Petrograd Military Revolutionary Committee

Categories / City Administration/Government Bodies
PETROGRAD MILITARY REVOLUTIONARY COMMITTEE, the emergency body of Petrograd Soviet which functioned at the time of preparation and conducting of October Revolution of 1917, then (until the beginning of December of 1917) the emergency government authority. It was established by the decisions of the Executive Committee of Petrograd Soviet of October 9(22 New Style) and October 12 (25 New Style), 1917, was approved on October 16 (29 New Style) by October plenary session of Petrograd Soviet. It was quartered in Smolny, and actually represented a legal headquarters for the preparation of the bolshevist take-over: the committee carried out the mobilization of forces, secured technical military preparation of the coup d'etat, consolidated Red Guards, soldiers of Petrograd garrison, seamen of the Baltic fleet. Members of Petrograd Military Revolutionary committee were the representatives of Petersburg committee and the Military organization of Russian Social-Democratic Workers' Party (bolshevist), Petrograd Soviet, factories committees, trade unions, the Central commandant's office of Red Guards, Military organization of the Left socialists-revolutionaries, the Central Committee of the Baltic fleet and other revolutionary organizations. On October 21 (November 3 New Style) the bureau of Petrograd Military Revolutionary committee was elected: it included Bolshevists N.I. Podvoysky, V.A. Antonov-Ovseenko, A.D. Sadovsky, Left Socialist Revolutionaries P.E. Lazimir, G.N. Sukharkov. The exact personnel staff of the committee was not determined: historical research works mention from 30 to 104 names, the identity of the chairman of the committee was not established either (it is commonly supposed that originally this post was held by Lazimir, followed by Podvoysky during the events of October of 1917). Since October 21 (November 3 New Style) Petrograd Military Revolutionary committee had been delegating its commissars to military units, weapon and ammunition depots, into Peter and Paul's fortress. By October 24 (November 6 New Style) commissars of Petrograd Military Revolutionary committee had been appointed to all the main strategical establishments of Petrograd: industrial enterprises, railway stations and railroads, into different establishments, into 51 military units of the garrison. The orders of the Provisional government and the Staff of Petrograd military district were not carried out without the committee's permission. In the morning of October 24 (November 6 New Style) the revolutionary forces headed by Petrograd Military Revolutionary committee got fully operational, and by the morning of October 25 (November 7 New Style) almost whole city was taken under their control. On the same day in a proclamation "To Russia citizenry!", written by Lenin, Petrograd Military Revolutionary committee announced the overthrow of the Provisional government and the committee's succession. At the same time the Field Headquarters of Petrograd Military Revolutionary committee was established; on the night of October 26 (November 8 New Style) it carried out the Winter Palace capturing operation together with the seizure of the Provisional government. Since the end of October until the beginning of December of 1917 Petrograd Military Revolutionary committee performed the functions of the central government body; 7 of its representatives became members of the first Soviet government. Petrograd Military Revolutionary committee contributed to the establishment of the Soviet system in Moscow and other areas of Russia; in October - December the committee sent to the country regions nearly one thousand of commissars and emissaries, several hundreds of propagandists for establishment of local Military Revolutionary committees, clarification of the Soviet government decrees, army demobilisation. Petrograd Military Revolutionary committee guided all spheres of economical and political life of Petrograd, struggled against anti-bolshevist actions, sabotage of officials; it also took stock and distribution of fuel, raw materials and electrical energy, attended for food supply of the citizens and troops of the Northern front-line. The staff and the structure of the Petrograd Military Revolutionary committee apparatus changed more than once; it contained headquarters, commissars' bureau, the following departments: of press and information, of armament, of supply, food department, agitational department, motor-car one, requisitioning one, investigative juristical department, medical and sanitary one, of the internal and external constraint, inquiry office. As the people's commissariats were established, Petrograd Military Revolutionary committee cut down its functions and on December 5 (18 New Style), 1917 ceased to exist.

References: Донесения комиссаров Петроградского Военно-революционного комитета. М., 1957; Петроградский Военно-революционный комитет: Док. и материалы: В 3 т. М., 1966-1967; Молодцыгин М. А. Неизвестные документы Петроградского военно-реводюционного комитета // ВИ. 1987. № 10. С. 75-85.

A. M. Kulegin. Antonov-Ovseenko Vladimir Alexeevich
Lazimir Pavel Evgenievich
Podvoysky Nikolay Ilyich
Sadovsky Andrey Dmitrievich
Sukharkov Georgy Nikolaevich
Донесения комиссаров Петроградского Военно-революционного комитета. М., 1957
Петроградский Военно-революционный комитет: Док. и материалы: В 3 т. М., 1966-1967
Молодцыгин М. А. Неизвестные документы Петроградского военно-реводюционного комитета // Вопр. истории, 1987 Baltic Fleet
Centrobalt (Baltic Fleet Central Committee)