275th Anniversary of the First Cadet Corps in the Menshikov Palace
4 September 2007 - 13 January 2008

The exhibition devoted to the 275th anniversary of the First Cadet Corps has been opened in one of the first stone buildings of Saint Petersburg - the Menshikov Palace. With its history of almost three hundred years, the building evokes associations with the destinies of outstanding individuals who lived in the 18th - 20th centuries, many of which played a significant role in Russian history.

The First Cadet Corps was based in the Menshikov Palace from 1731-32 until 1918.
Empress Anna Ioannovna's decree of 29 July 1731 read: "In order that szlachta should be taught theory from their childhood and qualified for practice thereafter establish a cadet corps... "

General Field Marshal, President of the Military Collegium, Count Burchard Ch. von Munnich became the organizer and the first director of the Corps, which was named 'Knight's Academy' after his manner. The name persisted in the 18th century as the military school was one of the cultural centres and sightseeing attractions of the capital.
The first 56 cadets started their classes at the corps on 17 February 1732. The date was later regarded as its foundation day.

The reign of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna was the bloom of literary activities carried out by Alexander Sumarokov and Mikhail Kheraskov in the Corps, as well as the birth and huge success of the Cadet Theatre.
Under Empress Catherine II, the educational system of the Corps was reorganized to be in line with the Enlightenment. Ivan Betskoy drew up the Corps Regulations and these were approved. The corps was renamed as the Imperial Army Szlachta Cadet Corps. A large contribution to the upbringing and education of cadets was made by Fedor (Fridrich) Anhalt.
Emperor Paul I appointed Mikhail Golenishchev-Kutuzov as the chief director who focused on military sciences: tactics which were taught by Mikhail Kutuzov himself, fortification, artillery, and topography.

Emperor Nicholas I was not well disposed to the Cadet Corps because of the involvement of some of the cadets in the Decembrist Uprising of 1825 but he later changed his attitude. On 25 June 1831, Nicholas I became the patron of the First Cadet Corps. A solemn three-day celebration of the corps' centenary was held in 1832.

Following the military education reform, the Cadet Corps was transformed into educational institutions of the Military Department in 1862 in order to train candidates for entering military schools. As a result, the First Cadet Corps was reorganized as the First Military Gymnasium of Saint Petersburg and was relocated, leaving its historical accommodation, the Menshikov Palace, for a period of 1864 to 1887, and the patronage of the Russian emperors was thus discontinued.

Under the initiative of Emperor Alexander III, the First Cadet Corps returned to its historical building with the first restoration work carried out in the Menshikov Palace in 1888-1896. The restored historical rooms were allocated for the Cadet Corps Museum.

The 175th anniversary celebrated in 1907 has a special place in the series of anniversary festivities of the Corps. That was the last anniversary festivity held in the Menshikov Palace, and for which Emperor Nicholas II assumed the patronage of the Corps. The exposition shows materials devoted to the 1907 festivities including the portrait of Nicholas II in front of the First Cadet Corps painted by Osip Braz.

A special part of the exhibition is devoted to the Cadet Corps Museum which continued its existence in the Menshikov Palace until 1928 despite the discontinuation of the Corps. It shows materials from the archives of the last museum director, Alexander Krutetsky, which were donated to the State Hermitage Museum by his grandchildren.

The exhibition includes about two hundred exhibits from the collections of the State Hermitage Museum, the State Museum for the History of Saint-Petersburg, the Military Historical Museum of Artillery, Engineering, and Signal Corps, the Museum of Applied Arts of the Stieglitz Arts and Crafts Academy, as well as the Tsarskoye Selo State Park-Museum, which describe the milestones in the history of the First Cadet Corps. These are pieces of fine, decorative and applied arts, clothing, armament, and medals, as well as manuscripts, prints, and photos. Many of the items are exhibited and published for the first time.

An illustrated catalogue (issued by the State Hermitage Publishing House) has been prepared and published for the exhibition. Olga Andreeva, a researcher at the Menshikov Palace Department of the State Hermitage Museum is the exhibition curator.

A grenadier cadet cap of the Army Szlachta Cadet Corps
1731-1740
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An "Achiever" medal for cadets of the Army Szlachta Cadet Corps
1776
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The lithograph "His Serene Highness Prince Menshikov's house and garden plan as they looked under his possession"
1830s
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The avenue down the Neva River between St. Isaac's Church and the Cadet Corps
Jacob Vasilyev
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The memorial plaque on the foundation of the Szlachta Cadet Corps
19th century
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A graduate badge of the First Cadet Corps, Saint Petersburg
Early 20th century
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Photo "Cadets aged 6 to 12 years of the Imperial Army Szlachta Cadet Corps"
1907
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