Society of Former Political Convicts and Exiles

Categories / Social Life/Social Organizations and Unions
SOCIETY OF FORMER POLITICAL CONVICTS AND EXILES, the Leningrad Department (24 Nevsky Prospect) was established in May 1924 (the society itself - in March 1921 in Moscow) with the objectives of providing assistance to former prisoners of Tsarism and studying the history of the revolutionary movement, prisons, penal servitude and exile in Russia. In 1924 the Leningrad Department numbered 122 members, in 1934 - 250 (among them - veterans of the revolutionary movement: O.V. Aptekman, I.I. Maynov, N.A. Morozov, M.V. Novorussky, V.S. Pankratov, A.V. Pribylev, A.P. Pribyleva-Korba, V.I. Sukhomlin, V.G. Tan-Bogoraz, S.P. Shevtsov). Heads of Leningrad Department were I.I. Ionov (until 1926) and D.A. Trilisser (until 1935). Research work was conducted by the archival commission and sections, they studied Decembrists and their epoch, the history of 19th century revolutionary movements of the nations of the USSR, the events of 1905, the October Revolution and the Civil War, penal servitude and exile and the revolutionary movements among the Jewry. In the structure of Leningrad Department there was a circle of members of the People's Will, Enisey, Shlisselburg and Riga Communities. Historians S.Y. Hessen, A.V. Predtechensky, I.M. Trotsky, S.N. Chernov, A.N. Shebunin, literary critics M.P. Alexeev, Y.G. Oksman, S.A.Reiser and others took part in the work of the sections. The Literary Group headed by N.F. Nasimovich (Chuzhak) edited memoirs of the Society's members. Memoirs and research were published in Penal Servitude and Exile magazine (Moscow, 1921-35), collections of associations and works of sections, some were issued as books. The Leningrad Department published composite books For Freedom! (1927), Through Penal Servitude to Proletarian Revolution (1932) and a number of pamphlets. Members of the society prepared reports, conducted excursions in the Museum of Revolution and tours around revolutionary places of Leningrad, participated in the creation of the museum at Schliesselburg Fortress (1928-39). Three co-operatives and the Politkatorzhanin Factory of Food Chemicals functioned under the oversight of the Leningrad Department. For the members of Leningrad Department a commune house was constructed at 1 Revolyutsii Square (House of Tsarist Political Prisoners, memorial plaque). In June 1935 the society was abolished by the Decree of the Presidium of Central Executive Committee of the USSR, many its members were repressed.

References: Политическая каторга и ссылка: Биогр. справ. членов о-ва политкаторжан и ссыльнопоселенцев. М., 1930; То же. М., 1934; Каталог изданий, 1921 X 1931 / Всесоюз. о-во политкаторжан и ссыльнопоселенцев. М., 1931; То же. 1931-1934. М., 1935; Восемь лет работы, 1924-1931 // Через каторгу к пролетарской революции: На волю. Л., 1932. Сб. 2. С. 89-121; Щербаков Н. Н. Всесоюзное общество бывших политкаторжан и ссыльнопоселенцев и его роль в разработке истории политической ссылки в эпоху империализма // Ссыльные революционеры в Сибири (XIX в.-февр. 1917 г.). Иркутск, 1983. Вып. 8. С. 26-49.

A. D. Margolis. Alexeev Mikhail Pavlovich
Aptekman Osip Vasilievich
Chernov Sergey Nikolaevich
Hessen Sergey Yakovlevich
Ionov Ilya Ionovich
Maynov Ivan Ivanovich
Morozov Nikolay Alexandrovich
Nasimovich (Chuzhak) N.F.
Novorussky Mikhail Vasilievich
Oksman Yulian Grigorievich
Pankratov Vasily Semenovich
Predtechensky Anatoly Vasilievich
Pribylev Alexander Vasilievich
Pribyleva-Korba Anna Pavlovna
Reiser Solomon Abramovich
Shebunin Andrey Nikolaevich
Shevtsov Sergey Porfirievich
Sukhomlin Vasily Ivanovich
Tan-Bogoraz Vladimir Germanovich
Trilisser David Abramovich
Trotsky Isaak Moiseevich
Nevsky prospect/Saint Petersburg, city, house 24
Troitskaya Square/Saint Petersburg, city, house 1
Каталог изданий, 1921 X 1931 / Всесоюз. о-во полит. каторжан и ссыльно-поселенцев. М.
Политическая каторга и ссылка: Биогр. справочник членов о-ва политкаторжан и ссыльнопоселенцев. М., 1930
Щербаков Н. Н. Всесоюзное общество бывших политкаторжан и ссыльнопоселенцев и его роль в разработке истории политической ссылки в эпоху империализма // Ссыльные революционеры в Сибири (XIX в. - февр. 1917 г.). Иркутск, 1983
Политическая каторга и ссылка: Биогр. справочник членов о-ва политкаторжан и ссыльнопоселенцев. М., 1934
Восемь лет работы, 1924-1931 // Через каторгу к пролетарской революции: "На волю". Л., 1932
Каталог изданий, 1931-1934 / Всесоюз. о-во полит. каторжан и ссыльно-поселенцев. М., 1935 Shlisselburg Fortress.
House of Tsarist Political Prisoners
1935