Antonov-Ovseenko V.A. (1883-1939), revolutionary, political figure

Categories / Social Life/Personalia
ANTONOV-OVSEENKO (real name Ovseenko) Vladimir Alexeevich (1883-1938), revolutionary. Studied at Nikolaevsky Military Engineering school of St. Petersburg, in 1901 was sacked for his refusal to swear loyalty, worked as an unskilled labourer at the port, then as a coachman. In 1904 graduated from St. Petersburg Vladimirsky Infantry Cadet School with the rank of 2nd lieutenant. He was engaged in revolutionary activities from 1901, was a member of the Social Democratic revolutionary movement from 1903. Since 1905 he was a professional revolutionary. Caused unrest among soldiers and sailors of St. Petersburg (including, on the Imperial Yacht, Standard), Kronstadt and others. A member of the Petersburg Committee of Russian Social-Democratic Workers' Party’s Military Organisation (1905-06), an editor of Barracks newspaper. He was arrested several times. From 1910 lived in Paris. In May 1917 he returned to Petrograd, joined the Russian Social-Democratic Workers' Party (of Bolsheviks), was a member of the Military Organisation of the Party Central Committee, Commissar of the Central Committee of the Baltic Fleet affiliated to the Governor-General of Finland. During the July Days of 1917 was arrested, kept in the Kresty Prison. In October was Secretary of the Petrograd Military Revolutionary Committee, on 25 October he arrested the ministers of the Provisional Government in the Winter Palace. Member of the Committee for Military and Naval Affairs of the First Soviet of People's Commissars, Commander of Petrograd Military Department. A member of the Military Revolutionary Soviet of the Republic (1918-19, 1922-24), Head of the Political Government of Workers' and Peasants' Red Army (1922-24). Later on, he was engaged in diplomatic and governmental work. In October 1937 he was arrested on a fabricated charge. He was executed by shooting. In 1970 a Street in Nevsky District was named after Antonov-Ovseenko.

Works: В семнадцатом году. М., 1933. (In the year of 1917).

Reference: Ракитин А. В. В. А. Антонов-Овсеенко: Ист.-биогр. очерк. 2-е изд., испр. и доп. Л., 1989.

I. S. Rozental. Antonov-Ovseenko Vladimir Alexeevich
В семнадцатом году. М., 1933
Ракитин А. В. В. А. Антонов-Овсеенко: Ист.-биогр. очерк. 2-е изд., испр. и доп. Л., 1989 Nikolaevsky Engineering Academy
Kresty Prison.
Provisional Government of 1917
Winter Palace