The Destruction of the German Embassy in Saint Petersburg in the Summer of 1914 and the Limits of Patriotic Mobilization at the Beginning of the First World War
https://doi.org/10.25205/2713-1165-2026-1-80-98
Abstract
The article examines the destruction of the German Embassy building, a notably conspicuous yet understudied episode of urban violence at the outset of the First World War. It reconstructs the sequence of events and analyzes the rhetoric employed by various contemporary actors to interpret and assess the incident. The findings demonstrate that significant risks constrained attempts to manipulate patriotic discourse, as authorities recognized that patriotic outrage could not be entirely controlled. Within the complex context of the nascent global conflict, protest could evolve into expressions of loyalty, while displays of loyalty had the potential to transform into destructive acts of aggression.
About the Authors
B. I. Kolonitskii
European University at Saint Petersburg
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Boris I. Kolonitskii, Doctor of Sciences (History), Professor, Professor, Leading Research Fellow at the St. Petersburg Institute of History of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Scopus Author ID: 25625139000, WoS ResearcherID: E7279-2015
Saint Petersburg
K. V. Godunov
European University at Saint Petersburg
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Konstantin V. Godunov, Candidate of Sciences (History), Researcher
Saint Petersburg
K. A. Tarasov
European University at Saint Petersburg
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Konstantin A. Tarasov, Candidate of Sciences (History), Independent Researcher
Saint Petersburg
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Review
For citations:
Kolonitskii B.I., Godunov K.V., Tarasov K.A. The Destruction of the German Embassy in Saint Petersburg in the Summer of 1914 and the Limits of Patriotic Mobilization at the Beginning of the First World War. Universum Humanitarium. 2026;(1):80-98. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.25205/2713-1165-2026-1-80-98
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