Before 1918 , 1708
Tsar Peter the Great issued an edict which established seven governorates. The description of the borders of the governorates was not given; instead, their area was defined as a set of towns and the lands adjacent to those towns. The present area of Tver oblast was split between Ingermanland Governorate, which was renamed
Saint Petersburg Governorate in 1710,
Moscow Governorate, and
Smolensk Governorate. The governorates were subdivided into
uyezds, and uyezds into
volosts. In 1713, Smolensk Governorate was abolished and split between Moscow and
Riga Governorates; in 1726, it was re-established. In 1727, a separate
Novgorod Governorate was established, and the areas within present Tver Oblast, belonging to Saint Petersburg Governorate, were transferred to Novgorod and Moscow Governorates. It was subdivided into five provinces, and the current area of Tver Oblast belonged to two of them —
Tver Province and
Velikiye Luki Province. The rest of the current area of the oblast belonged to
Uglich Province of Moscow Governorate and
Belsky Uyezd of Smolensk Governorate. In 1775-1776, the administrative reform abolished governorates and created viceroyalties. The current area of Tver Oblast was divided between
Tver,
Novgorod,
Pskov, and
Smolensk Viceroyalties. In 1796, the viceroyalties were abolished, and transformed back into eponymous governorates. In the 19th century, the area was divided between the following
uyezds, •
Bezhetsky Uyezd of
Tver Governorate (since 1775, the administrative center in Bezhetsk); •
Kashinsky Uyezd of Tver Governorate (since 1775, Kashin); •
Novotorzhsky Uyezd of Tver Governorate (since 1775, Torzhok); •
Ostashkovsky Uyezd of Tver Governorate (since 1775, Ostashkov); •
Rzhevsky Uyezd of Tver Governorate (since 1775, Rzhev); •
Staritsky Uyezd of Tver Governorate (since 1775, Staritsa); •
Tverskoy Uyezd of Tver Governorate (since 1775, Tver); •
Vyshnevolotsky Uyezd of Tver Governorate (since 1775, Vyshny Volochyok); •
Zubtsovsky Uyezd of Tver Governorate (since 1775, Zubtsov); •
Kalyazinsky Uyezd of Tver Governorate (from 1775 till 1796 and from 1803, Kalyazin) •
Korchevskoy Uyezd of Tver Governorate (from 1781 till 1796 and from 1803,
Korcheva) •
Vesyegonsky Uyezd of Tver Governorate (from 1775 till 1796 and from 1803, Vesyegonsk) •
Valdaysky Uyezd of Novgorod Governorate (since 1770,
Valday); •
Toropetsky Uyezd of Pskov Governorate (since 1777, Toropets); •
Belsky Uyezd of Smolensk Governorate (since 1708, Bely); •
Porechsky Uyezd of Smolensk Governorate (since 1775,
Porechye). Minor areas also belonged to
Kholmsky Uyezd of Novgorod Governorate,
Velizhsky Uyezd of
Vitebsk Governorate, and to
Myshkinsky Uyezd of
Yaroslavl Governorate.
1918—1935 On 10 March 1918,
Krasnokholmsky Uyezd with the center in Krasny Kholm was established. On 28 December 1918
Kimrsky Uyezd with the center of Kimry was established as well. On 25 April 1921, Vesyegonsky and Krasnokholmsky Uyezds were transferred to newly established
Rybinsk Governorate. In 1921, there was some minor land exchange between Tver Governorate and Moscow and Rybinsk Governorates. On 23 February 1923, Rybinsk Governorate was abolished, and the uyezds were transferred back to Tver Governorate. On 30 May 1922, Zubtsovsky, Kalyazinsky, and Korchevskoy Uyezds were abolished and merged into Rzhevsky, Kashinsky, and Kimrsky Uyezds, respectively. The following districts have been established in Velikiye Luki Okrug,
Belsky,
Kamensky,
Karmanovsky,
Lukovnikovsky,
Molodotudsky,
Nelidovsky,
Oleninsky,
Pogorelsky,
Rzhevsky,
Selizharovsky,
Staritsky,
Stepurinsky,
Sychyovsky,
Vysokovsky,
Yeltsovsky, and
Zubtsovsky. In Moscow Oblast, three of the okrugs were established in the areas which later formed Tver Oblast. They contained the following districts: •
Bezhetsk Okrug:
Bezhetsky,
Kashinsky,
Kesovsky,
Krasnokholmsky,
Maksatikhinsky,
Mikhaylovsky,
Molokovsky,
Sandovsky,
Sonkovsky, and
Vesyegonsky. •
Kimry Okrug:
Goritsky,
Kalyazinsky,
Kimrsky,
Konstantinovsky,
Kuznetsovsky,
Leninsky, and
Nerlsky. •
Tver Okrug:
Likhoslavlsky,
Novotorzhsky,
Rameshkovsky,
Spirovsky,
Tolmachyovsky,
Turginovsky,
Tverskoy,
Udomelsky,
Vyshnevolotsky,
Yemelyanovsky,
Yesenovsky, and
Zavidovsky. On 23 July 1930, the okrugs were abolished, and the districts became directly subordinate to the oblasts. On 20 November 1931, Tver was renamed Kalinin.
After 1935 On 29 January 1935 Kalinin Oblast was established on the areas which previously belonged to Moscow, Western and Leningrad Oblasts. The city of Kalinin became the administrative center of the oblast. Originally, it contained the following districts: • From Moscow Oblast: Bezhetsky,
Kalininsky, Kalyazinsky, Kashinsky,
Kesovogorsky, Kimrsky,
Konakovsky, Krasnokholmsky, Lesnoy, Maksatikhinsky, Molokovsky, Nerlsky, Novotorzhsky, Rameshkovsky, Sandovsky, Sonkovsky, Spirovsky, Tolmachyovsky, Turginovsky, Udomelsky, Vesyegonsky, Vyshnevolotsky,
Yasenovichsky, Yemelyanovsky, and Zavidovsky. • From Western Oblast:
Kamensky, Kholmsky,
Leninsky, Loknyansky, Lukovnikovsky, Nevelsky, Nelidovsky, Novosokolnichesky, Oktyabrsky, Oleninsky, Ostashkovsky, Penovsky, Pustoshkinsky, Rzhevsky, Sebezhsky, Selizharovsky, Staritsky, Toropetsky, Velikoluksky, and Zubtsovsky. • From Leningrad Oblast:
Bezhanitsky, Bologovsky,
Novorzhevsky,
Opochetsky, and
Pushkinsky. Between 9 July 1937 and 7 February 1939,
Karelian National Okrug existed as a territory with special status within Kalinin Oblast. It was intended to be a
Tver Karelians autonomy. The okrug consisted of
Kozlovsky, Likhoslavlsky, Maksatikhinsky,
Novokarelsky, and Rameshkovsky Districts. Its administrative center was located in the town of
Likhoslavl. On March 5, 1935,
Velikiye Luki Okrug, one of the okrugs abutting the boundaries of the Soviet Union, was established. It consisted of Bezhanitsky, Loknyansky, Nevelsky, Novorzhevsky, Novosokolnichesky, Opochetsky, Pustoshkinsky, Pushkinsky, Sebezhsky, and Velikoluksky Districts. On May 11, 1937, the okrug was split into Velikiye Luki and
Opochka Okrugs. On 4 May 1938 Velikoluksky Okrug was abolished, and on 5 February 1941 Opochetsky Okrug was abolished as well. The districts were directly subordinated by the oblast. During World War II, between 1941 and 1944, the western part of the oblas were occupied by
German troops. On 22 August 1944,
Velikiye Luki Oblast was established, and on 23 August 1944,
Pskov Oblast was established, to administrate areas of Soviet Union previously occupied by German troops and liberated in the course of
World War II. A number of districts were transferred from Tver Oblast to these two oblasts, •
Ashevsky, Novorzhevsky, and Pushkinsky Districts were transferred to Pskov Oblast; • Bezhanitsky,
Idritsky,
Krasnogorodsky,
Kudeversky,
Kunyinsky,
Leninsky, Loknyansky, Nevelsky, Nelidovsky, Novosokolnichesky, Oktyabrsky, Opochetsky, Penovsky,
Ploskoshsky, Pustoshkinsky, Sebezhsky,
Seryozhnisky, Toropetsky, and Velikoluksky Districts were transferred to Velikiye Luki Oblast. • Kholmsky District was initially transferred to
Novgorod Oblast, but on 22 August 1944 it was transferred to Velikiye Luki Oblast. On 2 October 1957 Velikiye Luki Oblast was abolished. Its area was split between Kalinin and Pskov Oblasts. Belsky,
Ilyinsky, Leninsky, Nelidovsky, Oktyabrsky, Penovsky, Seryozhinsky, Toropetsky, and Zharkovsky Districts were transferred to Kalinin Oblast, and all other districts were merged into Pskov Oblast. On 29 July 1958 Ploskoshsky District was transferred from Pskov to Kalinin Oblast, which finally set the current borders of Tver Oblast. In the middle of the 1960s the oblast went through the abortive Khrushchyov administrative reform, when districts were first divided into large-scale agricultural and industrial districts, and several years later these were abolished, and the oblast got a district structure slightly different from that before the reform. In 1990, Kalinin Oblast was renamed Tver Oblast.
Abolished districts After 1927 (with the exception of the aborted reform of 1963-1965) borders between the districts sometimes were modified, and as a result some of the districts were abolished. This list includes the districts which existed in the current area of Tver Oblast. •
Bologovsky District (the administrative center in the selo of
Bologovo), Leningrad Oblast, Western Oblast, established in 1927, abolished in 1930, split between Leninsky and Kholmsky Districts; •
Brusovsky District (the settlement of
Brusovo), Kalinin Oblast, established in 1936, abolished in 1960, split between Maksatikhinsky and Udomelsky Districts; •
Goritsky District (the selo of
Goritsy), Moscow Oblast, Kalinin Oblast, established in 1929, abolished in 1963, merged into Rameshkovsky District; •
Ilyinsky District (the selo of
Ilyino), Leningrad Oblast, Western Oblast, Kalinin Oblast, Velikiye Luki Oblast, Kalinin Oblast, established in 1927, abolished in 1960, merged into Oktyabrsky District; •
Kozlovsky District (the selo of
Kozlovo), Kalinin Oblast, established in 1937, abolished in 1956, split between Maksatikhinsky and Spirovsky Districts; •
Kushalinsky District (the selo of
Kushalino), Kalinin Oblast, established in 1935, abolished in 1956, split between Kalininsky, Goritsky, and Rameshkovsky Districts; •
Leninsky District (the selo of
Khotilitsy, since 1928 in
Andreapol), Leningrad Oblast, Western Oblast, Kalinin Oblast, Velikiye Luki Oblast, Kalinin Oblast, established in 1927, abolished in 1963, merged into Toropetsky District; •
Lukovnikovsky District (the selo of
Lukovnikovo), Moscow Oblast, Kalinin Oblast, established in 1929, abolished in 1960, split between Kirovsky, Novotorzhsky, Rzhevsky, and Staritsky Districts; •
Mednovsky District (the selo of
Mednoye), Kalinin Oblast, established in 1935, abolished in 1956, split between Kalininsky and Novotorzhsky Districts; •
Molodotudsky District (the selo of
Molodoy Tud), Moscow Oblast, established in 1929, abolished in 1932; re-established in 1935 as
Chertolinsky District (the administrative center in the selo of
Chertolino), Kalinin Oblast; in 1936 the district center moved to Molodoy Tud, and the district renamed Molodotudsky; abolished in 1958, split between Kirovsky, Oleninsky, and Rzhevsky Districts; •
Nerlsky District (the selo of
Nerl), Moscow Oblast, Kalinin Oblast, established in 1929, abolished in 1956, merged into Kalyazinsky District; •
Oktyabrsky District (the selo of
Staraya Toropa, later the settlement of
Zapadnaya Dvina), Leningrad Oblast, Western Oblast, Kalinin Oblast, Velikiye Luki Oblast, Kalinin Oblast, established in 1927, abolished in 1963, merged with Nelidovsky District into Zapadnodvinsky District. •
Orshinsky District (the selo of
Rozhdestveno), Kalinin Oblast, established in 1937, abolished in 1959, split between Konakovsky, Kalininsky, and Goritsky Districts; •
Ovinishchensky District (the selo of
Kesma), Kalinin Oblast, established in 1935, abolished in 1956, split between Krasnokholmsky and Vesyegonsky Districts; •
Ploskoshsky District (the selo of
Ploskosh), Kalinin Oblast, Velikiye Luki Oblast, Pskov Oblast, Kalinin Oblast, established in 1936, abolished in 1960, merged into Toropetsky District; •
Pogorelsky District (the selo of
Pogoreloye Gorodishche), Moscow Oblast, Kalinin Oblast, established in 1929, abolished in 1934, re-established in 1935, abolished in 1960, merged into Zubtsovsky District; •
Rozhdestvensky District (the selo of
Rozhdestvo), Leningrad Oblast, established in 1927, abolished in 1931, merged into Bologovsky District; •
Seryozhinsky District (the selo of
Bologovo), Kalinin Oblast, Velikiye Luki Oblast, Kalinin Oblast, established in 1936, abolished in 1957, split between Leninsky and Toropetsky Districts; •
Tebleshsky District (the selo of
Kiverichi), Kalinin Oblast, established in 1935, abolished in 1956, split between Bezhetsky and Goritsky Districts; •
Tolmachyovsky District (the selo of
Tolmachi), Moscow Oblast, Kalinin Oblast, established in 1929, renamed Novokarelsky in 1935, abolished in 1956, split between Likhoslavlsky and Spirovsky Districts; •
Turginovsky District (the selo of
Turginovo), Moscow Oblast, Kalinin Oblast, established in 1929, abolished in 1963, merged into Kalininsky District; •
Uglovsky District (the railway station of
Uglovka), Leningrad Oblast, established in 1927, abolished in 1932, split between Bologovsky,
Borovichsky, and
Okulovsky Districts; •
Vysokovsky District (the settlement of
Vysokoye), Moscow Oblast, Kalinin Oblast, established in 1929, abolished in 1930, re-established in 1936, abolished in 1963, merged into Staritsky District; •
Yemelyanovsky District (the selo of
Yesenovichi), Moscow Oblast, Kalinin Oblast, established in 1929, abolished in 1958, split between Vyshnevolotsky, Novotorzhsky, Kamensky, and Firovsky Districts; •
Yesenovichsky District (the selo of
Yemelyanovo), Moscow Oblast, Kalinin Oblast, established in 1929, abolished in 1956, split between Kalininsky, Staritsky, Turginovky, and Vysokovsky Districts; •
Zavidovsky District (the urban-type settlement of
Novozavidovsky), Moscow Oblast, Kalinin Oblast, established in 1929, abolished in 1960, merged into Konakovsky District.
Renamed districts Several of the districts were renamed: Tverskoy into Kalininsky, Kuznetsovsky into Konakovsky, Kamensky into Kuvshinovsky, Kirovsky into Selizharovsky; Novotorzhsky into Torzhoksky. Kamensky and Kirovsky Districts were not renamed directly but rather abolished and later re-established under a different name. ==References==