P.E.’s Reviews > Histoire De La Russie Et De Son Empire > Status Update

Dix des accusés sont condamnés à la peine capitale. Le plus célèbre écrivain de l'époque, Victor Hugo, lance un Appel aux gouvernements et aux peuples du monde. Il y fait cet avertissement : « Que le gouvernement de Russie prenne garde... Il n'est menacé par aucune force politique. Mais il doit craindre le premier venu, chaque passant, la moindre voix réclamant miséricorde. »

Les arguments de Victor Hugo, qui ne voit pas une « force politique » dans les bombes des terroristes, parviennent à convaincre le fils de l'empereur assassiné : Alexandre III gracie neuf des dix condamnés à mort. Seul un officier, Nikolaï Soukhanov, fondateur d'une organisation terroriste militaire, est fusillé.'

Lenin's older brother, Alexander Ulyanov, was a leader of "The People's Will." He was hanged following a failed assassination attempt on Alexander III, son of the assassinated Tsar, Alexander II.

That's a markedly relevant addition and might account for some of his traits. Thanks for that, Gary!

The older brother was in the second wave of People' will. Their attempt was six years later. Don't confuse the two events, Gary. By the way, Lenin did not support his brother' methods. Мы пойдем другим путем (we'll take another road) was his famous reaction.

En plus, je ne vois pas la relation directe entre l'assassinat du tsar Alexandre ii et le procès des 20. Le dernier a eu lieu presque un an après le meurtre de l'empereur. Porquoi M. Heller ne parle-t-il de Jéliabov, Perovskaïa, Kibaltchitch, Rysakoff et Mikhaïlov? La sixième était Gesia Gelfman qui a été pardonnée par le tsar grâce à la pression internationale dont Victor Hugo était en tête.

Oleg wrote: "The older brother was in the second wave of People' will. Their attempt was six years later. Don't confuse the two events, Gary. By the way, Lenin did not support his brother' methods. Мы пойдем др..."

Yes, Oleg. Lenin's brother Alexander Ulyanov was executed in 1887, 6 years after the assassination of Alexander II. The execution followed a failed attempt to assassinate Tsar Alexander III the son and heir of the assassinated Tsar. And yes, Lenin certainly took another road in his methods. At the time, I believe there was already a deep rift between the Marxists and the Anarchists and most particularly with the Nihilist wing of the Anarchist movement.

P.E. wrote: "That's a markedly relevant addition and might account for some of his traits. Thanks for that, Gary!"

You're welcome, P.E. Please also see my response to Oleg. BTW, I researched the historical background of the Anarchist and Marxist movements in late 19th century Russia and France since that information was key to the plot of my historical mystery, "The Hanged Man."

Gary, I wonder why in the West you often call People' Will nihilists. They were not nihilists. See Underground Russia by Stepnyak-Kravchinskiy. And they were not anarchists as far as I know (I have read not so many, yet more than three, books about Narodnaya volya and I have never seen them claim they were anarchists. See Underground Russia.

I will try to get hold of your book!

Oleg wrote: "Gary, I wonder why in the West you often call People' Will nihilists. They were not nihilists. See Underground Russia by Stepnyak-Kravchinskiy. And they were not anarchists as far as I know (I have..."

Oleg, thank you for your comments. It's possible I've taken a broad view of the People's Will movement, its deeds and objectives. I do recall having read that members of People's Will were influenced by Bakunin, and Bakunin is regarded as a leading anarchist.

In the late 19th century, there were several assassinations and bombings carried out by individuals who self-identified as either nihilists or anarchists. These individuals committed their acts in several different countries, including Russia, France, Spain and the USA. For example, the assassination of French President Carnot (1894) is often discussed within the same context, i.e. an act of anarchy, as the assassination of Tsar Alexander II.

According to my research, The People's Will was a group that split, or evolved from, an earlier movement (the Narodniks) that had been committed to bringing about socio-economic change, i.e. revolution, by peaceful means such as education. When this movement failed in its objectives some followers became convinced that change could only come about as the result of violence directed against the government.

I'm not an historian, just a writer of historical fiction, mostly mysteries, so I can hardly claim to be an expert on the subject. When I wrote "The Hanged Man" I was primarily interested in how the Tsarist secret police (Okhrana) worked with the French police to keep an eye on Russian emigres in Paris with radical associations.

@Oleg:

Thanks again for your valuable additions and corrections on the matter, be it about Lenin or about the trial, Oleg. This is the first time I delve in Russian general history so be certain your contribution is highly appreciated indeed.

This is guesswork, but for the time being, I have to be content to merely suppose M. Heller's account is either slanted, lopsided or gappy.

Would you be so kind as to tell me a bit more about Zhelyabov, Perovskaya, Kibalchich, Rysakoff and Mikhailov?

@Gary:

Heller's history book also takes into account a rift in the original movement from which Narodnaya Volya originated, I do not have the text ready at hand being currently in the hotel lobby, but if I'm not mistaken the other shoot was called The Black Repartition

I should have a closer look at your novel. It certainly makes a good companion to The Secret Agent, The Demons, Germinal and others!

P.E. wrote: "@Gary:

Heller's history book also takes into account a rift in the original movement from which Narodnaya Volya originated, I do not have the text ready at hand being currently in the hotel lobby..."

Thanks, P.E. The reference to a rift in the movement is consistent with what I've read on the subject. I also recall reading about a split in the anarchist movement between the non-violent "evolutionists" and the violent "revolutionists." See also Proudhon, Bakunin, Kropotkin, Louise Michel, et. al.

@Oleg:

Je réfléchissais à vos précisions au sujet de la trajectoire prise par Lénine. L'historienne Hélène Carrère d'Encausse en donne une interprétation dans L'URSS de la Révolution à la mort de Staline, 1917-1953, que j'ai consulté il y a maintenant plus de deux ans.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

@ Gary yes, Bakunin was one of the influencers along with Lavrov and Tkachev who were all socialists in broader sense. To confuse you even more, prince Kropotkin, one of the future most prominent anarchists, was also from Land and Will (Zemlia and Volia), an organisation which was a predecessor to People's will (Zemlia and volia split into People's will and Black redistribution in june-august 1879). But the thing was that neither of all those influencers was an undisputed authority for Executive Committee of the People's will. This was, to a large extent, because Bakunin et al were living abroad and ExCo people firmly believed that one may "preach" about Russian affairs only if he/she is physically present in Russia. Plus, I just finished a biography of Vera Figner (the last acting member of the Great Executive Committee in Russia arrested in 1883). And she writes in her brilliant memoir that her camrades and she in the end wanted either constitutional monarchy or republic for Russia. No sign of anarchism)

Oleg wrote: "@ Gary yes, Bakunin was one of the influencers along with Lavrov and Tkachev who were all socialists in broader sense. To confuse you even more, prince Kropotkin, one of the future most prominent a..."

Excellent information, Oleg. Thank you!