Sergey Belotsvetov

Sergey Belotsvetov (16th of March 1873, Vladimir Governorate, Russian Empire – 22nd of March 1938, Riga, Republic of Latvia) – an editor and a teacher.

Sergei Belotsvetov was born in the family of the priest Alexei Belotsvetov in the town of Kirzhach, Pokrovsky District of Vladimir Governorate. He graduated from a theological seminary and later from the Faculty of Law of the Imperial Moscow University.

After graduating from the university, he was appointed acting assistant to the tax inspector of Kupiansk District in Kharkov Governorate. In 1900 he was transferred to the same position in Zhytomyr District of Volhynia Governorate. At the end of that year, due to illness, he was dismissed from service. In 1903 he was appointed notary in the town of Melenki in Vladimir Governorate. Later he again received appointments in the Ukrainian provinces.

Until 1923 he worked as a notary in the city of Alexandrovsk in Ekaterinoslav Governorate (since 1921 – Zaporizhzhia, and since 1939 the administrative center of Zaporizhzhia Oblast in Ukraine). In 1923, at the invitation of his brother, the entrepreneur Nikolai Belotsvetov, he arrived in Latvia and began working in journalism in publications financed by his brother: the newspaper Slovo and the magazine Perezvony. S. Belotsvetov was considered the nominal editor of both publications. Despite all efforts, these publications could not withstand competition from the Segodnya publishing corporation and ceased to exist by the end of the 1920s.

S. Belotsvetov then turned to teaching. In 1932 the Qualification Commission of the Ministry of Education recognized him as a fully qualified teacher of the Law of God in secondary schools with Russian as the language of instruction. He taught at the Riga 4th Russian Primary School, and later at the Riga 13th Russian Primary School. In 1934, by decision of the Synod, Belotsvetov was approved as a teacher of religious instruction at the Riga Russian Evening Gymnasium of the Educational Society.

Belotsvetov also took part, as far as he was able, in the activities of Russian public organizations: he was a member of the Union of Russian Teachers and a member of the Russian Parish Council of the Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ in Riga. He was also an honorary member of the society of philistines (alumni) of the Russian student corporation Fraternitas Arctica.

In 1900 S. Belotsvetov married Antonina Kalugina (born 19 February 1878), the daughter of a merchant, in the Church of St. Alexander Nevsky at the Kirzhach Teachers’ Seminary. She ended her life in Riga on 27 November 1953 and is buried at Ivanov Cemetery.

Two daughters were born in the marriage: Olga (1906; later Eiste by marriage) and Natalia (1910; later Kosinsky by marriage).

Sergei Belotsvetov died on 22 March 1938 and was buried in Riga at Pokrov Cemetery.

In the obituary published after his death it was noted that “his constant calmness, noble character, sensitivity of soul, and kindness of heart won him friends in all circles of society and among all those with whom he came into contact. He was especially loved by young people and children…”

Tatiana Feigmane

Sources of information:

ЛГИА, ф.1632, оп.1, д.1724.

А.П. Умер С.А. Белоцветов. – Сегодня, 1938, 24 марта.

Информация о Белоцветовых, собранная пользователями-краеведами на форуме «Киржачского информационного портала»