"On the 6th day of July in this year of 169 [1661], I will erect a new fort opposite the river Irkut on the Vercholenskij side, using the labor of the people...This place is the best and most inviting for the cultivation of crops, for the herding of cattle, for making hay and the closest for fishing."
(From the report of Yakov Pokhabov to the Yenisseij Army)
"Irkutsk...if we could see into the future, its location would determine it to be the biggest and most powerful fort of the region."
Alexander Radishev
"Irkutsk...is the only Siberian city which really has the character of a city. Like England brought forth London, and France, Paris, so did Siberia bring forth Irkutsk. It is proud of the city: not having visited Irkutsk means not having visited Siberia."
Nikolai Shelgunov
Ivan Galkin built the winter cabin "Lenskij Volok", out of which developed the Ilimskij fort.
The Nikol'skij churchyard was founded. In 1655 it was incorporated into the Kirenskij fort; and in 1675 it received the status of "city."
The ataman (hetman) Ivan Galkin built a winter cabin at the place where the river Kuta flows into the river Lena, which later became the Ust'- Kutskij fort.
Maksim Perfil'ev erected the fort Bratskij opposite the Padunskij fort on the river Angara. In 1654 it was moved to the mouth of the river Oka.
The entrepreneur Erofeij Khabarov opened a salt production workshop.
With the arrival of the 50-year-old Kurbat Ivanov, Russians appeared on the western coast of Lake Baikal.
Vassilij Kolesnikov reached the northernmost point of Lake Baikal.
The little city of Pokrovskij was built on the river Ude. In 1649, its name was changed to "Small Fort Udinskij", and in 1664 to "Fort Udinskij".
The building of the Irkutsk fort was entrusted to the Bojar son Yakov (Yakun'ke) Ivanov Pokhabov with the help of Cossacks.
A fort with four towers was built and named "Kreml". A protective ditch, around which a settlement started to grow, surrounded the Kreml.
The messenger Albin travelled through Irkutsk to China with his papers. With this event, Irkutsk began to play an important role in the international life of Russia and in Russia's connections to the countries of the East.
On September 6th, the first Russian ambassador, the translator of the Siberian prikas (order), Nikolaij Spafarij travelled through Irkutsk to China. He left an interesting report of his travels, in which he wrote about Irkutsk: "The fort Irkutsk...is a well-built settlement. There are forty or more farms of Cossack inhabitants and settlers, and the place is most fertile."
A self-sufficient army regiment was placed in Irkutsk.
The first Karbas (ship) to travel on Lake Baikal was built. The first Nerchinskij warrior Ivan Vlasov crossed the Baikal on it.
The fort Irkutsk was promoted to the rank of city. With the Siberian prikas (order) of April 20th of the same year, the forts Vercholenskij, Balaganskij and Idinskij, as well as the settlement Biriulskaya, were included in the Irkutsk administration.
On June 17th, the ambassador Fedor Alekseevich Golovin came to Irkutsk to conduct talks with China to determine the frontiers between Russia and China.
On February 18th, a Siberian prikas gave Irkutsk its coat of arms and seal.
Five hundred peasant families were sent as settlers to Irkutsk.
In April, the merchant Spiridon Lingusov arrived in Irkutsk with goods from China. This marked the beginning of the Caravan trade between Russia and China.
A decree concerning gold, silver, copper and other mines for the whole of Russia, and in particular for Siberia was issued. In the same year, the first mines and miners appeared around Irkutsk. They were under the supervision of its administration.
The first administrative office (Isba) to be constructed of stone was built in the Irkutsk fort .
Construction of the second administrative building, the war office, began on the coast of the river Angara.
On August 3rd a major fire in Irkutsk destroyed the fort and many houses.
The city fort of Irkutsk was rebuilt, and the city of Yakutsk came into Irkutsk's sphere of influence.
Construction of the Bogoiavlenia cathedral began. The village church, which had been standing on the site since 1693 had burned down in the 1716 fire. The cathedral is one of the oldest architectural monuments of Irkutsk.
Irkutsk was made the capital of one of the provinces in the newly-established Siberian Gouvernement.
The city hall opened, and a lower court of justice was founded.
Together with the city hall, a magistrate's office was established in Irkutsk.
The members of the Kamchatskaya expedition passed Irkutsk. The expedition was sent out by Tsar Peter I, under the leadership of Bitus Bering and first lieutenent Martin Spanberg.
On April 5th, the Russian Extraordinary Ambassador to China, Prince Illirijskij Savva Lukich Vladislavovich Graf Raguzinskij, stayed in Irkutsk.
In December, the guards of the Bombardier-Lieutenenant Abram Petrov (Ibrahim Hannibal), who were sent to Selenginsk to build an army fort, came to Irkutsk.
Irkutsk received the title of Provincial City. The former administrative officials were replaced by vice-gouverneurs.
Two famous scientists, Gerhard Friedrich Mueller, the author of a Siberian history, and Johann Georg Gmelin, the botanist, worked in Irkutsk and its provinces.
The Siberian Gouvernement was split up into two parts-- Tobol'sk and Irkutsk.
State-conducted navigation began on Lake Baikal. The first state boat for sailing the lake was built in Irkutsk.
Johann Eberhard Fischer worked in the Irkutsk archives, where he collected materials for his "History of Siberia."
The first private house of stone was built in Irkutsk.
The construction of the first two-storey trading house, with 248 individual shops inside, was begun. Everybody who wanted to own a shop in the building had to pay a share of the costs.
The school of navigation and geodesie was opened. Its first teachers were the lieutenents Yusupov and Britov.
This year was altogether remarkable for unusual natural phenomena. January 24th marked the latest freezing of the Angara in the 18th century. Before this date, its surface started to cover with ice seven times, but each time the ice was carred away again by the current. On July the 10th there was a strong earthquake. There were powerful thunderstorms in summer, and on October 15th another earthquake.
The first "Old Believers," immigrants from Poland who were later called "Semejskie," came to Irkutsk. A decree was issued ordering an increase in the number of Nerchinskij Workshops. They had developed with the establishing of the Irkutsk Gouvernement and needed to be kept in the best condition.
A police force was set up in Irkutsk.
One hundredth anniversary of Irkutsk, counted from the founding of the fort.
On October 19th, an order was issued about renaming Siberia as the "Siberian Empire" and about the founding of the Irkutsk Gouvernement, the name of which was taken from the provinces of the same name.
On March 15th the Gouvernement of Irkutsk was formed.
Fairs were established in Irkutsk, Yakutsk and Udinsk.
A smallpox house (committee) for cases of smallpox epidemic in the settlements of the Buryat population was opened. In four years, 6450 Buryat children were inoculated against smallpox. Their inoculation turned out to be a general life-saving activity.
In Irkutsk's Gouvernement administration office, 10 places for translators of Chinese and Mongolian were established, as well as for the translation from Buryat and Tungus ( Zvenkijs ) into Russian.
Grigorij Shelekhov sent his first ship to America.
On May 23rd, a priest's seminary was opened.
In February (on either the 1st or 16th), the first school established by the city was opened. "Well-chosen books, amongst which is also the encyclopedia of Dalamber-Diderot, price 2000 Rubles" should be read there. On the opening day, 130 pupils attended this school.
A school for children of all social classes was festively opened, for which Irkutsk citizens donated a stone house and 500 Rubles to cover the first most necessary expenditures.
The Irkutsk Gouvernement was founded. Siberia was split up into three such Gouvernements - the Gouvernment of Tobol'sk, Irkutsk and Kolivansk. The latter was governed by the the same Irkutsk General Gouverneur. Under the Irkutsk Gouvernement came the regions of Irkutsk, Nerchinskij, Yakutsk and Okhotskij. In the Kolivanskij Gouvernement all Kolivano-Voskresenskie workshops were included. The Irkutsk Gouvernement had 375150 inhabitants. Its district cities were Irkutsk, Verhnij-Udinsk, Nizhnij-Udinsk, Kirensk, Nerchinsk, Doroninsk, Barguzin, Sretensk, Yakutsk, Olekminsk, Olensk, Zhagansk, Zashiversk, Okhatsk, Izhiginsk, Aklansk, Nizhnij Kamchatsk; the cities outside the district and the village centres were Ilimsk, Selenginsk, Kyakhta, Petropavlovskaja Krepost', Avacha, Bol'sheretsk.
Professor Eric Laksman, a distinguished scientist who later became an Academy of Science member, opened a glass workshop 48 verst (52 km) from Irkutsk on the river Tal'ntse, where for the first time in history glass was melted without the use of wood ashes, but with the application of chemical materials. Over time, the workshop supplied all the Gouvernement, from the Yennisei to Aljanska, with glass for the table and for windows.
The Gouvernement's printing press was opened in Irkutsk.
Hundredth anniversary of Irkutsk's promotion to city status.
On January 1st, the city parliament (Duma) was festively opened in Irkutsk.
The merchants and explorers Shelekhov and Golikov were awarded gold medals and silver swords for the discovery of Islands in the Pacific.
The Main People's School, which was later named Gymnasium, was opened.
Hundredthd anniversary of Irkutsk's receiving its coat of arms. Irkutsk received a paper "About the punishment of the Sovetnik Radishev (so it says in the paper) for the publishing of a book full of damaging ideas, and offensive, raging expressions against the dignity and power of the Tsar." The paper was about A.N Radishev's book "Travel from Petersburg to Moscow." On October 5th, classes in Mongolian, Chinese and the Manchurian language were established in the Main People's School.
The Main People's School established a class in Japanese.
On June 20th, Grigorij Ivanovich Shelekhov, the founder of the Russian-American Company, died in Irkutsk.
Siberia was split up into two Gouvernements - Tobol'sk and Irkutsk.
On December 17th, Irkutsk received a letter about the founding of the Russian-American Company.
A doctor's board was opened in Irkutsk.
An artisan's (work)house was founded by exiles on the river Ushakovkoya. It later developed into a worker's settlement; today, it is a worker's suburb. The first pharmacy was opened in Irkutsk.
The first round-the-world voyage by Russian seafarers was begun. The leaders of this expedition were N. F. Krusenstern and J. F. Lisyanskij. On one of the ships, the first Russian ambassador N. P. Rezanov (the son-in-law of Shelekhov) was sent to Japan. On the way back he landed in Irkutsk. After having put the distance between Okhotska and Irkutsk behind him with difficulty, he became ill and stayed a long time in Irkutsk for treatment. At last he decided to go back to Petersburg, but died on the way on March 1st, 1807. He left his diary, which records: 'I swam in the sea like a duck, suffered from hunger, cold, and at the same time from insults" (his relations to Krusenstern were not the best). "But on approaching Irkutsk, I saw the warm welcome my compatriots gave me; the whole city met me at the river...Here in Irkutsk, I saw even more kindness when they greeted me."
The decree "About building the best and most comfortable dry roads around the Baikal" was issued.
In August, another printing press was opened. This was the begin of printing papers on both presses.
The extraordinary consul to China, J. A. Golovkin, stayed in Irkutsk with his diplomatic entourage. Their task was to conduct talks about the following issues: the determination of frontiers and trade and shipping on the Amur. Rejecting what he considered the humiliating ceremony of the Chinese Bogdukhan, Golovkin travelled back to the capital with his entourage without having completed the talks succesfully.
On November 12th,the first gymnasium (high school) of Siberia, which had been created out of the former Main People's School, opened in Irkutsk. In the same year, the Irkutsk district parish school was opened
N. S. Chupalov built a hospital with 100 beds in Irkutsk. It was opened on December 12th, 1807.
The first book was published in Irkutsk.
The same N. S. Chupalov financed the establishing of an orphan's home.
The Russian-American Company founded a settlement on the island of Sakhalin.
On July 9th, the foundations of a triumphal arch of stone were ceremoniously laid on the street leading to Moscow. On this street, you entered the city. The construction was completed on September 15th, 1813.
The inhabitants of the Irkutsk Gouvernement sent off 566 recruits and collected a sum of 170 000 roubles to "ward off the enemies of the fatherland " - the army of Napoleon.
The mineralogist Yakov Mor first conducted research on Lapis-Lazuli mines (Lazurit) on the southern coast of Lake Baikal, along the river Slyudyanki and its neighbouring rivers near Khamar-Daban.
A project for building a channel around the Padunskij cascade in the river Bratsk to enable the passing of ships, while at the same time transforming the Angara so that shipping would possible on this part of it, was presented to the Main Road Administration Office. The project was regarded as premature.
The building of a stock exchange hall was finished. Two songs were dedicated to the occasion of the inauguration: "Sumatokha" and "Kuznets." A ball was held until three o'clock in the morning.
On March 22nd, the General Gouverneur of Siberia, N. B. Pestelia, was forced to appear in court for misuse of his power of office. As a result, M. M. Speranskij was appointed to his position of General Gouverneur.
The first Siberian historian P. A. Slovzov, headmaster of the Irkutsk gymnasium, remarked about this incident: "when a man falls from a high position, his name becomes unforgettable." Speranskij was one of the famous men of the Alexandrine epoch. He had a remarkable impact on Siberia by putting its administration in order. He discovered many crimes and corrupt affairs. More than 400 corrupt officials, including civil servants in the highest positions, were discovered and taken to court. His administration of Siberia was noted for its good work on issues of foreigners and exiles, for the establishing of a charity organisation for the poor, and for many other things. One of Speranskij's helpers in drawing up all the documents about these issues was a young clerk, the future Decembrist V. I Shtejngejl'.
After many years of service in the Russian-American Company, Aleksander Andreevich Baranov, one of the closest co-workers of Shelekhov, became head of its colonies.
After having rebelled against their cruel drills, the soldiers of the Guards of the Semenskij regiment were punished by beating and then sent into exile in Siberia; some were sent to Irkutsk and other inhabited parts of the gouvernement.
The post of a "visator" (an inspector) of schools was established in the Siberian Gouvernements. The headmaster of the Irkutsk gymnasium, Petr Andreevich Slovtsov - author of the "Historical Review of Siberia" - was appointed to the job.
Siberia was split up into a western and an eastern part. The capital of Western Siberia was Tobol'sk and that of Eastern Siberia was Irkutsk. Its administration was the task of general gouverneurs.
The population of Irkutsk had risen to 14,411 people. The City had 56 stone houses and 1673 wooden houses, 3 schools, 42 workshops (distributed over the whole gouvernement), 9 hospitals and orphanages / shelters, and 15 churches. All Siberian cities except for Tobol'sk had a bigger population than Irkutsk. All the same, at this time Irkutsk had the largest number of merchants (136), stone houses, schools, and parks (16).
The first Decembrists came to Irkutsk in August. They were banished to Siberia and sentenced to hard labour. Their names were S. P. Trubetskoj, S. G. Volkonskij, A. Z. Murav'ev, E. P. Obolenskij, P. I. and A. I. Borisovy, V. L. Davydov, and A. I. Jakubovich.
On April 21st, the Elizaveta Medvenikova orphanage was opened. It was the first production workshop in Irkutsk which taught women.
M. A. Boldakov opened the first private library to the puiblic in Irkutsk.
Gold was found and extracted on the coast of the river Lena.
On June 26th, the first steam ship appeard in Irkutsk. It was built 18 verst (19 km) from Irkutsk, up the river Angara, in the Grudinino settlement. The ship stopped opposite the public pharmacy, and the curious customers came out to have a look. Polka music was played on the ship and salutes were fired. The guests stayed on the ship nearly for a whole week, going up and down the Angara. From 1844 on, steam ships were regular sights on the Siberian rivers.
On July 1st, the Institute of East Siberia for girls of the aristocracy opened its doors. It was the first school of this kind in the east of Russia.
On March 14th, the appointed General Gouverneur of East Siberia appeared in Irkutsk. It was the 38-year-old general-mayor N. N. Murav'ev, who was later earned a rand of graf (earl) and acquired a prefix to the family name - he was called Amurskij. The colonization of the Amur with Russian people was connected with him, as well as the setting of the frontier with China, which remains the same today.
The Petrashevcy insurgents were exiled to Siberia; some were sent to Irkutsk.
A theatre was founded in Irkutsk.
On October 22nd, another theatre was opened on the Bol'shoj street. On the first evening, the theatre company of the builders of the Markevich theatre gave a performance during which they performed three plays. All tickets were sold out and all places occpied.
The Siberian (later the East-Siberian) part of the Russian Geographical Society was opened in Irkutsk. The society played an essential role in the development of scientific research in Irkutsk.
The number of houses in Irkutsk had grown to 2389; the number of inhabitants to 16,795. There were then 324 shops. In that year, Irkutsk was the city with the most inhabitants, houses and shops in Siberia. From that time on, Irkutsk was called "the capital of Siberia" by those who wrote about it.
On August 28th, a stone house for the Institute of girls from aristocratic families was built on the coast of the Angara. It later became the building of the State University of Irkutsk.
An amnesty for the Decembrists was pronounced. It was not a total amnesty insofar as they would still be secretly watched after they had been released. They protested at the city administration.
On March 16th, the first issue of the newspaper " The Gouvernements Bulletin of Irkutsk" appears. Most people who worked for the paper were banished Petrashevcy, including N. A. Speshnev (editor), F. N. L'vov, and M. V. Butashevich- Petrashevskij. The Siberian writers M. V. Zagoskin, S. S. Shashkov and N. S. Shukin also wrote for it.
On May 8th, the main office of the Amurskij Company was opened.
The Irkutsk School for Women was opened on October 27th with the financial support of the city. (The school was later renamed "Gymnasium for Women"). It was the first school of this kind in East Siberia.
On March 13th, a public library was opened in Irkutsk.
The opening of the first customs office in Irkutsk was confirmed on April 3rd.
In November, the writer and ethnologist N. Shukin published his book "Siberian Tales." It was the first literary collection of stories in Siberia and includes works from four different authors.
The first Polish insurgents of the uprising of 1863 appeared in June in the
settlements of Siberia. Most of them were youths, from 17 to 25 years of age.
They were sent to different places in Siberia.
Over time, the Russian
Geographic Society in Irkutsk produced such outstanding Siberian scientists as
I. Cherskij, V. Dybovskij and A. Chekonovskij.
The Doctor's Society of Siberia was founded.
A census revealed that Irkutsk had then 28,009 inhabitants (15,159 men and 12,850 women). Of these, 21,464 were native Siberians, 2,777 were Russian settlers, and 3,768 were exiles.
On January 1st, the first telegraph started its work in Irkutsk. The first telegram was sent from Petersburg, and the answer from Irkutsk was received 17 hours later.
N. G. Chernyshevskij was sentenced to forced labour and sent to Irkutsk and to the Usol'skij salt production workshop.
On September 3rd, the first issue of the newspaper "Siberian Messenger" appeared.
The first pedagogical congress of Eastern Siberia met in July.
Russia sold Alaska and all territories of the Russian-American Company in California and on the islands in the Pacific to the USA for 7 million, 200 thousand Roubles.
On August 8th, the East Siberian portion of the Russian Technical Society was opened.
The first public exhibition of East Siberian products took place: agricultural products, manufactured goods, forest products, collections, machines, building materials, weapons, glue, candles, soap, canvas, cloth, glass products, iron, and much more were exhibited.
On March 4th, a teaching institution for children from 4 to 8 years of age called "Kindergarten" (detskij sad) was opened.
The Irkutsk laboratory for gold floating was opened. Today, it is the Scientific Institute of Rare and Coloured Metals.
A teachers' seminary was founded and opened for business on December 30th.
The first issue of the newspaper "Sibir'" ("Siberia") appeared.
In the Aleksandrovskj settlement on the property of the distillery, a forced labour prison for 1500 people was opened. It became known as the notorious Aleksandrovskij Central.
After a 3-year journey through central Asia, the expedition of N. M. Przheval'skij reached Irkutsk on October 8th. In the hall where the aristocracy held its meetings, the expedition's collections were exhibited. Przheval'skij showed his findings and discoveries along the 11,000-verst (about 12,000 km-) long route he had travelled with his expedition team.
There was another census. Irkutsk had then 32,321 inhabitants.
On June 22nd and June 24th, fires of unprecedented size broke out and burned down two thirds of the city.
A.P. Chekhov stopped in Irkutsk on his way to Sakhalin. In his "Letters from Siberia", he called Irkutsk an "intelligent city".
The exploitation of a stone mine in Cheremkhov began.
N. E. Fedoseev, one of the first Marxists in Russia, was exiled to Verkholensk.
On August 16, the first railway train reached Irkutsk.
Electric lighting appeared in Irkutsk.
A committee of the RSDRP was founded in Irkutsk..
A prisoner's revolt broke out in Aleksandrovskij Central. The revolt was organized by F. E. Dzerzhinskij.
A water pipe was installed in the city centre.
The political prisoners and the exiled Bol'sheviks were allowed to leave their exile.
In autumn, the workers of Irkutsk and the soldiers of the Irkutsk garrison took an active part in the strike movement.
On November 30th (December 13th) an armed demonstration with many marchers took place.
18,187 buildings existed in Irkutsk, of which 1190 were of stone.
April 4th (17th) saw the Lenskij shooting.
The Bol'shevik Union of the Siberian Workers was founded. On April 18th, their newspaper "Tovarish Proletarij" ("Comrade of the Proletarians") appeared for the first time.
As a result of the burgeois-democratic revolution, power fell into the hands of the Irkutsk Executive Committee of Public Organisations.
On March 19th , the first open meeting of the Irkutsk organisation RSDRP (united) took place. The main issue of the meeting was "The relationship to the present government."
From October 16th to October 23rd, the first all-Siberian congress of the Soviets took place. The Central Executive Committee of the Siberian Soviets was founded - short Centrosibir'. The congress entirely took the part of the Bol'sheviks.
On November 18th, a common meeting of the workers' committees and soldiers' delegates in the White House took place. The Men'sheviks and Social Revolutionaries left the meeting. The meeting of the Red Guard began. They decided to seize power in the city of Irkutsk.
On December 8th, an uprising of Yunkers took place. They surrounded the White House , which was still occupied by part of the Red Guard and several soviet worker-bol'sheviks, who defended the White House.
From December 8th to December 17th there was street fighting in Irkutsk.
On December 21th, the first issue of the newspaper "Izvestija Centrosibiri" ("News of the Centrosibir'") appeared.
On December 22nd, the association of the foreign consuls stood up against the Bol'sheviks.
On December 30th, the first issue of the bol'shevik newspaper "Vlast' Truda" ( "The Power of Work" ) appeared. It was later renamed into "Vostochno-Sibirskaya Pravda" ("East Siberian Pravda")
The conference about the prisoners or war taken in the First World War was opened on April 15th.
On May 26th, the first clash with the white Czechs at the Irkutsk train station occurred. This marked the beginning of fights with the white Czechs in the Irkutsk Gouvernement.
The first issue of the newspaper of the CIK Sovetov Sibiri "Centrosibir'" appeared. Together with the newspaper "Vlast' Truda" , it became the voice of the Irkutsk "Gubispolkoma" executive committee.
With the decree of the Sovet Narodnykh Komisarov (Soviet of the Comissars of the People), the gold mines of the Lenskij were nationalized.
A state of war was declared in Irkutsk.
On February 7th, Admiral Kolchak was executed by the decision of the revolutionary war committee.
On February 10th, the state of war was lifted from Irkutsk.
On March 7th, a part of the Red Army marched into the city.
On August 8th, an evening school for workers was opened in the University of Irkutsk.
In April there existed 30 collective farms, amongst them 20 communes, in the Irkutsk Gouvernement. These farms consisted of 400 peasant farmsteads.
On May 1st, the young actor N. Okhlopkov of the Dramaticheskij Teatr staged a mass event on the Tikhvinskij Ploshad, the " Fight of Work and Capital". Actors as well as several thousand inhabitants of the city and soldiers took part in it.
On March 6th, the famous member of the partisan movement, N. A. Kalandarishvili, died in Yakutsk.
Th first sports stadium of Eastern Siberia was opened. It had room for 2000 people.
On January 23rd there appeared a "mourning" issue of the newspaper "Vlast' Truda", in which the death of Lenin was reported.
A regular bus service was organized in Irkutsk on January 15th. On the first day, 208 passengers were transported.
On June 28th, the Gouvernement Irkutsk was abolished by the decree of the CIK USSR. On the territory of the former gouvernement, three districts were formed: Irkutsk, Kirensk and Tulunsk.
The city festively celebrated the 10th anniversary of its University.
An air mail link between Irkutsk and Moscow was opened. It was the longest air route in the world at the time, with a length of 4500 kilometers. At the same time, a permanent airplane connection between Irkutsk and Bodajbo, Irkutsk and Yakutsk, was established.
The faculties of medicine, pedagogics (teaching) and economics were separated from the University and made into institutes.
On May 4th, a mining institute was opened.
The miners of the Bodajbov mines went on strike to protest the deliberate non-payment of their wages. The mines had been rented by the "Lena-Goldfilds" company. As a result of the strike, talks with the company were stopped.
From July to December, the three districts were dissolved. Instead, a county with Irkutsk as its capital was founded.
A decree about the construction of an airplane factory in Irkutsk was signed.
The Irkutsk pilots I. V. Doronin, V. L. Galishev and their aides took part in an expedition to save the crew of the "Cheluskin" ice breaker.
The Institute of Agriculture was opened.
On January 11th, six miners of the Lenskij mines started on a walking tour to Moscow. They walked the 7000 km in 96 days.
The first bridge over the Angara was built.
On September 26th, the Region of Irkutsk was formed.
The all-Soviet Union census showed that Irkutsk had then 243,400 inhabitants.
On May 6th, the 206th rifle regiment was equipped with the tank column "Irkutskij Komsomolets", built from money collected by the inhabitants of Irkutsk.
In the year of the "Great War of the Fatherland", the inhabitans of the region collected the unexpected sum of 28,098,000 Roubles for the building of these tanks.
In July, the 55th Irkutsk Guard Division fought successfully in Belorus. For their heroic battle, the result of which was the liberation of the city of Pinsk, the name Pinskaya was added to all former titles of the division.
May 9th was the day of victory over fascist Germany. All over the city, crowded assemblies to the honour of the Red Army's victory were held.
For their heroic deeds on the frontiers in the "Great War of the Fatherland," 82 soldiers from the region of Irkutsk were awarded the high title of "Hero of the Soviet Union." 1000 soldiers and workers were awarded orders and medals.
On August 7th, the Soviet Union's declared war against Japan. 1000 people from Irkutsk fought in this war.
September 2nd was the day of victory and the end of the Second World War.
The settlement Angarsk and the oil-technics combinate were founded.
The East Siberian part of the Academy of Science of the USSR was opened in Irkutsk. It was the only part of the Academy of Science in the east of the country at the time.
Research work on the place of the future Irkutsk hydroelectric station was begun.
On January, it was decided to begin building the Irkutsk hydroelectric station at the Angara waterfall.
The workers' settlement of Angarsk received city status.
From January 23 to January 30th, the first scientific conference of the East Siberian part of the Academy of Science of the USSR was held.
The building of the Bratsk hydroelectric station was begun.
From September onwards, regular trains drove along the electified part of the East Siberian railway line. The electrification of the Velikij Sibirskij route was started behind the Ural mountains.
The building of the Irkutsk aluminium factory and of the city of Shelekhov was begun.
In December, the building of the Mamakanskoj hydroelectric station in the Bodajbinskij district, an area with night frost, was started.
The first T. V. programs were received in Irkutsk.
On September 20th, the railway connection from Tajshet to Lena was established on a permanent basis.
On September 24th, the Irkutsk hydroelectric station started its work.
The Irkutsk aluminium factory made its first fusion.
The construction of the Mamansk hydroelectric station was completed on time on December 9th.
On February 1st, the first train drove on the railway line Abakan - Tajshet.
The Korshunovskij Metal-Enrichening Combinate produced its first concentrate of iron ore.
The construction of the Ust'-Ilimskij hydroelectric station was begun.
On January 16th at 11:20 the spaceships Sojuz-5 and Sojuz-6 joined successfully in space. The commander of Sojuz-5, B. V. Volynov, was born in Irkutsk. He called out "Baikal"!
The building of the Baikal-Amur railway line was begun in April.
In June, the 500,000th inhabitant of Irkutsk was born.
The "golden" connecting link was laid on the Baikal-Amur railway line. This opened the way for trains on the whole length of the line.
The 50th anniversary of the Irkutsk Writer's Association was celebrated.
Together with the whole country, the people of Irkutsk celebrated the 40th anniversary of their victory in the "Great War of the Fatherland" on May 9th.
In July, Irkutsk celebrated the 300th anniversary of receiving the city status.
