Catherine Breshkovsky
While
Alexander Kerensky is knows as the Father of Russian Democracy,
Catherine Breshkovsky, born 1844, is knows as its Grandmother. She started her revolutionary career with Mikhail Bakunin, was imprisoned and exiled to Siberia. After her release she organized the Social Revolutionary Party together with
Viktor Chernov and Grigori Gershuni, but was arrested again and exiled out of the country.
She returned after 1905 when the SRs became a serious political force, but was again a victim of the Tsarist crackdown on political opposition and ended up in Siberia once more. In 1917 she escaped and returned to St. Petersburg where she was brought into Kerensky’s provisional government and then stayed with him throughout the Civil War. She never accepted a formal government position after the war but remained a strong force in Russian politics.
During the early years of the SRs members of the party met at Breshkovsky’s apartment to discuss strategy and policies. Very few people knew that she was much more than just a simple host with a conveniently located house. Chernov would always stay late, after everyone else would leave, and then the real discussions would take place. Catherine had uncanny connections throughout the city and Russia and did more for the SR cause than most realize – the gathered money, recruited people, organized events and demonstrations, and, to be honest, a number of illegal activities such as thefts, bombings, and assassinations. She recruited
Boris Savinkov and Maria Spriridonova into the SR party and according to some she ordered the assassination of Grand Duke Sergey in 1905, the real target of which was
Dmitri Romanov.
When
Viktor Chernov and Irakli Tsereteli arrived at her house on January 3rd Catherine already had tea and cookies ready and out. She opened the door with the words, “It took you long enough, come in already, you’ll catch a cold in this weather!” and hushed the two men into her living room. As Tsereteli tries to speak she interrupts him, “Yes, I know, I know, Sasha (Alexander Kerensky) has been killed, a pity,” her voice is almost mocking. I also know that
Denikin in on a train headed for Petersburg and that
Wrangel won’t get the news for at least a couple more hours since he is out of town.”
Tsereteli tries to speak again and she interrupts again, her revolutionary organizational skills coming to the fore, “we need to act quickly, let the soldiers know that a new government is in place, inform workers’ leaders, remove those that don’t cooperate…” she trailed off and that gave Chernov a chance to speak up. “Catherine, our problem is that there is no new government.” She looked at him and blinked, “What do you mean?” Tsereteli tried to interject, “Madame Breshkovsky, there is no legal path to picking a new President outside the constitutionally established…” she cut him off again. “
Viktor Chernov, are you willing to work to protect the Republic and the Revolution?” Chernov nodded, “of course, but…” Catherine interrupted him yet again, “Congratulations Mr. President, now let’s get to work.”
OOC: The challenge of running a democratic Russian AAR since nobody has ever done that before was too much, plus democracy should be the most challenging path to take.