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Russian Mystery Motor

Russian Mystery Motor

  • Russian Mystery Motor

Another photograph full of mystery! All we know is that it was supposedly taken in Saint Petersburg during the reign of Tsar Nicholas II (1894-1917). But since our Russian is a bit rusty and even Google spit out the words in what seemed to be a wacky translation, it’s hard to even check that.

So… Anyone who can decipher the words on top of the arch behind the motor car? If we’ll be able to translate that, the actual location may be easier to find and we may be able to learn a bit more about the scene. We’d love to.

We did find out that during Nicholas II’s control the city of Petersburg experienced an extraordinary building boom, due to the economic growth in the country as well as to developments in construction technology and improvements in communication between city districts. It may explain the presence of this mighty motor also. A Benz? The letters on the radiator appear to spell out something else (BEHU?). Or was the marque’s name even translated in Russian? Who knows more?

Words by Jeroen Booij. Picture Citywalls.ru.

 

Published:
Tuesday April 14th, 2020

Comments

valery patrakov
16 April 2020, 22:57
The car is very likely to be Benz 14/30, produced from 1909 up to 1922, the place pictured is Kamenny island in St-Petersburg, the arch does not exist now.
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M. Khourin
16 April 2020, 16:20
The photo was taken probably in the early 'twenties. The island - and there are many which comprise St. Petersburg - was called "Worker's Island" or "Working People's Island" until 1989; the gate looked quite grand but was cheaply constructed of plywood and plaster and of course does not survive. Today the island is green and wooded, and is an elite area with guest-houses under the control of the President and also the City Government. See another photograph of the same gate below.
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Jeroen Booij
15 April 2020, 14:23
That's quite some enlightenment. Thank you all!
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Frazer Sloan
14 April 2020, 12:23
It says : This island - For the leisure of the working class by the will of the Petrograd council.

Thanks to best friends Ksenia and Katya for their help with these Communist Slogans.
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John Bates
14 April 2020, 12:17
Are you sure the script (on the arch) is Russian? Could it be Greek or Bulgarian?
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Christian Günzel
14 April 2020, 11:15
I think the radiator conture look like Benz.
And the writing on the radiator is Cyrillic: Benz.

Best regards
Christian
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Lance Milne
14 April 2020, 10:38
It states that "By the resolution of Petrograd Soviet (Council) this island is for working peoples rest or relaxation."
St Petersburg has many Islands and this is obviously one of them. Petrograd previously St Petersburg became Leningrad after Lenins death.
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David GREEN
14 April 2020, 10:23
I should have said that there are other candidate islands in the Neva river. The inscription suggests the island in question was not previously open to the proletariat. It may, therefore, have been an entrance to the Peter and Paul fortress.
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David GREEN
14 April 2020, 10:10
So far, I have concentrated mainly on the inscription. This uses a formalised script for use on monuments. The smaller writing top and bottom should be read as a single run followed by the central statement. The Russian therefore reads ВОЛЕЮ ПЕТРОГРАДСКОГО СОВЕТА ЭТОТ ОСТРОВ ДЛЯ ОТДЫХА ТРУДЯИМСЯ. This translates as BY THE WILL OF THE PETROGRAD SOVIET THIS ISLAND IS FOR RECREATION FOR WORKING PEOPLE. This suggests it is Petrogradsky Island in St Petersburg, possibly a monumental gate at the end of a bridge. It is obviously not designed for double-decker buses. The Petrograd Soviet was established after the fall of the last Tsar and ran from 1917 to 1924. The car is consistent with this dating, since it has electric lighting. The Russian for Benz is БЕНЦ, which is broadly consistent with the lettering on the radiator.
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Maciek Peda
14 April 2020, 09:24
Picture was taken in Petrograd on Stone Island, here are coordinates: 59°58'40.0"N 30°17'21.1"E
Arch was constructed in early 20-ties according to design of architects Ivan Fomin https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivan_Fomin and Noi Trotsky https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noi_Trotsky
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Maciek Peda
14 April 2020, 09:00
And inscription written on car radiator in Cyrillic is БЕНЦ - phonetic BENZ
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Maciek Peda
14 April 2020, 08:50
Translation:
At the request of the People's Council of Petrograd for the relax of the workers - this island

Because is mentioned Council ( soviet ), picture is taken after 1917 October Revolution. Name Petrograd was used till 1924 ( changed to Leningrad )

Regards, Maciek
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Vasily Shishka
14 April 2020, 06:58
The inscription on the radiator is really in Russian. Benz. This was a common practice for the Russian market.
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Vasily Shishka
14 April 2020, 06:53
It says "By the will of the Petrograd Council, this island is intended for the recreation of workers." This inscription was made after the October Revolution of 1917
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