An exhibition about the judicial system has opened in the Yekaterinburg History Museum. The “Court Chronicles” exhibition was prepared and timed to coincide with two round dates of this September: the 150th anniversary of the Yekaterinburg District Court and the 90th anniversary of the Sverdlovsk Regional Court.
Even those who have never had any dealings with courts, after visiting this most curious exhibition, will gain a full understanding not only of what a court process is, but also of the history of the domestic judicial system itself in its specific existence – first the Yekaterinburg District Court, and then the Sverdlovsk Regional Court.
The exhibition features for the first time a portrait of the first chairman of the Yekaterinburg District Court, Andrei Butakov, who held this position from 1874 to 1894. It is hard to say why, but his portraits have not been preserved in the Ural museum collections. Colleagues from Omsk came to the rescue, providing a photo of the hero taken in the pavilion of the famous Ural photographer Veniamin Metenkov. The portrait of Butakov, as well as three subsequent chairmen of the district court, was “brought to life” thanks to a neural network: the historical figures literally wink at visitors to the exhibition hall.
Or here is another such discovery for the youth, for the guests of Yekaterinburg, related to one of the most famous city buildings, the architectural symbol of the capital of the Middle Urals – the Sevastyanov House. For many decades, the most beautiful mansion on the bank of the Iset was the house of Yekaterinburg justice.
The judicial reform carried out by Alexander II proclaimed the court to be all-class, independent and replaceable. When the Yekaterinburg District Court was created in 1874, a building was chosen for it in the very center of the city. It was bought from the court councilor Nikolai Sevastyanov for forty thousand silver rubles. The court was located in this beautiful building until the revolution, but then the building changed owners, and trade union leaders moved in.
Not only the numerous models of court buildings help to transport you to another era, but also the judges’ uniform, which has also lived through several bright periods and managed to change. One stand shows a ceremonial green cloth uniform, which is complemented by a sword, a cocked hat, and snow-white gloves. This is exactly the uniform that was worn in 1880. And next to it is a leather coat, which was most often worn by Soviet party leaders. And here is a solid black robe, which judges still wear to conduct proceedings. By the way, many associate the T-shaped cut of the robe with scales, where the sleeves resemble balanced bowls.
The exhibition even includes caricatures and sketches from the courtroom and, of course, original documents from high-profile trials.
For example, you can read the handwritten text of the verdict of the Sverdlovsk Regional Court of October 28, 1937. The case was heard against a native of the village of Shakhovo in the Karagai District. Previously convicted Ivan Snegirev was sentenced to four years of imprisonment: he counterfeited treasury notes in denominations of one and three chervonets. As follows from the case materials, Snegirev spent the first bill on candy and gingerbread at a local kiosk. But the gifted counterfeiter was quickly identified. For clarity, real and counterfeit bills are displayed on the display case.
The exhibits include materials from high-profile cases. Photo: Tatyana Andreeva/RG
Among the exhibits are materials from high-profile cases that were heard quite recently. The names of the defendants are still fresh in the memory: Oleg Kinev, Aleksandr Khabarov. And, for example, the case of the Uralmash organized crime group.
According to the director of the Yekaterinburg History Museum, Igor Pushkarev, when preparing the exhibition, the organizers realized that the court is a mirror of the eras, which reflects the time itself, the life of the country and the region.
“Thanks to the fact that the exhibition opened in the city center, a wider audience will be able to get acquainted with the history of the judicial power in the Middle Urals. Here, in the city museum, we have planned a new format of meetings with active judges and judges in honorary retirement. All this will allow city residents to learn how justice is administered, what path it has taken during this time,” said Vladimir Dmitriev, Chairman of the Sverdlovsk Regional Court.
Source: rodina-history.ru
