The Decembrists at 200
On this day, two centuries ago, there was a revolt in Saint Petersburg. (December 14th on the old Russian calendar.)
Those who launched it were largely composed of a new generation of Russian men who had served in the military and imbibed the revolutionary zeal (and principles) of the American and French Revolutions.
They are known to history as the Decembrists. And they failed that day. But their influence on Russian culture and politics going forward was immense – rippling through to the revolutions of 1905 and 1917 and beyond.
I have a new essay at Zona Motel that takes an in-depth look at the their literary and political significance, as well as a look at why the Putin regime has attempted to rewrite this history. Major authors including Alexander Pushkin and Alexander Griboyedov were entangled in these events. Vladimir Lenin named his newspaper after a line from a poem by a Decembrist.
We live in a moment when Russian views of history – and especially those espoused by its leaders – have had an outsized impact on world politics. Reflecting upon the Decembrists' actions 200 years ago today can help us better understand what's at stake in historical memory.
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