Ivan Sebastianovich Chernoknizhny was a left socialist-revolutionary and a leading member of the Makhnovist movement.

Biography

Ivan Chernoknizhny was born at the end of the nineteenth century in the Pavlohrad Raion of the Katerynoslav Governorate. After receiving his education, he worked as a rural teacher in the village of , where he became a member of the Party of Left Socialist-Revolutionaries. In the autumn of 1918, he joined the Makhnovist movement and was elected as a delegate for Novopavlivka to the first, second and third Regional Congresses of Peasants, Workers and Insurgents. At the second congress, he was elected as the first chairman of the

Military Revolutionary Council The Military Revolutionary Council (russian: Военно-революционный Совет , VRS) was the ''de facto'' executive of the Makhnovshchina, empowered to act during the interim between sittings of the Regional Congresses. Fu ...

(VRS), after he gave a speech in which he denounced the newly-established

Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic ( uk, Украї́нська Радя́нська Соціалісти́чна Респу́бліка, ; russian: Украи́нская Сове́тская Социалисти́ческая Респ ...

: As chairman of the VRS, he oversaw the establishment of the first

free soviets Free soviets were the basic form of organization in the Makhnovshchina. These soviets acted independently from any central authority, excluding all political parties from participation, and met to self-manage the activities of workers and peasa ...

Huliaipole Raion Huliaipole Raion ( uk, Гуляйпільський район) was one of raions (districts) of Zaporizhzhia Oblast in southern Ukraine. The administrative center of the raion was the town of Huliaipole. The raion was abolished on 18 July 2020 as ...

. During his speech at an opening ceremony in

Huliaipole Huliaipole ( uk, Гуляйполе ; ) is a city in Polohy Raion, Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Ukraine. It is known as the birthplace of Ukrainian anarchist revolutionary Nestor Makhno. In 2021, it had a population of Huliaipole was attacked by Russian ...

, he described the goal of the free soviets to be the establishment of self-governance in Ukraine, outside of the control of any

political party A political party is an organization that coordinates candidates to compete in a particular country's elections. It is common for the members of a party to hold similar ideas about politics, and parties may promote specific ideological or p ...

. He also noted that Ukrainian peasants had instinctively self-organized many free soviets themselves, indicating widespread popular support for the project. He ended his speech by warning against rising

authoritarianism Authoritarianism is a political system characterized by the rejection of political plurality, the use of strong central power to preserve the political ''status quo'', and reductions in the rule of law, separation of powers, and democratic voti ...

, brought on by both the

Bolsheviks The Bolsheviks (russian: Большевики́, from большинство́ ''bol'shinstvó'', 'majority'),; derived from ''bol'shinstvó'' (большинство́), "majority", literally meaning "one of the majority". also known in English ...

and the White movement, calling instead for free soviets to become the nucleus for " real freedom, genuine equality and honest fraternity." In June 1919, he was outlawed by the Soviet authorities and went underground. He continued to take an active part in the Makhnovist movement, constantly working in the VRS and remaining one of the ideologists of the insurgency. He was again declared an outlaw in January and November 1920. In the 1920s, after the

amnesty Amnesty (from the Ancient Greek ἀμνηστία, ''amnestia'', "forgetfulness, passing over") is defined as "A pardon extended by the government to a group or class of people, usually for a political offense; the act of a sovereign power offici ...

, he lived in the

Mezhova Raion Mezhova Raion ( uk, Межівський район) was a raion (district) of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, southeastern-central Ukraine. Its administrative centre was located at the urban-type settlement of Mezhova. The raion was abolished on 18 July 2 ...

of the

Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Dnipropetrovsk Oblast ( uk, Дніпропетро́вська о́бласть, translit=Dnipropetrovska oblast), also referred to as Dnipropetrovshchyna ( uk, Дніпропетро́вщина), is an administrative divisions of Ukraine, obla ...

, where he led the underground Anarcho-Makhnovist group. For his illicit activities, he was arrested in 1928.

References

Bibliography

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Chernoknizhny, Ivan 1890s births 1928 deaths Year of birth uncertain Year of death uncertain Left socialist-revolutionaries Makhnovshchina People from Pavlohrad People of the Russian Civil War People of the Russian Revolution Prisoners and detainees of the Soviet Union Ukrainian anarchists Ukrainian prisoners and detainees Ukrainian socialists