Statskii Sovetnik

in Russia, a civilian rank of the fifth class of the Table of Ranks, which corresponded to the office of vice-director of a department, vice-governor, or chairman of a financial board. Beginning in 1856, the rank conferred personal lifetime nobility, while previously it had conferred hereditary nobility. Holders of the rank were addressed as vashe vysokorodie (”you who have been highly born”). To obtain the rank oistatskii sovetnik it was necessary to have served the state a minimum of five years after receiving a previous rank.

The rank of deistvitel’nyi (active) statskii sovetnik was a civilian rank of the fourth class that corresponded to the office of department director, governor, or gradonachal’nik (governor of a city). Holders of the rank were made hereditary nobles and were addressed as vashe prevoskhoditel’stvo (”your excellency”). To obtain the rank it was necessary to have served the state a minimum of ten years after receiving a previous rank. In 1903, 3,113 persons held the rank of deistvitel’nyi statskii sovetnik.

The rank of statskii sovetnik was abolished by the Soviet government’s decree of Nov. 10 (23), 1917, On the Abolition of Estates and Ranks.