A short biography of Alexander Kolchak is the most important thing. Kolchak's role in the civil war

Admiral Kolchak is an outstanding Russian statesman, military leader, one of the most famous representatives of the White movement, who participated in the Civil War. During this period, he was one of its leaders. Assessment of his personality is still one of the most controversial and controversial issues in the national history of the XX century.

Childhood and youth

Admiral Kolchak was born on November 16, 1874. He was born in the suburbs of St. Petersburg, in the village of Aleksandrovskoe. He was a hereditary nobleman. The Kolchakov family won fame over the years in the tsarist service, especially in the military field. For example, the father of Alexander Vasilyevich was the hero of the defense of Sevastopol during the Crimean campaign.

Until the age of 11, Alexander received education exclusively at home. In 1885 he entered the sixth gymnasium of the Russian capital, where he graduated from three classes. After that, the boy was transferred to the Naval Cadet Corps. At the family council, it was decided that he would follow in the footsteps of his ancestors and become a military man, a defender of his homeland. In his studies, he demonstrated diligence, succeeding in almost all subjects.

As the best student in his class, the future Admiral Kolchak was enrolled in the class of midshipmen, and eventually was appointed sergeant major. He graduated from the cadet corps in 1894, receiving the rank of midshipman.

Early career

His first place of service was the Baltic and Pacific Fleets. At that time he was known as an explorer of the Arctic, made three voyages around the world. He studied the features of the Pacific Ocean, most of all he was interested in the northern territories.

In 1900, the young lieutenant, who showed great promise, was transferred to the Academy of Sciences. By this time, his first scientific works belong, in particular, an article on observations of sea currents. It should be noted that the ultimate goal of the officer has always been not theoretical, but practical research. He dreams of assembling a polar expedition.

The Arctic explorer Baron Eduard Toll soon became interested in his publications and ideas. He invites the hero of our article to go in search of the legendary Sannikov Land. This is a ghost island, which according to legend is located in the Arctic Ocean. It was allegedly observed by several researchers in the 19th century. Including the Russian merchant from Yakutsk Yakov Sannikov, who studied the Novosibirsk Islands. According to modern scientists, there is no Sannikov Land. Apparently, it, like many Arctic islands, consisted not of rocks, but of permafrost, fossil ice, on top of which a layer of soil was applied. When the ice melted, Sannikov Land disappeared, as did some other islands in those places.

Kolchak went in search of Toll's missing expedition. First, he sailed on the schooner "Zarya", then on dog sleds made a risky transition, finding the remains of the dead explorers. Kolchak himself became seriously ill during this campaign, he caught a cold and barely survived. Toll was killed.

Participation in the Russo-Japanese War

In the spring of 1904, the Russo-Japanese War broke out in the Far East. Kolchak, despite the fact that he could not fully recover from his illness after returning from the polar expedition, achieved an appointment to Port Arthur, which at that time was already besieged by Japanese troops. On the "Angry" destroyer, he took part in the placement of barrage mines in the immediate vicinity of the route along which the Japanese ships were to pass. Thanks to this successful operation, he managed to undermine several enemy ships.

Throughout the siege of Port Arthur, he remained in the vicinity of the city. He commanded coastal artillery units that inflicted significant damage on the enemy. During one of the battles he was wounded, after the fortress was captured, he was captured. The Japanese command highly appreciated his fighting spirit and courage. Therefore, Kolchak was released from captivity, he was even returned to his weapon.

For his heroism in the Russian-Japanese war, the hero of our article was awarded the Orders of St. Stanislav and St. Anna, as well as the St. George's weapon.

Having regained strength in the hospital, Kolchak received a six-month leave. But he couldn't get enough rest. He was very worried that Russia had actually lost its entire fleet in the Far East due to the war with Japan. He began to carry out active work aimed at its revival.

Already in the summer of 1906, he headed a commission at the naval General Staff, which began to clarify and analyze the reasons for the defeat at Tsushima. This was one of the most sensitive and painful pages in the history of the Russian fleet. Kolchak acted in the State Duma as a military expert. At the hearings, he convinced the deputies of the need to allocate the necessary additional funding for the support and development of domestic warships.

The hero of our article developed a project that was dedicated to the revival of the domestic fleet. In fact, it became the theoretical basis for the entire Russian military shipbuilding of that time. As part of its implementation, from 1906 to 1908, Kolchak personally supervised the construction of two icebreakers and four battleships.

The government and the emperor highly appreciated his contribution to the exploration of the Arctic. As a result, Lieutenant Kolchak was even elected to the permanent membership of the Russian Geographical Society. At that time, he even received the nickname Kolchak-Polar.

In parallel, at the same time, he continues to work on the systematization of the materials of his past expeditions. In 1909 he published a scientific work devoted to the ice cover of the Siberian and Kara seas. This work was recognized as successful, science was able to make a significant step forward in the study of ice sheets.

World War I

From the very beginning of the war, the Russian capital was under threat, at that time it was St. Petersburg. The fact is that the command of the German army and navy was preparing to conduct a blitzkrieg. To do this, Henry of Prussia was going in the first days after the start of the military campaign to go across the Gulf of Finland, get to St. Petersburg and shell the city from powerful guns, forcing him to surrender.

According to the plan of the Germans, in a few hours of artillery preparation, key objects in the city were to be destroyed. Then it was supposed to land troops and capture the Russian capital. The experience and courageous actions of Russian naval officers prevented the implementation of this operation.

Realizing that the German fleet significantly outnumbers the Russian one, it was initially decided to conduct mine warfare tactics. Kolchak's division already in the first days of the war placed about six thousand mines in the water area of the Gulf of Finland. They became a reliable shield for the defense of the capital, frustrating the plans of the German fleet to seize Russia.

Having achieved the first successes, Kolchak insisted on the need to move to aggressive actions. Soon, an operation was undertaken to mine the Danzig Bay, located directly off the coast of the enemy. This action turned out to be very successful, because as a result of it, 35 enemy ships were blown up at once.

Kolchak's successes did not go unnoticed. In the fall of 1915, he was appointed commander of the Mine Division. In October, he had already undertaken a bold and risky maneuver when he landed troops on the coast of the Gulf of Riga to help the armies of the Northern Fleet. The operation was so successful that the Germans did not even realize the presence of the Russians and the true reasons for their failures.

In the summer of 1916, Kolchak was appointed commander-in-chief of the Black Sea Fleet.

Revolution in Russia

When the revolution broke out in February 1917, Kolchak remained loyal to the Russian emperor until the very end. He categorically refused to hand over weapons to the sailors, throwing his award saber overboard.

He urgently arrives in Petrograd, where he blames the Provisional Government for the collapse of the entire country and his own army. At that moment, he turned out to be undesirable to everyone. Even when the abdication of the emperor from the throne was actively discussed at the top, he remained loyal to Nicholas II. As a result, it was decided to remove it. In fact, Kolchak was sent into political exile. At the head of an allied military mission, he went to America.

While the fate of Russia was being decided, he could not spend much time away from his homeland. Already in December 1917, Kolchak appealed to the Provisional Government with a request to enroll him in military service. This happened after he learned about the plans of the Bolsheviks to conclude peace with Germany. By this time, influential politicians have already appeared, for whom the hero of our article becomes an influential leader with authority in order to be able to lead the struggle against Bolshevism.

From April to September 1918, he tried to form a joint military force on the Sino-Eastern Railway to fight the Germans and the Bolsheviks, but faced strong resistance from the Japanese. As a result, he decides to leave the Far East and join the Volunteer Army, which at that time is being formed in the south of Russia. In addition, several scattered governments at once, which did not recognize each other, operated in the East and Siberia.

By September 1918, they managed to unite into the Directory, which at the same time acted extremely inconsistently, which caused distrust in business and military circles. It was Kolchak who was entrusted with the mission of becoming a kind of "strong hand" that would be able to carry out a "white coup." In November, in Omsk, the hero of our article was appointed Minister of the Navy and War in the Government of the Directory. However, on November 18, the Directory was abolished as a result of a military coup. The Left Cadets and Right Social Revolutionaries, who were part of its leadership, were removed. Power passed to the Council of Ministers. At the next meeting, Kolchak was promoted to full admiral, and he was also asked to accept the title of the Supreme Ruler of Russia.

The key goal of the policy of Admiral Kolchak, whose photo is presented below, was the complete restoration of the foundations that existed in the Russian Empire.

With his first decrees, he banned all extremist parties. The government of Siberia, headed by Admiral Kolchak, declared that it was striving to achieve reconciliation between all groups and strata of the population without the participation of both right-wing and left-wing radicals. To get out of the political crisis, an economic reform was developed. In particular, it envisaged the creation of a powerful and extensive industrial base in Siberia.

The supreme ruler of Russia, Admiral Kolchak, proclaimed his most important task to increase the combat capability of the army, and put victory over the Bolsheviks in second place. The activities of his government were aimed at ensuring that the temporary power of the Supreme Ruler would make it possible to transfer the fate of the state into the hands of the people. At least that's how it was declared.

The coming to power of Admiral Kolchak, which took place in Omsk on November 18, 1918, was associated with the arrest of all representatives of the Social Democratic wing of the Directory. One of his first orders, he canceled the decree that Jews should be evicted from the frontline zone as potential spies.

Having turned out to be the Supreme Ruler, Admiral Kolchak, whose biography is described in this article, helped the whites recover from the defeats inflicted on them in the fall in the Volga region by the Red Army. At the same time, his political platform noticeably narrowed, finally turning from anti-Bolshevik to the White movement.

Civil War

Photo of Admiral Kolchak at that time appeared in many domestic and foreign publications. He hoped to unite disparate political forces in order to create a fundamentally new state power. At first, military successes contributed to this.

In December 1918, Admiral Kolchak, whose biography you can find out from this article, managed to occupy Perm, which was of great strategic importance throughout the Civil War, since large stocks of military equipment were concentrated in the city.

At the same time, in Omsk itself, where Kolchak's headquarters was located, on the night of December 23, a Bolshevik uprising took place. The admiral himself was seriously ill at that moment, but the performance was severely suppressed.

Having suppressed coups, Kolchak built a strong vertical of power. Even the Bolsheviks themselves reported to Lenin that in Siberia the counter-revolution took shape in an organized state with a powerful army and a ramified state apparatus.

Most of the gold reserves of Russia were in the hands of Kolchak. It was captured from the Bolsheviks in Kazan by the Komuch people's army, commanded by General Kappel. From there she was sent to Samara, and then to Ufa and Omsk. At the same time, the admiral forbade spending gold to stabilize the financial system and fight inflation. Part of the money was spent on the purchase of uniforms and weapons, loans were obtained secured by foreign banks.

Perm operation

The fate of Admiral Kolchak today is of great interest to historians and everyone who is interested in the Civil War in Russia. The plans of the Supreme Ruler were to abandon the offensive on Moscow, sending troops to Vologda in order to connect with the white units based in the north, and receive help from the allies through the ports in Arkhangelsk and Murmansk.

At first, the army of the white admiral Kolchak advanced successfully. Soviet troops constantly had to retreat. Near Perm, about 30,000 Red Army men were taken prisoner. In some areas, entire regiments of the Red Army refused to resist. The capture of Perm was highly praised by the foreign allies. A personal congratulation to Admiral Kolchak, whose life is described in this article, was sent by the French Prime Minister Clemenceau.

General offensive

According to Kolchak's plan, it was supposed to launch an offensive in the Samara-Saratov and Perm-Vyatka directions. After that, continue moving, and as a result, go to Moscow from three sides at once - from the south, north and east. According to history, Admiral Kolchak planned a general offensive for April 1919.

At first everything went well. The Siberian army joined up with the troops of the Arkhangelsk government. Ufa, Sterlitamak, Naberezhnye Chelny, Bugulma were taken. By the end of April, the troops of the white movement approached Samara, Kazan and Simbirsk. Having occupied these territories, Kolchak would have received carte blanche for an attack on Moscow.

The advancement of the White Army was even called "Flight to the Volga", which aroused enthusiasm in public and bourgeois circles.

In mid-1919, the Bolsheviks threw their main forces to the Eastern Front, realizing that it was from there that the greatest threat was moving. White armies fiercely resisted at first, but then were forced to retreat. On June 9, Ufa passed into the hands of the Bolsheviks, the strategic initiative by Kolchak's army was lost. The emerging shortage of personnel led to the final defeat of the White Army.

After the Bolsheviks occupied Omsk, Kolchak was forced to start the Great Siberian Ice Campaign. That was the name of the retreat to the east in the winter of 1920. Kolchak tried to get to Irkutsk, but was blocked in Nizhneudinsk. The admiral's trains were stopped by the Czechoslovakians. In fact, the Supreme Ruler was under arrest, although this was not officially announced. There was a plan to leave for Mongolia, with him remained a personal convoy of more than 500 fighters. The admiral told his supporters that he refused to go to Irkutsk, offering to stay with him to everyone who believed in him. The next morning, out of 500 people remained 10. Realizing that he was betrayed, he turned gray overnight.

As a result, the admiral's echelon was sent to Irkutsk with the support of allies, whom he did not trust. Immediately after the admiral's carriage was the "golden echelon", which was guarded by the Czechoslovak corps. Arriving in Irkutsk, the Czechoslovakians announced to Kolchak that he was arrested and would be handed over to the local authorities.

On January 21, 1920, interrogations of Kolchak began by a specially created Extraordinary Commission of Inquiry. The admiral turned out to be very frank, realizing that in fact they are becoming a kind of memoirs, his last word, which he can address to posterity. Now you can familiarize yourself with them. Historian Nikolai Starikov published the book "Admiral Kolchak. Interrogation Protocols".

On the night of February 7, Kolchak, together with the chairman of the Council, the minister of the Russian government, Viktor Pepelyaev, were shot without trial by order of the military revolutionary committee. According to the widespread version, the bodies of those killed were thrown into an ice-hole. The fate of the hero of our article is described in detail in the book by Vladimir Maksimov "The Star of Admiral Kolchak".

Historians believe that the order for the secret murder of Kolchak without trial was personally given by Lenin in a telegram to Ephraim Sklyansky.

Personal life

Biography, personal life of Admiral Kolchak are of interest not only to his contemporaries, but also to current historians. His wife was a hereditary noblewoman Sofya Omirova. It is known that the wife of Admiral Kolchak had been waiting for him for several years from a protracted polar expedition. Therefore, their official wedding took place only in the spring of 1904 in a church in Irkutsk.

In the biography of Admiral Kolchak, personal life played a large role. He had three children. True, the first daughter, born in 1905, died in infancy. In 1910, the son of Rostislav was born. In 1912 - another daughter, Margarita, but she also died when she was two years old. So the admiral raised only one child.

In 1919, Sophia emigrated with her son to Constanta and then to Paris. In this she was helped by the British allies. She died in 1956 and is buried in a Parisian cemetery.

Rostislav Kolchak was an employee in the Algerian bank, participated in the Second World War on the side of the French army. Died in 1965. He is survived by a son, Alexander, born in 1933. He now lives in Paris.

In the last years of his life, significant changes took place in the personal life of Admiral Kolchak. His last love was Anna Timireva, whom he met in 1915 in Helsingfors, where she rested with her husband, a naval officer. In 1918, she divorced her husband and followed the admiral to the east of the country. After his execution, she was arrested, spent about 30 years in prisons and exile. It was finally rehabilitated only in 1960. After that she settled in Moscow, worked as a consultant at Mosfilm, in a cameo role in Sergei Bondarchuk's film War and Peace.

She died in 1975 at the age of 81, and was buried at the Vagankovskoye cemetery.

Memory of the admiral

Biography of Admiral Kolchak, personal life often became the reason for the creation of works of art. In 2008, Andrei Kravchuk's military-historical film "Admiral" was released. It tells in detail the biography of the white officer, the story of his love.

The monument to Admiral Kolchak was erected in Irkutsk in 2004. There is also a cross on the Angara River at the site of his alleged death. The admiral's name is carved in the Sainte-Genevieve-des-Bois cemetery on the monument to the heroes of the White movement.

One of the most interesting and controversial figures in the history of Russia in the twentieth century is A.V. Kolchak. Admiral, naval commander, traveler, oceanographer and writer. Until now, this historical figure is of interest to historians, writers and directors. Admiral Kolchak, whose biography is shrouded in interesting facts and events, is of great interest to his contemporaries. On the basis of his biographical data, books are created, scripts are written for theatrical stage. Admiral Kolchak Alexander Vasilievich is a hero of documentary films and feature films. It is impossible to fully appreciate the significance of this person in the history of the Russian people.

The first steps of a young cadet

A. V. Kolchak, admiral of the Russian Empire, was born on November 4, 1874 in St. Petersburg. The Kolchak family comes from an ancient noble family. Father - Vasily Ivanovich Kolchak, Major General of Naval Artillery, mother - Olga Ilyinichna Posokhova, Don Cossack. The family of the future admiral of the Russian Empire was deeply religious. In his childhood memoirs, Admiral Kolchak Alexander Vasilyevich noted: "I am Orthodox, until the time I entered primary school, I received family education under the guidance of my parents." After studying for three years (1885-1888) at the St. Petersburg classical male gymnasium, young Alexander Kolchak enters the Naval School. It was there that A. V. Kolchak, admiral of the Russian fleet, first learns the naval sciences, which will later become the work of his life. Studying at the Naval School revealed A.V. Kolchak's outstanding abilities and talent for naval affairs.

The future Admiral Kolchak, whose brief biography indicates that travel and sea adventures became his main passion. It was in 1890 that, as a sixteen-year-old teenager, a young cadet first set out on the sea. It happened on board the armored frigate "Prince Pozharsky". The training voyage lasted about three months. During this time, junior cadet Alexander Kolchak received his first skills and practical knowledge in maritime affairs. Later, during his training in the Naval Cadet Corps, A. V. Kolchak went on campaigns several times. His training ships were "Rurik" and "Cruiser". Thanks to training trips, A.V. Kolchak began to study oceanography and hydrology in detail, as well as navigational charts of underwater currents off the coast of Korea.

Polar exploration

After graduating from the Naval School, young lieutenant Alexander Kolchak submits a report to the naval service in the Pacific Ocean. The petition was approved, and he was sent to one of the naval garrisons of the Pacific Fleet. In 1900, Admiral Kolchak, whose biography is closely connected with the scientific research of the Arctic Ocean, went on the first polar expedition. On October 10, 1900, at the invitation of the famous traveler Baron Edward Toll, the scientific group set out on a journey. The purpose of the expedition was to establish the geographical coordinates of the mysterious island of Sannikov Land. In February 1901, Kolchak made a big report on the Great Northern Expedition. In 1902, on the wooden whaling schooner Zarya, Kolchak and Toll set out on a northern voyage again. In the summer of the same year, four polar explorers, led by the head of the expedition, Eduard Toll, left the schooner and set off on dog sleds to explore the Arctic coast. Nobody came back. A long search for the missing expedition yielded no results. The entire crew of the schooner Zarya was forced to return to the mainland. After some time, A. V. Kolchak submitted a petition to the Russian Academy of Sciences for a second expedition to the Northern Islands. The main goal of the campaign was to find members of E. Toll's team. As a result of searches, traces of the missing group were found. However, the living members of the team were gone. For participation in the rescue expedition, A. V. Kolchak was awarded the Imperial Order of the "Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir" 4th degree. According to the results of the work of the polar research group, Alexander Vasilievich Kolchak was elected a full member of the Russian Geographical Society.

Military conflict with Japan (1904-1905)

With the beginning of the Russian-Japanese war, A. V. Kolchak asks to transfer him from the scientific academy to the Naval War Department. Having received approval, he goes to serve in Port Arthur to Admiral S.O. Makarov, commander of the Pacific Fleet. A. V. Kolchak was appointed commander of the Angry destroyer. For six months the future admiral fought valiantly for Port Arthur. However, despite the heroic opposition, the fortress fell. The soldiers of the Russian army surrendered. In one of the battles, Kolchak is wounded and ends up in a Japanese hospital. Thanks to American military intermediaries, Alexander Kolchak and other officers of the Russian army were returned to their homeland. For his heroism and courage, Alexander Vasilyevich Kolchak was awarded a personalized golden saber and a silver medal "In memory of the Russian-Japanese war."

Continuation of scientific activity

After a six-month vacation, Kolchak resumed his research work. The main topic of his scientific work was the processing of materials from polar expeditions. Scientific works on oceanology and on the history of polar research helped the young scientist to win honor and respect in the scientific community. In 1907, his translation of Martin Knudsen's work "Tables of the freezing points of sea water" was published. In 1909 the author's monograph “Ice of the Kara and Siberian Seas” was published. The significance of the works of A. V. Kolchak was that he was the first to lay the doctrine of sea ice. The Russian Geographical Society highly appreciated the scientific activity of the scientist, presenting him with the highest award "Gold Constantine Medal". A. V. Kolchak became the youngest of the polar explorers to be awarded this high award. All predecessors were foreigners, and only he became the first owner of the high distinction in Russia.

Revival of the Russian fleet

The loss in the Russo-Japanese War was very hard on the Russian officers. A.V. was no exception. Kolchak, an admiral in spirit and a researcher by vocation. Continuing to study the reasons for the defeat of the Russian army, Kolchak is developing a plan to create the Naval General Staff. In his scientific report, he expresses his views on the reasons for the military defeat in the war, what kind of fleet Russia needs, and also points out the shortcomings in the defensive ability of sea vessels. The speaker's speech in the State Duma did not find due approval, and A. V. Kolchak (admiral) left the service in the Naval General Staff. Biography and photos of that time confirm his transfer to teaching at the Maritime Academy. Despite the lack of academic education, the leadership of the academy invited him to lecture on the topic of joint actions of the army and navy. In April 1908, A. V. Kolchak was awarded the military rank of captain of the 2nd rank. Five years later, in 1913, he was promoted to the rank of captain of the 1st rank.

A. V. Kolchak's participation in the First World War

Since September 1915, Alexander Vasilyevich Kolchak has been in charge of the Mine Division of the Baltic Fleet. The place of deployment was the port of Revel (now Tallinn). The main task of the division was the development of minefields and their installation. In addition, the commander personally conducted sea raids to eliminate enemy ships. This aroused admiration among the rank and file sailors, as well as among the officers of the division. The bravery and resourcefulness of the commander received widespread appreciation in the fleet, and this reached the capital. On April 10, 1916, A.V. Kolchak was promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral of the Russian Fleet. And in June 1916, by decree of Emperor Nicholas II, Kolchak was awarded the rank of vice admiral, and he was appointed commander of the Black Sea Fleet. Thus, Alexander Vasilyevich Kolchak, admiral of the Russian fleet, becomes the youngest of the naval commanders. The arrival of the energetic and competent commander was received with great respect. From the first days of work, Kolchak established strict discipline and changed the command leadership of the fleet. The main strategic task is to clear the sea from enemy warships. To accomplish this task, it was proposed to block the ports of Bulgaria and the waters of the Bosphorus Strait. An operation to mine enemy coastlines began. Admiral Kolchak's ship could often be seen while performing combat and tactical missions. The fleet commander personally supervised the situation at sea. A special operation to mine the Bosphorus Strait with a swift blow to Constantinople was approved by Nicholas II. However, a daring military operation did not happen, all plans were disrupted by the February Revolution.

Revolutionary mutiny of 1917

The events of the February 1917 coup found Kolchak in Batumi. It was in this Georgian city that the admiral held a meeting with the Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich, the commander of the Caucasian Front. The agenda was to discuss the schedule of shipping and the construction of the seaport in Trebizond (Turkey). Having received a secret dispatch from the General Staff about a military coup in Petrograd, the admiral urgently returns to Sevastopol. Upon his return to the headquarters of the Black Sea Fleet, Admiral A. V. Kolchak gave an order to terminate the telegraph and postal communications of Crimea with other regions of the Russian Empire. This prevents the spread of rumors and panic in the fleet. All telegrams came only to the headquarters of the Black Sea Fleet. In contrast to the situation in the Baltic Fleet, the position on the Black Sea was under the control of the admiral. A. V. Kolchak kept the Black Sea flotilla from revolutionary collapse for a long time. However, political events did not pass by. In June 1917, by the decision of the Sevastopol Council, Admiral Kolchak was removed from the leadership of the Black Sea Fleet. During disarmament, Kolchak in front of the formation of his subordinates breaks the award golden saber and says: "The sea rewarded me, and I return the reward to the sea."

Family life of the Russian admiral

Sofia Fedorovna Kolchak (Omirova), the wife of the great naval commander, was a hereditary noblewoman. Sofia was born in 1876 in Kamenets-Podolsk. Father - Fedor Vasilyevich Omirov, secret adviser to His Imperial Majesty, mother - Daria Fedorovna Kamenskaya, came from the family of Major General V.F. Kamensky. Sofya Fedorovna was educated at the Smolny Institute for Noble Maidens. A beautiful, strong-willed woman who knew several foreign languages, she was very independent in character. The wedding with Alexander Vasilyevich took place in the St. Kharlampiev Church in Irkutsk on March 5, 1904. After the wedding, the young spouse leaves his wife and goes to the active army to protect Port Arthur. S.F. Kolchak, together with his father-in-law, leaves for St. Petersburg. All her life, Sofya Fedorovna remained faithful and loyal to her lawful spouse. She invariably began her letters to him with the words: "My dear and beloved, Sasha." And she ended: "Sonya, who loves you." Admiral Kolchak kept touching letters from his wife until the last days. Constant separations did not allow the spouses to see each other often. The military service obliged to fulfill the duty. And yet, rare moments of joyful meetings did not pass by the loving spouses. Sofya Fedorovna gave birth to three children. The first daughter Tatyana was born in 1908, however, not having lived a month, the child died. Son Rostislav was born on March 9, 1910 (died in 1965). The third child in the family was Margarita (1912-1914). While fleeing the Germans from Libava (Liepaja, Latvia), the girl caught a cold and soon died. Kolchak's wife lived for some time in Gatchina, then in Libau. During the shelling of the city, the Kolchak family was forced to leave their refuge. Having collected her things, Sophia moves to her husband in Helsingfors, where at that time the headquarters of the Baltic Fleet was located. It was in this city that Sophia met Anna Timireva, the admiral's last love. Then there was a move to Sevastopol. Throughout the Civil War, she was waiting for her husband. In 1919, Sofya Kolchak emigrated with her son. British allies help them get to Constanta, then Bucharest and Paris. Experiencing a difficult financial situation in emigration, Sofya Kolchak was able to give a decent education to her son. Rostislav Aleksandrovich Kolchak graduated from the Higher Diplomatic School and worked for some time in the Algerian banking system. In 1939, Kolchak's son enlisted in the French army and soon fell into German captivity. Sofia Kolchak will survive the German occupation of Paris. The death of the admiral's wife will occur in the Lunjumeau hospital (France) in 1956. They buried S.F. Kolchak at the cemetery of Russian emigrants in Paris. In 1965 Rostislav Aleksandrovich Kolchak dies. The last refuge of the admiral's wife and son will be the French tomb in Sainte-Genevieve-des-Bois.

The last love of the Russian admiral

Anna Vasilievna Timireva is the daughter of the outstanding Russian conductor and musician V.I.Safonov. Anna was born in Kislovodsk in 1893. Admiral Kolchak and Anna Timireva met in 1915 in Helsingfors. Her first husband is Captain 1st Rank Sergei Nikolaevich Timirev. The love story with Admiral Kolchak still evokes admiration and respect for this Russian woman. Love and devotion made her go to a voluntary arrest after her lover. Endless arrests and exile could not destroy tender feelings, she loved her admiral until the end of her life. Having survived the execution of Admiral Kolchak in 1920, Anna Timireva was in exile for many years. Only in 1960 was she rehabilitated and lived in the capital. Anna Vasilievna died on January 31, 1975.

Foreign travel

Upon his return to Petrograd in 1917, Admiral Kolchak (his photo is presented in our article) receives an official invitation from the American diplomatic mission. Foreign partners, knowing his extensive experience in mines, ask the Provisional Government to send A. V. Kolchak as a military expert in the fight against submarines. A.F. Kerensky gives his consent to his departure. Soon Admiral Kolchak went to England and then to America. There he conducted military consultations, and also took an active part in training exercises of the US Navy. Nevertheless, Kolchak believed that his foreign voyage had failed, and a decision was made to return to Russia. While in San Francisco, the admiral receives a government telegram proposing to run for the Constituent Assembly. The October Revolution broke out and violated all of Kolchak's plans. The news of the revolutionary uprising catches him in the Japanese port of Yokohama. The temporary stop lasted until the fall of 1918.

The events of the Civil War in the fate of A. V. Kolchak

After long wanderings abroad, A.V. Kolchak on September 20, 1918 returned to the Russian land in Vladivostok. In this city, Kolchak studied the state of military affairs and the revolutionary sentiments of the inhabitants of the eastern outskirts of the country. At this time, the Russian public repeatedly turned to him with a proposal to lead the struggle against the Bolsheviks. On October 13, 1918, Kolchak arrives in Omsk to establish general command of the volunteer armies in the east of the country. After some time, a military seizure of power takes place in the city. A. V. Kolchak - Admiral, Supreme Ruler of Russia. It was this position that the Russian officers entrusted to Alexander Vasilyevich. Kolchak's army numbered more than 150 thousand people.

The coming to power of Admiral Kolchak inspired the entire eastern region of the country, hoping for the establishment of a tough dictatorship and order. A strong management vertical and the correct organization of the state were established. The main goal of the new military education was to link up with the army of A.I. Denikin and a campaign against Moscow. During the reign of Kolchak, a number of orders, decrees and appointments were issued. A. V. Kolchak was one of the first in Russia to begin an investigation into the death of the royal family. The reward system of tsarist Russia was restored. At the disposal of Kolchak's army was a huge gold reserve of the country, which was exported from Moscow to Kazan with the aim of further moving to England and Canada. With this money, Admiral Kolchak (whose photo can be seen above) provided his army with weapons and uniforms.

Combat path and arrest of the admiral

During the entire existence of the eastern front, Kolchak and his comrades in arms carried out several successful military attacks (Perm, Kazan and Simbirsk operations). However, the numerical superiority of the Red Army did not allow the grandiose seizure of the western borders of Russia. The betrayal of the allies was also an important factor. On January 15, 1920, Kolchak was arrested and sent to the Irkutsk prison. A few days later, the Extraordinary Commission began the procedure of investigative measures to interrogate the admiral. A.V. Kolchak, admiral (interrogation records testify to this), behaved very dignified during the investigation.

Investigators of the Cheka noted that the admiral answered all questions willingly and clearly, while not giving out a single name of his colleagues. Kolchak's arrest lasted until February 6, when the remnants of his army came close to Irkutsk. On February 7, 1920, on the banks of the Ushakovka River, the admiral was shot and thrown into the hole. This is how the great son of his Fatherland ended his journey. On the events of hostilities in the east of Russia from the fall of 1918 to the end of 1919, the book "The Eastern Front of Admiral Kolchak" was written by S.V. Volkov.

Truth and fiction

To this day, the fate of this person has not been fully understood. A. V. Kolchak is an admiral, unknown facts from his life and death are still of interest to historians and people who are not indifferent to this person. One thing can be said quite definitely: the life of an admiral is a vivid example of courage, heroism and high responsibility before his homeland.

Alexander Vasilyevich Kolchak (see Appendix 4) (November 4 (16), 1874, St. Petersburg province - February 7, 1920, Irkutsk) - Russian politician, vice-admiral of the Russian Imperial Fleet (1916) and admiral of the Siberian Flotilla (1918) ... Polar explorer and oceanographer, participant of expeditions in 1900-1903. Member of the Russian-Japanese, World War I and Civil War. Leader and leader of the White movement in the East of Russia. The Supreme Ruler of Russia (1918-1920), was recognized in this position by the leadership of all white regions, "de jure" - by the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, "de facto" - by the Entente states.

After the Omsk coup on the night of November 18, 1918. The Council of Ministers, the executive body of the Directory, announced that it had assumed the fullness of the supreme power and then decided to hand it over to one person, giving him the title of the Supreme Ruler of the Russian state. This person was destined to become Kolchak.

Addressing the population, Kolchak said: "Having accepted the cross of this power in the extremely difficult conditions of the civil war and the complete disruption of state life, I declare that I will not follow the path of reaction or the disastrous path of partisanship." Further, the Supreme Ruler proclaimed the goals and objectives of the new government. The first, most urgent task was called strengthening and increasing the combat capability of the army. The second, inextricably linked with the first - "victory over Bolshevism." The third task, the solution of which was recognized as possible only on condition of victory, proclaimed "the revival and resurrection of a dying state." All the activities of the new government were declared aimed at ensuring that "the temporary supreme power In the first days of his reign, he developed a stormy activity to calm society in relation to the coup. And it should be noted that he was able to overcome the resistance only by December 1918. But he committed a fatal a mistake, practically rejecting all socialist parties, after which he had to fight them.

With the coming to power of Kolchak, the forces of the whites are consolidated in the entire eastern region. He was recognized by everyone except the Cossack atamans Semyonov and Kalmykov. Kolchak also came into contact with the government of the Great Don Cossack Host, and on June 17, together with Denikin's annexation to Kolchak, he became the Supreme ruler of all white Russia. At the same time, he appointed Denikin as his deputy.

Kolchak's main goal was the destruction of the Bolsheviks. But it should be noted that during his government there was a significant improvement in the economic and economic area, the tax system. The banks were also reorganized. The Kolchak government, which claimed the role of the all-Russian, and then recognized as such, was carried away by state construction, the formation of the staff of ministries, other institutions without any measure. The state structure was formed as an all-Russian one, to serve the entire country. Its states turned out to be excessively inflated. Moreover, numerous institutions were filled with unskilled people. The cumbersome apparatus became ineffective.

In relation to the peasants, a policy was pursued that took into account their interests, opening up the prospect of a private farming path of development.

At the beginning of 1919. the reorganization of the troops was carried out. The largest army formations - the Siberian and Western armies - were commanded, respectively, by a major general, after the capture of Perm - by Lieutenant General R. Gaida and Lieutenant General M.V. Khanzhin. Khanzhin was operatively subordinate to the Southern Army Group of Major General G.A. Belov, adjacent to the left flank of his compound. The first of the armies constituted the right, middle wing of the front, the second operated in the center. To the south of it there was a separate Orenburg army under the command of Lieutenant General N.A. Savelyev, who was soon replaced by Lieutenant General V.S. Tolstoy. The entire front had a length of up to 1400 km. Kolchak's formations were opposed by six red armies numbered from 1 to 5 and Turkestan. They were accordingly commanded by G.D. Guy, V.I. Shorin, S.A. Mezheninov, M.V. Frunze, J.K. Blumberg (soon replaced by M.N. Tukhachevsky) and G.V. Zinoviev. The front commander was S.S. Kamenev. The chairman of the RVS L.D. Trotsky.

By the spring of 1919. the number of Kolchak's troops was up to 400 thousand people. In addition to them, in Siberia and the Far East there were up to 35 thousand Czechoslovakians, 80 thousand Japanese, more than 6 thousand British and Canadians, more than 8 thousand Americans and more than one thousand French. But all of them were stationed in the rear and did not take an active part in the hostilities. At the beginning of March 1919. Kolchak's troops, ahead of the Reds, went on the offensive and began to rapidly advance to the Volga, approaching it at Kazan and Samara at a distance of up to 80, and at Spassk - up to 35 kilometers. However, by the end of April, the offensive potential was exhausted. It seemed that the White front was not seriously threatened. The counter-offensive of the Reds against the western army, launched at the end of April, met with stubborn resistance. But then, on May 1, the unexpected happened. The Ukrainian kuren (regiment) named after T.G. Shevchenko, south of the Sarai-Gir station of the Samara-Zlatoust railway, revolted. In Chelyabinsk, where this unit was formed, the soldiers of the regiment were promoted by the communists and anarchists. A thorough, conspiracy-prepared uprising proved to be successful. It was possible to involve soldiers of four more regiments and a ranger battalion in it. Several thousand soldiers with weapons, artillery and carts went over to the side of the Reds, the shock group of their front. Thousands of soldiers and officers fled to the rear. All this had a decomposing effect on the neighboring parts and joints. The 11th and 12th white divisions were defeated. A huge gap arose in the battle formation of the whites, into which the cavalry and infantry rushed. The situation at the front was also aggravated by constant intrigues between the commanders (see Appendix 5).

The end of October - the beginning of November, when the forces of the Whites retreated to Tobolsk and only desperate efforts managed to stop the Reds, this was the beginning of a disaster for both the troops and the whole white affair of Admiral Kolchak.

The enemy approached Omsk and on November 10 the government was evacuated, but Kolchak himself hesitated to leave. Moreover, he decided to withdraw with the troops and waited for their approach, believing that the presence of a military leader with the army on the ground would benefit her. He left Omsk on November 12 on four echelons, together with the "Golden Echelon, carrying gold reserves and armored train.

December, an uprising broke out in Cheremkhovo, on the way to Irkutsk, and 3 days later on the outskirts of the city itself - Glazkov.

January 1920 The Council of Ministers sends a telegram to Kolchak demanding that he renounce power and hand it over to Denikin, which Kolchak did by publishing on January 4, 1920. his last decree.

January, a decree was issued on the arrest of Kolchak, and after the arrest, numerous interrogations began.

February Alexander Vasilyevich Kolchak and V.N. Pepelyaev were shot, and their bodies were thrown into the Angara. So Admiral Kolchak left on his last voyage.

The first steps of a young cadet

A. V. Kolchak, admiral of the Russian Empire, was born on November 4, 1874 in St. Petersburg. The Kolchak family comes from an ancient noble family. Father - Vasily Ivanovich Kolchak, Major General of Naval Artillery, mother - Olga Ilyinichna Posokhova, Don Cossack. The family of the future admiral of the Russian Empire was deeply religious. In his childhood memoirs, Admiral Kolchak Alexander Vasilyevich noted: "I am Orthodox, until the time I entered primary school, I received it under the guidance of my parents." After studying for three years (1885-1888) at the St. Petersburg classical male gymnasium, young Alexander Kolchak enters the Naval School. It was there that A. V. Kolchak, admiral of the Russian fleet, first learns the naval sciences, which will later become the work of his life. Studying at the Naval School revealed A.V. Kolchak's outstanding abilities and talent for naval affairs.

Polar exploration

In 1902, on the wooden whaling schooner Zarya, Kolchak and Toll set out on a northern voyage again. In the summer of the same year, four polar explorers, led by the head of the expedition, Eduard Toll, left the schooner and set off on dog sleds to explore the Arctic coast. Nobody came back. A long search for the missing expedition yielded no results. The entire crew of the schooner Zarya was forced to return to the mainland. After some time, A. V. Kolchak submitted a petition to the Russian Academy of Sciences for a second expedition to the Northern Islands. The main goal of the campaign was to find members of E. Toll's team. As a result of searches, traces of the missing group were found. However, the living members of the team were gone. For participation in the rescue expedition, A. V. Kolchak was awarded the Imperial Order of the "Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir" 4th degree. According to the results of the work of the polar research group, Alexander Vasilievich Kolchak was elected a full member of the Russian Geographical Society.

Military conflict with Japan (1904-1905)

With the beginning of the Russian-Japanese war, A. V. Kolchak asks to transfer him from the scientific academy to the Naval War Department. Having received approval, he went to serve in Port Arthur to Admiral S. O. Makarov, A. V. Kolchak was appointed commander of the destroyer "Angry". For six months the future admiral fought valiantly for Port Arthur. However, despite the heroic opposition, the fortress fell. The soldiers of the Russian army surrendered. In one of the battles, Kolchak is wounded and ends up in a Japanese hospital. Thanks to American military intermediaries, Alexander Kolchak and other officers of the Russian army were returned to their homeland. For his heroism and courage, Alexander Vasilyevich Kolchak was awarded a personalized golden saber and a silver medal "In memory of the Russian-Japanese war."

Continuation of scientific activity

Revival of the Russian fleet

A. V. Kolchak's participation in the First World War

The arrival of the energetic and competent commander was received with great respect. From the first days of work, Kolchak established strict discipline and changed the command leadership of the fleet. The main strategic task is to clear the sea from enemy warships. To accomplish this task, it was proposed to block the ports of Bulgaria and the waters of the Bosphorus Strait. An operation to mine enemy coastlines began. Admiral Kolchak's ship could often be seen while performing combat and tactical missions. The fleet commander personally supervised the situation at sea. A special operation to mine the Bosphorus Strait with a swift blow to Constantinople was approved by Nicholas II. However, a daring military operation did not happen, all plans were disrupted by the February Revolution.

Revolutionary mutiny of 1917

In contrast to the situation in the Baltic Fleet, the position on the Black Sea was under the control of the admiral. A. V. Kolchak kept the Black Sea flotilla from revolutionary collapse for a long time. However, political events did not pass by. In June 1917, by the decision of the Sevastopol Council, Admiral Kolchak was removed from the leadership of the Black Sea Fleet. During disarmament, Kolchak in front of the formation of his subordinates breaks the award golden saber and says: "The sea rewarded me, and I return the reward to the sea."

Russian admiral

The wedding with Alexander Vasilyevich took place in the St. Kharlampiev Church in Irkutsk on March 5, 1904. After the wedding, the young spouse leaves his wife and goes to the active army to protect Port Arthur. S.F. Kolchak, together with his father-in-law, leaves for St. Petersburg. All her life, Sofya Fedorovna remained faithful and loyal to her lawful spouse. She invariably began her letters to him with the words: "My dear and beloved, Sasha." And she ended: "Sonya, who loves you." Admiral Kolchak kept touching letters from his wife until the last days. Constant separations did not allow the spouses to see each other often. The military service obliged to fulfill the duty.

And yet, rare moments of joyful meetings did not pass by the loving spouses. Sofya Fedorovna gave birth to three children. The first daughter Tatyana was born in 1908, however, not having lived a month, the child died. Son Rostislav was born on March 9, 1910 (died in 1965). The third child in the family was Margarita (1912-1914). While fleeing the Germans from Libava (Liepaja, Latvia), the girl caught a cold and soon died. Kolchak's wife lived for some time in Gatchina, then in Libau. During the shelling of the city, the Kolchak family was forced to leave their refuge. Having collected her things, Sophia moves to her husband in Helsingfors, where at that time the headquarters of the Baltic Fleet was located.

It was in this city that Sophia met Anna Timireva, the admiral's last love. Then there was a move to Sevastopol. Throughout the Civil War, she was waiting for her husband. In 1919, Sofya Kolchak emigrated with her son. British allies help them get to Constanta, then Bucharest and Paris. Experiencing a difficult financial situation in emigration, Sofya Kolchak was able to give a decent education to her son. Rostislav Aleksandrovich Kolchak graduated from the Higher Diplomatic School and worked for some time in the Algerian banking system. In 1939, Kolchak's son enlisted in the French army and soon fell into German captivity.

Sofia Kolchak will survive the German occupation of Paris. The death of the admiral's wife will occur in the Lunjumeau hospital (France) in 1956. They buried S.F. Kolchak at the cemetery of Russian emigrants in Paris. In 1965 Rostislav Aleksandrovich Kolchak dies. The last refuge of the admiral's wife and son will be the French tomb in Sainte-Genevieve-des-Bois.

The last love of the Russian admiral

Anna Vasilievna Timireva is the daughter of the outstanding Russian conductor and musician V.I.Safonov. Anna was born in Kislovodsk in 1893. Admiral Kolchak and Anna Timireva met in 1915 in Helsingfors. Her first husband is Sergey Nikolaevich Timirev. The love story with Admiral Kolchak still evokes admiration and respect for this Russian woman. Love and devotion made her go to a voluntary arrest after her lover. Endless arrests and exile could not destroy tender feelings, she loved her admiral until the end of her life. Having survived the execution of Admiral Kolchak in 1920, Anna Timireva was in exile for many years. Only in 1960 was she rehabilitated and lived in the capital. Anna Vasilievna died on January 31, 1975.

Foreign travel

Nevertheless, Kolchak believed that his foreign voyage had failed, and a decision was made to return to Russia. While in San Francisco, the admiral receives a government telegram proposing to run for the Constituent Assembly. Burst out and violated all of Kolchak's plans. The news of the revolutionary uprising catches him in the Japanese port of Yokohama. The temporary stop lasted until the fall of 1918.

The events of the Civil War in the fate of A. V. Kolchak

Kolchak's army consisted of more than 150 thousand people. The coming to power of Admiral Kolchak inspired the entire eastern region of the country, hoping for the establishment of a tough dictatorship and order. A strong management vertical and the correct organization of the state were established. The main goal of the new military education was to link up with the army of A.I. Denikin and a campaign against Moscow. During the reign of Kolchak, a number of orders, decrees and appointments were issued. A. V. Kolchak was one of the first in Russia to begin an investigation into the death of the royal family. The reward system of tsarist Russia was restored. At the disposal of Kolchak's army was a huge gold reserve of the country, which was exported from Moscow to Kazan with the aim of further moving to England and Canada. With this money, Admiral Kolchak (whose photo can be seen above) provided his army with weapons and uniforms.

Combat path and arrest of the admiral

On January 15, 1920, Kolchak was arrested and sent to the Irkutsk prison. A few days later, the Extraordinary Commission began the procedure of investigative measures to interrogate the admiral. A.V. Kolchak, admiral (interrogation records testify to this), behaved very dignified during the investigation. Investigators of the Cheka noted that the admiral answered all questions willingly and clearly, while not giving out a single name of his colleagues. Kolchak's arrest lasted until February 6, when the remnants of his army came close to Irkutsk. In 1920, on the banks of the Ushakovka River, the admiral was shot and thrown into an ice-hole. This is how the great son of his Fatherland ended his journey.

On the events of hostilities in the east of Russia from the fall of 1918 to the end of 1919, the book "The Eastern Front of Admiral Kolchak" was written by S.V. Volkov.

Truth and fiction

It is not customary to write and talk about Alexander Vasilyevich Kolchak, but this man left an indelible mark on our history. He is known as an outstanding scientist, hero of Port Arthur, a brilliant naval commander and at the same time, as a cruel dictator and Supreme Ruler. In his life there were victories and defeats, as well as one love - Anna Timireva.

Biographical facts

On November 4, 1874, in the small village of Aleksandrovskoye, near St. Petersburg, a boy was born into the family of a military engineer V. I. Kolchak. Alexander received his primary education at home, and then studied at the men's gymnasium, where he did not achieve much success. From childhood, the boy dreamed of the sea, so he entered the Naval School (1888-1894) without any problems. And here his talent as a sailor was revealed. The young man graduated brilliantly with the prize of Admiral P. Ricord.

Research marine activities

In 1896, Alexander Kolchak began to seriously engage in science. First, he received the position of assistant observer on the cruiser Rurik, stationed in the Far East, then spent several years on the clipper Cruiser. In 1898, Alexander Kolchak became a lieutenant. The young sailor used the years spent at sea for self-education and scientific activity. Kolchak became interested in oceanography and hydrology, even published an article about his scientific observations during cruises.

In 1899, a new expedition around the Arctic Ocean. Together with Eduard von Toll, a geologist and Arctic explorer, the young explorer spent some time at Lake Taimyr. Here he continued his scientific research. Thanks to the efforts of the young assistant, a map of the Taimyr banks was compiled. In 1901, Toll, as a sign of respect for Kolchak, named one of the islands in the Kara Sea after him. The uninhabited island was renamed by the Bolsheviks in 1937, but in 2005 the name of Alexander Kolchak was returned to him.

In 1902, Eduard von Toll decided to continue the expedition to the north, and Kolchak was sent back to St. Petersburg to deliver the scientific information he had already collected. Unfortunately, the group got lost in the ice. A year later, Kolchak organized a new expedition to find scientists. Seventeen people on twelve sleighs pulled by 160 dogs, after three months of travel, reached Bennet Island, where they found the diaries and belongings of their comrades. In 1903, Alexander Kolchak, exhausted by a long adventure, went to St. Petersburg, where he hoped to marry Sofia Omirova.

New challenges

However, the Russo-Japanese war disrupted his plans. Kolchak's bride soon went to Siberia herself, and the wedding took place, but the young husband was forced to immediately go to Port Arthur. Sometimes during the war, Kolchak served as a destroyer commander, and then was appointed responsible for the littoral artillery battery. For his heroism, the admiral received the Sword of St. George. After the humiliating defeat of the Russian fleet, Kolchak was captured by the Japanese for four months.

Upon returning home, Alexander Kolchak became a captain of the second rank. He devoted himself to the revival of the Russian fleet and takes part in the work of the Naval Headquarters, formed in 1906. Together with other officers, he actively promotes the shipbuilding program to the State Duma and receives some funding. Kolchak participates in the construction of two icebreakers "Taimyr" and "Vaygach", and then uses one of these ships for a cartographic expedition from Vladivostok to the Bering Strait and Cape Dezhnev. In 1909, he publishes a new scientific study on glaciology (the study of ice). A few years later, Kolchak becomes a captain of the first rank.

Test of the First World War

With the outbreak of the First World War, Kolchak was offered to become the head of the Bureau of Operations of the Baltic Fleet. He demonstrates his tactical skills, builds an effective coastal defense system. Soon Kolchak received a new rank - Rear Admiral and became the youngest Russian naval officer. In the summer of 1916, he was appointed commander-in-chief of the Black Sea Fleet.

Drawn into politics

With the arrival of the February Revolution of 1917, Kolchak assured the provisional government of his loyalty to him and expressed his readiness to remain in office. The admiral did his best to save the Black Sea Fleet from chaotic decay and managed to keep it for some time. But the disorganization spreading across all services began to gradually erode it. In June 1917, under the threat of rebellion, Kolchak resigned and resigned from office (voluntarily or by force, depending on which version of historical records is preferable). By that time, Kolchak was already considered a potential candidate for the post of the country's new leader.

Living abroad

In the summer of 1917, Admiral Kolchak went to America. There he was offered to stay forever and head the mining department in one of the best military schools, but the admiral rejected this opportunity. On the way home, Kolchak learned about the revolution that overthrew the short-lived Provisional Government of Russia and transferred power to the Soviets. The admiral asked the British government to allow him to serve in his army. In December 1917, he received approval and went to the Mesopotamian Front, where Russian and British troops fought the Turks, but was redirected to Manchuria. He tried to gather troops to fight the Bolsheviks, but this idea was unsuccessful. In the fall of 1918, Kolchak returned to Omsk.

Homecoming

In September 1918, the Provisional Government was formed and Kolchak was offered to become the Minister of the Navy. As a result of a coup d'état, during which Cossack detachments arrested the commanders-in-chief of the Provisional All-Russian Government, Kolchak was elected the Supreme Ruler of the state. His appointment has been recognized in several regions of the country. The new ruler found himself responsible for the gold reserves of the former Russian Empire. He managed to gather large forces and launch a war against the Red Army of the Bolsheviks. After several successful battles, Kolchak's troops had to leave the occupied territories and retreat. The fall of the regime of Alexander Kolchak is explained, according to various sources, by various factors: lack of experience in commanding ground forces, misunderstanding of the political situation and dependence on unreliable allies.

In January 1920, Kolchak hands over the post to General Denikin. A few days later, Alexander Kolchak was arrested by Czechoslovak soldiers and handed over to the Bolsheviks. Admiral Kolchak is sentenced to death, and on February 7, 1920, he was executed without trial. According to the most widespread version, the body was thrown into a hole in the river.

Personal life of the famous admiral

Kolchak's personal life has always been actively discussed. With his wife Sofia, the admiral had three children, but two girls died in infancy. Until 1919, Sofia was waiting for her husband in Sevastopol, and then moved to Paris with her only son Rostislav. She died in 1956.

In 1915, 41-year-old Kolchak met with a young 22-year-old poet Anna Timireva. They both had families, but a long-term relationship still began. A few years later, Timireva divorced and was considered the admiral's common-law wife. Hearing about Kolchak's arrest, she voluntarily settled in prison in order to be closer to her beloved. Between 1920 and 1949, Timireva was arrested and exiled six more times until she was rehabilitated in 1960. Anna died in 1975.

For scientific and military activities, Alexander Kolchak has earned 20 medals and orders.
When he was removed from the command of the Black Sea Fleet, Kolchak, in front of the sailors, broke the award saber and threw it into the sea, saying: "I was rewarded by the sea - to the sea and I am returning it!"
The admiral's burial place is unknown, although there are many versions.

Agree, we know little about the personality of such a great man. Perhaps Kolchak was from a different camp and adhered to different views, but he was devoted to Russia and the sea.