Who could become an executioner and how much did the representatives of this profession earn in tsarist Russia?

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

During the tsarist reign, the profession of executioner was always in demand - no, not because of the large amount of "work", but because of the lack of people willing to become a master of shoulder affairs. Despite a good salary and additional pay, he always evoked condemnation from all strata of society, which traditionally attributed the executioners to the lowest social class. And yet the country was not left without those who did this dirty "work" - often those who did not have a single chance for the future went to it.

Who was chosen as the executioner in tsarist Russia

Until the 19th century, executioners were chosen voluntarily, on the basis of the first of its kind normative act - "Boyarsky verdict of 1681" - which regulated the activities of this specific profession. Any of the townspeople or free people of the city could become a hunter (volunteer). In the case when there were no volunteers, the townspeople were obliged to look for the executioners themselves "even from the most walking people, but that he must be in the city." In total, according to the Decree of the Senate of June 10, 1742, the county town was supposed to have one executioner, the provincial town - two, and the capital - three masters of shoulder affairs.

However, there were always not enough hunters in provincial cities, and the executioner had to be “discharged” from the capital to carry out the sentence. Due to such a shortage, for a long time in Russia there was a practice of choosing kata assistants from among the spectators who came to watch the execution. Any of them could voluntarily act as a kind of support, agreeing to hold on their shoulders a convict whom they intended to beat with a whip. There were practically no people willing to help in such cases, and the authorities were forced to force this by force, not taking into account either the ranks or the class. Only after Decree No. 13108 of April 28, 1768, due to the emerging "disorder and grievances to citizens", this practice was banned, replacing it with a forced choice among persons who are criminals.

In what ways did the kings increase the "prestige of the profession"

Initially, the executioners did not have special state benefits, in particular, due to the fact that the lesson was organized more on a voluntary-compulsory, and not on a regular basis. However, professionals in their field never needed money, taking bribes from relatives or convicted of indulgence during corporal punishment.

Only during the reign of Nicholas I, who wanted to strengthen the "prestige of the profession," there was a significant increase in the salaries of the executioners. So, in St. Petersburg and Moscow, katam were set to pay 300-400 rubles, and in provincial cities, 200-300 rubles. in year. This is despite the fact that the price, for example, for a dairy cow varied within 3-5 rubles. In addition to a fixed salary, the executioners received money for food ("fodder"), money for the purchase of state clothing (58 rubles) and "business trip" for going to another city for execution.

However, even such a measure did not lead to a flow of volunteers - in fact, there was not a single willing person who agreed to torture people even for the sake of large (at that time) sums. In order to somehow get out of the situation, in the winter of 1833, the State Council decided to appoint criminals sentenced to death "to this position", ignoring their disagreements and protests. Such persons were exempted from punishment, but were obliged to work as executioners for three years without a salary, receiving only double food and prison clothes.

How candidates for executioners learned the craft

Before starting their duties, future kats underwent training - they adopted theory and practice from already accomplished executioners. Since there were several instruments of punishment, it was required to learn how to use each of them. However, usually specialization took place in 3-4 types, which were most often used in a particular prison - mainly rods, sticks, whip or branding.

So, training in whipping with rods or whipping was carried out for a year on a dummy - a candidate for executioners honed his skills for several hours every day in a special room in the prison. Only having mastered some skills, he was allowed as an assistant to real executions, in order not only to personally observe the work of the "teacher", but also to get used to the situation with blood and cries of tortured people.

Gradually, the student proceeded to perform simple actions - flogging, for example, with lashes or rods. At the same time, beginners were not allowed to the whip until he got his hand full and completely accustomed to the heavy accompanying atmosphere. Daily classes were held with the use of training implements - unsalted whips and rods, while for real execution, torture instruments always had a salty "tongue" to give great painful sensations.

What "tool" did the executioners use and where was it kept?

Whipping was considered in Russia the most savage form of punishment and often led to the death of the convicted person. Both men and women were subjected to it, regardless of their class and belonging to the noble family. Along with the whip, rods, sticks, whips, batogs, cats, brands and molts were used. Initially, all the tools of the executioner were kept in the same room where the prison kat lived. However, in the summer of 1832, an unacceptable incident occurred - the "inventory" in the amount of two was sold by a Moscow executioner for 500 rubles. an intermediary who resold the whips to the French prince of Eckmühl, the son of one of Napoleon's marshals. The purchase, secretly taken abroad, was demonstrated in Paris, and the Russian "curiosity" made a real sensation there.

The incident aroused the anger of Emperor Nicholas I, who immediately ordered the prisons to be equipped with special sealed cabinets so that the executioners' instruments were kept in them and issued only after being noted in a special journal. The instruments of punishment that had fallen into disrepair were forbidden not only to sell, but also to give, store, and even show to strangers. The written off instrument, like state property, was removed from the inventory, after which it was burned or buried in the territory of the prison graveyard.

And the famous Soviet figure Jan Gamarnik was so perspicacious that he outstripped his executioners. [/Url]