The article is devoted to individualities of the greatest Transbaikal businessmen A.K. Kobylkin and Ya. D. Friezer, merchants of the first guild. The author accents at the difference of their social origin and confessional belonging but in spite of this their fates were surprisingly similar. It may be explained by the fact that they were products of their time which required people active and creative, self-made in reality. Their biographies are carefully analyzed, thus the author came to conclusion about their coming into being complexity. Beginning with the lowest stages of business, having formed their primary accumulation which made possible to establish a model capitalist economy, making use of advanced technologies and developing comfortable labour conditions. The author also describes their personal characteristics, such as inquisitive brain and business –like grasp. Though they did not get any education, they became famous for their charity and sponsorship and support for education and culture. It is stated that in this way they reached public acknowledgement. The revolutionary turning point of 1917 played an evil role in their further lives, having determined their tragic life end.

Kalmina Liliya Vladimirovna, Doctor of Sciences (History), Leading Research Scientist, Institute for Mongolian, Buddhist and Tibetan Studies SB RAS, 6, Sakhyanova st., Ulan-Ude, 670047, Russian Federation, e-mail: kalminal@gmail.com

Kalmina L.V. Self-made Men. Merchants’ Names in Transbaikal History. The Bulletin of Irkutsk State University. Series History, 2020, vol. 32, pp. 32-41. https://doi.org/10.26516/2222-9124.2020.32.32 (in Russian)

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