The International Postal Exchange in the Nineteenth Century: the Postal Treaties between the Russian Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia

On Monday, the 2nd of November, the member of the project: ‘Applied GIS in Humanities: Linguistics, History, Project Work’, Michailov Sergey, presented his own research. The presentation was called “The International Postal Exchange in the Nineteenth Century: the Postal Treaties between the Russian Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia”.

My research project deals with the history of postal communications in the 19th century Europe in general and with postal treaties signed between Russian Empire and border countries in particular (especially treaties between the Russian Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia). The aim of the research is to understand the role of a postal communications in the process of the integration of the Europe in the 19th century. It is important to mention that as speeding up the delivery of mail and goods became the issue of great importance for politicians and entrepreneurs in Europe the Prussian authorities did everything possible in developing transport infrastructure and managing the system of delivery because transportation and 

delivery of internal and international postage were an important source of income for states budgets. I chose postal relations between the Russian Empire and the Kingdom Prussia in the 19th century because the main part of all mail and packages from Russia to other countries went through Royal Post Office in Berlin. Moreover, it was the Russian- Prussian postal treaty of 1821, which played a crucial role in further development of postal communication between the Russian Empire and the world through the half of the 19th century. Russia agreed to send all correspondence to the majority of European countries and to the North and South America, as well as to the European colonies through the Prussian territory. Thus Prussia got a control over the Russian mail flows. 

 The International Postal Exchange in the Nineteenth Century: the Postal Treaties between the Russian Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia

Report is prepared by Kitaeva Yana.