This is an important question that is still relevant today: is it possible to be a bad person and a good benefactor? The life of the multimillionaire Solodovnikov proves that it is possible. So was there light in his soul?
There were not many multimillionaires in Moscow at the end of the 19th century. Solodovnikov is one of them. His reputation was monstrous. And he said: "But I'll die, you will find out who Gavrila Gavrilovich was."
Prosperous entrepreneur
Gavrila Solodovnikov is a hereditary merchant. His father, Gavriil Petrovich Solodovnikov, was also a merchant. True, the last, third guild. He traded for the most part at fairs - he traded stationery there. Respectable tycoons signed colossal contracts, and he sold them paper and pens for these contracts for a pittance. And his son Gavrila - the future multimillionaire and the hero of the present story - chalked the floor in his father's shop, carried goods to customers and, of course, dreamed of the future.
When his father died, Gavrila Gavrilovich with a miserable inheritance moved to Moscow. But, apparently, dreams were accompanied by plans and ideas. He conducted business so brilliantly that by the age of 20 he entered the first guild. And he was recognized as a multimillionaire under forty. At that time, his capital was more than 10 million rubles. When asked why he needed all this money, Solodovnikov usually answered: "But when I die, Moscow will find out who Gavrila Gavrilovich was."
Solodovnikov Passage on Kuznetsky Most in Moscow, 1903
Soldatenkov's most famous affair was the passage at the corner of Petrovka and Kuznetsky Most. Petrovsky passage. Poet V. Khodasevich recalled: “Most often we went to the Solodovnikovsky passage, in which I knew all the shops by heart: Uskov (matter), Rudometkina (butt, now at the entrance, on the left), Semenov (also butt, but terribly expensive!) …
Promotional video:
The pianist Labodi, the author of popular waltzes, and the tiny officer Tisheninov (later a general) were, it seems, the first heartthrobs."
And on Christmas Day, the newspapers reported: “The children's toys department has been reopened in the Vienna store. Solodovnikov Passage, No. 62. Offers the respected public a wide selection of goods from Russian and foreign manufacturers. "Christmas market". Cardboards, Christmas tree decorations, bonbonnieres, toys, games, activities, dolls, etc."
By the way, when one of his contemporaries asked Solodovnikov how he managed to get rich with such fantastic speed, he took an ordinary notebook from the table and said: “This is all my bookkeeping. If you want to get rich, don't have accountants and clerks. Your whole business should be in your head. You should not start a business larger than your head can hold."
Hrapaidol
But the waiters, bath attendants, barbers, cabbies and other similar infrastructure did not like Solodovnikov. Yes, not that word - hated. Gilyarovsky wrote: “The owner of the passage, the millionaire Solodovnikov, came to the Sandunovskie baths to wash, who never asked how much, but silently shoved a two-kopeck piece, from which the attendant got only a dime.
Sandunov baths, early. 20th century
Bathers not only did not receive a salary, but half of their "tea" money had to be given to the owner or his deputy - the "piece".
In addition, the duties of the bather were also the heating and cleaning of the hot and soap baths.
Soap shop in Sanduny, early. 20th century
The "Biter" watches when the bather receives "tea", he knows his audience and knows who gives what. Receiving an ordinary Solodovnikovsky two-kopeck piece, he does not ask who it was received from, but says:
- From snoring … - and swears."
But this nickname did not interest our hero. He sincerely did not understand - why pay more?
During the day, she walks in a shabby robe that has been repaired a hundred times - why not, when no one sees. And his crew was unique. The rear wheels are rubber-mounted, and the front wheels are ordinary, the coachman "and so the train." Picking an apple from a peddler is a sacred thing.
Yes, gentlemanliness was by no means his greatest strength. The process that started against Solodovnikov by his partner, a certain Kukolevskaya, went down in history. Vlas Doroshevich wrote: “He lived with Mrs. Kukolevskaya for many years, had a lot of children from her, - then he left her.
Vlas Mikhailovich Doroshevich, journalist - feuilletonist
Ms Kukolevskaya filed a lawsuit demanding the maintenance of the children.
Solodovnikov defended the legal right to leave the woman with whom he lived, unusually petty and disgusting.
He presented to the court all the bills on which he paid for her, a list of gifts that he gave her, and argued that she was worth so much to him.
The famous Lokhvitsky was his lawyer. A man of great intelligence, talent and cynicism.
In his speech, he asked:
- Since Ms. Kukolevskaya lived in illegal cohabitation, what proof does she have that the children are from Solodovnikov?
This speech, this process left an indelible stain on the famous lawyer.
And for GG Solodovnikov, with the light hand of VI Rodon, the nickname "daddy" was established for life.
In the Hermitage Theater they sang verses “on the head of the day”:
But Solodovnikov, as usual, paid no attention. Let them sing, they don't require money.
The interior of one of the shops in the Solodovnikov Passage, early. 20th century
Advertising token and avenue of shops in the Solodovnikov Passage.
And in the passage mentioned above, he used a fairly effective technology. Today this happens all the time and is not even considered reprehensible, but in the Solodovnikov era it was considered meanness. The same Doroshevich was angry: “I have built a passage - he is renting out premises for a penny. “I don’t need big money. There would be a small income. " Merchants and snapped. Shops arranged - splendor. The audience is knocking down a wall. And Gavril Gavrilych walks around the passage and notices how many people are there to whom. And when the deadline for the contracts came, he said: “Well, the audience has been taught to the place, - I am very grateful to you. Now, on this occasion, instead of 2 thousand, you will pay six. And you instead of three and all ten. " Caught, darlings, in a trap. He peels them off. Moan!"
And Solodovnikov knew his scores.
Under the influence of high art
He saved on himself and on the staff - but he did not save on charity. When the new building of the Conservatory began to be rebuilt on Bolshaya Nikitskaya Street, it was he who made the first charitable contribution. And far from symbolic - 200 thousand rubles.
Conservatory on Bolshaya Nikitskaya, 1901-1903
In addition, Solodovnikov had his own theater on Bolshaya Dmitrovka Street. It was built in 1894. The newspapers reported: “The theater was organized according to the latest instructions of science in acoustical and fire-fighting terms,” they were advertising the newspaper. - The theater, built of stone and iron, on cement, consists of an auditorium for 3100 people, a stage of 1000 sq. sazhens, rooms for an orchestra of 100 people, three huge foyers, a buffet in the form of a station hall and wide side corridors that could replace the foyer.
Solodovnikov Theater on Bolshaya Dmitrovka, 1913
True, the selection committee found some flaws in the theater, such as "poor ventilation", "many inconvenient places with poor visibility" and "asphalt floors", but most of them were eventually eliminated, and in 1895 the theater was opened. Now it houses the Moscow Operetta Theater.
With Solodovnikov's money, a clinic for skin and venereal diseases was rebuilt in Moscow from scratch (now the Department of Skin and Venereal Diseases of the Sechenov First Moscow State Medical Institute). He also equipped this charitable institution in accordance with the latest word of medical technology at that time. The opening took place on March 2, 1895. The clinic was immediately recognized as the best such institution in Europe. Such an unusual, seemingly, choice was dictated by the request of the Moscow authorities - it was about this institution that Solodovnikov was asked in the city council. Indeed, not every philanthropist will dare to glorify himself in this way. But here Solodovniki's natural disregard for public opinion worked.
Varvara orphanage, 1905 - 1906
Solodovnikov was also a trustee, as well as a major donor of the Varvara Orphanage, and many other charitable projects - all of which are countless.
For these donations, Gavrila Solodovnikov received the title of actual state councilor, which corresponded to the rank of major general.
Light from the heart
Gavrila Gavrilovich Solodovnikov died in 1901, having lived three quarters of a century with pleasure and benefit. The will was made public. The city was numb with surprise.
Out of 20,977,700 rubles, which at that time constituted the Solodovnikov capital, more than 20 million were bequeathed to charity.
All these Solodovnikov things, all this buckwheat yesterday, tricks with the tenants of the passage, and so on, for which Gavrila Solodovnikov was hated and despised during his lifetime, turned into a complex of houses for the lonely and the poor in the area of Meshchansky streets, which were provided with furniture, and in which were powered by electric lighting - not every well-paid specialist could afford this. They turned into "the organization of zemstvo women's schools in the Tver, Arkhangelsk, Vologda, Vyatka provinces." Mentioned in the will and "the organization of vocational schools in the Serpukhov district for the education of children of all classes and … for the establishment and maintenance of a shelter for homeless children there."
Maternity shelter to them. Solodovnikov, early. 20th century
Many managed to do good to Gavrila Gavrilovich - either during his lifetime or after death.
