Anti-Alcohol Campaign in Minsk Military District in 1914-1916 (by Materials of Periodical Press)

Abstract

The article covers the process of implementation of the anti-alcohol campaign in the Minsk military district from the beginning of the First World War to the middle of 1916. The urgency of the issue is substantiated and the necessity of its solution is reasoned. The position of the population and local authorities on government documents prohibiting the sale of alcoholic beverages is presented. The attention is focused on the absoluteness and universality of the campaign: it was held in all provinces and counties of the Minsk military district; the participants of the event were ordinary people - alcohol consumers, owners of drinking establishments, local officials, public and medical organizations, supervisory authorities. Forms of resistance of the population to government measures are listed. Classification of types of punishments for their violation, up to expulsion out of province is made. It is claimed that since the middle of 1916 at all levels of the power attention to “drunk” question gradually began to weaken that is connected with change of an internal political situation in the country and approach of events of February, 1917. The facts of weakening control in this direction are given, which is confirmed by the conclusion of compromises between the regional authorities and the owners of drinking establishments. The article is written on the basis of the materials of the periodical press.

Keywords

• minsk military district
• world war i
• sale of alcohol
• illegal sale of alcohol-containing beverages
• closing of drinking establishments
• fatal cases of alcohol poisoning