Lev Chorny (P.D. Turchaninov) in Exile in Siberia (1907–1910): Documents of the Police Department Agencies in the Reconstruction of the Russian Anarchist’s Biography
| 21 May 2021
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Baksht D.A.,
Krasnoyarsk, Russian Federation.
Lev Chorny (P.D. Turchaninov) in Exile in Siberia (1907–1910): Documents of the Police Department Agencies in the Reconstruction of the Russian Anarchist’s Biography
Abstract
Studying the full spectrum ofthe Russian revolutionary movement of the early 20th century is essential for objective understanding of the pre-revolutionary situation in Imperial Russia. Anarchism, one of the extreme left ideologies, was rather popular during the First Russian revolution, but gradually went into decline. The benefits of its theoretical insightswere reaped after the Revolutions of 1917. Biographies of the social and political movement participants are important forstudyingthe ideologies, as well as the Russian Revolution and the Civil War.The publication is devoted to one of the national anarchist leaders of the first quarter of the 20th century, Lev Chorny (P.D. Turchaninov), founder of the "associational anarchism" and head of the Moscow Black Guard in 1918. The article focuses on his Siberian exile in 1907–1910. It is the least known part of his biography, and the publication strives toidentify the most important issues that troubled L. Chornyatthe time.Chorny’s correspondence censored by the Department of Police of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the YeniseiGubernial Directorate of Gendarmes is the basis of the research. The letters are being published for the first time. Gendarmerie records managementdemonstrate that police knew ofthe "associational anarchism" and considered it an unimportant trend in the Russian revolutionary movement. Overall, documents portraylife in Siberiaas one ofcrucial periodsof Turchaninov’s biography: he lost almost all contact with his family, as well as manuscript of his major work; he refused to participate in the "Turukhansk revolt" (in winter 1908–1909). After his exile Turchaninov emigrated and until 1917 was out of step withthe Russian socio-political movement.
Keywords
Archival document, Department of Police, Pavel Turchaninov, Lev Chorny, anarchism, "associationalanarchism", Siberia, exile, postalcensorship.
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References
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About the author
Baksht Dmitrii Alikseevich, PhD in History, deputy chief of the scientific research department of the V. P. Astafyev Krasnoyarsk State Pedagogical University, Krasnoyarsk, Russian Federation, +7-913-595-22-74, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it