Sections: Literature

The purpose of the lesson: to show the inevitability of the tragic fate of Grigory Melekhov, the connection of this tragedy with the fate of the country.

Equipment: technological map of the lesson, textbooks, notebooks, the text of the epic novel "Quiet Don" by M.A. Sholokhov, episodes from the film by S.A. Gerasimov "Quiet Flows the Don", color reproductions of the Imperial Military Order of the Holy Great Martyr and Victorious George.

Lesson plan:

1. Organizational moment.
2. Conversation on questions (repetition of the material covered).
3. Learning new material.
4. Summing up.
5. Grading.
6. Homework with explanation.

DURING THE CLASSES

teacher's word. Announcement of the topic of the lesson.

Students are asked to answer the following questions:

1. Name the genre of the work "Quiet Flows the Don" (Epic novel).
2. List the historical events depicted in the novel (The First World War, the Civil War, the uprising of the Cossacks on the Don).
3. Indicate the name of the village where the events of the novel mainly unfold (Khutor Tatarsky).
4. In what year did Sholokhov receive the Nobel Prize for the novel "Quiet Flows the Don" (1965)
5. What does "Cossack" mean in translation from Turkic? (brave, daring)
6. Why does the author use dialectisms? (To create color)

Learning new material

Teacher's word. Heroes of Sholokhov are simple people, but bright, strong, strong-willed. Grigory Melekhov - the main character of the novel - is a brave, honest, conscientious and truly talented person. He is the Cavalier of St. George, which speaks of the courage and heroism of Melekhov the warrior.

Student message(History of the Imperial Military Order of the Holy Great Martyr and Victorious George).

(Demonstration of color illustrations of the order).

The insignia of the military order, usually called the "George Cross" was established in 1807 by the Russian Emperor Alexander I. It was intended to reward the lower ranks of the army and navy for feats and courage in wartime. To deserve "Egoriy" was possible only by real courage and fearlessness in battle. It was worn on the chest in front of all medals on a ribbon with equal orange and black stripes in the colors of the Order of St. George. On the front side of the medallion, Saint George was depicted striking a snake with a spear, and on the other side of the medallion, intertwined monograms S. and G.
Among the lower ranks, this was the most honorable and respected award, which was not removed from the chest even during further promotion to the officer rank and, being already in the officer rank, was proudly worn on the chest with other officer awards. The insignia of the military order was the most democratic award for the lower ranks, because. could be awarded regardless of rank, class, and in some cases the recipients were chosen by decision of a meeting of a company or battalion. The lower ranks, awarded the distinction, received a lifetime pension and were exempted from corporal punishment, and also enjoyed a number of benefits due to the status of the order.
Initially, only the lower ranks of the Orthodox faith could receive a distinction, while the rest were awarded medals for courage and zeal. This caused dissatisfaction on the part of the lower ranks, representatives of other faiths, because. any soldier dreamed of having a cross with the image of a warrior on his chest. Since 1844, the insignia of the military order began to be awarded to the lower ranks - non-Christian denominations. Such signs were distinguished by the fact that on the front and back sides in the central medallion was placed the state emblem of Russia - a double-headed eagle.
1st degree - a golden cross on a St. George ribbon with a bow.
2 degree - a golden cross on a St. George ribbon without a bow.
3rd degree - a silver cross on a St. George ribbon with a bow.
4th degree - a silver cross on a St. George ribbon without a bow.

Special rights and benefits of persons awarded the St. George Cross:

- The George Cross has never been removed.
- The widow of the recipient after his death used the money due to him on the cross for another year.
- Cash distributions during the service were carried out as an increase in salary, and after dismissal from active service, as a pension.
- When awarding the St. George Cross of the 4th degree, the next rank complained at the same time.
- Having the St. George Cross, both employees and reserve and retired lower ranks who fell into a crime, were deprived of the St. George Cross only as a matter of court.
- In case of loss or unintentional loss of the St. George Cross by any of the lower ranks, even if it is a reserve or retired, a new cross is issued to him, at the request of the subject authorities, free of charge.

Teacher's word. Grigory is a full cavalier of the Order of St. George's Cross, received an officer's rank. Cossack troops are one of the most combat-ready units of the regular Russian army.

Student's report on the participation of Cossack troops in hostilities.

For the first time, the Don Cossacks began to act jointly with the Russian army during the reign of Ivan 1U. Having mastered the tactical art of the Russian army, the Cossacks developed their own methods of cavalry fighting in battles with the Turks and nomadic peoples. After the suppression of the Bulavin uprising, the tsarist government deprived the Cossacks of many privileges.
During the First World War, the Cossack formations were among the most combat-ready units of the Russian army. Among the Cossacks there were the smallest losses of manpower, for the entire time of hostilities only one banner was lost. The Cossacks were well versed in all types of weapons, they were excellent at dzhigitovka. During the First World War, there was a great shortage of funds, and the government collected donations to the Fatherland Defense Fund. One of these collections was the collection of awards from precious metals to the state fund. Everywhere in the army and navy, lower ranks and officers surrendered their awards of silver and gold. Documents confirming these facts have been preserved in the archives.

teacher's word. Let's see how the hero treated military service. A Cossack nicknamed Chubaty teaches Gregory the famous blow that cuts a man in two. Gregory cannot master the technique of this terrible blow in any way.

Question. Why can't Melekhov master this blow?

Episode No. 1. Conversation between Grigory and Chubatoy (book 1, part 3, chapter 12)

- You are strong, but you are a fool to cut. That's how it should be, Chubaty taught, and his saber in an oblique flight hit the target with monstrous force. - Chop the man boldly. He is a soft man, like dough, Chubaty taught, laughing with his eyes. - Don't think how or what. You are a Cossack, your job is to chop without asking, Foul, he is a man ... Evil spirits, stinks on the ground, lives like a toadstool mushroom. You have a liquid heart, but I have a solid one.
“You have a wolf heart, or maybe you don’t have any,” Grigory objected.
Conclusion. Sholokhov uses the antithesis. Chubaty imposes on Grigory his understanding of the war, where there is no mercy, no feeling of compassion. The whole nature of Gregory opposes the cruelty that is behind this blow, the hero feels pain for a person (these are the words of Sholokhov).

teacher's word. Grigory proposes to send the captured officer to headquarters. Chubaty volunteered to escort the prisoner.

Episode No. 2. The capture of an officer (book 1, part 3, chapter 12)

A few minutes later, a horse's head appeared from behind a pine tree. Chubaty rode back.
- Well? .. - the constable jumped in fright. - Missed it?
Waving his whip, Chubaty rode up, dismounted, stretched. - He escaped ... I thought to run away. I cut him down.
"You're lying," shouted Gregory. - Killed for nothing!
- What are you making noise? Do you care? Don't go where you don't have to! Understood? Don't climb! Chubaty repeated sternly.
Pulling the rifle by the belt, Grigory swiftly threw it to his shoulder. His finger jumped, not falling on the trigger, his brown face looked strangely sideways.
- But! the constable shouted menacingly, running up to Grigory.
The shock preceded the shot, and the bullet, upholstering the needles from the pines, sang viscously and loudly. The constable, shoving Grigory in the chest, snatched the rifle from him, only Chubaty did not change his position: he still stood with his leg aside, holding his belt with his left hand.
“I’ll kill you!” Grigory rushed towards him.
- Yes, what are you? Like this? Do you want to go to court, to be shot? Lay down your weapons, the officer yelled, and, pushing Grigory aside, stood between them, swearing his hands with a crucifix.

Question. What is this episode about? Why does Grigory want to kill Chubaty?

Answer. Grigory's attempt to kill Chubaty is an attempt to punish evil.

Conclusion. War as mass murder is not Grigory Melekhov's element. By nature, he is a peaceful person. The tragedy of a man in war is forced murder. Gregory dreams of a house. He says to his brother: “I would have been at home now, I would have flown if I had wings.”

Teacher's word. After the October Revolution, the country split. Many yesterday's friends, fellow soldiers, relatives became on different sides, turned out to be enemies. Each side has its own position, its own, though. But Gregory does not share any of the positions. If the heroes of the novel evaluate what is happening only from the point of view of their own truth, then Grigory thinks on a large scale, in his mind there are other categories: war and peace, life and death. That's why Gregory is sometimes with whites, sometimes with reds. He does not find his truth anywhere.

Episode No. 3 The execution of Chernetsov (book 2, part 5, chapter 12),

Podtelkov, stepping heavily on the fallen snow, approached the prisoners. Chernetsov, who stood in front, looked at him, screwing up his bright, desperate eyes contemptuously. Podtelkov approached him point-blank. He was trembling all over, his unblinking eyes crawling over the pitted snow.
- Gotcha, bastard! - Podtelkov said in a bubbling low voice and took a step back; His cheeks were slashed with a black smile.
- A traitor to the Cossacks! Scoundrel! Traitor! Chernetsov rang through clenched teeth.
Podtelkov shook his head as if dodging slaps. What happened next played out with astonishing speed. It became quiet. The snow creaked distinctly under the boots of Minaev, Krivoshlykov and several other people, who rushed to Podtelkov. But he got ahead of them; he slashed Chernetsov on the head with terrible force. Grigory saw how Chernetsov, trembling, raised his left hand above his head, saw how a severed wrist broke at an angle and the saber soundlessly fell on Chernetsov's thrown back head.
Podtelkov, already lying down, hacked him again, walked away as an aged, overweight marching soldier, wiping the sloping valleys of his checkers, black with blood, as he went.
Grigory tore himself away from the cart, keeping his bloodshot eyes on Podtelkov, quickly hobbled towards him, Minaev grabbed him from behind, wringing his arms, twisting his arms, and took away the revolver.

Question. Why did Gregory want to stand up for the enemies with whom he fought to the death a few hours ago?

Student response. Gregory is against the killing of unarmed prisoners, because. considers it a crime.

teacher's word. Grigory Melekhov decides to leave the Reds and join the Whites.

Episode No. 4. The execution of Podtelkov. Watching an episode from the film by S.A. Gerasimov "Quiet Flows the Don"

Question. Why do you think M.A. Sholokhov placed these two episodes side by side in the novel?

Student response. These two episodes are placed side by side by the author to show wrongness and lawlessness both on the part of the Reds and on the part of the Whites.

Conclusion. Evil begets evil, the flow of violence cannot be stopped.

teacher's word. Gregory's throwing between the Reds and the Whites testifies to the contradiction of his character. When describing the hero, Sholokhov very often uses the technique - antithesis. Peaceful consciousness is opposed to the consciousness of war. The hero wants peace and silence, and all around is war and violence. And this is the tragedy of man, the tragedy of a generation, the tragedy of a people who were drawn into a fratricidal civil war, where there is no place for the observance of the law, no place for mercy, where there are no prisoners. It is not the hero who is split in his mind, but the world is torn apart. Guys! Remember the works about the civil war that we studied.

Students response. I. Babel "Letter", "Crossing the Zbruch", M.A. Sholokhov "Mole".

Episode No. 5. A conversation between Grigory and Mikhail Koshevoy in the Melikhovs' house. Viewing frames from the film by S.A. Gerasimov "Quiet Flows the Don"

Mikhail is a friend of Melikhov, they grew up and served together. Michael is married to Gregory's sister.

Question. What cannot Michael forgive a friend of his youth?

Answer. Mikhail cannot forgive Gregory for serving with the Whites.

Question. What thought sounds in the words of Gregory: "If you remember everything, you have to live like wolves."

Student response. A very important thought sounds - reconciliation, unity is necessary.

Conclusion. To live on, you need to forgive each other. But this is also the tragedy of Grigory Melekhov and the hundreds of thousands of Russian people who could not find this reconciliation. Each of the opposing sides had its own truth. Therefore, the ending is tragic: Grigory's family is scattered, his beloved woman dies, the house is devastated, after long ordeals the hero returns home. The whole horror of the civil war lies in the fact that honest, worthy people who passionately love Russia spoke on both sides, but no one wanted to hear the other side, to find common ground for unity and understanding. The tragedy of Gregory lies in the need for truth and the impossibility of achieving it.

Episode No. 6. The death of Aksinya (book 4, part 8, chapter 17)

Aksinya pulled on the reins and, throwing herself back, fell on her side. Grigory managed to support her, otherwise she would have fallen.
- Were you hurt? Where did it go?! Speak now!.. – Grigory asked hoarsely.
She was silent and leaned harder and harder on his arm. As he galloped, clutching her to himself, Grigory gasped and whispered:
- For God's sake! At least a word! Yes, what are you?!
Aksinya died in Grigory's arms shortly before dawn. Consciousness never returned to her. He silently kissed her lips, cold and salty with blood, carefully lowered her onto the grass, stood up. An unknown force pushed him in the chest, and he backed away, fell on his back, but immediately jumped to his feet in fright. And once again he fell, painfully hitting his bare head on a stone. Then, without rising from his knees, he took out a saber from its scabbard and began to dig a grave. The earth was moist and pliable. He was in a hurry, but choking was pressing on his throat, and to make it easier to breathe, he tore his shirt.
He buried his Aksinya in the bright morning light. Already in the grave, he crossed her dead, whitened, swarthy hands on his chest, covered his face with a head scarf so that the earth would not fall asleep her half-open, motionlessly directed to the sky and already beginning to fade eyes, He said goodbye to her, firmly believing that they would part for a short time. …

Question. How does Gregory survive the death of his beloved woman?

Answer. The personal life of the protagonist is tragic. With the death of Aksinya comes the realization that the worst tragedy in his life has happened.

Question. What remains for Gregory? Find the answer in the text of the novel.

Student response (Book 4, Part 8, Chapter 17).

Gregory finally returns home, to his father's house, to his native land, takes his son in his arms. Life goes on.

Final word from the teacher. Author's position lies in the fact that it is impossible to achieve the ideal, but this does not mean that one should not strive for it, because we must be responsible to future generations. And when we leave, this heavy burden will fall on your shoulders.

Summarizing, grading.

Homework. Prepare for an essay based on the novel by M.A. Sholokhov "Quiet Don". (Themes for preparation for the composition are announced).

The protagonist of the novel by M. A. Sholokhov "Quiet Flows the Don" Grigory Melekhov, looking for the truth of life, gets confused a lot, makes mistakes, suffers, because he does not find the moral truth he aspires to in any of the warring parties.

Gregory is faithful to the Cossack traditions, instilled in him from birth. But at the same time, he surrenders to the power of violent passion, capable of violating generally accepted norms and rules. Neither the formidable father, nor dirty rumors and ridicule can stop Gregory in his passionate outburst.

Melekhov is distinguished by an amazing ability to love. Unwittingly, at the same time, he causes pain to loved ones. Grigory himself suffers, suffers no less than Natalya, Aksinya, and his parents. The hero finds himself as if between two poles: love-duty and love-passion. Committing bad deeds from the point of view of public morality and meeting with a married woman, Gregory remains honest and sincere to the end. “And it’s a pity for you,” he says to Natalia, “to go to sleep, for these days we became related, but there is nothing in my heart ... Empty.”

Stormy historical events swirled Gregory in their whirlwind. But the more he goes into military operations, the more he is drawn to the land, to work. He often dreams of the steppe. His heart is always with my beloved, distant woman, with his native farm, kuren.

A new turn in history brings Melekhov back to the earth, to his beloved, to his family. Grigory meets with the house, with the farm after a long separation. The bosom of the family returns him to the world of shaken habitual ideas about the meaning of life, about the Cossack duty.

While fighting, “Grigory firmly protected the Cossack honor, seized the opportunity to show selfless courage, took risks, went wild, went disguised to the rear of the Austrians, removed outposts without blood.” Over time, the hero changes. He feels that “that pain over a person that crushed him in the first days of the war has irrevocably gone. Hardened heart, hardened ... ". The initial portrait of Gregory is also changing: "... his eyes are hollow and his cheekbones are sharply sticking out."

The tragic upheaval that split the world of the Cossacks into friends and foes poses numerous difficult and acute questions for Grigory. The hero is faced with a choice. Where to go? With whom? For what? Where is the truth? Melekhov, on his path of search, encounters different people, each of whom has his own point of view on what is happening. So centurion Efim Izvarin does not believe in the universal equality declared by the Bolsheviks, he is convinced of the special fate and destiny of the Cossacks and stands for an independent, autonomous life of the Don region. He is a separatist. Grigory, delving into the essence of his speeches, tries to argue with him, but he is illiterate and loses in an argument with a well-educated centurion who knows how to consistently and logically express his thoughts. “Izvarin easily defeated him in verbal battles,” the author reports, and therefore Grigory falls under the strong influence of Izvarin's ideas.

Other truths are instilled in Melekhov by Podtelkov, who believes that the Cossacks have common interests with all Russian peasants and workers, with the entire proletariat. Podtelkov is convinced of the need for elected people's power. He speaks so competently, convincingly and passionately about his ideas that this makes Gregory listen to him and even believe. After a conversation with Podtelkov, the hero "painfully tried to sort out the confusion of thoughts, think over something, decide." In Gregory, an illiterate and politically unsophisticated person, despite various suggestions, the desire to find his truth, his place in life, something that is really worth serving is still actively pulsating. Those around him offer him different ways, but Grigory firmly answers them: "I myself am looking for an entrance."

There comes a moment when Melekhov wholeheartedly takes the side of the new system. But this system, with its cruelty to the Cossacks, injustice, once again pushes Gregory onto the warpath. Melekhov is shocked by the behavior of Chernetsov and Podtelkov in the scene of the massacre of Chernetsovites. It burns with blind hatred and enmity. Gregory, unlike them, is trying to protect an unarmed enemy from a merciless bloody race. Gregory does not stand up for the enemy - in each of the enemies he sees first of all a person.

But in war as in war. Fatigue and anger lead the hero to cruelty. This is eloquently evidenced by the episode of the murder of sailors. However, Gregory is not easily given such inhumanity. It is after this scene that Melekhov is deeply tormented by the realization of a terrible truth: he has gone far from what he was born for and what he fought for. “The wrong course in life, and maybe I’m to blame for this,” he understands.

An unrelenting truth, an unshakable value, always remains for the hero a native nest. In the most difficult moments of life, he turns to thoughts about the house, about his native nature, about work. These memories give Gregory a sense of harmony and peace of mind.

Gregory becomes one of the leaders of the Veshensky uprising. This is a new round in his path. But gradually he becomes disillusioned and realizes that the uprising did not bring the expected results: the Cossacks suffer from the Whites in the same way that they suffered from the Reds before. Well-fed officers - the nobles contemptuously and arrogantly treat the ordinary Cossack and only dream of achieving success with his help in their new campaigns; the Cossacks are only a reliable means of achieving their goals. The boorish attitude of General Fitskhelaurov towards him is outrageous for Grigory, foreign invaders are hated and disgusting.

Painfully enduring everything that is happening in the country, Melekhov nevertheless refuses to evacuate. “Whatever the mother, she is someone else’s kindred,” he argues. And such a position deserves all respect.

The next transitional stage, salvation for Gregory again becomes a return to the earth, to Aksi-nye, to the children. He is suddenly imbued with extraordinary warmth and love for children, he realizes that they are the meaning of his existence. The habitual way of life, the atmosphere of his native home give rise in the hero to the desire to get away from the struggle. Gregory, having passed a long and difficult path, loses faith in both whites and reds. Home and family are true values, real support. Violence, repeatedly seen and known, evokes disgust in him. More than once he does noble deeds under the influence of hatred towards him. Grigory releases the relatives of the Red Cossacks from prison, drives a horse to death in order to have time to save Ivan Alekseevich and Mishka Koshevoy from death, leaves the square, not wanting to be a witness to the execution of the underdogs.

Quick to reprisal and unjustifiably cruel, Mishka Koshevoy pushes Gregory to run away from home. He is forced to wander around the farms and, as a result, joins Fomin's gang. Love for life, for children does not allow Gregory to give up. He understands that if he does not act, he will be executed. Melekhov has no choice, and he joins the gang. A new stage of Gregory's spiritual quest begins.

Little remains with Gregory by the end of the novel. Children, native land and love for Aksinya. But the hero is waiting for new losses. He deeply and grievously experiences the death of his beloved woman, but finds the strength to search for himself further: “Everything was taken away from him, everything was destroyed by ruthless death. Only the children remained. But he himself still convulsively clung to the ground, as if, in fact, his broken life represented some kind of value for him and for others.

Gregory spends most of his life in captivity of hatred tearing the world, death, becoming hardened and falling into despair. Stopping on the way, he discovers with disgust that, hating violence, he does not set death. He is the head and support of the family, but he has no time to be at home, among people who love him.

All the attempts of the hero to find himself are the path of going through the torment. Melekhov goes forward with an open to everything, "tossed" heart. He is looking for wholeness, genuine and undeniable truths, in everything he wants to get to the very essence. His searches are passionate, his soul burns. He is tormented by an unsatisfied moral hunger. Gregory longs for self-determination, he is not without self-condemnation. Melekhov is looking for the root of mistakes, including in himself, in his deeds. But about the hero who went through many thorns, one can say with confidence that his soul, in spite of everything, is alive, it has not been ruined by the most difficult life circumstances. Evidence of this is Gregory's desire for peace, for peace, for the land, the desire to return home. Without waiting for an amnesty, Melekhov returns home. He has only one desire - the desire for peace. His goal is to raise his son, a generous reward for all the pains of life. Mishatka is Gregory's hope for the future, in him is the possibility of continuing the Melekhov family. These thoughts of Gregory are confirmation that he is broken by the war, but not broken by it.

The path of Grigory Melekhov to the truth is a tragic path of human wanderings, gains, mistakes and losses, evidence of a close connection between personality and history. This difficult path was traversed by the Russian people in the 20th century.

Critic Yu. Lukin wrote about the novel: “The meaning of the figure of Grigory Melekhov ... expands, going beyond the scope and specifics of the Cossack environment of the Don in 1921 and grows to a typical image of a person who did not find his way during the years of the revolution.”

One hundred years ago, on January 23 (according to the new style), 1918, the Congress of the front-line Cossacks was assembled in the village of Kamenskaya, which elected the Cossack Military Revolutionary Committee, headed by Fedor Podtelkov and Mikhail Krivoshlykov. It was this committee that proclaimed itself the supreme authority on the Don, recognizing the supremacy of the Moscow Council of People's Commissars. From this moment begins the active participation in the Civil War of the Don Cossacks, which until then observed "neutrality".

First flashes

As a matter of fact, the fighting on the Don began earlier, at the end of 1917. While the seizure of power by the Bolsheviks was celebrating in Petrograd, Ataman Alexey Kaledin said that « The military government, considering such a seizure of power by the Bolsheviks as criminal ... temporarily, until the restoration of the power of the Provisional Government and order in Russia, assumed the full executive state power in the Don region. On October 27 (hereinafter, all dates are in the old style), Kaledin even invited members of the Provisional Government to the Don to organize an armed struggle, and introduced martial law in the region. Supporters of the Soviet government did not agree with this state of affairs, and asked for help from their associates outside the region.

In 1917, the sailors were one of the pillars of the revolution. Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

On November 24, ships of the Black Sea Fleet arrived in Rostov, on which revolutionary-minded sailors arrived. Blood has not yet been shed en masse, but the parties have demonstrated their readiness to take decisive action. Kaledin demanded that the ships be withdrawn back, and that the Red Guard detachments created in Rostov be disarmed, but this ultimatum was ignored. At the same time, there was a political game to pull power over to themselves: on November 26, the Rostov Bolsheviks announced that power in the region was passing into the hands of the Rostov Military Revolutionary Committee.

Thus, two governments arose on the Don, each of which considered only itself legitimate. These days arrived in the region General Kornilov, and the creation of the white Volunteer Army began. The Reds did not sit idle, by December 25, 1917 Antonov-Ovseenko almost without resistance occupied the western part of the Donets Basin.

Where the scales will swing depended on the Don Cossacks - however, most of the Cossacks took a wait-and-see attitude.

Elite Troops

It must be admitted that the Cossacks as a whole were faithful to the idea of ​​a monarchy (in addition, they swore personally to the emperor). But after the abdication of the king from the throne, it became unclear who to serve. Neither the Bolsheviks, nor Kaledin and the Provisional Government supported by him, were, from the point of view of the Cossacks, completely legitimate power.

Therefore, the Don Cossacks, who fought on the fronts of the First World War, preferred mainly to remain neutral - and although the Cossack detachments under the command of Chernetsov had already actively shown themselves in suppressing mining uprisings in the neighboring Donbass, the bulk of the Don Cossacks took a wait-and-see attitude. Meanwhile, the personal data of the Cossacks were such that they were able to easily change the entire balance of power on the Don.

“Judge for yourself - according to official data, a total of 117 thousand Cossacks were called up for the First World War, of which a little more than 3 thousand people were killed, and only 170 were captured. At the same time, 37 thousand Cossacks received St. George's crosses for exploits on the battlefield . Only the most elite units of the special forces can boast of such effectiveness of actions, as well as the ratio of achievements and losses today, ”said at the presentation of a photo album dedicated to the participation of the Cossacks in the First World War, Doctor of Historical Sciences SSC RAS ​​Andrey Venkov.

The Cossacks showed themselves perfectly on the fronts of the First World War (in the illustration - soldiers of the German and Austrian armies taken prisoner are patrolling, photo from the album Don Cossacks in the First World War). A photo: / Sergey Khoroshavin

However, these people, who had gone through the fire of war, hesitated. Most of the Cossacks did not want to fight. That is why the first attempts to create a Volunteer Army failed. In total, about 5,000 officers, cadets and high school students enrolled in the ranks of the White Guard.

No wonder the Whites on the Don could not resist. By January 28, 1918, the Red detachments occupied Taganrog, February 10 Rostov and February 12 - Novocherkassk. The small detachments of the Volunteer Army could no longer hold back the advance of the Red troops and retreated to the Kuban.

Ataman Aleksey Kaledin, who did not receive the support of the front-line Cossacks and did not see the opportunity to stop the Bolshevik detachments, resigned as a military ataman and shot himself.

Subhorunzhy and Ensign

Brave Cossack Fyodor Podtelkov Photo: Wikipedia

The mass involvement of the Don Cossacks in hostilities began after the same Cossack Military Revolutionary Committee, headed by cadet Fyodor Podtelkov and Ensign Mikhail Krivoshlykov.

Podtyolkov was born on the farm Krutovsky farm in the present Volgograd region. Since 1909 - he was in the army, served as an artilleryman in the guards horse artillery. He went through the entire First World War, becoming a consistent supporter of the Bolsheviks by the end of it. Broad-shouldered, tall, with a booming voice, Podtelkov was a born leader, and it is not surprising that it was he who was at the head of the Red Cossacks.

His colleague, Mikhail Krivoshlykov, was of a different type. In the same 1909, when Podtelkov went into the army, Krivoshlykov entered the Donskoy Agricultural School, which he graduated with excellent marks. During his studies, he edited a student newspaper, and after that he worked as an agronomist, studying, in absentia, at the Kiev Commercial Institute. However, when the war began, Krivoshlykov did not escape mobilization. As a person who received some kind of education, he was appointed to the officer position of commander of foot reconnaissance, and then hundreds.

“Being completely invisible before the coup, he began to attract attention in the very first days of the revolution not only by the harshness and extremeness of his judgments, but also by the rude recklessness, the destructive nature of his actions. “Revolutionary” demands in relation to school discipline, attacks against the officers and accusations of “counter-revolutionary”, removal from the walls and beating of royal portraits, ”such were Krivoshlykov’s speeches,” the Cossack magazine told about the young officer in 1918 "Don Wave".

It was these two who were at the head of the Red Cossacks, and in many respects it was their actions of Podtelkov and Krivoshlykov that led to a mass uprising on the Don, which ended with their death and the tragedy of the entire Don Cossacks.

Brother to brother

The Soviet government, having just established itself on the Don, immediately began to implement its promises, including "land - to the peasants." The trouble was that the main part of the land fund in the region belonged to the Cossacks, and landless peasants could be endowed with allotments only at their expense. The Don Cossacks, to put it mildly, did not like it.

Detachments of the Red Guards did not like the Cossacks. Photo: Wikipedia

The first sparks of rebellions began to flare up, which the Bolsheviks tried to crush by force. Arrests, requisitions, executions began. Podtelkov and Krivoshlykov actively participated in these actions. In addition, Podtelkov stained himself with reprisals against prisoners.

Colonel Vasily Chernetsov became famous for both dashing military operations and punitive actions Photo: Wikipedia

Immediately after the proclamation of the Military Revolutionary Committee, a Cossack detachment was sent to destroy it. Colonel Vasily Chernetsov, however, the Reds managed to break it, and the colonel was captured.

Further, according to the recollections of eyewitnesses, the following happened - “on the way, Podtelkov mocked Chernetsov - Chernetsov was silent. When Podtelkov hit him with a whip, Chernetsov pulled out a small browning gun from the inner pocket of his sheepskin coat and point-blank ... clicked at Podtelkov, there was no cartridge in the barrel of the pistol - Chernetsov forgot about this without giving a cartridge from the clip. Podtelkov pulled out his saber, slashed him in the face, and five minutes later the Cossacks rode on, leaving Chernetsov's chopped-up corpse in the steppe.

It was this murder that became the formal reason for the execution of Podtelkov himself, when he, in turn, fell into the hands of the insurgent Cossacks. And it happened already in May of the same year.

The Soviet government started mobilization on the Don, which led to a mass uprising of the Cossacks. The power of the Bolsheviks on the Don collapsed in a matter of days, and the Cossacks made their choice. On May 10, a detachment of Podtelkov and Krivoshlykov was captured. They surrendered almost without a fight, apparently counting on the good attitude of fellow countrymen, especially since the commanders of the detachments knew each other. However, times have changed - the Civil War was gaining momentum, breaking and destroying friendly and family ties. The next day, Podtyolkov and Krivoshlykov were hanged in the Ponomarev village of the village by the verdict of the court of Cossack elders for the execution of the captive Chernetsov. All 78 captured members of his detachment were also shot.

The establishment of Soviet power on the Don is closely connected with the names of Fedor Podtelkov and Mikhail Krivoshlykov.

May 10, 1918 a gang of White Cossacks, fearing an open clash, deceitfully disarmed Podtelkov's detachment.

The next day, May 11, 1918 over the leaders of the Don government, Fedor Podtelkov and Mikhail Krivoshlykov, a massacre took place, as well as his entire detachment in the Ponomarev farm.
The mass murder was carried out in front of the inhabitants of the nearest farms - to intimidate the population.

It should be noted that they started their political Olympus from the village of Kamenskaya. The Kamensky Bolsheviks at the initial stage gave them great support.
The White Cossacks created special "hunting" detachments to capture and destroy "apostates" who were going to create red regiments. Convinced that the path to the north was closed, F. G. Podtelkov decided to go to the peasant volosts of the Donetsk district to join with the detachments of E. A. Shchadenko. But by this time his detachment was almost already surrounded by white Cossacks. The bandits demanded that the Podtelkovites surrender their weapons, promising to let them go north, to their native villages.

As soon as the weapons were handed over, the White Guards surrounded the podtelkovites and drove them under escort to the hut. Ponomarev camp. Krasnokutskaya. On the same day, the White Guard court sentenced F. G. Podtelkov and M. V. Krivoshlykov to hanging, and the remaining 78 captured members of the expedition to death.

May 11, 1918 near the farm. Ponomarev there was a massacre. Podtelkov and Krivoshlykov held themselves exceptionally firmly. With a noose around his neck, Podtelkov addressed the people with a speech, he called on the Cossacks not to believe the officers and chieftains.
“Only one thing: don’t go back to the old one!” - Podtelkov managed to shout his last words ...

So the best sons of the Don Cossacks met death courageously.

A year later, when the hut. Ponomarev by the Soviet troops, a modest obelisk was erected on the grave of the heroes with the words inscribed on it: "You killed individuals, we will kill classes."

In 1968, a monument was erected on the grave of F. G. Podtelkov, M. V. Krivoshlykov and their comrades-in-arms near the Ponomarev farm. On the 15-meter obelisk is carved: "To prominent figures of the revolutionary Cossacks Fyodor Podtelkov and Mikhail Krivoshlykov and their 83 comrades-in-arms who died from the White Cossacks in May 1918."

Volume 2 of M. A. Sholokhov’s novel “Quiet Don” describes the execution of Fyodor Podtelkov and Mikhail Krivoshlykov, as well as his entire detachment in the Ponomarev farm.
Fedor Grigorievich Podtelkov was born in the Krutovsky farm of the Ust-Khoperskaya village of the Ust-Medvedetsky district in the family of a poor Cossack Grigory Onufrievich Podtelkov. From early childhood, he helped his mother with the housework. Fedor lost his father at a very young age. He was raised by his grandfather. The boy had to walk six kilometers to school every day. It's time to serve in the army. The tall, broad-shouldered Fyodor Podtelkov was enrolled in the 6th Guards Battery, which served in the royal palace in St. Petersburg. During the First World War, for the courage and courage shown in battles, constable F.G. Podtelkov was awarded two St. George's crosses, the medal "For Courage". Received the rank of sergeant.
After the February Revolution, the cadet Podtelkov was elected commander of the 6th Guards Battery. After the October Revolution, the battery went over to the side of the Bolsheviks.

On the Don, after the proclamation of Soviet power, Ataman Kaledin launched an offensive. In the village of Kamenskaya, at the suggestion of the Bolsheviks, a congress of front-line Cossacks was convened. F.G. took an active part in its work. Podtelkov. The congress declared the power of Ataman Kaledin overthrown and formed the Don Regional Military Revolutionary Committee. Fyodor Podtelkov was elected Chairman of the VRC, and Mikhail Krivoshlykov was elected Secretary.
Podtelkov participated in the battles with the Kaledin Cossacks, the formation and strengthening of the revolutionary Cossack units, in the convening and work of the 1st Congress of Soviets of the Don Republic in 1918.
The Don Republic was formed at the end of March 1918, and on April 9, the 1st Congress of Soviets of the Don Republic met in Rostov, at which the Central Executive Committee was elected, headed by the communist V.S. Kovalev. The Central Executive Committee formed the Council of People's Commissars of the Don Republic. F.G. became its chairman. Podtelkov.

Monument

Installed in front of the building of the city museum of local lore, where the military revolutionary committee worked in 1918.
The opening took place on November 5, 1974. S. I. Kudinov, an honorary citizen of the city of Kamensk, spoke at the rally, who knew F. Podtelkov and M. Krivoshlykov well.
The author of the monument is the Rostov sculptor A. Kh. Dzhlauyan.

Chernitsov E.P. My grandfather did not shoot at Podtelkov! // Donskoy Vremennik. Year 2008 / Don. state publ. b-ka. Rostov-on-Don, 2007. Issue. 16. P. 117-119..aspx?art_id=626

MY GRANDPA DID NOT SHOT IN PODTYOLKOV!

To the 90th anniversary of the death of V. M. Chernetsov

In the journal Donskoy Vremennik. Year 2006 th ”a search and local history work was published. And in February 2007, we received a letter from the village of Fedorovka, Neklinovsky district. The author of the letter, covering the events of January 1918 in a different way, gives a lot of interesting information about those dramatic days, and we considered it necessary to acquaint the readers of our magazine with this story-response.

I am the grandson of Vasily Mikhailovich Chernetsov, and "memory, my evil lord, torments my sore chest." And therefore it is difficult to remain silent, since the article, like in a good old textbook, reflects the facts of those days of January 1918. Let me make some clarifications.

Much has been written about the last battle and the last day of V. M. Chernetsov. A lot of fiction, as in the above article.

According to my grandmother, it was like this. It is known that the Don was declared autonomous by Ataman A. M. Kaledin. The Bolsheviks did not want to put up with this state of affairs, especially since they possessed manpower, and there was nothing to take away from the impoverished population of Russia.

What did they bring to the Cossack land? Nothing good. They robbed, raped, ate vodka, played cards, gnawed seeds - there were husks all around - and, of course, a little something was wrong - they rattled weapons and used them on various occasions and without. And who will like it? Especially in such a freedom-loving region as the Don.

These Red Army units invading our lands were opposed by a detachment of partisans under the command of V. M. Chernetsov. Previously, the detachment proved itself to be glorious deeds: Debaltsevo, Zverevo, Likhaya are the stages of its military path. Today is here, tomorrow is far away. How did they do it? Yes, because discipline was at a high level, looting and drunkenness were suppressed.

Everyone knew their own maneuver, they paid special attention to the technical equipment. Priority was given to machine guns: "Hotchkiss" - very respected. They did not trust the systems of Colt, Shosh, Lewis: they often refused. They were not embarrassed to study, the authority of the chief was at such a height that many would envy. Songs and poems were composed about Chernetsov. And he is small in stature, but strong, with a healthy blush on his cheeks, with an open look, he immediately disposed to himself, especially since he had the glory of an honored officer, sensible. He always emphasized that he knew what he was fighting for, and he was not afraid to die, that he was faithful to the oath. He loved young people, he was young himself - about 28 years old in total.

It is said that he had many officers in the detachment. Yes it is. But that they were yesterday's high school students, cadets, students, etc., are silent. In battle, they knew no fear, so Chernetsov generously assigned them officer ranks. There were, of course, the Cossacks, the backbone of the detachment. They taught the youth what they themselves had been taught from childhood by their elders. There were also competitions for the best in the profession - hence the success.

Intelligence reported that after the arrival of the Red Guard echelons at Glubokaya station, endless rallies were held there, in the order of things - drinking, turning into excesses. To have some idea of ​​that time, imagine that the drunks were given weapons. And the population of those years lived in such an environment every day.

After two shots from the gun, all this drunkenness fled, because they were useless warriors.

The outcome of the battle was already predictable. But ... how sometimes this “but” changes a lot! So then. The fact is that in the neighboring echelons there was a cavalry under the command of the military foreman Golubov, an experienced warrior, brave to the point of madness, an honored officer, an ambitious, adventurer in character, sixteen times wounded in battle. His cherished goal was to seize the ataman power. It was the Red Guard commanders who begged Golubov to save the situation.

Chernetsov immediately noticed that the situation on the battlefield was changing, as the Cossack units entered the battle against him. And the whole point was that Ataman Kaledin, admonishing Chernetsov, ordered: do not engage in battle with the Cossacks! You need to know Colonel Chernetsov, he would have carried out this order at any cost.

Parliamentarians were appointed and negotiations began with the Cossacks, mind you: only with the Cossack units. The fight was stopped on both sides. On horseback, since he had a wound in the foot, Chernetsov rode out to meet Golubov. They reached an agreement on a ceasefire. Chernetsov briefed Golubov on the ataman's order. They wrote a note to General Usachev, commander of the troops fighting in the Donetsk district: “1918, January 21, I, Chernetsov, was taken prisoner with a detachment. In order to avoid completely unnecessary bloodshed, I ask you not to advance. We are guaranteed against lynching by the word of the entire detachment and the military foreman Golubov. Colonel Chernetsov. Under the signature of Chernetsov there is also the signature of Golubov: “Military foreman N. Golubov. 1918, January 21.

With this note, General Usachev was sent as a delegate to the constable Vyryakov.

This note is still kept in the GARO.

The Cossacks of Golubov forced the Red Guards to clear the Glubokaya station and escorted their echelons towards Millerovo. Therefore, the units of General Usachev did not find anyone at the Glubokaya station - it was empty.

And then events developed like this. Podtelkov and his committee members did not like the position and order of Golubov. They learned that Chernetsov's detachment was being escorted to the Astakhov farm to be handed over to units loyal to Ataman Kaledin. This did not suit Podtelkov very much, he had a plan of reprisal against the Chernetsovites. As I wrote, Chernetsov was fully armed, even with orders, and his thirty people - loyal to him vigilantes - walked on foot, carrying machine guns, though without cartridges. Podtelkov, although this was not part of his function, decided to be accompanied.

A few words about the cadet F. G. Podtelkov. In the article about him only laudatory reviews. He fought well in World War I. But then he broke off the chain. Possessing great physical strength, he could force himself to listen to someone who was weaker. And he loved to talk. A drunkard, and most importantly, a mentally ill, ambitious and liar, as they would say now. He loved seeds very much, he was always in the husk. Unclean at hand, he did not hesitate to use the regimental cash desk for selfish purposes. So, he spent money on his election to the committee and, of course, on vodka and moonshine. At all times, elders were greatly respected on the Don - this was the law. But not for people like Podtelkov. An example of this is his meeting with Ataman Kaledin, a respected man on the Don, and not only on the Don. After all, Kaledin was the second checker in the Russian Empire, he was the first ataman, popularly, according to all the rules, chosen by the Circle, he was a cavalry general and, last but not least, he was Podtelkov’s matchmaker, that is, the closest relative.

Truly they say: from rags to riches. Podkhorunzhy behaved defiantly in the ataman's palace on January 15, 1918 - as if power had already passed into the hands of the Military Revolutionary Committee. Kaledin compromised at the meeting, but he rejected all reasonable proposals of the ataman, demanding the transfer of all power into his own hands. In April 1918, Podtyolkov was elected chairman of the Council of People's Commissars of the Don Soviet Republic. During a punitive expedition to the north of the Don region, his echelon will be broken up at the Belaya Kalitva station; the survivors will transfer to carts and move to the north of the region. The path will be accompanied by looting, violence, drunkenness, beatings, executions...

On May 10, the expedition was taken prisoner by the insurgent Cossacks. 78 members of the expedition were shot by a court verdict, and two of them, Podtelkov and Krivoshlykov, were sentenced "for special merits" to be hanged. Such an honor has always been awarded to absolutely hated "copies". In an old photo, you can see them keeping their hands in their pockets to hold up their trousers, as the buttons have been cut off. It can be seen that they were not mocked - they look quite tolerable. Moreover, the old people of the Ponomarev farm themselves carried out the sentence of the court. This is where history has come to an end. And in 1962, an 11-meter bronze monument by the Rostov sculptor B. Usachev was erected on this site. For what merit? Apparently, for having managed to unleash a civil war on the Don. So someone needed it. The answer can be obtained from Y. Sverdlov's secret directive on universal decossackization. Something Podtyolkov would have been happy if he had survived.

In the 60s, I specifically chose the city of Belaya Kalitva as a place of residence and work - very close to the place where the described event took place. I had to travel, talk to people. Some even remembered those events, and no one defended Podtyolkov. Again, I changed my place of residence and work - albeit only for a year - in order to be closer to the events in the city of Makeevka, where my grandfather served as a military commander. And there he was not a punisher, as he is described in the literature of the Soviet era. They emphasized to me that he did not shoot anyone, did not hang anyone, but poured Cossack whips on someone. People thanked him for putting things in order on the streets, otherwise it was impossible to get out. Therefore, they write one thing, but there is nothing to confirm, since the grandfather was an honest officer, devoted to the oath until the end of his days.

But I will return to the scene on January 21st. It's all a lie that the grandfather pulled out a hidden revolver, which misfired when the grandfather wanted to shoot Podtyolkov. He didn't hide anything. There was absolutely no need for grandfather to shoot at someone. Otherwise, they could be accused of attacking a Cossack, which means that he would not have complied with the order of the ataman. Chernetsov knew this for sure and coolly (and he possessed restraint) did not respond to the antics of Podtelkov, who was only looking for an excuse; although he waved his saber over his grandfather's head, threatening to hack him to death, the grandfather did not use weapons. Then Podtyolkov, seeing that Chernetsov was ignoring threats, decided to act. With a blow from behind, he cut his grandfather on the left shoulder and, when he fell from the horse, inflicted eight more stab wounds on him. In the meantime, Podtyolkov's henchmen began to shoot Chernetsovites. At dusk, some managed to escape.

In order to dismiss suspicions of arbitrariness from himself, Podtelkov brought to light the eternal excuse of the executioners that, they say, he himself almost became a victim, since Colonel Chernetsov wanted to shoot him. This is from that opera when they say that they were killed, they say, while trying to escape. In the future, this will not apply.

Golubov, when he found out about what had happened, called Podtyolkov a scoundrel.

At the cost of his life, at the cost of the lives of his warriors, Chernetsov, as far as he could, put off the arrival of the Red Guards in Novocherkassk. His body was in the steppe for a day, and after it was found, they buried it in the cemetery of the Astakhov farm according to the Christian rite. Not for long walked, sowing death, the Bolsheviks-podtelkovtsy. The Cossacks rose up for their rights. Many then changed their minds, God be their judge.

The body of Chernetsov, as a recognized hero, was reburied at the Novocherkassk cemetery. At that time, Ataman Kaledin, Chernetsov, Ataman Bogaevsky, Ataman General Nazarov, General Alekseev were lying in one fence, and the grave of L. Kornilov was purely symbolic. Arriving again on the Don, the Bolsheviks destroyed the burial. Now nobody knows where it was...

Yes, many in that troubled time did not know what they were doing. They are the monuments of reconciliation. As for my grandfather, I will say: "Hallowed be thy name."

When the number was being drawn up, a message came from the author: on November 28, 2007, in the village of Kalitvenskaya, at the Council of Atamans of the All-Great Army of the Don, Astrakhan, Voronezh and Volgograd regions, it was decided to erect monuments to the partisan hero Vasily Mikhailovich Chernetsov in the village of Kalitvenskaya and at the place of death near the Astakhov farm ( both settlements in the Kamensky district).