The Life and Career of Mykhailo Tereshchenko
Mykhailo Tereshchenko was a Ukrainian entrepreneur, philanthropist, and politician whose life spanned a turbulent period in his nation's history. Born in Kyiv on March 30, 1886, he inherited a vast fortune from his family's sugar empire. His grandfather, Nykola Tereshchenko, owned 38 sugar refineries, which secured the family's immense wealth. A man of remarkable intellect, Tereshchenko was fluent in 13 languages. He pursued his education at Kyiv University, studied economics at Leipzig University, and completed his studies at the law faculty of Moscow University in 1909.
At the age of 17, he inherited the family fortune, estimated at roughly 70 million rubles. From 1909 to 1911, he worked in the department of Roman and civil law at Moscow University, and from 1911 to 1912 served as secretary to the director of the Imperial Theatres, Telyakovsky. In 1913, Tereshchenko co-founded the 'Sirin' publishing house with his sisters and invested heavily in cultural projects, including over 50,000 rubles in the construction of the Kyiv Conservatory, which today bears the name of Pyotr Tchaikovsky.
Political Career and Exile
During the First World War, Mykhailo Tereshchenko served as a commissioner for a Red Cross mobile unit on the Southwestern Front, where he opened a hospital at his own expense. From July 1915, he chaired the Kyiv Military-Industrial Committee, and from 1915 to 1917 was deputy chairman of the Central Military-Industrial Committee under A. I. Guchkov. Following the February Revolution, he joined the Provisional Government in March 1917, first as Minister of Finance and later as Minister of Foreign Affairs, actively participating in negotiations with the Central Council in Kyiv.
After the Bolshevik October Revolution, he was imprisoned in the Peter and Paul Fortress.
"My grandmother decided to pay for her husband's freedom with a magnificent blue diamond he had once given her. At the time, it was the second-largest stone of its kind in the world. Lenin refused the offer, but Trotsky managed to organize my grandfather's escape to Europe in exchange for the jewel,"recalled his grandson, Michel Tereshchenko. In 1923, Mykhailo divorced his wife, Margarita Noe, and in 1929 married Norwegian-born Ebbe Horst, with whom he had a son, Ivan, in 1931.
Following his emigration, Mykhailo Tereshchenko continued his financial activities in Europe. He died on April 1, 1956, in Monaco. His legacy left a significant mark on Ukraine's cultural development, particularly through the construction of key architectural landmarks. Among them are:
- The building of the National Transport University;
- The Karpenko-Karyi University;
- The National Art Museum of Ukraine;
- The 'Okhmatdyt' Children's Hospital.
Tereshchenko's philanthropy and contribution to Ukrainian culture have preserved his memory for generations. His story is a dramatic example of how Ukraine's elite navigated the collapse of empire and the rise of Soviet power. His activities underscore the importance of private contributions to a nation's cultural and social infrastructure, especially during complex historical periods. His patronage, particularly in education and medicine, continues to influence modern Ukrainian society, demonstrating a model of wealthy citizens taking responsibility for their country's development.