye styagov podotdelov Kiyevskogo soyuza russkogo naroda [Consecration of the hooks of subdivisions of the Kyiv Union of the Russian people]. Kiyevlyanin. 1907. January (In Russ.).
12. Ivanov A. A. Doktor Dubrovin: novyye fakty biografii i otsenki sovremennikov [Doctor Dubrovin: New Facts of Biography and Assessment of Contemporaries]. Noveyshaya istoriya Rossii. Modern History of Russia. 2024. Vol. 14, no. 4. P. 884–904. DOI: 10.21638/spbu24.2024.406. EDN: ISBGVN. (In Russ.).
13. I. K. Eshche odna iz krupnykh oshibok gr. S. Yu. Vitte [Another major mistakes of Count S. Yu. Witte]. Rus’. 1908. January 31. (In Russ.).
14. Kar’yera Dubrovina [Dubrovin’s career]. Russkoye Slovo. 1909. May 10. (In Russ.).
15. Pis’ma v redaktsiyu [Letters to the editor]. Rus’. 1908. February 7. (In Russ.).
16. K proshlomu d-ra Dubrovina [To the past Dr. Dubrovin]. Rech’. 1908. February 12. (In Russ.).
17. Dubrovin i gr. Vitte [Dubrovin and Count Witte]. Golos Moskvy. 1908. February 8. (In Russ.).
18. Prigovorennyy k rasstrelu dvazhdy (“kommunist-monarkhist” Aleksandr Ivanovich Dubrovin) [Sentenced to execution twice (“Communist-monarchist” Alexander Ivanovich Dubrovin)] / publ. by V. G. Makarov // Repressirovannaya intelligentsiya. 1917–1934 gg. [Repressed intelligentsia. 1917–1934] / ed. by D. B. Pavlov. Moscow, 2010. P. 84–143. ISBN 978-5-8243-1382-6. (In Russ.).
19. Tsentral’nyy gosudarstvennyy istoricheskiy arkhiv SanktPeterburga [Central State Historical Archive of St. Petersburg]. File: 365/2/52. (In Russ.).
20. Dnevnik G. O. Raukha [Diary of G. O. Raukh]. Krasnyy Arkhiv. 1926. Vol. 6. P. 84–109. (In Russ.).
21. Na mitinge “chernoy sotni” [At the rally “Black Hundred”]. Nasha Zhizn’. 1905. February 15. (In Russ.).
22. Russkaya Vittova Plyaska. 1906. No. 4. February. (In Russ.).
23. Gosudarstvennyy arkhiv Rossiyskoy Federatsii [State Archive of the Russian Federation]. File: 102/OO/316/1905/999/39/1. (In Russ.).
24. Podrobnyy otchet o Tret’yem Vserossiyskom s”yezde lyudey Zemli russkoy v Kiyeve [A detailed report on the third All-Russian Congress of Russian people in Kiev]. Moscow, 1906. 227 p. (In Russ.).
25. Vserossiyskiy Tretiy s”yezd russkikh lyudey. Pis’ma iz Kiyeva [All-Russian third congress of Russian people. Letters from Kiev]. Golos Russkogo. 1906. October 10. (In Russ.).
26. A. I. Dubrovin v Khar’kove [A. I. Dubrovin in Kharkov]. Khar’kovskiye Vedomosti. 1906. November 7. (In Russ.).
27. V Soyuze russkogo naroda [In the Union of the Russian people]. Moskovskiye Vedomosti. 1906. November 16. (In Russ.).
28. V soyuzakh i obshchestvakh [In unions and societies]. Novoye Vremya. 1906. November 13. (In Russ.).
29. Sputnik soyuznika. (II tom sbornika “Kuda vremenshchiki vedut Soyuz russkogo naroda”) [Satellite of a member of the Union of the Russian people. (2nd volume of the collection “Forters of the Temporary leaders lead the Union of the Russian people”]. Saint Petersburg, 1911. 362 p. (In Russ.).
30. Anan’ich B. V., Ganelin R. Sh. Sergey Yul’yevich Vitte i ego vremya [Sergey Yulievich Witte and his time]. Saint Petersburg, 2000. 430 p. ISBN 5-86007-180-9. EDN: YSWSYG. (In Russ.).
31. Dubrovin A. I. Tayna sud’by. (Fantaziya–deystvitel’nost’) [The secret of fate. (Fantasy of reality)]. Saint Petersburg, 1907. 27 p. (In Russ.).
32. Dubrovin A. I. Peredovaya stat’ya [Advanced article]. Russkoye Znamya. 1907. June 8. (In Russ.).
33. Kuda vremenshchiki vedut Soyuz russkogo naroda [Where the temporary workers are leading the Union of the Russian People]. Saint Petersburg, 1910. 616 p. (In Russ.).
34. Ivakin G. A. “Sluzhit’ prestolu…”. Dokumenty i materialy po istorii chernosotennykh soyuzov i organizatsiy [“To serve the throne...”. Documents and materials on the history of BlackHundred Unions and Organizations]. Moscow, 2020. Vol. 2. 238 p. ISBN 978-5-907021-38-9. (In Russ.).
35. Vitte S. Yu. Vospominaniya [Memories]. In 3 vols. Leningrad, 1924. Vol. 1. 471 p. (In Russ.).
36. Vitte S. Yu. Vospominaniya [Memories]. In 3 vols. Leningrad, 1924. Vol. 2. 518 p. (In Russ.).
37. Vitte S. Yu. Vospominaniya [Memories]. In 3 vols. Leningrad, 1924. Vol. 3. 395 p. (In Russ.).
38. Ispoved’ Fedorova [The confession of Fedorov]. Rech’. 1909. May 1. (In Russ.).
39. L’vov L. (Klyachko L. M.) Sem’ let nazad (Pokusheniya na zhizn’ gr. Vitte) [Seven years ago (Attempts on Count Witte's Life)]. Russkaya Mysl’. 1914. No. 2. P. 48–84. (In Russ.).
40. Delo ob ubiystve Gertsenshteyna [The case of the murder of Herzenstein]. Russkoye Znamya. 1909. April 19. (In Russ.).
41. Dubrovin A. I. (Bez nazvaniya) [Without name]. Russkoye Znamya. 1909. May 2. (In Russ.).
42. Soyuz russkogo naroda. Po materialam Chrezvychaynoy sledstvennoy komissii Vremennogo pravitel’stva 1917 g. [Union of the Russian people. Based on the materials of the Extraordinary Investigative Commission of the Provisional Government of 1917] / Comp. A. Chernovskiy; Editing and introduction by Viktorov. Moscow; Leningrad, 1929. 444 p. (In Russ.).
43. Perepiska grafa S. Yu. Vitte i P. A. Stolypina [Correspondence between Count S. Yu. Witte and P. A. Stolypin]. Russkaya Mysl’. 1915. Bk. III. P. 134–152. (In Russ.).
44. Osobyye zhurnaly Soveta ministrov Rossiyskoy imperii. 1909–1917 gg. 1911 god [Special magazines of the Council of Ministers of the Russian Empire. 1909–1917. 1911] / Resp. comp. B. D. Galperin. Moscow, 2002. 592 p. ISBN 5-8243-0008-9. (In Russ.).
45. Ivanov A. A. A. I. Dubrovin i P. A. Stolypin: prichiny antagonizma [A. I. Dubrovin and P. A. Stolypin: reasons for antagonism]. Vestnik MGPU. Seriya “Istoricheskiye nauki”. MCU Journal of Historical Studies. 2025. No. 2 (58). P. 108–130. DOI: 10.24412/2076-9105-2025-258-108-130. EDN: WUVJAA. (In Russ.).
Review
For citations:
Ivanov A.A. Doctor Dubrovin and Count Witte: A history of irreconcilable enmity. Omsk Scientific Bulletin. Series Society. History. Modernity. 2026;11(1):60-69. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.25206/2542-0488-2026-11-1-60-69. EDN: QLTGTP
JATS XML



















