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Gerasim RomanenkoA populist, later a monarchist.
Country:
 Russia |
Content:
- Early Life and Education
- Involvement in Revolutionary Circles
- Arrest and Exile
- Shift to Monarchism
- The Anti-Semitism Controversy
- Impact on the Narodnaya Volya
- Legacy
Early Life and Education
Gerasim Grigorievich Romanenko was born in 1860 in the village of Kiryank, Bessarabia. He received his education at the French boarding school Bussar and later at the Chisinau Gymnasium. After graduating with a gold medal in 1872, he enrolled at the Novorossiysk University.
Involvement in Revolutionary Circles
In the mid-1870s, Romanenko became active in populist circles in Odessa. By 1879, he was closely associated with the Narodnaya Volya movement. In the same year, he traveled abroad to Italy and Switzerland, where he met with Russian émigrés. Upon his return to Russia in 1881, he was inducted into the Narodnaya Volya's Executive Committee.
Arrest and Exile
Romanenko's revolutionary activities led to his arrest in November 1881. He was sentenced to exile in Central Asia.
Shift to Monarchism
After his exile, Romanenko experienced a significant ideological shift. He abandoned his revolutionary beliefs and became a staunch supporter of the monarchy.
The Anti-Semitism Controversy
In October 1881, while in exile, Romanenko wrote a letter expressing anti-Semitic sentiments. In it, he blamed Jewish merchants and moneylenders for exploiting the working class. This letter was published by the Executive Committee of Narodnaya Volya, leading to controversy within the organization.
Impact on the Narodnaya Volya
Romanenko's anti-Semitism and his insistence on the publication of an anti-Semitic proclamation alienated him from the Executive Committee. He was later arrested and imprisoned in 1881.
Legacy
Romanenko's life ended sadly, as he became associated with the anti-Semitic figure Pyotr Krushevan. His early involvement in revolutionary circles and his subsequent shift to monarchism serve as a complex and tragic example of ideological evolution in late 19th-century Russia.
