"A Prominent Member of the Social Democratic Party V.E. Mandelberg": Unknown Facts About Participation in the Election Campaigns of 1907

В статье на основе уникальных архивных источников, впервые вводимых в научный оборот, а также мемуарного наследия современ- ников и самого героя статьи, рассматриваются отдельные аспекты общественно-политической деятельности депутата Государственной думы Российской империи II созыва от г. Иркутска – Виктора Евсеевича Мандельберга. Анализируются малоизвестные аспекты революци- онно-политической деятельности социал-демократического депутата, его взаимоотношения с властями и обществом в период подготовки выборов в Государственную думу Российской империи II и III созывов. Сформулированы выводы, характеризующие практику развития из- бирательного процесса в Иркутской губернии 1907 г. под воздействием изменений, произошедших в законодательстве о выборах в парла- мент. На примере биографии В.Е. Мандельберга и связанных с ним лиц дана оценка действиям региональных властей по защите интересов монархии от подрывной деятельности леворадикальных партий. The article is based on the unique archival sources introduced into scientific circulation for the first time. It characterizes certain aspects of the socio-political activities of Viktor Yevseevich Mandelberg, the deputy of the State Duma of the Russian Empire of the 2nd convocation from Irkutsk, during his preparation for the elections to the State Duma of the 2nd and 3rd convocations. The methodological basis of research is the historical and biographical method, which made it possible to illustrate the features of application of the new electoral law of 1907 in practice using the example of unknown pages of V.E. Mandelberg’s biography. This method was also used to characterize the actions of representatives of regional authorities to ensure the legality of the electoral process in the region. Based on a comparative analysis of sources and historiography of the issue, the author characterizes the little known aspects of the revolutionary political activities of the Social Democratic deputy and his relationship with the authorities and society. The author dwells in detail on the political activity of V.E. Mandelberg in Irkutsk during the First Russian Revolution, analyzing the degree of his involvement in the process of moderating anti-government protests in the region. The article draws special attention to the analysis of the efforts of the local authorities to prevent Mandelberg from participating in the elections to the State Duma, due to his non-compliance with the apartment qualification. In confirmation of this, numerous records management materials are provided, as well as decisions of the Governor-General, which negatively affected not only the political fate of V.E. Mandelberg himself, but also the persons involved in renting an apartment for him, Tsukasov and Pisarevsky, who were punished for assisting Mandelberg by being expelled from Irkutsk. As a result of the study, conclusions were formulated that characterize the practice of development of the electoral process in the Irkutsk province in 1907 under the influence of changes in the legislation on parliamentary elections. Using the example of the biography of V.E. Mandelberg and related persons, the article provides an assessment of regional authorities’ actions to protect the interests of the monarchy from the subversive activities of left-wing radical parties.