Alexander Trepov
Alexander Trepov
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Alexander Trepov

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Alexander Trepov

Alexander Fyodorovich Trepov (Russian: Александр Фёдорович Трепов; Ukrainian: Олександр Федорович Трепов; 30 September 1862 – 10 November 1928) was the Prime Minister of the Russian Empire from 23 November 1916 until 9 January 1917. He was conservative, a monarchist, a member of the Russian Assembly, and an advocate of moderate reforms opposed to the influence of Grigori Rasputin.

Alexander was the youngest of the four sons of general Fyodor Trepov, who was involved in the suppression of the January Uprising in 1864 and between 1873 and 1878 served as Governor of St Petersburg. All of his three brothers held senior positions during the reign of Nicholas II. According to MP-nationalist AI Savenko, Alexander was "the most intelligent of the brothers, capable, very determined, with lots of character".

Alexander was educated in His Majesty's Page Corps. He worked in the Ministry of the Interior (1889–1892), was elected Marshal of Nobility of Pereiaslavl Uezd (1892–1895), and assistant State Secretary (1899).

Alexander was appointed as a member of the special commission to draft a plan for a State Duma, according to the rescript of February 18, 1905, and the Manifesto of October 17.

He was the brother of General Dmitri Feodorovich Trepov, who during the Revolution of 1905/1906 served as deputy minister of the interior, played a major role in the repression of unrest and was described as the real ruler of the country.

Trepov became senator in the Governing Senate in 1906. In an unknown year he was sent abroad to study the parliamentary systems of Western Europe. In 1914 he was appointed in the State Council. Trepov was appointed Minister of Transport, Railways and Communication on November 12 (30 October O.S.), 1915, and Grigori Rasputin was grieved. He developed the Kirov Railway, constructed with a number of war prisoners, to improve the transport connections between the ice-free port of Murmansk with the Eastern Front during World War I. The food problem in the big cities was a difficult issue. Aleksandr Naumov suggested to create a special meeting of five Ministers on Military, Internal Affairs, Communications, Agriculture, and Finance. It was headed by Trepov. On 1 January 1916 Trepov became minister of Transport under Ivan Goremykin, who was succeeded shortly after by Boris Stürmer. Trepov had secretly designed a plan of railway construction and introduced it in government. Trepov quickly established himself in office and showed that his ambition went further. Having proven himself to be a competent organizer, Trepov was now willing to become the next prime minister. According to Naumov, Trepov was one of the most temperamental and talkative members of the Council of Ministers, dealing with an almost dictatorial Stürmer as Prime Minister, Interior Minister and Foreign Minister.

On 8 November Boris Stürmer (pro-peace) was dismissed as prime minister/minister of foreign affairs, to the rejoicing of the Duma. On 9 November Empress Alexandra proposed to appoint Ivan Shcheglovitov to Foreign Affairs, but he seemed to be unacceptable. On 10 November 1916 the bellicose Trepov was appointed new prime minister, promising to promote a parliamentary system, but keeping his position of transport minister. Trepov's declaration contained promises to urgently reform the municipal government, to enter the rural municipality district council and to remove national and religious restrictions to education. Because of the shortage in food in the big cities Aleksei Aleksandrovich Bobrinsky, the minister of agriculture had to give up his post; he was succeeded by Aleksandr Aleksandrovich Rittikh. On 17 November Nikolai Pokrovsky was appointed to the ministry of foreign affairs. According to Orlando Figes it was the Russian liberals final opportunity to 'make their peace' with the government.

Trepov was a new, 'modern day Stolypin', and was determined to win over the more moderate Duma politicians by making concessions; Pavel Milyukov and Alexander Guchkov were ready to accept his gesture (and possibly a position in his cabinet), but the more radical and socialist Duma members remained determined to bring down the government.

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