The history of the forester's uniform
Part 2 (1836-1870)
The November Uprising largely ruined the achievements of Polish forestry developed during the constitutional period in the Kingdom of Poland (1815-1830). The Royal Forestry Corps was liquidated, which was transformed into the Administration of Governmental Forests of the Kingdom of Poland. The way of forest management has been deeply reorganized. By the decision of the Provisional Government of February 16, 1832, the Faculty of Agriculture and the Department of Forests were united - which resulted in pushing forest matters to the background. The position of the General Director and the Chief Forest Officer has been abolished. Their duties were entrusted to one director of government goods and forests. By decree of 11 [23] May 1836 introduced new forest uniform.
The uniform of the Director of the Department of Goods and Forests in the Government Committee of Revenues and Treasury
The new uniform of the foresters of the Kingdom of Poland were harmonized with the uniforms of the civilian service of the Russian Empire. White, Polish eagles on caps and buttons were replaced by a black, two-headed imperial eagle Romanov, dominating over the shield (placed on the chest), with a white eagle, crowned crown of the tsars. This symbol was preserved only for central officials, while the buttons of uniforms of the voivodship and regional administration were decorated with coats of arms of the relevant governorates.This coat of arms was in force until 1869. By the ordinance of 14 (26) February 1870, instead of the coat of arms of the Kingdom of Poland, a coat of arms of the Russian Empire was introduced.
Uniforms of the VII and VIII classes of the Administration of Governmental Forests of the Kingdom of Poland
The amendment to the regulations on the uniforms of the forestry service was a testimony to the adverse changes that took place in the Polish forestry at that time. The nobles, who supported the uprising en masse, could no longer be the sole support of the imperial throne. Tsar and King Nicholas I decided to create a new elite - "caste of officials". The high-ranking officers and civil servants were given hereditary or personal nobility, titles and decorations attached to it.
The uniform, was subordinated to the court etiquette. Officials were prescribed uniforms "according to the rank of offices" - dividing them into 10 classes.
The division into classes corresponding to particular levels of offices in the Forest Department, which were assigned appropriate uniforms patterns - it was as follows:
A) Class I and II - in the Kingdom of Poland there were no civil offices corresponding to those which in the Empire were included in the first and second class;
B) Directorate of Governmental Goods and Forests in the Governmental Commission of Revenue and Treasury:
Class III - Chief Executive President in the Commission with the title of "Councilors of Extraordinary State";
Class IV - Director of the Department Goods and Forests with the title of "Extraordinary Councilors";
Class V - Director of the Department Goods and Forests who does not have the title of "Extraordinary Councilors", Head of the Department with the title of "State Referendar";
C) Government Commission of Revenues and Treasury, provincial commissions and local administration (forest offices):
Class VI - in the Government Commission: section head, internal forestry commissioner; no equivalents in provincial commissions and in field administration (forest offices);
Class VII and VIII - in the Government Commission: forest inspector of the external service, forestry commissioner of the external service, commissioner decorating forests, forest lecturer of internal and external service, lecturer in forest management, official for special assignments, over-master, revision of measurements; in provincial commissions: assessor of forestry, secretary (after introducing the division into governorates - also the head of the section of property and forests of the provincial government); no equivalent in field administration (forest offices);
Class IX - in the Government Commission: secretary of the section of the Department of Goods and Forests, secretary translator, senior archivist, controller, bookkeeper; in separate field administrations: supervision inspector of the Governance of the Tree Magazine in Warsaw; in provincial commissions: forestry officer, legal assessor, over-master; in field administration (forest offices): forest manager holding Forest Office, sub-forest manager holding Forest Office, writer;
Class X - in the Government Commission: adjuncts in the Chancellery of the Chief Headmaster, secretary, journalist, adjunct, accountant, measurer, geometer, cartoonist; in separate field administration: controller and writer of the Governance of the Tree Magazine in Warsaw; in provincial commissions: legal advisor, archivist, subarchist, secretary-enumerator; in field administration (forest offices): office and guard sub-forest (forester).
Forest guards uniform (left) and Forest Guard trumpeter (right); shooter's assistant (second image)
In addition, officers Forest Guard were employed, namely: forest guards, touring guards, forest shooters, shooting helpers.
The end of separateness in the uniforms of the forest service Congress Poland brought about the turn of the 70s and 80s of the 19th century.
