Famous people seem almost ideal to everyone else; it seems that they immediately became famous, or that they cannot get into funny and absurd situations. But, in fact, they are people like everyone else. Not everyone immediately understood what exactly they were talented at, and some did not immediately receive recognition. Reading interesting stories from , you begin to treat them not only as special individuals, but also as people who can make mistakes, get into ridiculous situations and achieve their goals.
Jules Verne
This is not just a writer adventure novels, but also one of those authors who could foresee some things. Jules Verne also belonged to this category, and his works were the favorite books of not only children, but also adults. They contained not only fantastic inventions for that time, but also colorful descriptions of nature, depths of the sea. And the life of Jules Verne was as bright and a little mysterious as his novels.
- Back in 1839, the boy, who was only 11 years old, went to the port of Nantes, where the schooner Coralie was located. This is exactly what this boy chose as a cabin boy. This ship was supposed to go to the fabulous and mysterious India, where he so dreamed of going. But he was noticed in time and put ashore. Many years later, already as a grown man, he told those around him that his calling was in maritime affairs. And he regretted that he could not become a sailor then. This boy was Jules Verne.
- People often said that his novels described technologies that would be invented in the future. One of these stories is connected with the legend of the writer’s family. Allegedly, in 1863 the writer finished work on the novel “Paris in the 20th Century.” He returned from the publishing house puzzled: the publisher refused to print the manuscript because it was too fantastic! And suddenly, in 1989, Verne’s great-grandson discovered that very novel and the inventions that were described in the book actually existed.
- Jules Verne is one of those writers who popularized science in society thanks to his writing talent. Therefore, for many designers and engineers spaceships, as well as cosmonauts and astronauts, his books became reference books. His talent and faith in science were rewarded: a large crater on back side Moons.
The famous Russian writer, whose talent was most clearly revealed in drama, managed to completely change the idea of what a play should be. In his works, Anton Pavlovich knew how to very accurately select expressions that would describe all the weaknesses of human nature. At the same time, the writer himself was philanthropic and throughout his life he urged everyone to “take care of the person within you.” Chekhov did not like to write about himself, but notebooks the writer, his letters, memories of people who had the opportunity to communicate with him, allow you to get acquainted with interesting facts from the life of Anton Pavlovich.
1. There was always a place for medicine in Chekhov’s life. After all, initially he saw his calling as a doctor, and writing stories, plays and humorous notes for him was just a way to earn extra money. Among the teachers at Faculty of Medicine, where the writer studied, was also famous Nikolai Sklifosovsky. Later, Anton Pavlovich began working as a doctor.
After some time, there was a change in priorities, and in January 1886 a sign was removed from his door, which stated that a doctor was seeing there. It was not only that Anton Pavlovich began to seriously engage in writing, but a difficult case occurred in his practice: two of his patients died of typhus. During his famous trip to Sakhalin, Chekhov wrote that he was ready to leave medicine.
But, in fact, he always continued to be a doctor. Anton Pavlovich attended various medical congresses to keep up to date latest news in this area. On his estate in Melikhovo he continued to provide medical care to all those in need, and treated the sick in Yalta. Even being already seriously ill, Anton Pavlovich was ready to go to Far East not as a writer, but as a doctor.
2. It was Chekhov who “gave” Sakhalin to Russia. In 1890, the playwright made the most difficult expedition to Sakhalin, which was a place of exile for prisoners and convicts. One newspaper wrote about this trip as significant event. Anton Pavlovich took a responsible approach to the trip: he studied the history of the Russian prison, all kinds of records about the island, the works of historians, geographers and ethnographers about Sakhalin.
When Chekhov went to Sakhalin, then this place was not fully studied, of no interest to anyone, there was not even accurate data on the population. The trip lasted three months, during which the writer took a census of the population and studied the life of convicts. It was thanks to Anton Pavlovich that Russian and foreign researchers became interested in the island.
3. Chekhov was engaged in charity work, which was not limited to one medical care. He raised funds for the needy, built schools, opened public libraries, to which he gave his numerous books, which were of museum value. Well, of course, he helped all the sick and even arranged for those who had little money to go to a sanatorium. All his life he followed his covenant: “Take care of the person within you!”
An outstanding scientist who laid the foundations of chemistry, creator of the periodic table, professor - the life of such talented person, like Dmitry Mendeleev, was just as interesting. There was quite a place in it interesting facts, which reveal a different side to the scientist.
1. The most important well-known fact of the scientist’s biography is the famous dream in which he had periodic table chemical elements. No matter how it gives a certain aura of mystery to Mendeleev’s personality, it is not so. Dmitry Ivanovich created this table through long research and reflection.
Open periodic law was in 1869. On February 17, the scientist sketched a table on the back of one letter, which contained a request to come and help production. Later, Mendeleev wrote on separate cards the names of all chemical elements known at that time, as well as atomic weight and put them in order. Therefore, the trip was postponed, and Dmitry Ivanovich himself plunged into work, as a result of which the periodic table of chemical elements was obtained. And in 1870 the scientist was able to calculate atomic mass those elements that had not yet been studied, which is why there were “empty” places in his table, which were later filled with new elements.
2. Despite its numerous scientific works And important discoveries, Dmitry Ivanovich never received the Nobel Prize. Although he was nominated for it more than once, each time it was awarded to a different doctor. In 1905, Mendeleev was among the candidates, but the German chemist became the laureate. In 1906, it was decided to present the prize to Dmitry Ivanovich, but then the Swedish royal academy changed her mind and presented the award to the French scientist.
In 1907, a proposal was voiced to divide the prize between the Italian scientist and Mendeleev. But on February 2, 1907, the 72-year-old outstanding scientist passed away. Possible reason, due to which Dmitry Ivanovich did not become a laureate, they call the conflict between him and the Nobel brothers. It occurred due to disagreements over the introduction of a tax on oil, thanks to which the brothers were able to get rich and control some of the Russian shares.
The Swedes started a rumor about exhaustion oil field. Was created special commission, among whose members was Mendeleev. He was opposed to introducing a tax, and denied the rumor started by the Nobel brothers, which became the cause of the conflict between the Nobels and the scientist.
3. Despite the fact that for the majority the name Mendeleev is associated with chemistry, in fact, works devoted to chemistry accounted for only 10% of the total amount scientific research. Dmitry Ivanovich was also interested in shipbuilding and participated in the development of navigation in Arctic waters. And he devoted about 40 works to this area.
Mendeleev took an active part in the construction of the first Arctic icebreaker "Ermak", which was launched on October 29, 1898. For his active participation in the study of Arctic development, a ridge located under water in the Arctic, discovered in 1949, was named in his honor. .
The facts written above are only a small part of the cases that happened to these outstanding people. But these stories show that famous personalities They did not always immediately determine their calling; they tried to set an example for other people and follow their principles. Therefore, interesting stories from the lives of great people can inspire humanity to do something important for the development of science or contribute to art or simply help other people.
All of us, graduates of Soviet and post-Soviet secondary schools, at least we can remember something about the famous historical figures. Well, for example, that Gaius Julius Caesar was killed as a result of a conspiracy involving a certain Brutus. Or that Albert Einstein is the author general theory relativity. However, there are a number of interesting facts about famous people that you are unlikely to be taught about at school.
1. Once upon a time famous physicist had a chance to become president of Israel. However, he refused this position with the caveat that he would not be able to decide state affairs due to their significance and scale.
2. Perhaps, while dying, Albert Einstein finally put forward another brilliant theory or said something equally significant. Alas, we will never know about this, since he died in the presence of a nurse who did not understand a word of German.
3. The last wish of the founder of the Nobel Prize was a request not to be considered a promoter of violence due to the fact that he invented dynamite.
4. British Queen Anna was the mother of 17 children and outlived them all.
5. Elizabeth the First introduced a tax for those men who wore a beard.
6. She also passed a law obliging everyone, except very rich people, to wear special hats on Sunday.
7. One can only guess what happened during feasts before Catherine the First issued a law stating that no man had the right to get drunk during a feast before 21.00.
8. For her wedding, among other things, Queen Victoria received a “piece” of cheese weighing half a ton and three meters in diameter.
9. Lady Astor is credited with saying the following to Prime Minister Winston Churchill: “If you were my husband, I would put poison in your coffee.” They say that a worthy answer was received to this: “If you were my wife, I would drink it.”
10. And the British Prime Minister himself smoked about 15 cigars a day.
11. The autograph of a famous Roman emperor is valued at $2 million. The problem is that no one has been able to find it yet.
12. Appearance laurel wreath on the head of Julius Caesar is associated with his attempt to hide the beginning of hair loss.
13. The loving Israeli king Solomon had about 700 wives and at least a hundred mistresses.
14. The sex icon's bra, which Marilyn wore in Some Like It Hot, fetched $14,000 at auction.
15. Famous writer Charles Dickens slept exclusively facing north. He firmly believed that this would help improve his writing talent.
16. What would US President Thomas Jefferson think of his descendants if he learned that the house in which he wrote the Declaration of Independence is now... a diner?
17. George Washington can be proud that his birthday is the only birthday that is an official holiday in all states of America.
18. During World War I, the future Pope John XXIII served as a sergeant in the Italian army.
19. Isaac Newton was interested in occult and supernatural ideas.
20. John Rockefeller gave away more than $500 million to charitable causes during his lifetime.
21. Personally, I am filled with bewilderment at the fact that the two-time winner Nobel Prize could not become a member of the prestigious French Academy solely because she was a woman.
22. Mozart never went to school.
23. There was a payphone in the mansion of one of the richest people in the world.
24. First Chairman communist party China worked as an assistant librarian at Beijing University before taking power.
25. Three most famous names in China they amaze with their modesty and originality: Jesus Christ, Richard Nixon and Elvis Presley.
26. John Glenn became the first American astronaut who reached earth's orbit.
27. This professional illusionist claimed that his extraordinary abilities came to him from the distant planet Huva.
And finally
28. Italians owe their national flag Napoleon Bonaparte.
Usually great people differ from the average man in the street, and not only in their famous achievements, but also by character and habits. Among these habits there are many oddities that distinguished many famous personalities. This post contains a selection of oddities famous people.
Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov was one of the most famous Russian commanders. He did not lose a single battle, and all of them were won with the numerical superiority of the enemy. Suvorov was famous for his strange antics: he went to bed at six in the evening, and woke up at two in the morning, and when he woke up, he wet himself cold water and loudly shouted “ku-ka-re-ku!” Despite all his ranks, he slept on hay. Preferring to wear old boots, he could easily go out to meet high officials in a sleeping cap and underwear. He also gave the signal for the attack to his loved ones “ku-ka-re-ku!”, and, they say, after he was promoted to field marshal, he began jumping over chairs and saying: “And I jumped over this one, and over that one.” That!"
Often famous people were distinguished by great forgetfulness and absent-mindedness. For example, Diderot forgot days, months, years and the names of loved ones. Anatole France sometimes forgot to take out new leaf paper or a notebook and wrote on everything that came to hand: envelopes, business cards, wrappers, receipts. But scientists are usually the most absent-minded.
Newton once received guests and, wanting to treat them, went to his office to buy wine. The guests are waiting, but the owner does not return. It turned out that upon entering the workroom, Newton was thinking so deeply about his next work that he completely forgot about his friends. There is also a known case when Newton, having decided to boil an egg, took a watch, noticed the time and after a couple of minutes discovered that he was holding an egg in his hand and was boiling a watch. One day Newton had lunch, but did not notice it. And when he went to dine another time by mistake, he was very surprised that someone ate his food.
Einstein, having met his friend and, absorbed in thoughts, said: Come to me in the evening. I will also have Professor Stimson. His friend, puzzled, objected: But I am Stimson! Einstein replied: It doesn’t matter, come anyway! In addition, Einstein's wife had to repeat the same thing three times before the great physicist understood the meaning of her remarks.
The father of Russian aviation, Zhukovsky, once, after talking the whole evening with friends in his own living room, suddenly got up, looking for his hat, and began to hastily say goodbye, muttering: However, I stayed too long with you, it’s time to go home!
The German historian Theodor Mommsen once rummaged through all his pockets to find glasses. The little girl sitting next to him handed them to him. “Thank you, baby,” Mommsen said, “What’s your name?” “Anna Mommsen, dad,” the girl answered.
One day, Ampere, leaving his apartment, wrote in chalk on his door: Ampere will only be home in the evening. But he returned home in the afternoon. He read the inscription on his door and went back, because he forgot that he himself was Ampere. Another story that was told about Ampere was this. One day, while sitting in a carriage, he wrote the formula with chalk instead of a slate board on the coachman’s back. And I was very surprised when, upon arriving at the place and getting off the crew, I saw that the formula began to be removed along with the crew.
Galileo was no less absent-minded. He spent the first wedding night for a book. Finally noticing that it was already dawn, he went to the bedroom, but immediately came out and asked the servant: “Who is lying in my bed?” “Your wife, sir,” answered the servant. Galileo completely forgot that he got married.
Some great ones never married at all. Now this will not surprise anyone, but a hundred years ago it was considered a great oddity. Voltaire, Dante, Rousseau, Spinoza, Kant and Beethoven died as convinced bachelors, believing that a wife would only hinder them from creating, and that a servant would look after the house perfectly.
True, in Beethoven’s house the servants were powerless to maintain any semblance of order: sheets of symphonies and overtures were scattered throughout the office mixed with bottles and plates, and woe to anyone who tried to collect them, disturbing this disorder! And the owner himself at this time, despite any weather, jogged around the streets of the city.
The famous satirist La Fontaine also loved to take a walk. At the same time, he loudly recited the lines and rhymes that came into his bright head, waving his arms and dancing. Fortunately for him, people then treated such individuals quite calmly, and no one called the orderlies.
The famous writer Leo Tolstoy was famous among his contemporaries not only for his works, but also for his quirks. As a count, he worked in the fields along with the men. At the same time, working in the field side by side with the peasants was not an extravagant hobby for him; he sincerely loved and respected hard physical work. Tolstoy, with pleasure and, what is important, with skill, sewed boots, which he then gave to relatives, mowed grass and plowed the land, surprising the local peasants who were watching him and upsetting his wife.
Over the years, Tolstoy became increasingly obsessed with spiritual quests, and he paid less and less attention to everyday life, striving for asceticism and “simplification” in almost everything. The Count engages in hard peasant labor, sleeps on the bare floor and walks barefoot until the coldest weather, thereby emphasizing his closeness to the people. This is exactly how Ilya Repin captured him in his painting, barefoot, wearing a belted peasant shirt and simple trousers.
Lev Nikolaevich maintained physical vigor and fortitude until his very last days. The reason for this is the count’s passionate love for sports and all kinds of physical exercise, which in his opinion were mandatory, especially for those involved in mental labor. Tolstoy’s favorite discipline was walking; it is known that already at the quite respectable age of sixty he made three walking journeys from Moscow to Yasnaya Polyana. In addition, the count was fond of speed skating, mastered cycling, horse riding, swimming, and began every morning with gymnastics.
Already at the advanced age of 82 years, the writer decided to go wandering, leaving his estate, leaving his wife and children. IN farewell letter To his Countess Sophia, Tolstoy writes: “I can no longer live in the conditions of luxury in which I lived, and I do what old people of my age usually do: they leave worldly life to live in solitude and silence last days own life".
And among scientists, Nikola Tesla was known as one of the most eccentric people. Tesla had neither his own house nor apartment - only a laboratory and land. Great Inventor I usually spent the night right in the laboratory or in hotels in New York. Tesla never married. According to him, solitary image life helped the development of his scientific abilities.
He was terribly afraid of germs, constantly washed his hands, and in hotels he could demand up to a couple of dozen towels a day. By the way, in hotels he always checked whether the number of his apartment would be a multiple of three - and in otherwise flatly refused to move in. If a fly landed on the table during lunch, Tesla demanded that the waiters bring everything again. In modern psychiatry, there is a special term for this kind of oddity - “mysophobia”.
Tesla counted steps while walking, the volume of bowls of soup, cups of coffee and pieces of food. If he failed to do this, then the food did not give him pleasure, so he preferred to eat alone.
Having become the author of many inventions that changed the life of modern civilization, Nikola Tesla left behind even more rumors and guesses about incredible discoveries, which for some reason never reached their publication and application.
And although it’s already outside last month autumn, today, November 7, millions of people around the world remember the October Revolution of 1917, the events of which directly influenced the course of world history and the future of many countries as a whole.
This event, or rather, whole chain the incidents that occurred throughout 1917 still cause serious controversy, both among historians and politicians and philosophers of various stripes. What would have happened to Russia if not for the Bolsheviks? Could the monarchy survive? Latvia would gain independence (by the way, for Latvia on November 7 also important date- In 1922, the first meeting of the Seimas of Latvia took place)? For these and many other questions there is a genre alternative history, but we will try to put together those facts and circumstances that could somewhat “refresh” the view modern man to the fateful events of almost a century ago.
1. Readiness No. 1, yes Lenin is not there
In principle, the Bolsheviks and their supporters had serious human and combat resources already in August 1917, when the formation of the Red Guard took place and in the majority major cities It is the Bolsheviks who are in power. However, the “father of the revolution” himself finds himself on a large-scale wanted list, changes a dozen names, apartments and makeup kits, and still flees to Finland. All this time he acts only through correspondence - L. Trotsky takes on the role of temporary leader. According to Lenin himself, it was possible to act much earlier, rather than wait for the right moment for coordination. However, the Provisional Government, although it did not have much support from the people, still had sufficient fighting strength in the form of the cadets and cadets, as well as soldiers sympathetic to the Mensheviks (note, the First World War still ongoing).
2. "Noble Smolny"
Smolny Palace, Main Headquarters Bolsheviks (“Cradle of the Revolution”) - only common name large complex buildings that create a single architectural ensemble. Home historical role played exactly Smolny Institute, in which in 1917 the Leningrad City Council of Workers' Deputies and the city committee of the All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks) / CPSU were located (which is noteworthy - until 1991). Previously, the building housed the Smolny Institute noble maidens- first female educational institution in Russia (1774-1917), thanks to which the beginning of women's education was laid in the empire.
3. Social Revolutionaries, anarchy and “Latvians”
The Bolsheviks themselves, as such, enjoyed only fickle support from the population. The main fighting force of those years turned out to be the Socialist Revolutionaries (a party of socialist revolutionaries who collaborated with the Bolsheviks until 1918, the motto: “In the fight you will gain your right!”), who enjoyed the support of the army, and the anarchists, who had enormous influence among the sailors. Interestingly, in March 1921, anarchist sailors would stage the famous Kronstadt uprising, which would later fall as a shameful stain on the Soviet government (after all, the uprising of the heroes of the revolution themselves would be suppressed!). How about important military force We should not forget about the Red Latvian Riflemen, who took part in most of the serious battles of the civil war and were considered an elite formation in the ranks of the Red Army. Both in the royal and Soviet army they were simply called “Latvians.”
4. Master of urban disguise
On the night when there was fierce fighting on the streets of Petrograd, Lenin reached the Smolny headquarters with a bandaged cheek “ala flux”, a wig on his head, and one of the fake passports. There could be no talk of any kind of security - groups of more than one person were considered mandatory for a complete check. On his way to Smolny, Lenin had to pass through at least three Cossack and Junker checkpoints. Although Vladimir Ulyanov throughout his entire life political career acquired the skills of a master of transformation, how he managed to do this still remains a mystery
5. Quickly and with little blood
Despite all the post-revolutionary pathos, mythologization and even distortion of facts, the direct seizure of power took place in just 3 days, and the seizure of the center of the Provisional Government - Winter Palace, in more than 4 hours. At the same time, the State Bank, the Central Telegraph Station, the Main Post Office and the central newspapers were completely in the hands of the Bolsheviks even before the shot of the cruiser Aurora, which occurred exactly at 21:40, October 25, old style. Some historians believe that the main “stimulus to action” for Lenin and Trotsky was precisely the closure of almost all Bolshevik newspapers by the Provisional Government on the night of October 24, and not some internal readiness of the Bolsheviks themselves, among whom there were those who were skeptical about the beginning of the terror : “Only workers and soldiers are behind us, we will not stand.”
Numerous skirmishes on the streets of St. Petersburg often represented a merciless reprisal against beardless cadets (many criminals and bandits sympathizing with the Bolsheviks received weapons, and with them the chance to take part in the “evisceration” of the bourgeoisie).
The head of government, Alexander Kerensky, had already fled St. Petersburg in the direction of the front. Interesting fact - A. Kerensky was one of the leaders of Russian political Freemasonry, and, later, thanks to Soviet propaganda, became one of the prominent elements in creating a conspiracy theological image for residents Soviet Union(Jews, Freemasons, bourgeois tycoons...).
6. Reform of Russian spelling
Immediately after the victory of the Bolsheviks, a whole string of significant, although not entirely authentic, decrees followed: the “Decree on Peace” (which was largely developed by the Provisional Government), the “Decree on the Abolition of death penalty" and the "Decree on Land", according to which landowners' land was subject to confiscation. The last one (also known as "Divide and Give") copied completely agricultural program SRs. A similar situation has arisen around the reform of Russian spelling, which is as necessary as it is controversial. She thought through a similar reform almost to its foundation back in 1912 Russian Academy sciences, although it was realized only in 1918.
For the removal from the Russian language of the letters Ѣ (yat), Ѳ (fita), І (“and decimal”) and the exclusion solid sign from the endings of a huge number of words, the intelligentsia of those years liked to call Lenin “a demon of conscience” (a play on words: “unscrupulous” instead of the old “without conscience”). And ahead of the new literate people stood difficult task- rewriting the classics of the Russian language: Karamzin, Ostrovsky, Turgenev, etc.
7. "New Time"
Or “Decree on the introduction of Russian Republic Western European calendar" - an act on Russia's transition to the Gregorian calendar, which finally ended the century-old practice of "adding 12-13 days" when traveling around Europe. The decree was adopted only on January 26, 1918, exactly three months after the October Revolution, leaving behind a huge confusion in the accounting department of the Council of People's Commissars, and the country as a whole.
In total, there were two project options on the agenda. The first involved a gradual transition to Gregorian calendar- it was supposed to discard 24 hours every year. Since by that time the difference between the calendars was already 13 days, the entire transition to a new style would take as long as 13 years. The advantage of this option was that it could be used Orthodox Church. The second option was tougher and provided for an immediate transition to a new style of chronology. Lenin himself was a supporter and developer of this option. So Russia finally entered the “new time”.
The overthrow of the monarchy, the unsuccessful attempts of the Provisional Government to remain in power, the arrival of the Bolsheviks led by Lenin, elections to the Constituent Assembly and its dispersal. All this fit almost into one calendar year. How the storming of the Winter Palace actually took place in 1917 and whether Kerensky dressed in a woman’s dress - says Yegor Sennikov.
1. Kerensky escaped from the Winter Palace (or from Gatchina) in a woman's dress
Grigory Shegal "Kerensky's Flight from Gatchina"
Source. Most likely, one of the cadets who defended the Winter Palace, and then Soviet propaganda.
How it really was
It is not so easy to answer unequivocally. Kerensky himself wrote about his escape from St. Petersburg: “I left the Palace ten minutes before the traitors burst into my rooms. I left, not knowing for a minute that I would go. He went ridiculously disguised under the noses of enemies and traitors. I was still walking along the streets of Gatchina when the persecution began.” Apparently, Kerensky changed into a sailor's suit, which was quite logical during the revolution: a sailor would hardly be stopped on the street, but they could try to stop a nurse or a maid.
Rumors spread throughout Petrograd, and then throughout other cities, that in fact former head The Provisional Government was wearing a dress. The new authorities liked the rumor, since it made it easy to discredit Kerensky in mass consciousness. In the late 1930s, the artist Shegal painted a picture in which he depicted Kerensky just at the moment of changing into a woman’s dress. The picture was published in various school history textbooks.
Kerensky himself was tormented by these rumors throughout his life. long life in exile, he treated them painfully. To any questions about this escape, he answered that there was no trace of a woman’s dress. But he spoke openly about the fact that in order to escape from Petrograd he had to “borrow” a car from the American embassy in the capital (although he did not admit that it was a theft). Be that as it may, the only thing that can be stated unequivocally is that Kerensky did not parade around Petrograd and Gatchina in a woman’s dress, but other details of the escape can only be judged from the words of the participants in the events.
2. The storming of the Winter Palace was a serious mass action and the central event of the entire revolution
Vasily Sokolov “Storm of the Winter Palace”
Source. Initially - Soviet propaganda, and then Sergei Eisenstein’s film “October”.
How it really was
Hundreds of thousands of people are rushing across Palace Square to the Winter Palace - soldiers, sailors, workers. In a shootout, they reach the palace gates, begin to climb over them, shoot down the double-headed eagles, and then, breaking into the interior, arrest the ministers of the Provisional Government. This is exactly the picture of events that Sergei Eisenstein portrayed in his famous film. It was this version of what happened that was supported by official Soviet historiography for years and decades. But there is less truth here than fiction.
We need to start with the fact that by October 1917 there was not much sacred and central in Winter.
The royal family left the residence back in 1915; the palace itself housed a hospital for soldiers wounded in the war.
After February Revolution Kerensky also made Winter Palace the seat of the Provisional Government. But this decision rather had a negative impact on the public’s mood. “...To be sure to be busy and at the cost of any losses to retain: a) telephone, b) telegraph, c) railway stations, d) bridges first” - this quote from Lenin about how to organize an armed seizure clearly shows the priority of taking Zimny from the point of view of the goals of the Bolsheviks.
The capture of Winter itself happened in a completely different way. On the morning of October 25, Kerensky left Petrograd. But nothing happened immediately after that. Although the forces that defended the Winter Palace were clearly insufficient, the Bolsheviks were afraid to go on the attack, and small groups retreated from the palace after not very intense shooting. Both sides were waiting for the arrival of reinforcements: the Bolsheviks - the arrival of the revolutionary Baltic sailors, the Provisional Government asked Headquarters to send front-line units. When the sailors finally arrived, the Bolsheviks decided to attack, but they repulsed it. Then they started shooting at Zimny Peter and Paul Fortress, but the artillerymen specifically aimed their guns so as not to hit the building itself. In the end, the attackers began to enter the palace through unguarded entrances from the Neva. At two o'clock in the morning the palace fell, the ministers were arrested, and robberies began in Zimny and, according to rumors, rape of participants women's battalion. At 3.10 am in the Smolny Palace at the Congress of Soviets, Kamenev declared the Provisional Government overthrown.
3. Power went to the Bolsheviks almost without struggle or resistance, everyone immediately resigned themselves to the seizure of power
Mikhail Sokolov “Arrest of the Provisional Government”
Source. Soviet historiography.
How it really was
If you open the Soviet school textbook history of 1961 and read those parts that relate to the revolution, the reader will get something like this in his head. The revolution of workers and peasants ended with the capture of the Winter Palace, after which no one offered serious resistance to the Bolsheviks. Right up to the start Civil War, during which Soviet Russia first attacked by foreign armies, and then created by the “former oppressors working people"White armies.
The reality was a little different. Having escaped from Petrograd, which was in the grip of an uprising, Kerensky went to the headquarters Northern Front army in Pskov. With great difficulty he managed to win General Krasnov to his side. On the morning of October 26, 1917, hundreds of Cossacks marched on Petrograd. The next day, Gatchina and Tsarskoye Selo were captured, Krasnov made an appeal to all loyal forces and called for action against the Bolsheviks. Lenin and Trotsky at this moment were preparing the defense, gathering revolutionary units and giving orders to the ships of the Baltic Fleet.
On Monday, October 29, the Mensheviks and the Right Socialist Revolutionaries organized a revolt of the cadets (the center of the uprising was the Engineers' Castle in Petrograd), but within 24 hours the attempted uprising was suppressed by the revolutionary forces. On the same day, a clash took place between Krasnov’s forces and the revolutionary units: Krasnov and Kerensky were defeated. Kerensky had to flee to the Don.
Even more tragic events took place in Moscow. For almost a week, from October 25 to November 2, bloody battles took place in Moscow between the cadets and the Bolsheviks. The forces loyal to the Provisional Government decided to repel the Bolsheviks. The cadets captured the Kremlin and held the defense there. But the Bolsheviks managed to gain the upper hand. More than a thousand people died in the clashes - not only military, but also civilians. The final chord was the seizure of the Supreme Command of the Army by the Bolsheviks in mid-November.
4. From the very beginning, the Bolshevik power was united, and cooperation with other parties was interrupted immediately after the seizure of power
Andrey Plotnov “Winter taken”
Source. Soviet historiography.
How it really was
Soviet propaganda did not deny the fact that the first Bolshevik government was a coalition, but tried not to focus attention on it. It was much more advantageous to present the situation as a one-man campaign of the Bolsheviks to victory, striving for success. At the beginning of their reign, the Bolsheviks were not a monolithic and homogeneous force, but rather a conglomerate of several associations: in this sense, the story of Trotsky, who joined the Bolsheviks along with his group of “Mezhraiontsev”, is indicative. Therefore, it is not surprising that the question of creating a coalition government was raised at the Congress of Soviets on October 26, 1917.
The Left Socialist Revolutionaries became allies of the Bolsheviks. This alliance seemed logical and understandable: the parties and their leaders had a lot in common in their views. In addition, the Bolsheviks objectively lacked personnel for all key positions even in Petrograd, not to mention Moscow. At the same time, the Bolsheviks did not want to share power with big amount players. After difficult negotiations with others socialist parties, an alliance was concluded and the Left Socialist Revolutionaries joined the new government at the end of 1917. The union, however, turned out to be short-lived. The first disagreements arose over the railway workers' union. Created in the summer of 1917, the executive committee of the railway workers' trade union (Vikzhel) was weakly controlled by the Bolsheviks (in to a greater extent Socialist Revolutionaries and Mensheviks) and protested against conflicts between the Bolsheviks and other parties. As a result, the Bolsheviks simply created an alternative union (Wiggedor), which they themselves controlled.
Then the positions of the Bolsheviks and Socialist Revolutionaries diverged along Treaty of Brest-Litovsk: the Socialist Revolutionaries were not ready to sign such a document and left the government (Sovnarkom), but at the same time remained in other government bodies. After this, the Social Revolutionaries opposed the creation of committees of the poor - bodies Soviet power in the village. These committees actually undermined the support base of the left Socialist Revolutionaries, traditionally popular among rural residents. In the summer of 1918, the Socialist Revolutionaries switched to active actions against the Bolsheviks: killed German Ambassador Mirbach, raised an uprising, arrested some notable Bolsheviks (for example, Dzerzhinsky). The uprising was suppressed, its leaders were tried, and later the Left Socialist Revolutionary Party was split and defeated.
5. The Bolsheviks immediately canceled all decrees of the Provisional Government and imposed their policies
Nikolai Osenev “The First Word of Soviet Power”
Source. Probably, hindsight memoirists and emigrant historians.
How it really was
This is the case when it is difficult to unequivocally reject a myth, but it is also impossible to call it truth. On the one hand, the Bolsheviks did not seek to support the “bourgeois-democratic system” and, if they were oriented towards democracy, it was rather “Soviet-socialist”. On the other hand, to implement all their plans, the Bolsheviks at first simply did not have the strength and self-confidence; they had to act carefully, with an eye on other parties. The Provisional Government was called provisional because it main task there was preparation and organization of elections to the Constituent Assembly, which was supposed to determine the fate of the country and what its political and social structure would be.
But there is nothing more eternal than something temporary: the new government was in no hurry to hold elections and constantly postponed the deadlines
After the Bolsheviks came to power, elections were finally called - they took place in mid-November 1917.
There were problems with organization, serious pressure on the so-called bourgeois parties (primarily the Cadets). But at the same time full control The Bolsheviks did not have control over the election commissions. The Socialist Revolutionary Party won the elections to the Constituent Assembly, gaining about 40% of the votes (the Bolsheviks received about 24%). This election result did not suit the Bolsheviks and from the very beginning they tried to hinder the work of the Assembly.
The political situation in the capital was tense to the limit: on January 1, 1918, an attempt was made on Lenin’s life: the German socialist Fritz Platten, who shielded Lenin from bullets, was wounded. Two prominent members of the Cadet Party, Shingarev and Kokoshkin, were brutally murdered in early January, at which time the Cheka dispersed a demonstration in support of Constituent Assembly. On January 5, 1918, the only meeting of the Assembly took place, after which it was dispersed. This crackdown was one of the steps towards the establishment of a one-party dictatorship in Russia.