HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The Military Revolutionary Council (russian: Военно-революционный Совет , VRS) was the ''de facto''
executive Executive ( exe., exec., execu.) may refer to: Role or title * Executive, a senior management role in an organization ** Chief executive officer (CEO), one of the highest-ranking corporate officers (executives) or administrators ** Executive dir ...
of the
Makhnovshchina The Makhnovshchina () was an attempt to form a stateless anarchist society in parts of Ukraine during the Russian Revolution of 1917–1923. It existed from 1918 to 1921, during which time free soviets and libertarian communes operated under t ...
, empowered to act during the interim between sittings of the Regional Congresses.


Function

Its powers covered both military and civil matters in the region, although it was also subject to instant recall at the will of the Regional Congress and its activities were limited to those explicitly outlined by the Congresses themselves. At each Regional Congress, the VRS was to provide detailed reports of its activities and subjected itself to reorganization. When it came to the decisions of local
soviets Soviet people ( rus, сове́тский наро́д, r=sovyétsky naród), or citizens of the USSR ( rus, гра́ждане СССР, grázhdanye SSSR), was an umbrella demonym for the population of the Soviet Union. Nationality policy in th ...
and assemblies, the VRS presented itself as a solely
advisory board An advisory board is a body that provides non-binding strategic advice to the management of a corporation, organization, or foundation. The informal nature of an advisory board gives greater flexibility in structure and management compared to th ...
, with no power over the local bodies of self-government. The VRS also functioned as the supreme body of the Revolutionary Insurgent Army, acting in concert with its elected general staff and in consultation with insurgent detachments, thus "representing the authority of the civilian over the military." The VRS even came into conflict with the Makhnovist general staff over a number of unilateral decisions by the latter, including the execution of members of the Polonsky conspiracy. This eventually resulted in an agreement between the two, which reaffirmed the purview of the VRS as being in "administrative, economic, and financial matters", while the insurgent army itself would concentrate on "military affairs."


History


First council (February – June 1919)

On 12 February 1919, the Second Regional Congress elected the first VRS to act as the interim
executive Executive ( exe., exec., execu.) may refer to: Role or title * Executive, a senior management role in an organization ** Chief executive officer (CEO), one of the highest-ranking corporate officers (executives) or administrators ** Executive dir ...
while Congress was not in session. The first VRS consisted of 32 delegates, each representing a
district A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions o ...
from the
provinces A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions outsi ...
of
Yekaterinoslav Dnipro, previously called Dnipropetrovsk from 1926 until May 2016, is Ukraine's fourth-largest city, with about one million inhabitants. It is located in the eastern part of Ukraine, southeast of the Ukrainian capital Kyiv on the Dnieper Rive ...
and
Taurida The recorded history of the Crimean Peninsula, historically known as ''Tauris'', ''Taurica'' ( gr, Ταυρική or Ταυρικά), and the ''Tauric Chersonese'' ( gr, Χερσόνησος Ταυρική, "Tauric Peninsula"), begins around the ...
. The Second Regional Congress further elected
Ivan Chernoknizhny 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 Govern ...
as chairman of the VRS; Leonid Kogan as vice-chairman; and Karbet as secretary. The constitution of the VRS was opposed by 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 ...
, with
Lev Kamenev Lev Borisovich Kamenev. (''né'' Rozenfeld; – 25 August 1936) was a Bolshevik revolutionary and a prominent Soviet politician. Born in Moscow to parents who were both involved in revolutionary politics, Kamenev attended Imperial Moscow Uni ...
openly demanding its abolition during a visit to
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 Battle of Huliaipole ...
. This demand was refused by
Nestor Makhno Nestor Ivanovych Makhno, The surname "Makhno" ( uk, Махно́) was itself a corruption of Nestor's father's surname "Mikhnenko" ( uk, Міхненко). ( 1888 – 25 July 1934), also known as Bat'ko Makhno ("Father Makhno"),; According to ...
, as the constitution of the VRS outlined that it could only be disbanded by a Regional Congress, not by any
central authority A Central Authority is an agency or organization that is designated to play a key facilitating role in the implementation and operation of an international treaty in public and private international law. Prior to the Hague Evidence Convention a ...
. As tensions between the
Insurgents An insurgency is a violent, armed rebellion against authority waged by small, lightly armed bands who practice guerrilla warfare from primarily rural base areas. The key descriptive feature of insurgency is its asymmetric nature: small irreg ...
and the
Red Army The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army (Russian: Рабо́че-крестья́нская Кра́сная армия),) often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic and, after ...
command began to heighten, the VRS convened a Fourth Regional Congress for 15 June. However, this Congress would never take place, as a Red Army attack against on 11 June resulted in the capture and execution of a number of VRS members by the
Cheka The All-Russian Extraordinary Commission ( rus, Всероссийская чрезвычайная комиссия, r=Vserossiyskaya chrezvychaynaya komissiya, p=fsʲɪrɐˈsʲijskəjə tɕrʲɪzvɨˈtɕæjnəjə kɐˈmʲisʲɪjə), abbreviated ...
.


Second council (August – October 1919)

Moves to reconstitute the VRS were made during negotiations between the Makhnovists and
Nykyfor Hryhoriv Nykyfor Oleksandrovych Hryhoriv (né Nychypir Servetnyk, 1884 – 27 July 1919) was a Ukrainian paramilitary leader noted for repeatedly switching sides during the Ukrainian Civil War. He was commonly known as "Otaman Hryhoriv." In some historic ...
's green army. In the proposed amalgamated force, Hryhoriv as commander-in-chief of the army would have been subordinate to the VRS, with
Nestor Makhno Nestor Ivanovych Makhno, The surname "Makhno" ( uk, Махно́) was itself a corruption of Nestor's father's surname "Mikhnenko" ( uk, Міхненко). ( 1888 – 25 July 1934), also known as Bat'ko Makhno ("Father Makhno"),; According to ...
acting as its chairman and
Hryhorii Makhno Hryhorii Ivanovych Makhno ( uk, Григорій Іванович Махно; 24 January 1886 – 18 September 1919) was a Ukrainian rebel commander and brother of Nestor Makhno. Biography Hryhorii was born into a peasant family in the village of ...
as its
chief of staff The title chief of staff (or head of staff) identifies the leader of a complex organization such as the armed forces, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a principal staff officer (PSO), who is the coordinator of the supporti ...
. However, Hryhoriv would be assassinated by the Makhnovists before the negotiations ended. With the only crucial tactical decisions having been made before its establishment, the second VRS was constituted while on the retreat to
Uman Uman ( uk, Умань, ; pl, Humań; yi, אומאַן) is a city located in Cherkasy Oblast in central Ukraine, to the east of Vinnytsia. Located in the historical region of the eastern Podolia, the city rests on the banks of the Umanka River ...
and its role was largely confined to propaganda work. One of the appeals that the second VRS issued was a denunciation of the
Ukrainian nationalist Ukrainian nationalism refers to the promotion of the unity of Ukrainians as a people and it also refers to the promotion of the identity of Ukraine as a nation state. The nation building that arose as nationalism grew following the French Revol ...
leader
Symon Petliura Symon Vasylyovych Petliura ( uk, Си́мон Васи́льович Петлю́ра; – May 25, 1926) was a Ukrainian politician and journalist. He became the Supreme Commander of the Ukrainian Army and the President of the Ukrainian People' ...
.


Third council (October 1919 – January 1920)

On 1 September 1919, the insurgent army called a meeting to restructure the army, in order to rapidly mobilize its forces for partisan warfare against the White movement. A third VRS was elected, consisting of 30 members, with
Volin Vsevolod Mikhailovich Eikhenbaum (russian: Все́волод Миха́йлович Эйхенба́ум; 11 August 188218 September 1945), commonly known by his psuedonym Volin (russian: Во́лин), was a Russian anarchist intellectual. H ...
being elected as its chairman, at the insistence of
Nestor Makhno Nestor Ivanovych Makhno, The surname "Makhno" ( uk, Махно́) was itself a corruption of Nestor's father's surname "Mikhnenko" ( uk, Міхненко). ( 1888 – 25 July 1934), also known as Bat'ko Makhno ("Father Makhno"),; According to ...
. The third VRS was constituted at a time when the Makhnovshchina's territory had reached its largest extent, while the military and political situation in Ukraine was still fluid. During its time, it implemented a score of economic and social measures. Following the capture of cities and towns, the VRS announced complete
freedom of expression Freedom of speech is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or a community to articulate their opinions and ideas without fear of retaliation, censorship, or legal sanction. The right to freedom of expression has been recogni ...
and
freedom of association Freedom of association encompasses both an individual's right to join or leave groups voluntarily, the right of the group to take collective action to pursue the interests of its members, and the right of an association to accept or decline membe ...
would be extended throughout the territory. It subsequently oversaw the seizure of money from local banks and its redistribution to the populace, particularly paying attention to supplying local children's homes and hospitals in
Yekaterinoslav Dnipro, previously called Dnipropetrovsk from 1926 until May 2016, is Ukraine's fourth-largest city, with about one million inhabitants. It is located in the eastern part of Ukraine, southeast of the Ukrainian capital Kyiv on the Dnieper Rive ...
. It then appealed to the local populace to summon their own municipal conferences, which would assume control of their local affairs, while the VRS itself stepped back to take on a purely military function. Alexandre Skirda wrote that " is practice on the part of the insurgents is a good illustration of their approach; they took the lead in eliminating state power used by Whites, Reds or any other hegemony-seeking faction, before inviting workers to get on with self-organization." The third VRS also edited the Makhnovists' official organ '' The Road to Freedom'' and published their '' Draft Declaration of the Revolutionary Insurgent Army of Ukraine'', which elaborated on the "
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 peasant ...
" as the basis of a "transitional period" towards
libertarian communism Anarcho-communism, also known as anarchist communism, (or, colloquially, ''ancom'' or ''ancomm'') is a political philosophy and anarchist school of thought that advocates communism. It calls for the abolition of private property but retains r ...
. The VRS envisaged the "free soviets" as laying the groundwork for an eventual "All-Ukrainian Labour Congress", which would result from the
self-determination The right of a people to self-determination is a cardinal principle in modern international law (commonly regarded as a ''jus cogens'' rule), binding, as such, on the United Nations as authoritative interpretation of the Charter's norms. It stat ...
of Ukrainian workers. They contrasted their vision of "social independence" for Ukrainian workers and peasants with the "national independence" sought by the
Ukrainian nationalists Ukrainian nationalism refers to the promotion of the unity of Ukrainians as a people and it also refers to the promotion of the identity of Ukraine as a nation state. The nation building that arose as nationalism grew following the French Revol ...
, declaring that: "Ukrainian, and all other, working people have the right to self-determination not as an ‘independent nation’, but as ‘independent workers’."


Final council (June – December 1920)

After the fall of Nikopol in January 1920, the Military Revolutionary Council was disbanded and replaced with the Revolutionary Insurgent Council, a new coordinating body concerned entirely with military affairs and drawing largely from an insurgent base. This new VRS consisted of 7 members, elected directly by the insurgents, and was headed by Dmitry Popov as its secretary. In July and August 1920, the fourth VRS attempted to propose a
ceasefire A ceasefire (also known as a truce or armistice), also spelled cease fire (the antonym of 'open fire'), is a temporary stoppage of a war in which each side agrees with the other to suspend aggressive actions. Ceasefires may be between state act ...
and military alliance with the
Red Army The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army (Russian: Рабо́че-крестья́нская Кра́сная армия),) often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic and, after ...
, but they received no reply, leaving the Makhnovshchina to effectively fall under the control of the White movement. The VRS again called for a ceasefire on 30 September, this time successfully, resulting in a political and military agreement being made between the Makhnovists and Bolsheviks. However, the final VRS would end up dissolving by December 1920, when a number of its members, including Popov, were assassinated by the Red Army.


References


Bibliography

* * * *{{cite book, author-link=Alexandre Skirda, last=Skirda, first=Alexandre, title=Nestor Makhno: Anarchy's Cossack, url=https://libcom.org/library/nestor-makhno-anarchys-cossack-alexandre-skirda, translator-first=Paul, translator-last=Sharkey, year=2004, location=
Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...
, publisher=
AK Press AK Press is a worker-managed, independent publisher and book distributor that specialises in radical left and anarchist literature. Operated out of Chico, California, the company is collectively owned. History AK was founded in Stirling, Sc ...
, isbn=1-902593-68-5, oclc=58872511, orig-year=1982 1919 establishments in Ukraine 1920 disestablishments in Ukraine Anarchist organizations in Ukraine Government agencies established in 1919 Government agencies disestablished in 1920 Makhnovshchina Organizations of the Russian Revolution Ukrainian governments