The article is devoted to the study of administrative activity in 1911-1918 of the last rector of the Imperial St. Petersburg University Erwin Davidovich Grimm (1870–1940) – a prominent specialist in the history of Ancient Rome and the revolutions of 1779–1793 and 1848 in France. The authors focus on the development of difficult relations between the Council of professors and the administration of the "Autonomous" St. Petersburg University, headed by E.D. Grimm, and The Minister of public education, in the light of the efforts of the authorities, the failure of the student strike of 1911 to ensure proper order in higher education institutions of the Empire. Particular urgency of the situation given that reflect the onslaught of the power of E.D. Grimm had in terms of the destructive activities of the social democrats and the socialist-revolutionaries at the University who used every opportunity to organize anti-government gatherings, demonstrations and filibuster the "reactionary" professors. Unlike L.A. Kasso, the new Minister of P.I. Ignatiev was known as (and partly, probably, was) a liberal. He was impressed by the compromise approach to the Affairs of the rector of the University. As a result, he attracted E. D. Grimm and the moderately liberal part of the faculty behind him to cooperate in the development of a new University Charter. Former liberal opposition of the Board of professors of the University with the Ministry of education is gone. Against this background, the success of E. D. Grimm in pacifying the revolutionary part of the students looks more modest. But here, I must give him credit, he had them. With all possible nuances, the merits of E. D. Grimm, as the rector of St. Petersburg University, confidently conducted his Alma Mater through the storms and thunderstorms of the pre-revolutionary years, it is difficult to overestimate.