One of Russia's first Marxists, from Narodnaya Volya to leader of the 1905 Chita Republic
Old Tiflis workers recalled: 'On any argument or discussion, all the comrades turned to Kurnatovsky. His conclusions and judgments were always accepted without argument.'
A Narodnaya Volya activist who turned to Marxism, Kurnatovsky worked with Plekhanov's Emancipation of Labour group in Geneva and met Lenin in Minusinsk exile, where he co-signed the 'Protest of Russian Social Democrats.' In 1900 he became Iskra's representative in the Caucasus, founded the Tiflis Committee of the RSDLP, and served as young Stalin's 'party teacher.' During the 1905 revolution he organized the Soviet of Workers', Soldiers' and Cossacks' Deputies in Chita and led the armed uprising known as the 'Chita Republic.' Sentenced to death, then commuted to life at hard labor, he escaped via Japan and died in Parisian exile at 44.
Activities and affiliations
Career Timeline
- 1887–1889Narodnaya Volya activist; expelled from St. Petersburg and Moscow universities and exiled
- 1892–1897Zurich Polytechnic graduate (chemical engineering); joins Plekhanov's Emancipation of Labour
- 1898–1900Minusinsk exile; meets Lenin, co-signs 'Protest of Russian Social Democrats'
- 1900–1901Iskra representative in Caucasus; founds Tiflis RSDLP Committee
- 1904Leads armed protest of Yakutsk political exiles; imprisoned at Akatuy katorga
- 1905–1906Organizes Chita Soviet of Workers', Soldiers' & Cossacks' Deputies; leads 'Chita Republic' uprising; edits Zabaykalsky Rabochy
- 1906–1912Death sentence commuted to life katorga; escapes via Japan; dies in Paris exile
Related historical events
Revolutionary Work and Repression in Chita (1905–1906)
In autumn 1905 Kurnatovsky joined the Social Democratic organization preparing a workers' uprising in Chita. He became a member of the regional committee of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party elected at the Social Democrats' November congress and took part in organizing the Soviet of Soldiers' and Cossacks' Deputies. The Soviet and the armed workers' militia, however, were chaired by Anton Kostyushko-Valyuzhanich. From 7 December (Old Style 24 November), the party's newspaper Zabaikalsky Rabochy, edited by Kurnatovsky, extended the committee's political work, with a reported circulation of 8,000 to 10,000 copies.
His work went beyond propaganda and organization: on 20 December (Old Style 7 December), he led a delegation that freed 15 sailors from the transport Prut, held in Akatuy penal prison. As the Chita uprising became isolated and military expeditions approached, the party committee and the Soviet of Workers' Militias decided against direct confrontation and shifted to guerrilla methods. General Rennenkampf's expedition entered Chita unopposed on 4 February 1906 (Old Style 22 January), and about 400 people, including Kurnatovsky, were arrested after the suppression. A military court sentenced him to death in March 1906, but on 15 April (Old Style 2 April) his sentence was commuted to penal labor for an indefinite term. He escaped from Nerchinsk town hospital on 3 June (Old Style 21 May). The repression also resulted in death and penal-labor sentences for other participants and the dismissal and expulsion from Chita of more than 400 railway workers.