Harbin Kadet Bulletin - 1917 Constituent Assembly election, campaign for Horvath

Dmitry Leonidovich Horvat (July 25, 1858, Kremenchug,

Poltava Governorate The Poltava Governorate (russian: Полтавская губерния, Poltavskaya guberniya; ua, Полтавська Губернія, translit=Poltavska huberniia) or Poltavshchyna was a gubernia (also called a province or government) in t ...

Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. ...

– May 16, 1937,

Beiping "Beijing" is from pinyin ''Běijīng,'' which is romanized from , the Chinese name for this city. The pinyin system of transliteration was approved by the Chinese government in 1958, but little used until 1979. It was gradually adopted by various ...

) was a Russian

lieutenant general Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...

, a railway engineer by training, over the years led various sections of the railways of the Russian Empire, one of the leaders of the White movement.

Biography

Born in a family of hereditary nobles of the

Kherson Governorate The Kherson Governorate (1802–1922; russian: Херсонская губерния, translit.: ''Khersonskaya guberniya''; uk, Херсонська губернія, translit=Khersonska huberniia), was an administrative territorial unit (als ...

. The father – the magistrate judge Leonid Nikolaevich Horvat – was the great-grandson of General Jovan Horvat, who stood at the origins of New Serbia. Mother – Baroness Maria Pilar von Pilhau – one of the daughters of General Karl Pilar von Pilhau, great-granddaughter of Field Marshal

Mikhail Kutuzov Prince Mikhail Illarionovich Golenishchev-Kutuzov ( rus, Князь Михаи́л Илларио́нович Голени́щев-Куту́зов, Knyaz' Mikhaíl Illariónovich Goleníshchev-Kutúzov; german: Mikhail Illarion Golenishchev-Kut ...

. In 1875 he entered the Nikolaevsk Engineering School, which he graduated in 1878 in the 1st category and in the rank of second lieutenant was assigned to the Engineer Life Guards Battalion. He participated in the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–78, from May to September 1878 he was on the Balkan Peninsula in the village of Stefano, regularly making business trips to the engineering part to take gunpowder, electroplating (electric) carts and the like to the city of

Ruschuk Ruse (also transliterated as Rousse, Russe; bg, Русе ) is the fifth largest city in Bulgaria. Ruse is in the northeastern part of the country, on the right bank of the Danube, opposite the Romanian city of Giurgiu, approximately south of ...

and other cities. In October 1881, he passed the entrance examinations and entered the junior class of the Nikolaev Academy of Engineering, where he was expelled two years later due to "domestic circumstances", returned to his battalion, and was engaged in teaching in the training team at the battalion. In March 1885, he was promoted to

lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often ...

and in June was assigned to the construction of the Trans-Caspian military railway, having been appointed to the position of official on special assignments under General

Mikhail Annenkov General Mikhail Nikolayevich Annenkov (russian: Михаил Николаевич Анненков; formerly also transcribed Michael Nicolaivitch Annenkoff) (1835 in St. Petersburg, Russia – January 21, 1899 (New Style) in St. Petersburg, Ru ...

, head of the road construction. The Trans-Caspian Military Railway is notable for the fact that it became the first railway in the world, built in the period 1880–88, in the zone of moving sands. Initially, its construction was intended for the strategic needs of the military department of the Russian Empire, and only from 1899, the road passed to the

Ministry of Railways A Ministry of Railways is a Cabinet department that exists or has existed in many Commonwealth states as well as others. It generally occurs in countries where railroad transportation is a particularly important part of the national infrastructur ...

. Laying of the railway track superstructure was carried out by two railway battalions. As the road was built and stations opened, all posts in the service of the movement, thrust, and repair were also performed by the officers of these battalions: officers, non-commissioned officers, and privates. In order to complete all the work and carry out the operation of the railway track in the shortest possible time, there were not enough people, so Croatian, being a special assignment officer at the construction manager, had to do the work of the foreman, the traveling foreman, and even the locomotive engineer. Thanks to his natural talents and exceptional service qualities, he quickly moved in the service, occupied a number of posts. In 1889, when the railway line was built to the city of Samarkand, he was appointed head of the operating distance of the Samarkand section of the Trans-Caspian military railway, in April of the same year he was promoted to the rank of '' stabs-kapitan'', in 1894 he was promoted to captain. In 1895, he was assigned to the

Ussuri Krai Ussuri krai () is an unofficial name for a part of Primorsky Krai and Khabarovsky Krai that consisted of the Ussuri and South-Ussuri Okrugs. The name was often used in the late Russian Empire. The name comes from the fact that Ussuri River is loc ...

, for the construction of the Ussuri railway, as the head of the 1st Ussuri battalion. In May 1898, promoted to

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge o ...

. In September 1896, he was appointed the head of the South Ussuriisk railway, leaving his previous post. From April 1899 – Acting Head of the

Trans-Caspian Railway The Trans-Caspian Railway (also called the Central Asian Railway, russian: Среднеазиатская железная дорога) is a railway that follows the path of the Silk Road through much of western Central Asia. It was built by ...

. In November 1902, he received an offer to take the post of manager of the then

Chinese Eastern Railway The Chinese Eastern Railway or CER (, russian: Китайско-Восточная железная дорога, or , ''Kitaysko-Vostochnaya Zheleznaya Doroga'' or ''KVZhD''), is the historical name for a railway system in Northeast China (als ...

(CER). From 1903 – head of construction, then until April 27, 1918 – manager of the CER. At the same time, he was at the disposal of the Minister of Finance (as the head of the department in charge of the CER). Promoted in the rank of

Major general Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of ...

(promotion 1904; seniority November 26, 1906; for distinction), then in the rank of

(promotion December 6, 1911; seniority November 26, 1912; for distinction). After the February Revolution of 1917 – Commissioner of the

Provisional Government A provisional government, also called an interim government, an emergency government, or a transitional government, is an emergency governmental authority set up to manage a political transition generally in the cases of a newly formed state or ...

on the CER. After the

October Revolution The October Revolution,. officially known as the Great October Socialist Revolution. in the Soviet Union, also known as the Bolshevik Revolution, was a revolution in Russia led by the Bolshevik Party of Vladimir Lenin that was a key mome ...

of 1917, in the alienation zone, the CER was still in full order, life was ensured for everyone, and everyone lived in satiety and in peace. People believed that as long as Horvat was there, everyone would be protected from all kinds of misfortunes. The strip of alienation was then called "happy, blessed Horvatia", but it turned out, thanks to the disintegration in Russia of the central supreme state power, as if completely independent, granted to its own forces. General Horvat did not long agree on general persuasion to take upon himself the heavy burden of exercising the authority of the supreme power, but finally, he decided and on July 10, 1918, declared himself the Temporary Ruler until the Russian national sovereignty was restored.The acting manager of the CER from the period of April 28, 1918, to November 5, 1920, was the former head of the road traction service engineer Vasiliy Lachinov – ''

Nikolai Volodchenko Nikolai Gerasimovich Volodchenko (November 20, 1862 – 1945) was a Lieutenant-General of the Imperial Russian Army. In 1917, he was the commander-in-chief of the Southwestern front. Biography Early life, education and career Volodchenko was ...

''. Engineer Vasiliy Lachinov. A brief biographical sketch. – Harbin, August 15, 1934.Dmitry Leonidovich Horvat
// Site of the project "HRONOS": world history on the Internet (www.hrono.ru) In this high rank and in this responsible post he remained until September 13, 1918, when, after long and difficult negotiations, he recognized the Provisional Siberian Government, to which he transferred his sovereign powers, resigning as the Temporary Ruler and remaining High Commissioner for the Far East, with the subordination of all the troops and military fleets of the Far East. In this post, he continued to remain when the Siberian Government transferred, in turn, its authority to the

Provisional All-Russian Government The Provisional All-Russian Government (PA-RG), informally known as The Directory, The Ufa Directory, or The Omsk Directory, was a short-lived government during the Russian Civil War, formed on 23 September 1918 at the State Conference in Ufa a ...

formed in the city of

Ufa Ufa ( ba, Өфө , Öfö; russian: Уфа́, r=Ufá, p=ʊˈfa) is the largest city and capital city, capital of Bashkortostan, Russia. The city lies at the confluence of the Belaya River (Kama), Belaya and Ufa River, Ufa rivers, in the centre-n ...

, as well as when the designated Government fell, and the entire government passed to the Supreme Ruler – Admiral Alexander Kolchak. On

August 31 Events Pre-1600 * 1056 – After a sudden illness a few days previously, Byzantine Empress Theodora dies childless, thus ending the Macedonian dynasty. * 1057 – Abdication of Byzantine Emperor Michael VI Bringas after just one year ...

1919 Events January * January 1 ** The Czechoslovak Legions occupy much of the self-proclaimed "free city" of Pressburg (now Bratislava), enforcing its incorporation into the new republic of Czechoslovakia. ** HMY ''Iolaire'' sinks off the ...

, with the appointment of General Rozanov as the Chief of the Amur Region, General Horvat returned from

Vladivostok Vladivostok ( rus, Владивосто́к, a=Владивосток.ogg, p=vɫədʲɪvɐˈstok) is the largest city and the administrative center of Primorsky Krai, Russia. The city is located around the Golden Horn Bay on the Sea of Japan, c ...

to Harbin. There he remained at the head of the administration of a vast territory of the railway alienation line until the " Karakhan note" appeared, in which the Bolshevik government refused free of any Russian rights to the CER.

Emigration

After the "note of Karakhan" completely retired from the railway and left in 1920 for

Beijing } Beijing ( ; ; ), alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the capital of the People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's most populous national capital city, with over 21 ...

. Was engaged in political and social activities. From 1921 to 1924 – Advisor to the Society of the Chinese Eastern Railway in Beijing. Since 1924 – Chairman of the Department of the

Russian All-Military Union The Russian All-Military Union ( rus, Русский Обще-Воинский Союз, abbreviated РОВС, ROVS) is an organization that was founded by White Army General Pyotr Wrangel in the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes on 1 Septembe ...

in China. He remained there until his death, being the officially recognized head of the Russian emigration in the Far East. Working tirelessly to protect the rights of emigration and to arrange its well-being, General Horvat, thanks to his authority and his entire past, was able to help his fellow countrymen in many ways. He was buried at one of the walls of the temple of the Martyrs in the Beijing spiritual mission.

Family

Wife – Camilla Albertovna Benois (1879 – July 4, 1959,

Vancouver Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...

) – the daughter of the architect Albert Benois. *Son – Dmitry Dmitrievich Horvat, wife – Olga Olegovna (born Isaeva); *Daughter – Evdokia Dmitrievna Williams.

Military ranks

*Entered the service (September 1, 1875);List of senior generals. St. Petersburg, 1906. *

Podpraporshchik Podpraporshchik (russian: подпра́порщик, lit=under praporshchik' or 'junior praporshchik, ) was a Russian non-commissioned officer (NCO) rank ( rus, у̀нтер-офице́р ранг, , ˌunʲtʲɪr ɐfʲɪˈtsɛr rank), originally ...

(April 16, 1878); *

Praporshchik ( rus, Пра́порщик, 3=ˈprapərɕːɪk, ) is a rank used by the Russian Armed Forces and a number of former communist states. The rank is a non-commissioned officer's and is equivalent to in navies. It is usually equivalent to Warrant ...

(May 11, 1879); * Poruchik (March 24, 1885); * Stabs-kapitan (April 6, 1889); * Captain (August 30, 1894); *

Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge o ...

(May 17, 1896); *

(November 26, 1906); *

Lieutenant general Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...

(November 26, 1912).

Awards

* Order of Saint Stanislaus, 3rd class (1889); *

Order of Saint Anna The Imperial Order of Saint Anna (russian: Орден Святой Анны; also "Order of Saint Anne" or "Order of Saint Ann") was a Holstein ducal and then Russian imperial order of chivalry. It was established by Karl Friedrich, Duke of Hol ...

, 3rd class (1893); * Order of Saint Stanislaus, 2nd class (1895); *

, 2nd class (1899); *

Order of Saint Vladimir The Imperial Order of Saint Prince Vladimir (russian: орден Святого Владимира) was an Imperial Russian order established on by Empress Catherine II in memory of the deeds of Saint Vladimir, the Grand Prince and the Baptize ...

, 3rd class (1902); * Order of Saint Stanislaus, 1st class (1905); *

, 1st class (1905); *

, 2nd class (1910); * Order of the White Eagle (1915). foreign: *Golden Star of the Order of Noble Bukhara, 2nd class (1892); *Tunisian Officer's Cross of

Order of Glory Order, ORDER or Orders may refer to: * Categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated, and understood * Heterarchy, a system of organization wherein the elements have the potential to be ranked a number of d ...

(1897); *Prussian Order of the Crown, 2nd class (1900); *Golden Star of the Order of Noble Bukhara, 1st class (1901).

References

External links