Petrograd Commune

Categories / City Administration/Government Bodies
PETROGRAD COMMUNE (the commune of Petrogradskaya province as of September of 1920), Petrograd consumer commune, the cooperative economic organization, was established in spring of 1919 (officially registered on September 25, 1919), it united the staff of the state and cooperative food and economic organizations of Petrograd. It was in charge of city's food and manufactured goods supply, was engaged in purchase, producing and distribution of foodstuff in the context of the Civil War and the "military communism" policy. All citizens entitled to be elected in Soviets were full members of the commune; they could participate in the commune management and commanded its services. Twice a year the directors' board (9 persons, chairman - A.E. Badaev; then A.S. Kuklin as of July of 1920) and supervisory council (25 persons) were elected. District executive bureaus of the commune were established in the city districts. The commune disposed of 8 trains, 40 cars each, mills, warehouses and distribution stations; it had its own farms in grain-producing provinces with the total area up to 27.5 thousand acres, and 7 live farming as well. By the beginning of 1920 the commune arranged food supply to over 1 million people; in 1920 it formed 27 food agitational groups (664 persons), organized the tillage of over 2 thousand of vegetable gardens in Petrograd suburbs. In January - November of 1920 the commune distributed nearly 230 million kg of foodstuffs, including 120 million kg of bread; it also supported the issue of the labour rations that was received by 271.3 thousand persons in December of 1920. The excessive staff of the Commune of Petrograd consisted of 36 thousand persons in June of 1920; its activity was repeatedly criticized on the part of Petrograd working people. On June 3, 1921 The Petrograd Commune was transformed into Petrograd joint consumer society. The Commune published Izvestiya Petrokommuny (The news of the Petrograd Commune) newspaper [published since October 17, 1919 through December of 1921 (?)].

References: Бадаев А. Е. Десять лет борьбы и строительства: Продовольств.-кооператив. работа в Ленинграде, 1917-1927. Л., 1927; Потехин М. Н. Петроградская трудовая коммуна (1918-1919 гг.). Л., 1980; Яров С. В. Горожанин как политик: Революция, воен. коммунизм и НЭП глазами петроградцев. СПб., 1999.

A. M. Kulegin. Badaev Alexey Egorovich
Kuklin A.S.
Бадаев А. Е. Десять лет борьбы и строительства: Продовольств.-кооператив. работа в Ленинграде, 1917-1927. Л., 1927
Потехин М. Н. Петроградская трудовая коммуна (1918-1919 гг.). Л., 1980
Яров С. В. Горожанин как политик: Революция, воен. коммунизм и НЭП глазами петроградцев. СПб., 1999