Lev Krol Cadet Party activist, Masonic activist in Yekaterinburg Date of Birth: 01.01.1871

1. Early Life and Education
2. Engineering and Public Works
3. Political Activism and Freemasonry
4. The First World War and Revolutionary Period
5. The White Movement
6. Exile and Continued Masonic Activity
7. Legacy and Recognition

Early Life and Education

Leonid Arkadievich Krolwas born into an affluent family and pursued his education abroad. He received degrees in mechanical engineering and electrical engineering.

Engineering and Public Works

Upon returning to Russia, Krol became the director of the central power plant in Yekaterinburg. In 1902, he gained prominence by introducing an 8-hour workday, a significant labor reform for the time.

Political Activism and Freemasonry

In 1905, Krol joined the Constitutional Democratic Party (Kadets). He rose to become a prominent leader of the Ural branch of the party and joined the board of the Ural Military-Industrial Committee. By 1910, he was an active member of the "Little Bear" lodge in St. Petersburg, which was closely affiliated with the Kadets. In 1914, he founded and became Master of the first known Masonic lodge in Yekaterinburg.

The First World War and Revolutionary Period

During World War I, Krol's influence grew within the Kadet party. He was elected chairman of the Yekaterinburg Committee for Public Safety in March 1917. As a gifted orator, he was a formidable opponent to Bolsheviks, Mensheviks, and Socialist Revolutionary speakers. In July, he was elected to the city Duma on the Kadets' ticket.

After the October Revolution, Krol was elected to the Constituent Assembly as a delegate from the Perm governorate. Despite the Assembly's dissolution, he continued to advocate for its reinstatement and oppose Bolshevism as a member of the "Union for the Rebirth of Russia."

The White Movement

Krol initially refused to join the Committee of Members of the Constituent Assembly (Komuch) but established diplomatic ties with it and the Czechoslovak Legion. In August 1918, he became Deputy Chairman and Minister of Finance in the Provisional Oblast Government of the Urals. He attended the Ufa State Conference.

Known for his sympathies towards the left, Krol supported connections with Socialist Revolutionaries and other socialists. He initially did not recognize Alexander Kolchak's coup. In March 1919, he was elected to the Perm provincial zemstvo. Later that year, Krol relocated to Irkutsk with his family.

Exile and Continued Masonic Activity

In the Far East, Krol became a member of the Amur People's Assembly. In 1922, he published a book of memoirs and emigrated from Vladivostok to Paris. He founded the "Free Russia" newspaper and continued his organizational activities in the Masonic community as a member of the "North Star" and the French "Rights of Man" lodges.

Legacy and Recognition

Leonid Arkadievich Krol's contributions to the liberal movement were acknowledged by historian and politician Pavel Milyukov in his newspaper "Poslednie Novosti." Krol's political and Masonic activities made him a significant figure in both the Russian and international contexts.