Collection

Revolution and the national question

Documents and materials on the history of the national question in Russia and the USSR in the XX century

Volume three

1917 February - October

Printed 1930

Needs translation "Revolution and the National Question"

Excerpts from the book:

Table of contents

PART ONE

BOLSHEVIKS AND THE NATIONAL QUESTION IN 1917

On the national question in Russia

On the lifting of national restrictions

Hello Finnish people

The national question at the April conference of the RSDLP (Bolsheviks)

Finland and Russia (Lenin's article)

Not democratic, citizen Kerensky! (Lenin's articles)

Ukraine (article by Lenin)

Ukraine and the defeat of the ruling parties in Russia (Lenin's article).

Resolution on Finland proposed by the Bolsheviks at the First Congress of Soviets

The question of national regiments at the conference of the military organizations of the RSDLP (Bolsheviks)

In Finland

Deceived creditors

The fate of Finland

PART TWO

NATIONAL POLICY OF RUSSIAN PARTIES AND ORGANIZATIONS

Provisional Government

NATIONAL POLICY OF THE PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT AND THE PARTIES OF THE GOVERNMENT COALITION IN 1917

GENERAL ACTS AND SPEECH ON THE NATIONAL QUESTION

Decrees of the Provisional Government on the abolition of religious and national restrictions

From Kerensky's speech at the opening of the State Conference in Moscow

From the government declaration of the last coalition

At Tereshchenko's speech in the "Pre-Parliament"

Provisional Government And Poland

"Appeal of the Provisional Government to the Poles"

Provisional Government And Ukraine

Kerensky's ban on the Ukrainian military congress

Government message rejecting Ukrainian demands

Book's statement Lvov V. Shulgin

Legal meeting under the Provisional Government on Ukraine

Appeal of the Provisional Government to the Ukrainians

Agreement between the Provisional Government and the Central Rada

Temporary instruction to the General Secretariat of the Provisional Government in Ukraine

Approvals of the General Ukrainian Military Committee

Senate Resolution on Instructions to the General Secretariat

Provisional Government and General Secretariat

Provisional Government And Finland

Act approving the constitution of the Grand Duchy of Finland and not applying it in full

Manifesto on the dissolution of the Sejm on July 18, 1917 and the production of new elections

Statement of the Finnish Governor-General M. A. Stakhovich to the correspondent of Russkoye Slovo

Decree of the Provisional Government on the report of the Finnish Governor-General on Finnish events

Deputy's statement Minister-Chairman N.V. Nekrasov to the representatives of the press about Finland

Diploma on the convocation of the Sejm and the city of Helsingfors on November 1 (October 19), 1917

Provisional Government And Transcaucasus

Decree of the Provisional Government on the formation of the Transcaucasian Committee

Instructions to the Special Transcaucasian Committee

Provisional Government And The Peoples Of Central Asia

Amnesty for the 1916 uprising

Renaming the political agency in Bukhara

Decree of the Provisional Government on the formation of the Turkestan Committee

Decree of the Provisional Government on the introduction of zemstvo institutions in Turkestan

Statement of the Korean delegation from the indigenous population of Turkestan

On the suspension of the decree of the Provisional Government on the restriction of land transactions in Turkestan

On the General Commissar of the Provisional Government for the Administration of the Turkestan Territory and on the Turkestan Committee of the Provisional Government

Decree of the Provisional Government on assistance to victims of the Kyrgyz unrest in 1916

Decree of the Provisional Government on the suspension of the calling of elections in the Turkestan Territory

On elections to the Constituent Assembly in Turkestan

Interim Government And Latvia

From the law on the temporary structure of administrative management and local self-government of the Livonian and Courland provinces

CADETS AND RIGHT PARTIES

From the speech of P. I. Milyukov at the VIII congress of the candidate-democrat.

Resolution of the Finnish Social-Democrats (articles)

"Speech" about the Ukrainian question (leading)

From the declaration of the Central Committee of the People's Freedom Party

The changes introduced by the IX Congress of the Cadets. to the party program

Ukrainian "difficulties"

From the declaration of the IV State. thoughts on the State meeting in Moscow

From the declaration of the Cossacks, announced by Gen. Kaledin at the State Meeting in Moscow

From the declaration of 1 State. The Duma, announced by the Ph.D. Nabokov at the State Conference in Moscow

From Rodzianko's speech to the State. meeting in Moscow

SOCIALIST REVOLUTIONARY

Resolution of the congress of the labor group on the national question

The National Question at the Third Congress of P. S.-R.

On the land issue in Turkestan

"A False Conclusion from a Correct Premise"

MENSHEVIKS

Provisional government and Ukrainian movement

The delegates of the Finnish Social-Democrats in the Organizing Committee

Deposition of Ukraine

Resolution on the national question congress of the RSDLP (united)

RSDLP platform (unified) on nat. question for the elections to the Constituent Assembly

ADVICE

The national question at the 1st All-Russian Congress of Soviets

Resolution of the peasant congress

Resolution on Ukraine of the Executive Committee of the All-Russian Council of Peasant Deputies

Declaration of Councils and Democratic Organizations at the State Conference

From the speech of the representative of the All-Russian Peasant Union at the State Conference

PART THREE

NATIONAL MOVEMENT IN THE WESTERN OUTSIDE

UKRAINE

NATIONAL MOVEMENT IN UKRAINE IN 1917

Telegrams of the Ukrainian Central Rada

From the appeal of the Rada of the Association of Ukrainian Progressives

Resolution of the rally of the Ukrainian demonstration in Kyiv

From the resolutions of the USDRP conference

From the resolutions of the Ukrainian National Congress

Resolutions of the Constituent Congress of the Ukrainian S.-R.

Resolution of the Regional Congress of Russian Mensheviks

Resolution of the Regional Conference of the Russian Social-Democratic Party.

From the resolutions of the First Ukrainian Military Congress

Note by the delegation of the Ukrainian Rada to the Provisional Government and the Executive Committee of Soviets

From the resolutions of the All-Ukrainian Peasant Congress

Resolution of the Rada on the publication of the I Universal

Decree of the committee of the RSDLP (b)

Resolution of public and Soviet organizations in Kyiv on the conflict with the Provisional Government

Speech by Balabanov on behalf of the Mensheviks at a joint meeting of the executive committees in Kyiv

Speech by the Bolshevik Zarnitsyn at the United Meeting of Soviets of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies in Kyiv

Resolutions of the II All-Ukrainian Military Congress

Speech by V. Vinnichenko at the II All-Ukrainian Military Congress

Program of the Ukrainian Grain Growers Democratic Party

Independence Resolution

Resolution of the Conference of Ukrainian Socialist-Revolutionaries

First Universal of the Central Rada

From the declaration of the General Secretariat

The transition formula adopted by the Rada after hearing the declaration

Second Universal of the Central Rada

Resolutions of the Conference of the Radical Democratic Party

General Secretariat about the July speech

Report of N. K. Vinnichenko to the Provisional Government on the July events in Kyiv

July Events Proclamations

Resolutions of the Ukrainian Labor Congress

Draft Foundations of Interim Administration of Ukraine

Note from Kyiv University to the Provisional Government on the Ukrainian question

Telegram of the Kyiv province. Executive Committee to Kerensky on the General Secretariat

Resolution of the Rada on the "Instructions" of August 4

Resolution of the Central Council on the convocation of the Constituent Assembly of ethnographic Ukraine

Resolution of the Central Committee of the Ukrainian Party of S.-R. on the recall of members of the Ukrainian S.-R. from the General Secretariat

Appeal of the Central Rada on the Kornilov speech

Telegrams from S. V. Petliura to Minister of War A. F. Kerensky

From the resolutions of the Fourth Congress of the USDRP

Notification of the General Secretariat on joining the administration of the region

The Rada and the All-Russian Railway Strike

Circular by V. Vinnichenko to the provincial and district commissioners on the issue of speeches against the Rada

From the declaration of the General Secretariat

Translation formula adopted by the Rada after hearing the declaration

Third Universal

From the resolutions of the congress of provincial and district commissars of the Ukraine

Declaration of Ph.D. on withdrawal from the Central Rada

Circular of the General Secretariat on relations with the General Secretariat and the Provisional Government

Circular of the General Secretariat for Education on Ukrainianization of the school

Telegram from S. V. Petliura to Supreme Commander A. F. Kerensky regarding reports of the prosecution of the General Committee

Telegram of the Kyiv Ukrainian garrison council to the Provisional Government

Resolution of the Ukrainian Rada of Military Deputies on the appointment of the Provisional Government

FINLAND

FINLAND AND RUSSIA IN 1917

Declaration of the Regional Committee of the Army, Navy and Workers in Finland

Resolution on the situation in Finland, adopted by the Extraordinary Congress of the Finnish Social-Democrats. parties

Finnish Sovereignty Act

Address of the Seimas to the Provisional Government

Resolution adopted at a meeting of the Helsingfors Council of Deputies of the Army, Navy and Workers on the dissolution of the Sejm

Resolution of the Council of the Finnish Social Democratic Party jointly with the Social Democratic faction of the Seimas

Demands presented by the Helsingfors strike committee to Governor-General Stakhovich

Resolution of the Helsingfors executive committees on the Finnish question

Resolution of the meeting com. army, navy and workers of Finland, the Executive Committee of the Helsingfors Council of Deputies, the All-Finnish Committee of Sonnets of Peasant Deputies and the Garrison Committee

Resolution of the Extraordinary General Meeting of the Helsingfors Council of Deputies of the Army, Navy and Workers

Resolution of the III Regional Congress of Finland

Resolution of Soviet organizations on non-participation in the dispersal of the Seimas

From the regional committee of Finland

Resolution on the power of the Regional Committee of Finland

Draft law on the form of government in Finland, proposed by the legal commission of the bourgeois Finnish Senate

Draft law on mutual legal relations between Russia and Finland, proposed by the legal commission of the Finnish Senate

The project of the CPU s.-d. Party of Finland on the relationship between Finland and Russia

From the resolution of the Council of Social-Democrats. parties and the Sejm faction

LATVIA

LATVIA In 1917

From the resolutions of the Zemstvo Congress of the Latvian part of Vidzeme, Livonia

Resolution of the joint meeting of the committees of companies and teams of the reserve regiments of the Latvian riflemen on the autonomy of Latvia

Resolution of the 1st congress of the workers and landless of Latvia in the city of Nolmar

Resolution of the Petrograd Latvian Democratic Party

From the program of the Latvian Peasants' Union

Resolution of the United Congress of Latvian Rifle Regiments

From the program of the Latvian National Democratic Party of Latvia

From the resolution of the Fifth Congress of the Latvian Social Democracy

Resolutions of the Riga Council of Workers' Deputies on the autonomy of Latvia

On the issue of Latvian autonomy (article by P. Stuchka)

Resolution of the Conference of Latvian Organizations on Autonomous Latvia

Speech by the representative of the Latvian national group Zalit at the State Conference in Moscow

Appeal of the Executive Committee of Workers', Soldiers' and Landless Deputies of Latvia

LATGAL

Resolution on the future of Latgale

Program of the Latgale Socialist Party of the Working People

ESTONIA

ESTONIAN NATIONAL MOVEMENT IN 1917

From the program of the Estonian Radical Democratic Party

Resolution of the Estonian National Congress on the structure of Estonia

Resolution of the Congress of Councils of the Estonian Region

Speech of the delegate of the 1st Estonian regiment at the general meeting of the Reval Bolshevik organization

Speech by the representative of the Estonian national group Piina at the State Conference in Moscow

Platform of the Estonian Committee of the RSDLP(b) in the national question

Resolution on the power of the 2nd Congress of Soviets of the Estonian Region

LITHOVANIANS

LITHUANIAN NATIONAL MOVEMENT IN 1917

Decree of the Lithuanian National Council

Resolution of the All-Russian Congress of Lithuanian Servicemen

Resolution of the Lithuanian National Seimas on the independence of Lithuania

Resolution of the left wing of the Seimas

Speech by the representative of the Lithuanian group Yanushkevich at the State Conference in Moscow

BELARUS

BELARUSIAN NATIONAL MOVEMENT IN 1917

Declaration of the Belarusian National Congress

Resolutions of the peasant congress convened by the Belarusian National Committee in Minsk

Resolution of the Minsk Committee of the All-Russian Peasant Union

Resolution of the Conference of Organizations of the Belarusian Socialist Community

Resolutions of the peasant congress, convened by the S.-R.

The conflict of Belarusians with the leaders of the peasant congress

From the Belarusian National Committee

Resolution of the conference of the Belarusian socialist community in Petrograd

Resolutions of the congress of delegates from Belarusian public organizations and parties in Minsk

Statement by the Delegates of the Vitebsk Committee of the Union of the Belarusian People to the Belarusian Congress

Statute of the Central Rada of Belarusian Organizations

Political platform of the Belarusian Central Rada

JEWS

From the resolution of the Tenth Conference of the Bund

From the resolutions of the Zionist congress in Petrograd

From the resolutions of the conference of the Jewish Socialist Workers' Party

PART FOUR

NATIONAL MOVEMENT AMONG THE EASTERN PEOPLES

TURKIC PEOPLES

NATIONAL MOVEMENT OF THE TURKIC PEOPLES

"COMMON-MUSLIMAN" MOVEMENT

Muslim conference decisions

About the First All-Russian Muslim Congress

Resolution of the All-Russian Muslim Congress

Appeal to Muslims

Activities of the Executive Committee of the All-Russian Muslim Council

Appeal of the All-Russian Muslim Council

Resolutions of the Muslim military congress

From the decisions of the II All-Russian Muslim Congress

Decisions of the joint session of Muslim congresses

Appeal Executor. Naval Committee to the Provisional Government on the question of the national-cultural autonomy of Muslims

Speech by a representative of Muslim organizations at the State Conference

From the speech of A. Tsalikov at the Democratic Conference

Regulations on Elections to the Bodies of Cultural and National Autonomy of Muslims of Inner Russia, developed by the Board of Mukhtarnat

Platform of the Kazan Muslim Committee

BASHKIRIA

Speech of the Bashkirs at the Ufa Provincial Peasant Congress

Statement of 50 Bashkir delegates at the 1st All-Russian Muslim Congress

Decisions of the 1st All-Bashkir Congress

CRIMEA

Political platform of the Executive Committee of the Crimean Tatars

Crimean Tatar delegate congress

AZERBAIJAN

From the Provisional Committee of Muslim Public Organizations

Resolutions of the 1st All-Caucasian Muslim Congress

Resolution of the Turkic socialists on the attitude towards the Committee of Muslim Public Organizations

"Hummet" about new elections and the Muslim Committee of Public Organizations

Program of the Turkic Federalist Party (Mussavat)

TURKESTAN

Bureau of Turkic-Tatar Organizations of the Turkestan Territory

Congress of Turkestan Muslims

Decree of the Ferghana Regional Congress of Muslim Organizations

Muslim congress of rural owners of the Tashkent district

Turkestan Regional Peasant Congress

Council of Muslim Workers' Deputies of Tashkent

Speech by "Ulema" in the Tashkent City Duma

Reform project in Bukhara of the Young Bukharan Committee

KAZAKHSTAN

Greeting of the Cossacks to the Minister of War A.I. Guchkov

Resolution of the Turgai Regional Kazan Congress

All-Cossack congress in Orenburg

Alash-Orda party program

Regional Turkestan Cossack congress

Program and charter of the "Revolutionary Union of Kyrgyz Youth"

NORTH CAUCASUS AND DAGESTAN

NATIONAL MOVEMENT OF THE MOUNTAIN PEOPLES IN 1917

First mountain congress

Second mountain congress

Constitutions of the Union of Highlanders

Union Treaty of the South-Eastern Council of the Cossack Troops of the Highlanders of the Caucasus and the Free Peoples of the Steppes

Resolution of the Dagestan Peasant Congress

Congress of the Lezgins of the Tabasaran District

Decisions of the First Congress of Ossetians of South and North Ossetia

The program of the Ossetian revolutionary-democratic party "Kermen"

Draft program of the Ossetian Socialist Union

TRANSCAUCASUS

NATIONAL QUESTION IN TRANSCAUCASUS IN 1917

GEORGIA

Program of the Georgian National Democrats

Resolution on the national question of the regional congress of the Caucasian army

Resolution on the national question of the Caucasian Regional Congress of Workers' and Peasants' Deputies

The resolution on the national question, adopted at the regional congress of the Social-Democrats. Workers' Party (Mensheviks) in Tiflis

Abolition of estates in Georgia

Speech by Georgian representatives at the State Conference

Chkhenkeli's speech at the Democratic Conference

National Inter-Party Council in Georgia

Transcaucasian Regional Congress of the RSDLP (Mensheviks)

ARMENIA

Decisions of the Transcaucasian District Congress of the Dashnaktsutyun Party

Revolution and the national question

Speech by X. N. Vermishev at the VIII Congress of the Party of People's Freedom

Meeting of the Petrograd Armenian Committee

Program of the Armenian Social-Democrats

Speeches of representatives of the Armenian national group at the State. meeting

Proclamation of the Armenian National Council

TRANSCAUCASIAN BOLSHEVIKS

Regarding the controversy between the two "Izvestia"

How Not to Fight Nationalism

Politics of the Provisional Government and nationality

The National Question at the Caucasian Regional Congress of the RSDLP

PEOPLES OF THE VOLGA REGION

PEOPLES OF THE VOLGA REGION in 1917

From the decisions of the 1st congress of small peoples of the Volga region

From the decisions of the Second Congress of the Small Peoples of the Volga Region

From the decisions of the First All-Russian Congress of Mari

Decisions of the Congress of the Intelligent Forces of the Votyaks

From the resolutions and wishes adopted by the All-Chuvash National Congress

BURYATIA

NATIONAL MOVEMENT IN BURYATIA IN 1917

Minutes of a private meeting of Buryat-Mongolian public figures in the city of Chita, Transbaikal region

Notification of the Buryat-Kalmyk Committee

Telegram of the Buryat-Mongolian National Committee to the Provisional Government

Statute on temporary bodies for the management of cultural and national affairs of the Buryat-Mongols and Tungus of the Trans-Baikal region and the Irkutsk province

Extracts from the minutes of the congress of representatives of the Buryat-Mongolian population of the Irkutsk province.

Telegram of the Buryat-Mongolian delegates recruited to participate in the II Trans-Baikal Cossack Congress

From the report of D. Ringine at the October Buryat Congress of 1917 in the city of Verkhneudinsk

PART FIVE

"RUSSIAN INTERNATIONAL"

CONGRESS OF PEOPLES

Resolutions of the Congress of Representatives of Peoples and Regions, convened

Ukrainian Central Rada

Declaration of the Poles, read by Lukashevich from the Kyiv section of the PSS (Levica)

ASSOCIATION OF NATIONAL SOCIALIST PARTIES

Draft platform of the Council of National Socialist Parties of Russia

Resolutions of the Conference of Nationalist Socialist Parties in Russia

... This situation naturally strengthened the separatist tendencies among the nationalities of Russia. Before the war, only the Poles, Finns and some Ukrainian layers had serious separatist movements with formalized programs. And during the war, separatist tendencies intensified, embracing such nationalities as Lithuanians, Georgians, Turks, etc. Congresses of separatist nationalists take place abroad, in Lausanne and other places the "League of Russian Peoples" is organized, which appealed in May 1916 with a collective complaint to Wilson about the situation of nationalities in Russia1.

The growth of separatism, especially in connection with the Germanophile sentiments of some ruling circles in St. Petersburg, attracted the attention of the leaders of the Entente. Prominent French public figure Pierre Chantrell writes to Clemenceau: If Berlin assisted the separatist movements in every possible way, it was in order to create new political and economic clients for itself in the East. The Entente has every reason to act in parallel with the Wilhelmstasse in order to deprive Germany of the fruits of her work. United and indivisible Russia is over. France must intervene in order to transfer it into a federation on the basis of a voluntary agreement of the contracting parts. The statesmen of the Entente must understand that it will be more difficult for Germany to cope with three or four capitals than with Petersburg alone.

Thus, by the beginning of the February revolution, the atmosphere of interethnic relations in Russia was sufficiently tense. The development of the revolution could least of all contribute to its discharge.

1 The petition was signed by Baron Ronn, Tsiliakus, Lemnitsky, Seroshensky, Dontsov, Mikh. Tsereteli, and on behalf of the Finns, Balts, Lithuanians, Belarusians, Poles, Russian Jews, Ukrainians, Russian Muslims and Georgians asks: "come to their aid, save us from death" (Garbks' memoirs).

The Kyiv Congress of Peoples (anti-Bolsheviks) recognized the Cossacks as a separate nation