(1860-1915)

Russian naval figure. Admiral since 1913. Born December 11, 1860 in St. Petersburg in the family of Comrade (Deputy) Minister of Justice, Secretary of State Otto Vasilyevich Essen. As a descendant of the Baltic nobility, he had the title of baron and the prefix "fon" to his surname.

Graduated Maritime School with honors in 1881, for academic excellence and exemplary behavior, he was listed on a marble plaque. With the rank of midshipman, he made a two-year overseas voyage on the armored frigate Duke of Edinburgh. Midshipman attended a course of lectures at the mechanical department of the Nikolaev Naval Academy in 1886. Having chosen the command specialty of the ship's weapons system, he entered the artillery officer class, which he graduated in 1891. Further service was connected with the Pacific squadron, where Lieutenant N.O. Essen sailed from 1892 to 1897 as an artillery officer on the cruiser Admiral Kornilov. Until 1900, he served in the Mediterranean squadron as commander of the destroyer No. 120 ("Pakerort"), senior officer of the seaworthy gunboat "Groschiy", and commander of the headquarters steamer "Slavyanka". In 1899, he was awarded the rank of captain of the 2nd rank for distinction in service. During the wintering of the ship in St. Petersburg, from 1900 to 1902 he taught theoretical mechanics and deviation at the Naval Cadet Corps. Since 1902 - commander newest cruiser 2nd rank "Novik". Having accepted the ship at a shipyard in Germany, N.O. Essen transferred it to Port Arthur as part of the Pacific squadron.

From the very first days of the Russo-Japanese War, Novik actively participated in hostilities. On the morning of January 27, 1904, after a surprise attack Japanese fleet on Port Arthur, Essen brought the Novik to sea for reconnaissance. Having discovered the superior enemy forces, the ship attacked the Yakumo cruiser. Only a hit by an 8-inch shell forced the Novik to return to base. The following days were filled with vigorous combat activity, the commander and his crew showed high military skill and heroism, set an example of fulfilling their duty. "Novik" participated in the battles with the Japanese squadron, supported the destroyers, conducted reconnaissance. The commander of the squadron, Vice Admiral S.O., kept his flag on it. Makarov at the exit to the rescue of the dying destroyer "Guarding". March 16, captain of the 2nd rank N.O. Essen is appointed commander of the squadron battleship "Sevastopol", and after the ship has become the flagship of the squadron, he also performs the position of flag captain under the commander. He was a staunch supporter of the active actions of the fleet, going to sea to fight the enemy. Disagreements on this issue with Rear Admiral V.K. Witgeft led to the replacement of Essen as flag captain and the transfer of the flagship admiral's flag from Sevastopol.

The battleship engaged the enemy several times, participated in an attempt to break through the squadron to Vladivostok, and was twice blown up by mines. While in the harbor, he led a counter-battery fight with Japanese siege artillery. After moving to b. White Wolf the ship was subjected to numerous attacks by Japanese destroyers, who fired 180 torpedoes at her, two of which hit the target. Despite the damage, the commander was able to ensure the active use of naval artillery against land and sea targets. Hits by enemy shells finally put the "Sevastopol" out of action. BUT. Essen was appointed head of the Liaoteshan defense department with the subordination of ground units and coastal artillery. When the destruction of the ships of the squadron began on December 19, 1904, Sevastopol was the only one of all efforts former commander was towed for flooding to a great depth, which did not allow the Japanese who occupied Port Arthur to use it for their own purposes. BUT. Essen was the last to leave the battleship.

For military merit, Essen was awarded the Order of St. George 4th degree and the Golden Weapon with the inscription "For Bravery", promoted to captain of the 1st rank. After returning to Russia in 1905, he held the positions of head of the strategic part of the naval scientific department of the Main Naval Staff, commander of the 20th naval crew, from March 1906. - Commander of the armored cruiser "Rurik" under construction in England.

Since August 1906, Rear Admiral N.O. Essen - Head of the Detachment mine cruisers Baltic Fleet (later 1st Mine Division). In this post, he "found a noble field for carrying out in practice those of his conclusions, which he had to come to by his own bitter experience in 1904." Essen resolutely fought against the simplifications in combat training, which for the first time began to be carried out all year round, supported thinking and initiative officers. Under his leadership, as a result of intensive training and exercises, the formation turned into the main combat core of the fleet. The ships sailed in any weather in all areas of the Gulf of Finland, the central and northern parts of the sea. From November 1908, Essen was appointed head of the united detachments of the Baltic Fleet, in 1909 - head of the naval forces of the Baltic Sea (since 1911 - commander of the Baltic Sea fleet). He achieved a radical restructuring of the activities of all institutions, putting them at the service of the needs of the operating fleet. He showed himself to be a direct follower of the ideas of Vice Admiral S.O. Makarov, led the development and adoption in 1912 of a plan of action for the fleet in case of war, the creation of mine and artillery positions for the defense of the St. Petersburg direction.

Under the command of Admiral N.O. Essen, the Baltic Fleet met the beginning of the First World War in full readiness to repel an enemy attack. In 1914-1915. the ships carried out brilliantly organized active minelaying in the southern Baltic, on German communications, and successfully operated at sea. In 1914 Essen was awarded the Order of the White Eagle with Swords.

He died in Reval on May 7, 1915. The body was delivered to St. Petersburg on the destroyer "Pogranichnik" and on May 15 was buried in the cemetery of the Novodevichy Convent.

In June, federal channels reported that in Kaliningrad it was solemnly handed over to the Russian Navy new ship- frigate "Admiral Essen". Representative ancient family Baltic Germans Nikolai Ottovich von Essen - the hero of Port Arthur, commander of the Baltic Fleet in the First World War. The immediate descendants of the admiral were invited to raise the Andreevsky flag: his great-nephews Maya and Nikolai von Essen, who live and work in Kazan.

Nikolai Ottovich von Essen - hero of Port Arthur, commander of the Baltic Fleet in the First World War

“This was already our third trip to Kaliningrad,” Nikolai von Essen, head of the press center of Kazan State Power Engineering University, tells BUSINESS Online. - The first time we went there was in 2011, when the ship was laid down. Then, during the laying, according to naval tradition, we placed a memorial plaque in one of its parts, attaching it to the bottom from the inside with four screws. One was screwed by the commander of the fleet, the second - by the governor of the Kaliningrad region, the third - by the director of the plant, and finally, the fourth went to my sister Maya. In the fall of 2014, we participated in the ceremony of launching the frigate.”
Launching is an important and solemn event, but this is not yet the beginning of the ship's service. He must pass tests that can last for months. The notorious bottle of champagne is smashed against the side of the ship just then. By the way, this is always done by a woman who, according to a long maritime tradition, becomes his godmother. So Maya von Essen, the senior nurse of the former Kazan City Emergency Hospital No. 2 (now called the medical unit of KFU), is the godmother of the formidable warship bearing the name of her great-great-grandfather. “Maya is a health worker,” Nikolai von Essen does not hide his pride in his sister. - And they see not just life without embellishment, they see both suffering and death, so they look at everything differently. In her hospital, she is in good standing, patients are drawn to her. Her direction is hemosorption, hemodialysis, plasmapheresis, the work is very difficult, responsible, and Maya is one of those who knows the equipment best of all and performs all these procedures.”

Maya von Essen and a warship named after her great-uncle

Today, the new patrol ship "Admiral Essen" is serving in the Black Sea Fleet Russian Navy. Nikolai Ottovich von Essen, whose name the frigate is named after, was born on December 11, 1860 in St. Petersburg in the family of Comrade (Deputy) Minister of Justice, Secretary of State Otto Wilhelm (Vasilyevich) von Essen.

Nikolai was well brought up and educated. He spoke Russian, English, French and, of course, German. In 1881 he graduated with honors from the Naval cadet corps, then - artillery officer class. In 1892, he began his service in the Pacific Fleet. He served as a senior artillery officer on the cruiser "Admiral Kornilov", then commanded the staff ship "Slavyanka", the cruiser "Novik", the squadron battleship "Sevastopol". Participated in battles in Port Arthur. For military merits during the Russo-Japanese War, von Essen was awarded the Order of St. George IV degree and a golden weapon with the inscription "For Bravery", was promoted to captain of the 1st rank. In 1906 he was promoted to rear admiral, in 1909 he was appointed commander of the Baltic Fleet. He changed the system of training and education of the fleet, created from his former 1st Mine Division, which he commanded for two years, the best formation of the fleet, a forge of command personnel. In 1911 he was promoted to the rank of vice admiral, and in 1913 he was promoted to admiral. The Baltic Fleet met the outbreak of the First World War under his command. The admiral brilliantly carried out active minelaying in the South Baltic, which covered the way to Petrograd. On May 7, 1915, he died of lobar pneumonia.

The personality and character of the glorious admiral can be judged not only from the novels of Alexander Stepanov "Port Arthur" and Valentin Pikul's "Moonzund", there is a family tradition in the von Essen family, how one mention of the name of the commander of the Baltic Fleet saved the life of his own brother.


Nikolai von Essen with his family at the flag-raising ceremony, Kaliningrad, June 2016

Admiral's younger brother Alexei Ottovich von Essen (Maya and Nikolai - his great-grandchildren) was appointed to the Transcaucasian governorship from the beginning of the 20th century, survived the revolution there, and was deputy minister of justice of the Musavatist government in Azerbaijan. After the arrival of the Red Army, arrests began, and Alexei Ottovich was also taken. The investigation into his case was entrusted to a Baltic sailor. And here is the first interrogation: “Last name ...” - “Essen ...” - “Are you not a relative of Gololoby?” So in the Navy, Nikolai Ottovich was called because he was bald, and Alexei Ottovich was also called, they were both quite similar. Answers: “Yes, relative. Brother". And the sailor let him go. And so it would be - to the wall and at the expense ...
Already in Tiflis, modern Tbilisi, where the family eventually ended up, Alexei Ottovich was arrested three more times, but each time he miraculously managed to escape. And in 1937 he was arrested and declared an enemy of the people. By that time, it was better for relatives to refuse him, but none of the family did this. They acted more cunningly - as they were advised: they quit their previous jobs so that no one would guess to demand any report from them at the new ones, although it was difficult to hide their last name, and even such a name ...

“My grandmother, who knew many languages ​​and was engaged in tutoring, was afraid to teach her children foreign languages- says Nikolai Alekseevich. - God forbid someone in the yard hears "enemy" speech from them! Only now my grandfather's sister took it, and she wrote in her passport: German. And then the war began! I had to invent all sorts of excuses that in fact we are not Germans, but Swedes, so as not to be exiled. Because Tbilisi was a front-line city, and the Nazis had already stormed Elbrus.”
Until 1993, this branch of the von Essen family (descendants of Alexei Ottovich) lived in Tbilisi, but well-known events forced them to actually evacuate to Kazan.
“Our mother is from here,” Nikolai Alekseevich explains the reason for choosing a new place of residence. - I was thirteen, I was in the 8th grade, when my dad, mom and older sister Maya moved here. Although I have been here with my grandmother back in Soviet times, but when I came from Georgia for good, I can’t say that I’m so naive, but maybe I drew for myself, invented Russia from the cinema, from the programs of the central Soviet television. It turned out that the Russian language I speak differs from that spoken by my peers here. For a long time I tried to penetrate and generally understand Russian, which was new to me. And I even had some kind of rejection when I heard words like "joking" ... For a long time I could not understand what they mean. To be honest, even when I was already studying at a university, if someone said the expression: “Wet crusts” in front of me, I didn’t know if he was talking about some kind of disgusting thing about me or vice versa. But I was driving here - to R-o-s-s-i-yu! Even though I was only thirteen, I had a bit of a culture shock. I learned so much, there were so many new words! I did not know these beautiful, even twisted expressions, when someone is somewhere very far away ...

Any emigration, even a return to your original homeland, to Russia, you understand, a number of problems... After all, I had a whole saga with a passport. I came here, to Kazan, without citizenship. Until 2000 was a citizen Soviet Union. And such was the trouble - to go to the passport office! So that they look at you both in the corridor lines and in the green uniform of the internal service: “Come in large numbers here!” You know, my ancestors, the Baltic Germans, did not move to Russia. It was Russia that came to where we were, you understand? The Baltic German nobility, unlike some other Russian Germans, entered, in the good sense of the word, into an agreement with Peter I, thanks to which the Baltic states became part of Russian Empire. Peter was able to convince the German nobility of the Baltic states, giving them certain rights, benefits, which were taken away by the Swedish king. Against this background, the generous Peter said: "I will return everything to you." Therefore, I consider myself a legal resident, an absolutely natural Russian, because my ancestors favorably reacted to this idea and became part of this country. You know I read that mid-eighteenth century in the Russian army, as we have in football now, foreigners were paid more. But the Baltic Germans, who had already become native Russians and for the most part served in the Russian army, were indignant: “What is it? Why such difference?" And since then everyone has been paid the same salary. By the way, ours served faithfully. In the middle of the 18th century, another special regiment was created - the third guards after Preobrazhensky and Semenovsky - a special regiment on which the Empress relied. He just consisted of the Baltic Germans.
In 1914, when the First World War, or, as we also called it, Germanskaya, many descendants of the Baltic Germans, even being generals, changed their surnames to Russified ones. Nikolai Ottovich did not do this, that is, he did not abandon his father, because the surname is passed down the paternal line. Moreover, even when the war between Russia and Germany came to a head, his surname was printed in all the newspapers of the Russian Empire, as it should be, with the prefix “von”, despite the fact that it was probably difficult to think of a more German surname. One of the most important sectors of the theater of military operations in the Petrograd maritime direction was led by a man with such a surname. And no one in the Navy could accuse von Essen of not being a patriot. His surname was not embarrassed to write correctly in documents, orders and instructions by the highest military ranks of the empire. This is how it was published in condolences on his death from illness. And now, unfortunately, the ship cannot be called that. After all, I repeatedly wrote to the commander of the Navy after the laying down, so that the frigate was called "Admiral von Essen." Now it is impossible for a Russian frigate to be named with the prefix "fon", but then it was possible to die. This is Bolshevism, some kind of voluntarism, which has nothing to do with Russia ... "

A copy of the memorial plaque installed when the ship was laid down

"Collecting and restoring family archive, managed to unearth the grandmother's metric, where “von Essen” was written in black and white, - continues Nikolai Alekseevich. - The prefix "von" among the Germans means belonging to the nobility. By the way, on the tombstone of the Russian composer Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka himself, when his ashes rested in Berlin, these same letters were carved in front of the surname. This was done to emphasize respect for his origin. And in general, only the one who gave it can deprive the nobility. Namely, the Emperor. But not Bolshevik or Soviet - as you like - power. Another thing is that in the Soviet Union the privileges of this class were abolished. And even more ... Now there is no Union, and I, already having my grandmother and my metrics on hand, first came to the district registry office: “My last name is written this way:“ background ”with a small letter, then a space, then with a capital one.” They looked at me in a peculiar way: “Why do you need this?” I did my best to explain: the restoration of the original surname, devotion to the ancestors, their traditions ... The registry office did not let up: "Why change anything at all - you live normally." I gain patience and explain about normality and abnormality in my understanding. They looked at me even more attentively: “Maybe you should talk to a psychologist?” I keep insisting. They too: “And let's write a double surname: Von-Essen. It will be perfectly legal, changing the name, they do it so often. I explain that I have not a change, but the restoration of a surname, that is, on the contrary - a change in a change. In general, I had to go to the district court, write a statement of claim. The judge, an older woman, nevertheless accepted the application. I just started explaining to her: “Here, let's take your last name ...” - “No! You don't have to take mine." And my, means, can be? Why should someone decide for me what my original surname will sound like? Sorry, but these are fundamental human rights. In Germany - even though there is a republic, but no one has canceled anything in the surnames! Even during the GDR.
Not immediately, but the court took the side of the plaintiff, that is, mine. The judge then told me: “You know, I went to the Supreme Court, and showed my decision:“ How is this legal? It turned out - yes. After the trial, which I won, the registry office refused to comply with his decision. After some time, they gave up, waved their hand: let us put these same letters “von” in front of your last name right in your old Soviet birth certificate. Entered. And already set Russian seal: "Introduced on the basis of a court order."
When they were already reissuing a passport, the passport officer says: “But I have computer program do not write like that - with a small letter. All surnames start with capital letters only. We are strict with this - this is a federal program. It's sacred like a cow." Etc. I went to the chief, explained the situation - the chief ordered to overcome federal program. Overcome."

“How do we continue the traditions of our admiral? Nikolai von Essen thought for a moment. - My father and I (he, of course, to a greater extent) held the Admiral von Essen Cup several times as part of the republican competitions in ship modeling. There are prizes, certain awards, diplomas that are awarded to the winners. The Challenge Cup, however, this year it was not possible to hold a competition, but I am sure that it will take place next year. It simply must take place, if only because the Admiral Essen ship appeared on such an important section of our borders. In this regard, maybe we will be able to attract sponsors, maybe we will organize everything for more high level. And the name of Admiral von Essen will give him a certain status. In Kazan there is Admiralteyskaya Sloboda, in Zelenodolsk - the largest shipbuilding complex. In a word, Kazan and Tatarstan were and remain such a region where the Russian fleet was laid down and continues to be built.

The ceremony of raising the St. Andrew's flag on the "Admiral Essen"

Young people are engaged in both robots and computers, and why is ship modeling lagging behind? Isn't shipbuilding one of the engines of our economy? It is through ship modeling that the guys comprehend its basics, and most importantly, they learn the history of their country, its glorious pages. After all, there is a development not only of some skills - cutting, gluing, coloring: exact copying leads to contact with great story countries. By the way, only models of ships from the time of Admiral von Essen participate in the Cup, late XIX- the beginning of the XX century. This is one of the most difficult periods in our historiography, because almost all the events of that time were constantly hung with some kind of labels. And until now, these labels continue to remain in the minds of people.

The ancient Baltic-German knightly family of the von Essenes appeared in the Baltics with the crusades of the German knights. For 250 years in the service of Russia, he gave several dozen generals, one admiral, five governors. 12 representatives of the von Essen family served under the St. Andrew's flag, many became cavaliers of St. George. There were also military men who served on land in the family: Reinhold Wilhelm von Essen was a lieutenant general under Catherine, Magnus Gustav (Ivan Nikolaevich) von Essen, the military governor of Riga, saved the Baltic states from being captured by Napoleonic troops.

"Admiral Essen" - the second of six frigates of project 11356 of the so-called "admiral series". The lead ship of the series "Admiral Grigorovich" was accepted into the Black Sea Fleet on March 11, 2016, in the third quarter of this year it is planned to transfer the third ship - "Admiral Makarov". This will be followed by "Admiral Butakov", "Admiral Istomin", "Admiral Kornilov".

According to the Essen plan, a defense in depth was created in the Gulf of Finland, based on mine and artillery positions. The frigate Admiral Essen was built in honor of the admiral.

Biography

Admiral Nikolai Ottovich von Essen

Nikolai Ottovich von Essen was born on December 11, 1860 in St. Petersburg. The family was wealthy, cultured and educated, and Nikolai's father was Deputy Minister of Justice. Nikolai was well brought up and educated. He spoke English, French and, of course, German. After graduating from the gymnasium, he entered the Naval Cadet Corps, from which he graduated with honors in 1881.

As a midshipman, Nikolai Essen spent a two-year overseas voyage on the armored frigate Duke of Edinburgh. For him it was a difficult test - the most severe storms in the Atlantic and pacific ocean not forgotten for the rest of their lives. In 1891, Nikolai Ottovich graduated from the artillery officer class.

In 1892, the service of Essen begins. When in 1900 the "Slavyanka" came to St. Petersburg for repairs, Essen became a teacher of theoretical mechanics at the Naval Cadet Corps. For a couple of weeks, all the students fell in love with Nikolai.

In 1902, Nikolai was called to the Admiralty, where he received an order to go to Germany. On January 27, 1904, the Russo-Japanese War began. While in captivity, Nikolai talked with Japanese sailors, discussing past events. Upon learning of the death of the Russian fleet in the Battle of Tsushima, he was on the verge of suicide. Returning to Russia, in 1906, Essen was promoted to Rear Admiral. And in 1909 Nikolai became the commander-in-chief of the Baltic Fleet.

At this time, decadent moods appeared in its composition, military discipline noticeably deteriorated. Nikolai changes the system of training and education of the fleet. He created from his former 1st Mine Division, which he commanded for two years, the best formation of the fleet, a forge of command personnel.

• In 1911 he was promoted to the rank of vice admiral, and in 1913 he was promoted to admiral.

The Baltic Fleet met the beginning of the First World War under the command of Admiral N. O. Essen. The admiral carried out brilliantly organized active minelaying in the South Baltic, which covered the path to Petrograd. On May 7, 1915, Essen died of lobar pneumonia.

Family

Wife, Maria Mikhailovna.

The parents of Nikolai Ottovich were very anxious and regretful about his professional choice. They were convinced that their son could succeed in completely different areas, and at each meeting they seriously asked their son if he was thinking of quitting his job. military service after the next age limit.

Nikolai's father, Otto Vasilievich, was a kind of "bureaucratic exception" in the Essen family, since his grandfather and father served in the navy. On March 11, 1891, N. O. von Essen married Maria Mikhailovna Linden in Revel. In May 1894, a son was born to N. O. von Essen, who was named Anthony. The son followed in the footsteps of his father and became a naval officer. Antony Nikolaevich von Essen was the flagship navigator of the headquarters of the submarine division, commander of the AG-14 submarine.

In July 1898, a daughter, Olga, was born to Lieutenant N. O. von Essen. In 1914, Maria Mikhailovna von Essen (1860-1928) set about creating a charitable "Ladies' Maritime Society" to help the families of sailors "both called up from the reserve and already in active service."

Career

Start

• 1874 Admitted to the junior preparatory class of the Naval College in St. Petersburg.
• 1880 Promoted to midshipmen.
• 1888 When passing the shooting test on the Kronstadt battery of Alexander III and the chief inspector of naval artillery, Vice Admiral, he hit the target with a second shot. For brilliant shooting, he was personally awarded by E.I.V.I.V. Alexander III gold watch with the imperial monogram.

In 1892, Essen's service begins in the Pacific Fleet. For the first 5 years he was a senior artillery officer on the cruiser Admiral Kornilov. This was his first command position. Enthusiasm for service and the ability to lead subordinates are the most important character traits of Nikolai. Soon, Essen was appointed senior officer of the gunboat "Thundering", then the commander of the staff ship "Slavyanka". In 1899 he was promoted to captain of the 2nd rank.

• 1896 Appointed senior artillery officer on the cruiser "Vladimir Monomakh".

In Germany

In 1902, Nikolai Ottovich Essen climbs the ladder of his new cruiser Novik. There has never been such a ship in the Russian fleet. It belonged to the type of light armored cruisers and developed a speed of up to 25 knots. Its armament consisted of 14 artillery pieces and 5 torpedo tubes. The crew consisted of 328 people. Raising the Russian flag over the brainchild of German industry, Captain Essen led him to Far East to the Russian Pacific Fleet.

War with Japan 1904-1905

• 1904 Awarded "For distinction in cases against the enemy" with the golden St. George weapon with the inscription "For courage".

On the morning of January 27, 1904, during the attack of the Japanese fleet on Russian ships in Port Arthur, Essen took the Novik to sea for reconnaissance. Having discovered large enemy forces, Novik attacked the lagging cruiser Yakumo. It was a heavy cruiser, but the speed of the Novik was so high that the enemy did not have time to aim the guns. A fire broke out on the Yakumo, however, the Russian ship was also damaged and returned to base. "Novik" was in battle with the Japanese squadron, carried out night sorties of destroyers on the sea routes of Japan, conducted reconnaissance. For military merit, Essen was awarded the Order of St. George IV degree and the Golden Weapon with the inscription "For Bravery" and promoted to captain of the 1st rank.

Battleship "Sevastopol"

• 1904 Placed as commander of the squadron battleship Sevastopol.

"Sevastopol" fought with the enemy, tried to participate in the breakthrough of the squadron from Port Arthur to Vladivostok and was damaged due to mines. While in the harbor, he fired at the Japanese siege artillery. Of all the torpedoes fired at Sevastopol by Japanese destroyers, only two hit the target. At the end of the war, the Sevastopol remained the last ship of the Russian fleet that retained its combat capability. Even despite the damage, Essen used naval artillery against land and sea targets. Unfortunately, numerous damage put Sevastopol out of action. On December 19, 1904, the Russian commander A. M. Stessel announced the surrender of Port Arthur and the destruction of the ships of the squadron began. Only "Sevastopol", thanks to Essen, of all the ships was put into the sea to a depth of 50 meters for flooding, which did not allow the Japanese to use it for their own purposes. Essen was the last to leave the battleship.

• 1905 Awarded for bravery in the war with the Order of the Holy Great Martyr and Victorious George 4th degree.

Commander of the Baltic Fleet

Project: frigate "Admiral Essen"

Since 1909, Nikolai Ottovich was appointed commander of the Baltic Fleet. Essen was the head of the development and adoption in 1912 of the actions of the fleet in case of war. and also commanded the creation of mine and artillery tactics for the defense of the Petersburg direction. He was upset by the behavior of the emperors - the grand dukes, who were pushing the country towards a confrontation with Germany, as they had personal monetary and shareholding interests in France. P. A. Stolypin and Essen understood that Russia was obliged to avoid participation in the war. Relations between Essen and the higher spheres were tense, but there was no other such admiral and he was tolerated. Nikolai Ottovich Essen understood that success in preparing the fleet for war depended primarily on the personnel and their attitude to service. The first meetings with officers of the Baltic Fleet showed that morale was at a low level. Due to the defeat of the Russian fleet in the war with Japan, they lost faith in themselves and weapons, and became disillusioned with the naval service. Decadent moods appeared among a small part of the officer corps, military discipline and morale noticeably deteriorated. Essen changed the way the fleet was trained and educated. He turned his former 1st Mine Division, which he commanded for two years, into the best formation of the fleet, a forge of command personnel.

• In 1911 he was promoted to the rank of vice admiral, and in 1913 he was promoted to admiral.

The Baltic Fleet was under the command of Admiral Essen at the start of the First World War. Active minelayings were carried out in the South Baltic, which blocked the path to Petrograd. But, unfortunately, Nikolai Ottovich falls ill and goes to Revel, where he spends last days. This ends the career, as well as the fate of the great admiral, Nikolai Ottovich von Essen ...

He graduated from the Naval Cadet Corps (1880), the mechanical department of the Nikolaev Naval Academy (1886), the artillery officer class (1891). He commanded the destroyer No. 120 (1897-1898), was a senior officer of the seaworthy gunboat "Grozychiy" (1898-1900). The commander of the ship "Slavyanka" (1901-1902), the cruiser of the 2nd rank "Novik" (February 6, 1902 - March 17, 1904), the squadron battleship "Sevastopol" (March 17 - December 20, 1904).

He refused to go into Japanese captivity, gave a subscription about non-participation in the war, returned to Russia through the USA. Head of the strategic part of the Main Naval Staff (1905). Commander of the Rurik cruiser under construction in England (1906). Commander of the Detachment of mine cruisers (1906-1908). Head of the united detachments of the Baltic Sea as head of the Naval Forces (1908-1909). Acting head of the Baltic Sea Active Fleet (1909-1910), head of the Baltic Sea Active Fleet (1910-1911). Commanding Maritime forces Baltic Sea (1911-1914), Baltic Sea Fleet (1914-1915).

He died in Reval and was buried at the Novodevichy Cemetery in Petrograd.

His son, Antony Nikolaevich von Essen, was the flagship navigator of the headquarters of the submarine division, the commander of the submarine "AG-14", died during a combat mission in the fall of 1917.

Awards

• Golden Saber (March 14, 1904)
• Order of St. George IV degree (April 17, 1905)
• Order of the White Eagle with Swords (December 12, 1914)

Memory

In July 2011, the Admiral Essen frigate, the second ship of project 11356, was laid down at the Yantar shipyard in Kaliningrad. It is expected that the frigate will be put into service with the Russian Navy in 2014 and will carry combat watch in the Black Sea Fleet.

Foreign awards:

Nikolai Ottovich von Essen (December 11th ( 18601211 ) , St. Petersburg - May 7 (20), Revel) - Russian admiral (April 14), commander of the Russian fleet of the Baltic Sea.

Biography

Born in St. Petersburg in the family of Comrade (Deputy) Minister of Justice of the Russian Empire, Secretary of State, Privy Councilor, Senator Otto Wilhelmovich Essen (1828-1876) and Lyubov Alekseevna (nee Druzhinina). My father came from a family of Swedish nobles since the time of Emperor Peter I, who faithfully served Russia, and received the title of Estonian barons in the 18th century. This gave the right to use the prefix "fon" to the carriers of the surname. He was brought up in the family with brothers who followed his father's work, future lawyers Alexei († 1937), Anton and Mikhail (1871-1908).

• In September 1875, at the age of 15, he entered the Naval College, from which he graduated in 1880;
• In 1886 he graduated from the mechanical department of the Nikolaev Naval Academy;
• In 1891 he graduated from the Artillery officer class;
• In 1897-1898 he commanded destroyer No. 120;
• In 1898-1900, senior officer of the seaworthy gunboat "Grozyashchiy";
• In 1901-1902, the commander of the ship "Slavyanka";
• From February 6, 1902 to March 17, 1904, commander of the 2nd rank cruiser Novik.
• From March 17 - to December 20, 1904 the commander of the squadron battleship "Sevastopol";

Son

Anton Nikolaevich von Essen(1888-1917) - flagship navigator of the headquarters of the division of submarines, commander of the submarine "AG-14", died during a combat mission in the fall of 1917.

Awards

• Golden weapon with the inscription "For courage" (March 14);
• Order of St. George III degree ();
• Order of St. George IV degree (April 17);
• Order of the White Eagle with Swords (December 12);
• Order of St. Vladimir 2nd degree;
• Order of St. Vladimir 4th degree;
• Order of St. Anne, 1st class;
• Order of St. Anne 2nd class;
• Order of St. Stanislaus 1st degree;
• Order of St. Stanislaus 2nd class.

Foreign awards:

• Order of the Savior 3rd class (Greece,);
• Order of Prince Daniel I, 5th class (Montenegro,);
• Cavalier Cross of the Order of the Legion of Honor, (France,);
• Royal Victorian Order 2nd Class (Great Britain,);
• Commander's Cross of the Order of the Sword 1st class (Sweden,);
• Commander's Cross of the Order of the Legion of Honor, (France,);
• Order of Danebrog (Denmark,);
• Officer's Cross of the Order of the Legion of Honor, (France,);
• Grand Cross of the Order of the Black Star (France,).

Memory

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An excerpt characterizing Essen, Nikolai Ottovich von

The forces of the twelve languages ​​of Europe broke into Russia. The Russian army and the population retreat, avoiding a collision, to Smolensk and from Smolensk to Borodino. The French army, with an ever-increasing strength of swiftness, rushes towards Moscow, towards the goal of its movement. The strength of its swiftness, approaching the target, increases like an increase in the speed of a falling body as it approaches the earth. Behind a thousand miles of a hungry, hostile country; dozens of miles ahead, separating from the goal. This is felt by every soldier of the Napoleonic army, and the invasion is advancing of itself, by the force of swiftness alone.
As the Russian army retreats, the spirit of anger against the enemy flares up more and more: retreating back, it concentrates and grows. A collision occurs near Borodino. Neither army disintegrates, but the Russian army immediately after the collision retreats just as necessarily as a ball rolls back, colliding with another ball rushing at it with greater swiftness; and just as necessary (although having lost all its strength in the collision), the rapidly scattered ball of invasion rolls over some more space.
The Russians retreat a hundred and twenty miles - beyond Moscow, the French reach Moscow and stop there. For five weeks after that there is not a single battle. The French don't move. Like a mortally wounded animal, which, bleeding, licks its wounds, they remain in Moscow for five weeks, doing nothing, and suddenly, for no new reason, they run back: they rush to the Kaluga road (and after the victory, since again the battlefield remained behind them near Maloyaroslavets), without entering into a single serious battle, they flee even faster back to Smolensk, beyond Smolensk, beyond Vilna, beyond the Berezina and beyond.
On the evening of August 26, both Kutuzov and the entire Russian army were sure that battle of Borodino won. Kutuzov wrote to the sovereign in this way. Kutuzov ordered to prepare for a new battle in order to finish off the enemy, not because he wanted to deceive anyone, but because he knew that the enemy was defeated, just as each of the participants in the battle knew this.
But that same evening and the next day, news began to come, one after another, of unheard-of losses, of the loss of half of the army, and a new battle turned out to be physically impossible.
It was impossible to fight when information had not yet been collected, the wounded had not been removed, the shells had not been replenished, the dead had not been counted, new commanders had not been appointed to the places of the dead, people had not eaten and had not slept.
And at the same time, immediately after the battle, on the next morning, the French army (according to that impetuous force of movement, now increased, as it were, in the inverse ratio of the squares of distances) was already advancing of itself on the Russian army. Kutuzov wanted to attack the next day, and the whole army wanted it. But in order to attack, the desire to do so is not enough; It is necessary that there was an opportunity to do this, but there was no such opportunity. It was impossible not to retreat to one crossing, then, in the same way, it was impossible not to retreat to another and a third transition, and finally on September 1, when the army approached Moscow, despite all the strength of the rising feeling in the ranks of the troops, the force of things demanded in order for these troops to go beyond Moscow. And the troops retreated one more, to the last crossing and gave Moscow to the enemy.
For those people who are used to thinking that plans for wars and battles are drawn up by generals in the same way that each of us, sitting in his office over a map, makes considerations about how and how he would dispose of such and such a battle, questions arise why Kutuzov did not do this and that during the retreat, why he did not take up positions before Filey, why he did not immediately retreat to the Kaluga road, left Moscow, etc. People who are used to thinking this way forget or do not know those inevitable conditions in which the activity of any commander-in-chief always takes place. The activities of a commander have not the slightest resemblance to those activities that we imagine sitting freely in an office, analyzing some campaign on the map with a known number of troops, on either side, and in a known area, and starting our considerations from what some famous moment. The Commander-in-Chief is never in those conditions of the beginning of some kind of event, in which we always consider the event. The Commander-in-Chief is always in the middle of a moving series of events, and in such a way that he is never, at any moment, in a position to consider the full significance of an ongoing event. The event is imperceptibly, moment by moment, cut into its meaning, and at every moment of this consistent, continuous cutting out of the event, the commander-in-chief is in the center of the most complex game, intrigues, worries, dependence, power, projects, advice, threats, deceptions, is constantly in the need to respond to the innumerable number of questions put to him, always contradicting one another.
We are seriously told by military scientists that Kutuzov, much earlier than Filey, had to move troops to the Kaluga road, that even someone proposed such a project. But in front of the commander in chief, especially in difficult times, there is not one project, but always dozens at the same time. And each of these projects, based on strategy and tactics, contradicts one another. The business of the commander-in-chief, it would seem, is only to choose one of these projects. But he cannot do that either. Events and time do not wait. He is offered, let's say, on the 28th to go to the Kaluga road, but at that time Miloradovich's adjutant jumps up and asks whether to start a deal with the French now or retreat. He needs now, this minute, to give the order. And the order to retreat knocks us off the turn onto the Kaluga road. And following the adjutant, the quartermaster asks where to take provisions, and the head of hospitals - where to take the wounded; and a courier from St. Petersburg brings a letter from the sovereign, which does not allow the possibility of leaving Moscow, and the rival of the commander-in-chief, the one who undermines him (there are always such, and not one, but several), proposes a new project, diametrically opposed to the plan for entering the Kaluga road; and the forces of the commander-in-chief himself require sleep and reinforcements; and the venerable general, who has been bypassed by the award, comes to complain, and the inhabitants plead for protection; an officer sent to inspect the area arrives and reports the exact opposite of what the sent officer said before him; and the scout, the prisoner, and the reconnaissance general all describe the position of the enemy army in different ways. People who are used to not understanding or forgetting these the necessary conditions activities of any commander in chief, they present us, for example, the position of the troops in Fili and at the same time assume that the commander in chief could on September 1 completely freely resolve the issue of abandoning or defending Moscow, whereas with the position of the Russian army five miles from Moscow, this issue could not be . When was this issue resolved? And near Drissa, and near Smolensk, and most palpably on the 24th near Shevardin, and on the 26th near Borodino, and every day, and hour, and minute of retreat from Borodino to Fili.

Russian troops, retreating from Borodin, stood at Filey. Yermolov, who had traveled to inspect the position, drove up to the field marshal.