The monument at the burial place of the legionnaires of the Czechoslovak Corps who died during the Civil War was opened in 2008, the opening was attended by the President of the Czech Republic, whose Ministry of Defense financed the project. Here is the largest foreign Czechoslovakian military burial, moreover, these are real graves, and not symbolic, as in a number of other places, only one name was added from the neighboring Lutheran cemetery, demolished back in Soviet times. Then, in the seventies, the authorities were going to demolish the Mikhailovskoye cemetery, where a monument is now erected, it was supposed to set up a “park on the bones” here as well. In addition to 360 legionnaires, whose names have been found and confirmed, another 30 people are buried in mass graves, whose names have not been established, 270 soldiers of the Russian army, Austro-Hungarian prisoners of war and one citizen of France are also buried here.
During the First World War, military formations were created in the Russian Empire from volunteers - Czechs, Slovaks and representatives of other peoples of Austria-Hungary, who lived outside of it and dreamed of creating their own independent states. A number of publications state that their combat effectiveness was often higher than that of the Russian army formations in the European theater of operations, this is understandable - they fought for independence, and for the Russian army in its bulk, the purpose of the war was not entirely clear!
After the seizure of power in Russia by the Bolsheviks and the conclusion of a separate peace by them, the goals of the legionnaires diverged from the intentions of the new authorities who capitulated to Germany, they ended up on different sides! Sending them to Europe across the German front line was unrealistic - Germany would not have let them through except with surrender.
The Czechoslovak corps was ordered to disarm for unhindered passage through the entire vast territory of the country to the Far East and sent by sea to France, but the legionnaires refused to lay down their arms, believing that since they did not capitulate to anyone, as the Bolsheviks did, they were not obliged to lay down weapon. During their movement along the Trans-Siberian Railway, armed conflicts began to occur, the legionnaires were drawn into the Civil War. It was a significant force - about 56 thousand trained, battle-hardened front-line soldiers! Under the control of the Czechoslovak Corps was the entire Trans-Siberian Railway and ...the "Golden Echelon" - a train moving to the East with royal gold. The unprepared units of the newly created Red Army were not able to resist them.
In Yekaterinburg in 1918-1919, the Russian branch of the Czechoslovak National Council was located, which served as the Provisional Government of the country and had the goal of forming a sovereign Czechoslovakia. The Czechoslovak corps was part of the Entente troops and was subordinate to the French command - Maurice Janin, which predetermined their alliance with the army of Kolchak, who, much to the displeasure of the legionnaires, decisively removed them from the "Golden Echelon" pretty "thinner" by that time.
The situation in Europe was changing: Austria-Hungary, like other allies of Germany, admitted defeat, it was divided with the formation of Czechoslovakia, Hungary and other independent states.
The goal of creating a volunteer corps was achieved - they no longer cared about the future, and they concluded an agreement with the Bolsheviks, who had already grown stronger by that time, for an unhindered exit from Russia in an easterly direction on the condition of the extradition of Admiral Kolchak, which they did. The decapitated army of Kolchak - the Bolsheviks hastily shot him - from that moment began to suffer defeat. But, “the dead have no shame! »
During the First World War, military formations were created in the Russian Empire from volunteers - Czechs, Slovaks and representatives of other peoples of Austria-Hungary, who lived outside of it and dreamed of creating their own independent states. A number of publications state that their combat effectiveness was often higher than that of the Russian army formations in the European theater of operations, this is understandable - they fought for independence, and for the Russian army in its bulk, the purpose of the war was not entirely clear!
After the seizure of power in Russia by the Bolsheviks and the conclusion of a separate peace by them, the goals of the legionnaires diverged from the intentions of the new authorities who capitulated to Germany, they ended up on different sides! Sending them to Europe across the German front line was unrealistic - Germany would not have let them through except with surrender.
The Czechoslovak corps was ordered to disarm for unhindered passage through the entire vast territory of the country to the Far East and sent by sea to France, but the legionnaires refused to lay down their arms, believing that since they did not capitulate to anyone, as the Bolsheviks did, they were not obliged to lay down weapon. During their movement along the Trans-Siberian Railway, armed conflicts began to occur, the legionnaires were drawn into the Civil War. It was a significant force - about 56 thousand trained, battle-hardened front-line soldiers! Under the control of the Czechoslovak Corps was the entire Trans-Siberian Railway and ...the "Golden Echelon" - a train moving to the East with royal gold. The unprepared units of the newly created Red Army were not able to resist them.
In Yekaterinburg in 1918-1919, the Russian branch of the Czechoslovak National Council was located, which served as the Provisional Government of the country and had the goal of forming a sovereign Czechoslovakia. The Czechoslovak corps was part of the Entente troops and was subordinate to the French command - Maurice Janin, which predetermined their alliance with the army of Kolchak, who, much to the displeasure of the legionnaires, decisively removed them from the "Golden Echelon" pretty "thinner" by that time.
The situation in Europe was changing: Austria-Hungary, like other allies of Germany, admitted defeat, it was divided with the formation of Czechoslovakia, Hungary and other independent states.
The goal of creating a volunteer corps was achieved - they no longer cared about the future, and they concluded an agreement with the Bolsheviks, who had already grown stronger by that time, for an unhindered exit from Russia in an easterly direction on the condition of the extradition of Admiral Kolchak, which they did. The decapitated army of Kolchak - the Bolsheviks hastily shot him - from that moment began to suffer defeat. But, “the dead have no shame! »
Translated automatically from Russian. View original
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