Tatiana Grigorievna Solomakha[a] (1892 – 7 November 1918) was a Russian revolutionary of Cossack origin, a Bolshevik and a participant in the Russian Civil War and the establishment of Soviet power in the Kuban.[1][2] Solomakha was captured by the White Guards and killed along with 19 others on 7 November 1918,[1][2] making her one of the victims of the White Terror.
Tatiana Solomakha | |
|---|---|
Татьяна Соломаха | |
 | |
| Commissar for Food Supplies | |
| In office 1917 – 7 November 1918 | |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1892 Poputnoye (village), Labinsk Department, Kuban Oblast, Russian Empire |
| Died | 7 November 1918 (aged 25–26) Russian SFSR |
| Citizenship | Soviet |
| Nationality | Russian |
| Political party |
|
Early life
editSolomakha was born into the family of a rural teacher in the village of Poputnaya. She studied at the women's gymnasium in Armavir, and after graduating in 1910 began working as a teacher.[1] The same year, Solomakha's father was fired from his school when he was deemed unreliable by a priest. As the eldest child, Solomakha became the family breadwinner.[2]
Revolutionary activity
editSolomakha was a participant in the First Russian Revolution of 1905 at age 17. During World War I, Solomakha became a fully-formed revolutionary and actively worked among front-line soldiers returning to the village. In 1916, she became a member of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party, and in the February Revolution of 1917 she spoke at meetings and campaigned for the Bolsheviks. The following year, Solomakha joined the Red Army in the midst of the Russian Civil War.[2]
At the first meeting of the Revolutionary Committee, Solomakha was appointed Commissar for Food Supplies. In the fall of 1918, the Red Army men retreated from Poputnaya along with Solomakha. Near Stavropol, she fell ill with typhus. While sick, she was captured during the night by the White Guards at the Blagodarny farm, near the village of Kazminsky. She was forcibly returned to the village of Poputnaya, Solomakha, along with other sick Red Army men, was thrown into prison. For three weeks, the prisoners were beaten with ramrods and whips, while being pressured into changing sides. During one of the torture sessions Solomakha exclaimed:[2]
The Soviets are coming soon, and your days are numbered. Our blood will not be shed in vain… Soviet power cannot be killed!
On the night of 7 November 1918, Solomakha and her comrades were executed. Solomakha was killed last, first, they cut off her hands, then her legs, then her head.[2]
Personal life
editSolomakha was a bibliophile. One of her favorite books was Ethel Voynich's novel The Gadfly. She read other revolutionary works; Solomakha first became acquainted with the works of Vladimir Lenin after a student who spent the night in her house gave her a book, on the cover of which was written “Lenin”.[2]
Family
editShe came from a revolutionary family. Her mother, Natalia Semyonovna Solomakha, was killed by the White Guards on 7 November 1918.[3] Her brothers, Nikolai G. Solomakha and Grigory G. Solomakha, were executed in Mozdok.[3] Her sister was Raisa G. Solomakha[4] and her father was Grigory Solomakha.[5]
Notes
edit- ^ Russian: Татья́на Григо́рьевна Солома́ха, romanized: Tat'yána Grigór'yevna Solomákha, IPA: [tɐˈtʲjanə ɡrʲɪˈɡorʲjɪvnə səlɐˈmaxə].
References
editFootnotes
edit- ^ a b c "Жизнь и деятельность Т.Г. Соломахи". www.museum.ru.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Дом-музей станицы Попутной - история". October 28, 2017. Archived from the original on 2017-10-28.
- ^ a b Argutinskaya A, Ludmila (1938). Commissar Tatiana Solomakha. Woman in the Civil War (in Russian). Vol. 2. Simferopol. Archived from the original on 2016-09-23.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ Argutinskaya A, Ludmila (1938). Commissar Tatiana Solomakha. Woman in the Civil War (in Russian). Vol. 3. Simferopol. Archived from the original on 2016-09-23.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ Argutinskaya A, Ludmila (1938). Commissar Tatiana Solomakha. Woman in the Civil War (in Russian). Vol. 1. Simferopol. Archived from the original on 2016-09-23.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
Bibliography
edit- Argutinskaya A, Ludmila (1938). Commissar Tatiana Solomakha. Woman in the Civil War (in Russian). Vol. 1, 2, 3. Simferopol. Archived from the original on 2016-09-23.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - Collective of authors (1937). Woman in the Civil War. Episodes of the struggle in the North Caucasus (in Russian). Moscow: Association of state book and magazine publishing houses.
External links
edit- Tatiana Solomakha – House-Museum of the village of Poputnaya.