Petrov Vsevolod Nikolaevich

Biography

Vsevolod Nikolaevich Petrov (02.01.1883-10.07.1948) was born in Kiev, in family of the nobleman of the Kiev province.

V.N. Petrov was a descendant of the Russified Swedes and Norwegians living in the territory of Malorossiya. His great-grandfather got to the Russian captivity during Northern war and in honor of the tsar Pyotr Petrov, perhaps received a surname, V.N. Petrov's sympathies for Karl XII partly are explained by it.

Got an education in the Vladimir Kiev military school, the Pavlovsk military college (1902) and imperial Nikolaev military academy from which graduated on the first discharge in 1910.

At the beginning of the officer career Petrov served several years in guard. Since young years he was fond of gymnastics and fencing. Before World War I served in the Kiev military district. Petrov was involved in World War I and Civil wars. In peace time it was awarded with St Ann's awards of the 3rd degree (1907) and St. Stanislav of the 2nd degree (1913).

1914: Participation in World War I

In the years of World War I Petrov held positions of the senior aide-de-camp of the 42nd infantry division, the headquarters officer for instructions at the headquarters of the XXIV army body (since September 15, 1914), the headquarters officer for instructions at the headquarters of the X army body (since July 6, 1915), and. of the chief of staff of the 7th Turkestan rifle division (since May 9, 1916).

Petrov finished World War I in a colonelcy, and for fight on April 27, 1915 deserved the St. George's Weapon (it is awarded on January 24, 1917).

1917: Transformation in the Ukrainian nationalist

In 1917 on the Western front Petrov actively participated in the process of an Ukrainization which covered some parts of the Russian army. Consisted the member of the Ukrainian Rada of the 7th Turkestan rifle division and the III Siberian army body. Petrov even ordered summary Ukrainian group of the body.

In November, 1917 near the Osipovshchina station near the town the World of the Minsk province it created from the Ukrainian parts of the front a regiment of K. Gordiyenko (to 500 Cossacks and officers) together with whom, having passed through the Pinsk swamps, in December arrived in Kiev where was involved in fights with Bolsheviks, including in the well-known fights for the Kiev Arsenal. Here, in fighting orders, he also got acquainted with one of leaders of the Ukrainian national movement of those years commander of a gaydamatsky kosh of Suburban Ukraine S.V. Petliura that played the defining role in the subsequent career of Petrov. Petliura's beliefs were close to Petrov who was at the same time both the Ukrainian nationalist, and the supporter of the left ^[1].

For 1917-1922 Petrov continuously served in different Ukrainian formations. The genshtabist who are so betrayed to the Ukrainian idea there were literally units. It is no wonder that Petrov soon appeared in the management of the Ukrainian army.

According to colleagues, Petrov differed in vigor and bravery, well proved in many fights, sometimes even as the private with a rifle in hands. In 1918 he was the 3rd Zaporozhsky's commander kurenya troops of the Central Rada (since February 9, 1918, later – the 1st Zaporizhia horse gaydamatsky a regiment of K. Gordiyenko). Since June, 1918 Petrov consisted at the disposal of the chief of the General Staff of the Ukrainian power, since July 29, 1918 received a position of the chief of staff of the 12th infantry division of the hetman army located in Lubnakh, but since August, 1918 was at disposal of the chief of the General Staff again.

In the fall of 1918 Petrov dealt with military-training issues. In particular, since October 14 was the assistant to the chief of educational department of infantry schools of Head department of military schools (A head school justice) of the military ministries. Since October 28 held a post of the assistant to the chief of the 2nd Kiev joint yunkersky school, since December 1, 1918 – the assistant to the chief of officer instructor school, since December 22 – the chief of the Zhytomyr yunkersky school. Being at this position, Petrov was contused on March 13, 1919, but functioned.

1919: Minister of War of the Ukrainian people's republic

At last, in 1919 career rise of Petrov began. Since June 2, 1919 he is the commander of the Volynsk group of Field army of UNR, and since July 9 – the Minister of War of UNR. On this post Petrov made a lot of things to strengthen the Ukrainian army and to revive its General Staff. In particular, he was engaged in transfer of genshtabist from clerical positions on the posts which were more corresponding to their qualification.

On November 5, 1919 Petrov held a post of companion Minister of War, and since May 1, 1920 served as the inspector of infantry of army of UNR. On October 5, 1920 he was entitled the general-horunzhego. During stay of the Ukrainian troops in the camps interned in Poland since March, 1921 became the 1st general quartermaster of the General Staff of UNR, and since August 19, 1921 – the chief of the General Staff.

On characteristic of the Ukrainian general N.A. Kapustyansky, Petrov – "brave. Successfully directed the parts in fights, especially horse regiment of Kostya Gordiyenko. Was for soldiers a sample, an example with the courage in fights. Talented, operable, creative, temperamental, and from time to time and unbalanced in the hobbies. Had communications with the left-wing Ukrainian parties (Social Revolutionaries). They proposed afterwards the candidate a regiment. Petrova on a post of the Minister of War". According to stories by Petrov, in academy he was included into some occult society that undermined his nervous system.

The opinion of other genshtabist – the assistant to the chief of the Ukrainian General Staff general G.E. Yanushevsky knowing Petrov for many years supplements Kapustyansky's characteristic: "… at that time in the Gen. The headquarters there was big disagreement. The general Petrov with passion inherent to it I will also not tell – with strict deliberation and care – paid off the old scores with the former colleagues on the General Staff, and nowadays the subordinates, under a type so by fashionable at that time also did to "nepevnost" it so that forced me even to pay its attention to inconvenience of similar punishment". This important certificate indicates that Petrov in the first years of emigration, being the chief of the Ukrainian General Staff, actively used the provision for squaring of accounts by means of charge objectionable to it persons in disloyalty of ideology of the Ukrainian nationalism. Not accidentally Yanushevsky in other place called Petrov "the ardent demagogue". The data facts Petrov of personal accounts using official position given in Yanushevsky's memoirs have documentary confirmation.

Remembering the pre-war occupations with general-staff officers in the Kiev military district, Yanushevsky wrote about Petrov: "The vigorous, tireless athlete, always cheerful, resourceful in difficult situations, he caused to anticipate that at the proper management it will leave the great, useful general-staff officer. Conditions of service in the Russian pre-war Gen. The headquarters did not represent favorable circumstances for development of those negative qualities which were expressed in following, quite close to the truth, characteristic of the general Petrov". Daley Yanushevsky quoted Kapustyansky's memoirs about Petrov which we already stated above.

Petrov's flirting with soldier's weight found reflection in the caricature from the Ukrainian satirical magazine "Kolyuchki" representing Petrov, dancing in a squating position before a system. On the other hand, his behavior can be understood. Petrov, most likely, belonged to the category of the "child prodigies" nominated by Civil war. Quite so similar to him upstarts were contemptuously referred to as by old officers. It is enough to note that Petrov served to generalships by 37 years, and there passed the way from the captain to the general in only six years. Certainly, it had no serious military and administrative experience, but, as well as many people who made prompt career in the anti-Bolshevist camp had a fine understanding of nuances of the current political environment and strong aspiration at any cost to achieve popularity at soldiers.

Let's give one more, Yanushevsky's certificate, extremely important for assessment of the identity of the general Petrov: "It was easy to work with the general Petrov: he quickly grabbed a thought and was guided, did not argue on trifles as it ordinary happens to people of a narrow outlook. Throughout our 10-month-old service joint this time our relations were never saddened. But, despite the fine office relations, between us there was an insuperable wall – Petrov's hatred to all Russian, his reserve reaching cunning and also too its already explicit demagogy which he kind of even sported. He repeatedly spoke of himself as about the demagogue. But I did not learn the reasons of it. I believe that it is "tribute to the time" and that Wednesday in which we were; because there ostentatious hatred to all Russian was considered kind of sign of "good, patriotic form". Be at that time leyb-guards the Lithuanian regiment, there would be no Ukrainian general of Petriva, but there would be quite correct and loyal Guards colonel Petrov. Somehow time during a lunch with the Polish general-staff officers in Kalisz the general Petrov in after-dinner speech blabbed out on April 18, 1922 that "glavkoverkh Krylenko outlawed it". Perhaps his hatred to all Russian is explained by it to some extent. To me personally this hatred did not seem sincere: it, apparently, was caused by desire "smooth down" a great sin in the opinion of Ukrainian "left democratic diyachey", able to affect his future career, – is explicit still recent service in "imperial guard". And the general Petrov really was the ambitious man and the careerist. But what I could not explain myself in character and activity of the general Petrov in any way, is his some painful passion to shadowing, espionage, to KR (counterintelligence). He monitored all and all: he knew, apparently, everything that became in camps, without excluding the most intimate details of family life. For this purpose he had at the General Staff own KR …".

So, according to the officer who was perfectly knowing Petrov, his nationalism was insincere and was caused by career reasons. However, in Ukraine the apologetic biography of Petrov in the 2000th appeared in the Ukrainian Statesmen series. On the other hand, there were a few true and convinced supporters of the Ukrainian nationalism among the highest Ukrainian officers of the period of Civil war so for idealization admirers have this movement of no special choice.

1922: Transfer to the reserve

On June 24, 1922, probably, it was for health reasons exempted from duties of the chief of the General Staff, and it was at own will transferred to the reserve.

1923: Emigration to Prague, the games-master in the Ukrainian teacher's college, the Russophobic publicist

That Petrov was prone to demagogy, wrote in 1923 also the Ukrainian general-genshtabist S.I. Dyadyusha. In one of letters to the Ukrainian general-genshtabistu V.A. Sigarev it noted: "Petrov who had many lectures on Administration, Military art and tactics of technical troops went with the wife and the son (two months to that the little demagogue was born at it) to Prague yesterday … Petrov left defiantly, literally at anybody without having visited: neither at Udovichenko, nor at Kushch, nor at me, obviously with [o] local orientation everything tears especially as at us gossips go (here it are emphasize by the author – A.G.) that in Prague they suit (neuter) the new center …".

Petrov was, certainly, a sign figure for the Ukrainian military emigration and one of her leaders. Besides, he can be quite carried to number of the most radical Ukrainian nationalists from among the former officers of the Russian army and general-staff officers who appeared during Civil war in the Ukrainian paramilitary groups.

Neither the origin, nor the Russian surname, nor service the officer in the Russian army promoted Petrov's incorporation on Wednesday the Ukrainian nationalists. It is possible therefore he was so radical in many expressions, and for underlining of own "shchirost" in emigrant circles Petrov liked to go in Ukrainian "vyshivanka". In 1927 it was included in number of witnesses on the well-known legal procedure in the matter of Sh. Schwartzbard who shot S.V. Petliura. On the views the general Petrov was the Ukrainian nationalist that was combined with his socialist views. The labor republic was an ideal of state system for Petrov. Perhaps, for this reason in years of World War II it actively supported policy of the German national socialists. According to Petrov which he stated in the spring of 1943 if Hitler was in power in Germany in 1918, then Ukrainians would not appear in emigration.

In emigration as one of seniors and the most authoritative Ukrainian officers Petrov often received invitations to make a speech at different Ukrainian festive events. He was still fond of gymnastics, participated in the sokolsky movement, was engaged in teaching work and was much printed, worked on military and scientific, military and historical works, memoirs, was engaged in journalism which gives complete idea of his political convictions, wrote verses and even fairy tales. Petrov's publications appeared in the Ukrainian newspapers and magazines issued in emigration: "Chronicle of a red guelder-rose", Case, "Literary scientific bulletin", Lugovik, Dnipro, Freedom, "Ukrainian voice" and many others. Petrov seriously dealt with issues of military geography, monitored development of a military thought.

One of the tasks Petrov saw preparation of the fact that it is possible to call Ukrainian General Staff, to possible armed struggle for the interests of Ukraine.

Quite often it was printed under aliases: "Gordienko that not a Bone" (as the former commander of a regiment of K. Gordiyenko) and Vsevolod Lyasichenko. Petrov also consisted the member of the Ukrainian institute of social science, since 1923 was a lecturer of physical training of the Ukrainian highest teacher training college of Dragomanov in Prague, consisted in the Ukrainian military and scientific partnership and was one of his heads. In 1939 was a teacher of gymnastics in one of gymnasiums.

In exile Petrov was engaged in studying of the Ukrainian military history of the beginning of the 18th century, made reports on this subject. Its sketch "The Moscow-Ukrainian war of 1708-1711" made by it in Czechoslovakia in the summer of 1926 is devoted to events of Northern war. First of all, happening in the 18th century the general Petrov passed everything through a prism of the course of life and memories of World War I, revolution and Civil war, saw in past events specific practical experience for the Ukrainian nationalists. Petrov justified throwings of the hetman I. Mazepa with that, as in the 20th century many states maneuvred between different blocks. Comparing the Ukrainian formations of the 18th and 20th centuries, Petrov found much in common, including these armies the advanced armies of national type.

According to the general, national release of the Ukrainian people is impossible without participation of a wide people at large, without promotion of social slogans, without popular democratic leaders. At the same time, according to Petrov, the hetman I. Mazepa aimed to wage war under the social slogans whereas they were not popular. Let's pay attention to the name of its work, considerably different from the commonly accepted representation according to which the Ukrainian and Moscow war as like that at this time nevertheless was not, and only rather small part of Cossacks led by Mazepa came over to the side of Swedes. Meanwhile, Petrov wrote that Ukrainians made 40% of army of Karl XII during the Poltava period.

Certainly, Petrov laid blame for emergence of the Russian-Ukrainian opposition to Moscow which broke the Pereyaslavsky contract of 1654 Moscow, Petrov believed, only exploited Ukrainians and the Ukrainian territories, carried out russification, and the Moscow garrisons allegedly created arbitrary behavior. Petrov defined a chronological framework of the Ukrainian and Moscow war as the period of 1708-1711. Indulging in wishful thinking, Petrov aimed to show that in Ukraine during this period as if all were dissatisfied with Moscow. In Petrov's works there is also a mass of other revelations. For example, what Moscow destroyed and destroyed all Ukrainian, and Swedes, on the contrary, did not destroy any Ukrainian city. Of course, the general is obviously tendentious in this question and, probably, intentionally did not mention the facts of terror of Swedes in Ukraine which are not keeping within its concept. Contrary to historical reality Petrov wrote that 6,000 Ukrainian Cossacks fought on the Poltava field.

Petrov urged to treat more carefully on the basis of past experience external allied forces that fight by means of allies did not cause liberating fight against allies. Petrov conferred responsibility for defeat in war on Karl and Mazepa. The last, according to him, differed in failure to decide. Petrov considered the Poltava defeat rather a defeat of Ukrainians, than Swedes. One of key postulates of Petrov was the fact that Moscow took control of Ukraine violent in the way. It is thought, this thesis was very important for Russophobic ideology of the Ukrainian nationalism. In every possible way Petrov tried to belittle and art of Peter I of a military leader. For example, he wrote that Peter conceded in it to Bogdan Khmelnytsky as concentrated all forces in one place, without leaving anything for deep scopes.

In Petrov's works barefaced hatred to all Russian slips, i.e. to what surrounded Petrov till 1917 when it did not show the commitment to ideals of the Ukrainian nationalism in any way. Petrov "in the hatred, apparently, does not know border", – one of the Ukrainian officers-emigrants wrote about him in 1924. And it is valid so. Schemes which were prepared by Petrov for the publications on the history of Northern war remained. For example, the scheme of actions near Poltava in 1709. Reference designations of this drawing – Zaporozhetses, Swedes, Skoropadsky, Russians are very indicative.

In characteristic of the lieutenant V. Filonovich Petrov noted that that ran with white Russians from Russians red. Thus, for Petrov as, in particular and for other prominent Ukrainian military figure general A.I. Udovichenko, was not red and white, and there were only two types of "Russians".

It is interesting to understand origins of such perception of history which contains in articles and manuscripts of the general Petrov, in general, of the person of the Russian culture. How such terry russophob could appear in the body of general-staff officers, having got to this elite intra army corporation? As far as in general the authorities are loyal and officers-genshtabisty were patriotic?

The only explanation is that is called not the congenital, and purchased after 1917 for career reasons Petrov's russophobia. Unfortunately, the careerism was one of the main defects of officers-genshtabistov of the Russian army. For this reason in their environment people like Petrov also met.

Having taken for some reasons a way of an Ukrainization in 1917, during Civil war and after it Petrov consciously tore any communications with Russia, a former circle of contacts and aimed to be incorporated in the Ukrainian military-political environment for successful career ladder promotion already in its framework. Sign of loyalty to ideals the Ukrainian statehood there was also an extreme russophobia which the general constantly showed in the emigrant publications. Thus, before us not the Russian officer, but one of the most zealous conductors of the ideas of the Ukrainian nationalism.

Certainly, it is impossible to call works of the general Petrov about Northern war and military history of the 17-18th centuries academic though some of them and apply for scientific character. Nevertheless in these works those installations, views and estimates which were characteristic of ideology of the Ukrainian nationalism in emigration were fully reflected. Some of these views, though in more moderate expression, found the reflection and logical continuation in the Ukrainian national historiography of the 2000th years. Of course, for the Ukrainian national consciousness the question with whom was always particularly acute to be – with Russia or with Europe. Traditionally these two poles of orientation were opposed though such opposition substantially was artificial. The ideology of radical Ukrainian nationalism inevitably raised on a board the idea that Ukraine is the certain outpost protecting the Western world from the Asian hordes menacing to it from Russia. At the time of the general Petrov it was talked of the union against this fictional threat with "the Fuhrer of Great Germany", and quite transparent parallels of the 2000th years do not need representation.

1941: The Minister of War of "the Ukrainian government" in emigration, support of Nazis

The family Petrova who remained in the USSR underwent repressions. The daughter Petrova Zlata who did not have about two decades of messages from the father openly rejoiced to arrival of Germans and wrote the father from Kiev on November 13, 1941:

"Though hard is necessary today, but consciousness that we already got rid of guardianship of "father Stalin" so inspires to new life and new work that heart fights with happiness and there is a wish to work and work on advantage of our Ukraine updated Nenki".

In the years of World War II Petrov as the Minister of War was a part of the Ukrainian government proclaimed summer of 1941 of OUN of S. Bandera in Lviv. Petrov laid great hopes on Hitlerite Germany, took active part in negotiations with Nazis. At this time in emigrant circles of Petrov designated on a post of the head of the Ukrainian government.

In October, 1941 when Germans were near Moscow, he hurried to write in one of the Ukrainian newspapers appearing in Poland that defeat of the USSR in World War II is a historic fact. Joy of the general emigrant was not a limit as "the dark human mass" of the USSR threatened before life of Europe. Petrov directly said: "Moscow which poked into Europe after the victory near Poltava over the northern leader Karl XII and his ally our hetman Mazepa is nowadays discarded by the Fuhrer of Great Germany far from influence on the European life and, it is necessary to believe that forever".

The general very much wanted to believe that Ukrainians at the time of Mazepa realized threat which was posed for mankind by Russia, and fought against it already then, and now this mission is executed by Nazi Germany. By the way, it is no wonder that approximately during this period Petrov wrote about support of Bolsheviks from world Jewry.

In the same newspaper "Krakovskiye Vesti", most likely, Petrov published in other anonymous article "Truthful Appearance of Moscow" surprising outpourings at all. He wrote again that at Pyotr the Moscow hordes poked to Ukraine and destroyed the capital in Baturin, as well as in 1918 the Soviet hordes of M.A. Muravyov came to Kiev. Analogy very doubtful. Petrov brought a thesis that historical mission of Moscow – "spirit of destruction, thirst to exterminate and cut, – here that characterizes it during centuries, for all the time of its existence out of this analogy".

Moscow, Petrov believed, assumed spiritual heritage of Asian hordes. "This Moscow, invariable and consecutive in the rascally action, is an eternal enemy of Ukraine, Europe, about, culture". Petrov considered that literature in "the Moscow mova" decomposes the Ukrainian youth, wrote about primitiveness of Russians. Acquaintance with some publications of Petrov leaves an impression, painful russophobia. It seems that before us not the representative of military elite of pre-revolutionary Russia who received in Russia both education, and an opportunity to make outstanding career, and provision in society, and some medieval barbarian. The most interesting that Petrov's position did not cause either perturbation, or surprise in the Ukrainian emigration. So there are all bases to believe that other Ukrainian emigrants if it is about military emigration, differed in the little on the views from Petrov. However hatred – the bad adviser, and the general Petrov of an era of World War II cruelly miscalculated the judgments.

1948: Death in the refugee camp in West Germany

At the end of war he had to run from familiar spots to West Germany to be taken prisoner the Red Army which wished to remain on the European boondocks. Three years later Petrov, with consciousness of the complete crash of all hopes, died in the refugee camp Regensburg in West Germany.

Notes