Foreigners in St. Petersburg (entry)

Categories / Population/Ethnic Groups
FOREIGNERS, from the 18th to the early 20th century, foreigners were an important element of the St. Petersburg population. Foreigners appeared in the city from the moment of its foundation. Their initial number consisted of specialists invited by Tsar Peter the Great (soldiers, sailors, scientists, artisans). Immigrants from European countries held different posts in the spheres of government, army and the navy and played a notable role in the science and art. They were owners of factories and plants, traders and artisans. Among foreigners Germans predominated, followed by the French and then British. There were also Swedes, Dutch and Italians. In 1750 there were approximately 5,600 foreigners (7.5% of the population), in 1818 - approximately 35,000 (9%). From the mid-19th century the proportion of foreigners in the city decreased, in 1869 to 21,100 people (3.16%), in 1910 it decreased to 22,900 people (1.2%). The arrival of a large number of foreigners in St. Petersburg is reflected in the appearance of the streets (a considerable number of signs written in foreign languages, the presence of cultural buildings, etc.). A sharp decrease in the number of foreigners permanently living in the city occurred after October 1917. Practically all the societies consisting of foreign citizens closed down. The growth of foreigners was again noted in the 1990s. Towards 2001 in St. Petersburg there were over 2,000 foreigners living in (excluding illegal immigrants and refugees), 20,000 foreign students were studying in the city.

References: Юхнева Н. В. Этнический состав и этносоциальная структура населения Петербурга, вторая половина XIX - нач. XX в.: Стат. анализ. Л., 1984; Семенова Л. Н. Быт и население Санкт-Петербурга (XVIII в.). М.; СПб., 1998. С. 29-93; Многонациональный Петербург: История. Религия. Народы. СПб., 2002.

A. Y. Chistyakov. Peter I, Emperor
Юхнева Н. В. Этнический состав и этносоциальная структура населения Петербурга, вторая половина XIX - нач. XX в.: Стат. анализ. Л., 1984
Семенова Л. Н. Быт и население Санкт-Петербурга (XVIII в.). М.; СПб., 1998
Многонациональный Петербург: История. Религия. Народы. СПб., 2002 Military Personnel
Handicraft (overview)
Germans
French
British
Swedes
Dutch
Italians
Students