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Simon KamoA figure in the Russian revolutionary movement.
Country:
 Russia |
Content:
- Early Life and Activism
- Exclusion from School and Revolutionary Participation
- Role in the Revolutionary Movement
- Involvement in the Tiflis Bank Robbery
- Arrest and Escape
- Return to Russia
- Post-Revolutionary Activities
- Death and Controversies
- Allegations of Stalin's Involvement
- Martov's Accusations and Legacy
Early Life and Activism
Born in GotiSemyon Arshakovich Ter-Petrosyan (Kamo) was born in 1882 in Goti, Tiflis Governorate, the son of a merchant.
Exclusion from School and Revolutionary Participation
Expelled from school for atheistic views, Kamo participated in the 1905-1907 revolution in Zakaukasia and St. Petersburg.
Role in the Revolutionary Movement
Kamo became a prominent figure in the Russian revolutionary movement, organizing underground printing presses, transporting weapons, and arranging "expropriations" to fund the Bolshevik Party.
Involvement in the Tiflis Bank Robbery
Influenced by Joseph Stalin and Boris Krasin, Kamo participated in the infamous robbery of a State Bank branch in Tiflis in 1907, organized by Stalin. The raid netted 341,000 rubles for the Bolshevik coffers.
Arrest and Escape
Arrested in Germany with explosives, Kamo feigned insanity and avoided execution. He escaped from the Metekhi Castle prison in 1911 and fled abroad.
Return to Russia
Upon returning to Russia in 1912, Kamo was arrested and sentenced to 20 years in prison. He was released after the February Revolution in 1917.
Post-Revolutionary Activities
In 1918-1920, Kamo organized guerrilla forces in the Caucasus and southern Russia. He then worked for the Ministry of Foreign Trade in Georgia.
Death and Controversies
Kamo died in 1922 in an alleged car accident in Tiflis. However, historian A. Avtorkhanov accused Stalin and G. Ordzhonikidze of his death.
Allegations of Stalin's Involvement
The circumstances surrounding Kamo's death remain unclear. Historian F. Volkov suggests that Stalin may have eliminated Kamo to suppress knowledge of his criminal past.
Martov's Accusations and Legacy
In 1918, Yuli Martov accused Kamo and Stalin of involvement in the Tiflis Bank robbery. Martov's claims were later echoed by historian G. Ioffe, who described the episode as a "rehearsal" for Stalin's purges.
Despite the controversies surrounding his death, Kamo remains a legendary figure in the Russian revolutionary movement. His courage, resourcefulness, and political significance continue to be debated and studied by historians.
