Preface
Metallurgical crafts in the Urals, rich in ore, date back to an extreme antiquity. Several small ironworks, where an iron was melted in forges and then hand rolled, appeared as early as the XVII century. But the true origin of the modern Ural metallurgical industry may be corresponded with the construction of a big number of blast furnace and hammer factories driven by water engines in the first quarter of the XVIII century under Peter the Great.
Metallurgy was the main branch of the Ural region’s economy within the next three centuries and brought it the worldwide glory. The Urals became a Russia’s «bastion of power», her «resource fund», her «smith», and the Victory’s arsenal in the Great Patriotic War of 1941–1945. More than 300 metallurgical factories were built here during these 300 years and many of them are still in operation.
Now metallurgy is a principal base of Ural economy. It accounts for about 27% of gross industrial production of the Ural economical region. Its enterprises produce 42% of Russian steel, 43% of its pig-iron and 57% of its steel pipes. The region also holds a leading position in non-ferrous metal production. Sverdlovsk region alone concentrates more than 30% of Russian copper production, 10% of raw aluminium production and 15% of rolled aluminium. 53% of Russian alumina and 80% of bauxites are also extracted here.
In spite of the difficulties of the transition period, more than a hundred enterprises of metallurgical complex successfully augment their production. New markets at home and abroad are actively gained by such giants of ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy as Magnitogorsky and Nizhnetagilsky metallurgical combines, Bogoslovsky and Uralsky aluminum factories, «Uralelectromed», Sinarsky pipe factory, Pervouralsky new-pipe factory, etc. Firm traditions, qualified staff and technical renewal of production are a pledge for Ural metallurgy’s future. This optimism is rooted in the history of Ural metallurgy. From the very beginning it occupied the leading position in the country.
Nevyansky, Ekaterinburgsky and Nizhnetagilsky factories furnish the most representative material concerning the productivity in the XVIII — early XX centuries. The first blast furnace was constructed in 1701 at Nevyansky factory. Soon a «tsar blast furnace» — one of the greatest blast furnaces in the world at that time — was built. In the mid XIX century the blast furnace was reconstructed and is still retained. Ekaterinburgsky works built in 1723 consisted of about 30 separate production buildings — workshops, warehouses, a dam with water driven system activating up to 50 water wheels. Some of its fragments still exist. In 1725 the first pig-iron was produced at Nizhnetagilsky factory. By the end of the XVIII century it had 26 various types of production. The first Russian locomotive was constructed there and many other original technical improvements were introduced at this factory. Up to our days we can see the original dam and a spillway, a stone breast-wall, works office, forge workshop, iron rolling factory and other objects and constructions of the XVIII–XIX centuries.
They give us an idea of the evolution of Ural metallurgical factory, which had passed a long way from a manufacture to a modern industrial enterprise. Nizhnetagilsky factory is interesting not only as one of the oldest metallurgical enterprises in the world, but also as a typical pattern of an enterprise’s evolution. This creates favourable opportunities for research and demonstration of main stages of technical progress in metallurgy. Numerous exhibits allow tracing a complete metallurgical cycle: blast furnace, open-hearth and rolling productions. The quarry of Visokogorsky mine reconstructs the unique exposition of mining works at different (pre-manufactory, manufactory and industrial) stages of ore production.
The XIX century of the Ural metallurgy was marked by its perfection on a new technical basis. The main difference occurred in the sources of power supply of metallurgical production, which changed from water driven constructions (dams, water wheels, etc.) to steam engines, which modified organization of production, architecture of factory’s buildings, technology and character of factory’s constructions. The system of machines consisting of a universal steam engine, transfer mechanisms and drives, became a prevailing mode of production and to a certain extent defined the outward appearance of an enterprise. The lower levels of energy’s communications (aqueducts) were substituted by steam-mains and various transmissions. Railroad transport, funicular railways, vertical lifts for blast furnaces supply with raw materials and other needs appeared at the factories’ sites, which evidently changed an industrial landscape. The late XIX — early XX centuries were marked by an active introduction of electr ical power in metallurgical production, that has speeded up a reconstruction of industrial enterprises and approached them to a modern type. Ural factories exported metal to many European countries and even to America. The Ural roofing iron protected from bad weather the buildings of English Parliament and Notre-Dame cathedral in France. According to some information, the Ural copper was used for the Liberty Statue construction in New York.
Wars of the XX century, especially the Great Patriotic War of 1941–1945 gave a new push to the development of Ural metallurgical industry. The Urals became the largest centre of metallurgical production and mechanical engineering. Its factories provided 40% of military production in the USSR. During the «cold war» years clouds of secrecy were condensed upon the Urals that was transformed into the largest arsenal of the newest arms. Soviet nuclear and missile power was born here. In wartime and after the WWII, new types of metallurgical production (Aluminium, Magnesium, Titanium, Nickel and other metals) were developed.
A distinctive feature of industrial development in the Urals is its close connection with town planning. The Ural «towns-factories» were developed on the basis of metal works. Specific character of such settlements was determined by territorial unity with metallurgical production, people’s occupation in metallurgical industry and administrative subordination to factory owners. These circumstances formed not only a type of building, but also a social way of life. Due to conservative character of Ural development in prerevolutionary time and stagnation of material life in the years of Soviet power, many towns still bear distinct features of the past epochs and represent a formidable field for study.
Ural cities and working settlements are an organic part of the local landscape. Unique beauty of the mountains and hills covered with forest, fast rivers and quiet ponds, combines with specific architecture of factory buildings and urban constructions. This magnificent landscape has some dark stains as well: cut down woods; huge dumps of dead rock; rivers poisoned with the waste of industrial enterprises. It was the Urals, which one of the first regions in Russia being exposed to a very strong anthropogenic effect on nature, has turned into an area of ecological disaster. The evidence for this is not only the written sources and illustrative material, but also the present day situation. A bright example of it is a Visokogorsky mining quarry. The Visokaya mountain (a High mountain) during the long years of iron ore production became a lunar crater (more than 200 i deep). A similar picture can be observed in Karabash, Kushva and other places.
The history of the Ural metallurgical factories is a bright evidence of a big scale technical progress during modernization of the region; of industrial power of the Urals, its huge technical and scientific potential. It is also an evidence of rich industrial heritage of the Urals. Monuments of material culture of the past represented in buildings and equipment of the old factories saved in the region, allow a better understanding of its big historical importance and value for Russia and the world.
With the beginning of a post-industrial era, the movement for preservation of industrial heritage of the past was widely developed, especially in industrially developed countries. It is considered as a major element of culture of industrial civilization and plays an appreciable role in formation of the world outlook of a modern person. That is why in European and Northern American countries monuments of the past are thoroughly listed, studied, guarded and popularised. In Russia too, much attention was given to preservation of cultural heritage and its propaganda. Historical-cultural reserves were created; thousands of scientific and popular books were published along with hundreds of beautifully illustrated albums. The situation with the preservation and popularisation of industrial enterprises as monuments of culture is much more difficult. On the one hand, the country’s delay at the stage of traditional industrialization did not stimulate post-industrial care for the industrial heritage preservation and use. On the other hand, there is an opinion, that people do not perceive technical monuments with adequate emotions. Probably these are the reasons explaining why the study and preservation of industrial monuments did not receive the proper attention until recent times.
The situation today has changed drastically. A radical structural reorganization of economy, abolition of the out-of-date productions or their privatisation raise a very acute question of destiny of unique buildings and equipment. It is difficult to save them in conditions of deep economic crisis but as concerns to separate sites of special value it should be done at any cost because otherwise the country will be deprived of its national property.
There are many big industrial regions in Russia representing considerable interest from the point of industrial archaeology. Yet, the Urals deserves a special attention. It is one of the oldest and versatile centres of industrial production, both of Russian and worldwide significance. The richness and variety of Ural industrial monuments, their uniqueness and international significance, rather good level of preservation and merging of different epochs within concrete monuments, make them especially valuable not only for our Fatherland but also for the whole world community. The Urals has passed the way similar to many old industrial regions, such as Ruhrgebiet, Lorraine, Alsace and some others. Its monuments should be thoroughly studied, preserved, guarded and exposed to public.
The Encyclopedia «Metallurgical factories of the Urals in the XVII–XX centuries» will help a wide circle of readers in our country and abroad to make an acquaintance with the rich and original industrial heritage of the Urals, to comprehend its big cultural and historical value. In the course of work the authors resorted to the investigations of their predecessors. Particularly, to the book «Metallurgical factories at the territory of the USSR from the XVII century to 1917» edited by academician — metallurgist M.A. Pavlov; works by D.A. Kashintsev, B.B. Kafenghaus, C.G. Strumilin, N.I. Pavlenko, A.V. Tchernoukhov, V.Y. Firsov, V.N. Martinova, S.S. Naboichenko, etc.1 ; archival documents, published collections of documents and materials2 , economical-geographical and statistical descriptions by W.I. Gennin, I.F. Herrmann, H. Mozel, N.K Tchupin, I.Y. Krivoshchekov, etc.3 , statistical collections on mining industry and metallurgy of Russia and the Urals.
The territorial frames of research cover four pre-revolutionary provinces (gubernii) — Vyatskaya, Orenburgskaya, Permskaya and Ufimskaya (XVII — the early XX centuries), five modern Ural regions (oblast) — Kurganskaya, Orenburgskaya, Permskaya, Sverdlovskaya, Chelyabinskaya and two republics — Bashkortostan and Udmurtiya (1917–2000). The wide territorial boundary of research allowed, using separate examples, to reveal the most typical trends and specific features in the introduction and development of the metallurgical industry in the Urals.
The Encyclopedia is a fundamental collection of modern scientific information about all the past and now working metallurgical factories of the Urals from the XVII century up to our days. It has no analogues in home historiography. Containing the data on technical equipment of the Ural metallurgy for the period of all 300 years of its existence, it depicts development of technological processes, an evolution of its power, fuel and raw materials base, a change of technological parameters depending on perfection of technosphere, reflects the scale of technical and social progress during modernization of the region. For the first time unique statistical data about the production and actual productivity of Soviet enterprises are published in the Encyclopedia. It adequately reflects the Urals’ role in national and global history.
Unfortunately, not all the periods and aspects of factories’ operation are sufficiently covered with necessary sources and documents. At many enterprises the data for 1920–1950 are lost. Some facts in the available literature are inconsistent. A serious obstacle is an absence of statistics of the Soviet period (1930–1980). The Encyclopedia marks prominent metallurgists, directors of enterprises and other specialists who made significant contribution to metallurgy’s development. The editorial board considered concrete contribution of these people in the development of Ural metallurgy and personal suggestions voiced by the factories’ leadership.
The Encyclopedia was compiled by a working group of scientists from the Institute of the Ural Branch of Dr. of History, Professor D.V. Gavrilov. D.V. Gavrilov also headed collection and processing of the thematic material of the XVII-XIX centuries. Candidate of History A.E. Bedel headed collection and processing of the thematic material of the XX century. Candidate of History E.Yu. Rukosuyev, Candidate of History A.E. Bedel and S.V. Vorobiyov selected illustrations. E.Yu. Rukosuyev prepared schemes of geographical sites of factories. Candidate of History A.E. Bedel, S.V. Vorobiyov and Candidate of History E.S. Tulisov carried out the management and work coordination.
Administration and public of the Ural metallurgical enterprises took an active part in the creation of the Encyclopedia, supplying it with valuable information and being the authors of articles. The State Archives of the Sverdlovsk region, Local studies department of the V.G.Belinsky’s Sverdlovsk regional universal library, the Library of the Sverdlovsk regional museum rendered big help in documents selection.
The editorial board and the authors express deep gratitude to the Union of Enterprises of Metallurgical Complex of Sverdlovsk region, and also to personnel of metallurgical enterprises whose support played a decisive role in the publication of the present book. We are also grateful to the Ekaterinburg public charity fund “History and Archaeology” that helped to prepare the Encyclopedia, to all organizations and establishments, which assisted us in our work.
The Encyclopedia is intended to a general reader in Russia and abroad. It will be useful to a staff of a metallurgical complex, historians, regional investigators, economists, teachers, students, workers of government bodies and management — to everyone, who is interested in the history of the Ural metallurgy and its modern state.
V.V. Alekseyev,
Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences
1 Metallurgicheskiye zavody na territorii SSSR s XVII do 1917 g.: Chugun, zhelezo, stal’, med’ / Pod red. akad. M.A. Pavlova. M.: L., 1937. T. 1; Kashintsev D.A. Istoriya metallurgii Urala. M.:L., 1939. Vol. 1; Kafengauz B.B. Istoriya hozyaistva Demidovykh v XVIII–XIX vv.: Opyt issledovaniya po istorii ural’skoi metallurgii. M.: L., 1949. Vol. 1: Strumilin S.G. Istoriya chernoy metallurgii v SSSR. M., 1954. Vol. 1. Feodal’ny period (1500–1860 gg.); Pavlenko N.I. Istoriya metallurgii v Rossii XVIII v.: Zavody i zavodovladel’tsi. M., 1962; Chernoukhov A.V. Istoriya medeplavil’noi promyshlennosti Rossii XVII-XIX vv. Sverdlovsk, 1988; Firsov V.Ya., Martynova V.N. Med’ Urala. Ekaterinburg, 1995; Naboichenko S.S. Zavody tsvetnoi metallurgii Urala. Ekaterinburg, 1998; Vklad Urala v gornoye proizvodstvo Rossii za 300 let // Pod red. prof. V.S. Khokhryakova. Ekaterinburg, 2000, etc.
2 Ural: tekhniko-ekonomichesky sbornik / Pod obshchei red. prof. V.E. Grum-Grzhimailo. Ekaterinburg, 1923. Issue 6; Kharakteristika deistvuyushchikh zavodov chernoi metallurgii Urala. M., 1933. Vol. 1–2; Gornozavodskaya promyshlennost’ Urala na rubezhe XVIII–XIX vv.: Sbornik dok. materialov. Sverdlovsk, 1956; Natsionalizatsiya promyshlennosti na Urale (oktyabr’ 1917—iyul’ 1918 gg. ): Sbornik dok. Sverdlovsk, 1958.
3 Gennin V.I. Opisaniye ural’skikh i sibirskikh zavodov, 1735. M., 1937; German I.F. Opisaniye zavodov, pod vedomstvom Ekaterinburgskogo gornogo natchal’stva sostojashchikh // Tehnol. zhurn. Akad. nauk. SPb,1805. Vol. 2, Ch. 1–4; Cheremshansky V.M. Opisaniye Orenburgskoi gubernii v hozyaistvenno-statistitcheskom, etnografitcheskom i promyshlennom otnosheniyakh. Ufa, 1859; Mozel’ H. Materialy dlya geografii i statistiki Rossii, sobrannye ofitserami General’nogo shtaba: Permskaya guberniya. SPb,1864. Ch.1-2; Chupin N.K. Geografichesky i statistichesky slovar’ Permskoi gubernii. Perm’, 1873; Krivoshchekov I.Ya. Slovar’ Verkhoturskogo uyezda Permskoi gubernii. Perm’, 1910; Rossiya: Polnoye geograficheskoye opisaniye nashego otechestva / Pod red. P.P. Semenova-Tyan-Shan’skogo. SPb, 1914. Vol. 5. Ural i Priural’ye.
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