Pyotr Aksyonov

Pyotr Aksyonov (24th of January 1868, Riga, Russian Empire – 18th of April 1942, Riga, Reichskommissariat Ostland / Latvia) – the Headmaster of Riga 5th Russian Elementary school from 1920 to 1934. Member of the Board of the Riga Grebenshchikov Old Believer Community.

Pyotr Aksyonov was born into an Old Believer family. His father, Leonid Aksyonov (1842?–1870), was a member of the Riga petty bourgeoisie and the head of the Riga Artisan Community. In 1876, Pyotr enrolled in the Riga Grebenshchikov School, and in 1879 transferred to the Mitau (Jelgava) Alexandrov County School. Later, he studied at the Riga Catherine II Higher City School, where he completed his studies in 1887.

In 1888, P. Aksyonov passed the examination for the title of people’s teacher under the Dorpat (Tartu) Educational District and received the corresponding certificate, No. 7626. That same year, he was appointed first teacher at the Riga Grebenshchikov School. In 1906, Aksyonov was confirmed as acting principal of the Grebenshchikov School (112 Moskovskaya Street, now 116 Latgales Street). He held this position until 1920 (during World War I, he served in the military).

After Latvia gained independence and the school system was reorganized, the Riga Grebenshchikov School was transformed into the Riga Russian Primary School No. 5. Aksyonov was once again appointed its principal. As before, he educated Old Believer children in the spirit of religious devotion and humane respect for all nationalities.

On September 1, 1934, Pyotr Aksyonov retired. He was succeeded by Grigory Zubov, who headed the school until the end of 1944.

Aksyonov was a member of the council of the Riga Grebenshchikov Old Believer Community, a member of the Union of Russian Teachers of Latvia, and also served on the School Council at the Russian Section (until its dissolution in 1934) of the Department for National Minorities of the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Latvia.

In 1891, Pyotr married Ksenia Yablokova, a widow.

Pyotr Aksyonov passed away in Riga on April 18, 1942.

Tatiana Feigmane

Additional material by Alexandra Yakovleva

Sources of information:

ЛГИА, ф. 1632, оп. 1, д. 359.

ЛГИА, ф. 2996, оп. 1, д. 5739.

ЛГИА, ф. 7040, оп.1, д. 7, д. 160.

ЛГИА, ф. 7040, оп.1, д. 26, л. 267.