Anastasiya Bictnko A figure in the revolutionary movement in Russia, a prominent Socialist Revolutionary. Date of Birth: 29.10.1875 Country: Russia

1. Early Life and Revolutionary Activities
2. Revolution and Prominence
3. Political Activity and Ideological Evolution
4. Party Purges and Suppression
5. Legacy and Rehabilitation

Early Life and Revolutionary Activities

Maria Spiridonova was born into a peasant family in the village of Aleksandrovka, in present-day Ukraine. After graduating from gymnasium, she attended the Pedagogical Courses of the Society of Educators and Teachers in Moscow.

In 1897, Spiridonova married a wealthy merchant, but later abandoned him for the revolutionary cause. She joined the Party of Socialist Revolutionaries (PSR) in 1902 and quickly rose through the ranks. She became a member of the PSR committees in Smolensk (1902-1903), St. Petersburg (1903-1904), and Moscow (1905).

In 1905, Spiridonova became a member of the PSR's Fighting Organization and assassinated General-Adjutant V.V. Sakharov, who was suppressing agrarian unrest in the Saratov province. For this act, she was sentenced to death in 1906, but her sentence was commuted to life imprisonment in the Nerchinsk women's labor camp.

Revolution and Prominence

After the February Revolution in 1917, Spiridonova was released from prison. She became a member of the educational commission of the Chita Soviet of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies and was elected to the presidency of the PSR's third congress.

During the October Revolution, Spiridonova was involved in the fighting in Moscow. After the PSR split at its founding congress, she joined the Left Socialist Revolutionary Party (PLSR). She was a member of its editorial committee and the Moscow Soviet Presidium.

Political Activity and Ideological Evolution

Spiridonova played a prominent role in the Brest-Litovsk peace negotiations, where she was seen as "silent." In 1918, she was elected to the All-Russian Central Executive Committee (VTsIK) and was Deputy Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars of Moscow and Moscow Province.

Spiridonova initially advocated for cooperation with the Bolsheviks but later opposed their policies. She joined the "Will of Labor" movement, which advocated for a break from the PLSR. In 1918, she became a member of the Party of Revolutionary Communism, which split from the PLSR.

Party Purges and Suppression

In 1922, Spiridonova defended a group of former Socialist revolutionaries during the trial of the Right SRs. She later joined the Russian Communist Party (Bolsheviks) on the recommendation of Yakov Sverdlov.

In February 1938, Spiridonova was arrested on charges of belonging to a Socialist Revolutionary terrorist organization. She was executed on June 16, 1938.

Legacy and Rehabilitation

Spiridonova was posthumously rehabilitated in 1961. Her legacy as a revolutionary, feminist, and political figure remains complex and contentious.