Samuel Polyakov

Samuil Solmonowitsch Polyakov (Russian Самуил Соломонович Поляков, called the Railway King, born December 24, 1837jul / January 5 1838greg in Dubrouna, Russian Empire, .. .. † 7 Apriljul / April 19 1888greg in St. Petersburg) was a Russian railroad entrepreneur ( he built about a quarter of the former Russian railway lines ), Philanthropist and Real Russian State Council.

Polyakov was also co-founder of the Jewish vocational training organization ORT, which he bequeathed from its assets more than 2 million rubles.

He came from humble, poor conditions, first learned the Schächtfach, was - without work - young and poor married and did initially the hardest services from various suppliers and timber merchants, until he managed to work his way up to the respected entrepreneur. His donations and foundations were initially intended for non-Jewish purposes, until his behavior after the outbreak of the persecution of the Jews in 1881 fundamentally changed (donations for a Jewish religious academy in St. Petersburg, for the construction of a large synagogue, etc.)