Balashov Petr Nikolaevich
(02.11.1871– after 1939)

Politician, Jägermeister. Son of a member of the State Council N.P. Balashov.
Born in St. Petersburg, came from a well-known noble family, leading its name from the Tatar name Balash (common Turk) which was widespread in the past (common Turkic "ball": "child") and belonged to one of the richest families of the Russian Empire.
After receiving secondary education in the 6th St. Petersburg gymnasium, Balashov entered the law faculty of St. Petersburg University, which he graduated in 1894. He left serving military service voluntarily (that is, voluntarily, and not by lot, as practiced in the Russian Empire, which did not need due to the lack of problems in the demographic sphere in recruiting military men of all males), in the Life Guards Gusar Regiment. After serving in the regiment until March 1900, Balashov consistently served as clerk of the regimental court, head of the regimental workshops, regimental treasurer, quartermaster, head of the non-combatant team and the school of soldiers' children. Having passed the examination for an officer’s rank, the future leader of Russian nationalists retired with the rank of lieutenant and settled in his estate “Komargorod” in the Bratslav district of Podolsk province. Here he took part in the work of a number of public and charitable organizations, and soon took the post of county leader of the nobility (1900-1909). Balashov became one of the organizers and leaders of the moderately right party, and after its merger with the All-Russian National Union, the permanent chairman of its Main Council. Since 1907, Balashov is a member of the 3rd and 4th State Duma, the chairman of the moderately right and Russian national factions in the 3rd Duma, the nationalist faction and the moderately right faction in the 4th Duma, a member of the land, national defense and other commissions. Balashov actively supported the policy of P.A. Stolypin, in the years 1910-1911 was his main ally in the Duma. He sought to transform the All-Russian National Union into an influential Duma party, which has a specific program and a wide network of local organizations, and provided the Union with a lot of financial assistance from personal funds.
Balashov formulated his attitude towards other nationalities inhabiting the Russian empire as follows: “We are constantly being reproached for misanthropy, for wanting to devour, destroy non-Russian nationalities. This is not our task and this is not what we are striving for. Our duty is to support useful and neutralize pernicious principles throughout our country. Our duty is to loudly and imperiously declare: let local interests be subordinated to Russian, national interests; and to the non-Russians filed by the Great White Tsar, we say: reconcile, once and for all with the fact that you are an integral part of indivisible Russia, subordinate your small local desires to the tasks of the Russian state, throw off your hats in front of this shrine, and live and develop in the world; we will not hinder you in this: our direct calculation is that all parts of the great whole flourish, that peace and harmony reign everywhere. Well, if you do not want, then do not ask for it”.
In the First World War Balashov was one of the organizers of the south-western regional Zemstvo organization of assistance to sick and wounded soldiers.
By the February and October revolutions Balashov reacted negatively. He participated in the work of the State Conference in Moscow, held from August 12 to 15, 1917, and two weeks later he was arrested in connection with the speech of General L.G. Kornilov. For some time Balashov took part in the White movement, taking certain steps in July 1919 to recreate the All-Russian National Union in southern Russia, however, to no avail. After emigrating, Balashov lived for some time in Paris, then in the city of Safi (Morocco), consisting (as of May 1, 1939) a candidate for the unification of the Life Guards Hussar Regiment abroad.

The merits of Balashov are marked by the orders of St. Stanislav 2 degrees and St. Vladimir 4 degrees and medals.
Apparently, Balashov died in the tragic years of the Second World War, so the death of this prominent political figure of pre-revolutionary Russia, who lived in distant Africa, remained unnoticed.

Cape Balashov, view from the south (photo by EA Korago)

Cape Balashov, view from the north (photo by EA Korago)

Cape south of Inostrantsev Bay on the west coast of the northern island of Novaya Zemlya. Named in 1913 by G.Ya. Sedov, noting the role of Balashov, the former chairman of the “Committee for Equipping the Expedition to the North Pole and the Study of Russian Polar Countries”, in organizing the expedition. During the years of Soviet power, an attempt was naturally made to rename, but a new name in honor of Professor B.A. Alferov did not stick.