Nikolai Pokrovsky

Nikolai Nikolayevich Pokrovsky (Russian Николай Николаевич Покровский; * 27 Januarjul / February 8 1865greg, .. † December 12, 1930 in Kaunas) was a Russian politician and the last foreign minister of the Russian Empire.

Life

Pokrovsky was born the son of a landowner with estates in the government of Kovno. He studied law at the universities of Moscow and St. Petersburg. In 1889 he began a career as an official in the Ministry of Finance. In 1902, he was Deputy Director and in 1904 director of the tax department in the Ministry of Finance. From 1906 to July 1914, he was Deputy Minister of Finance, from January 1914 Member of the State Council.

On 10 Novemberjul. / November 23 1916greg. Tsar Nicholas II dismissed the former Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Boris striker. The released items took Alexander Trepoff and Pokrovsky, on 17 Novemberjul. / November 30 1916greg. was appointed foreign minister. In his inaugural address to the Duma on 2 Dezemberjul. / December 15 1916greg. he concluded, referring to the peace note of the German Government of 29 Novemberjul. / December 12 1916greg. , any possibility of a Russian separate peace with the Central Powers out. In his only three months in office, he threatened to several times his resignation because he did not want to work together with Interior Minister Protopopov in a government. He campaigned for the opening of the Russian economy compared to American capital and planned to this end the sending of a commission in the United States. During the February Revolution of 1917, Pokrovsky was among the ministers who advocated the resignation of the Cabinet in favor of a Duma government.

After the October Revolution he emigrated to Finland and then went to Kaunas, where he taught at the university.