The spring of 1917 was to be decisive in the victory of the Russian Empire over Germany and Austria-Hungary in the First World War. But history decreed otherwise. February Revolution 1917 not only put an end to all military plans, but also destroyed the Russian autocracy.

1. Bread is to blame

The revolution began with a grain crisis. At the end of February 1917, due to snow drifts, the schedule for freight transportation of bread was disrupted, and there was a rumor about the imminent transition to bread cards. Refugees arrived in the capital, and part of the bakers were drafted into the army. Queues formed at the bakeries, and then riots began. Already on February 21, a crowd with the slogan "Bread, bread" began to smash bakery shops.

2. Putilov workers

On February 18, the workers of the gunnery stamping workshop of the Putilov Plant went on strike, and workers from other workshops joined them. Four days later, the plant administration announced the closure of the enterprise and the dismissal of 36,000 workers. Proletarians from other plants and factories spontaneously began to join the Putilovites.

3. Protopopov's inaction

Appointed in September 1916 as Minister of the Interior, Alexander Protopopov was confident that he had the whole situation under control. Trusting the convictions of his minister about security in Petrograd, Nicholas II leaves the capital on February 22 to headquarter in Mogilev. The only measure taken by the minister during the days of the revolution was the arrest of a number of leaders of the Bolshevik faction. The poet Alexander Blok was sure that Protopopov's inaction was the main reason for the victory of the February Revolution in Petrograd. "Why is the main platform of power - the Ministry of the Interior - given to the psychopathic talker, liar, hysteric and coward Protopopov, who is distraught from this power?" - asked Alexander Blok in his "Reflections on the February Revolution".

4 Housewife Revolt

Officially, the revolution began with unrest among Petrograd housewives, forced to stand long hours in long lines for bread. Many of them became workers in weaving factories during the war years. By February 23, about 100,000 workers from fifty enterprises were already on strike in the capital. The demonstrators demanded not only bread and an end to the war, but also the overthrow of the autocracy.

5. All power is in the hands of a random person

Resolute measures were needed to suppress the revolution. On February 24, all power in the capital was transferred to the commander of the troops of the Petrograd Military District, Lieutenant General Khabalov. He was appointed to this post in the summer of 1916, not having the skills and abilities necessary for this. He receives a telegram from the emperor: “I order tomorrow to stop the unrest in the capital, which is unacceptable in the difficult time of the war with Germany and Austria. NICHOLAS". Khabalov's military dictatorship was to be established in the capital. But most of the troops refused to obey him. This was logical, since Khabalov, who had previously been close to Rasputin, served all his career at headquarters and in military schools, without having the necessary critical moment prestige among the soldiers.

6. When did the tsar find out about the beginning of the revolution?

According to historians, Nicholas II learned about the beginning of the revolution only on February 25 at about 18:00 from two sources: from General Khabalov and from Minister Protopopov. In his own diary, Nikolai first wrote about the revolutionary events only on February 27 (on the fourth day): “Unrest began in Petrograd a few days ago; unfortunately, the troops began to take part in them. It's a disgusting feeling to be so far away and receive fragmentary bad news!

7. Peasant, not soldier rebellion

On February 27, a mass transition of soldiers to the side of the people began: in the morning, 10,000 soldiers rebelled. By the evening of the next day, there were already 127,000 rebel soldiers. And by March 1, almost the entire Petrograd garrison had gone over to the side of the striking workers. Government troops melted every minute. And this is not surprising, because the soldiers were yesterday's peasant recruits, not ready to raise bayonets against their brothers. Therefore, it is more fair to consider this rebellion not of soldiers, but of peasants. On February 28, the rebels arrested Khabalov and imprisoned him in the Peter and Paul Fortress.

8. The first soldier of the revolution

On the morning of February 27, 1917, senior sergeant major Timofey Kirpichnikov raised and armed his subordinate soldiers. Staff Captain Lashkevich was supposed to come to them in order to send, in accordance with the order of Khabalov, this unit to suppress the riots. But Kirpichnikov persuaded the "platoon leaders", and the soldiers decided not to shoot at the demonstrators and killed Lashkevich. Kirpichnikov, as the first soldier who raised his weapon against the "royal system", was awarded the St. George Cross. But the punishment found its hero, on the orders of the monarchist Colonel Kutepov, he was shot in the ranks of the Volunteer Army.

9. Set fire to the Police Department

The police department was the stronghold of the struggle of the tsarist regime against the revolutionary movement. Capture it law enforcement agency became one of the first targets of the revolutionaries. Director of the Police Department Vasiliev, foreseeing the danger of the events that had begun, ordered in advance that all documents with the addresses of police officers and secret agents be burned. The revolutionary leaders sought to be the first to get into the building of the Department, not only in order to take possession of all the data on the criminals in the empire and solemnly burn them, but also in order to destroy in advance all the dirt on them that was in the hands of the former government. So, most of the sources on history revolutionary movement and the tsarist police was destroyed in the days of the February Revolution.

10. "Hunting season" for the police

During the days of the revolution, the rebels showed particular cruelty to police officers. Trying to escape, the former servants of Themis changed clothes, hid in attics and basements. But they were still found and put to death on the spot, sometimes with monstrous cruelty. The head of the Petrograd security department, General Globachev, recalled: “The rebels scoured the whole city, looking for police officers and police officers, expressed stormy delight, having found a new victim to quench their thirst for innocent blood, and there was no bullying, mockery, insults and torture that animals had not tried on their victims."

11. Uprising in Moscow

Following Petrograd, Moscow also went on strike. On February 27, it was declared under a state of siege, and all rallies were prohibited. But the unrest could not be prevented. By March 2, the railway stations, arsenals and the Kremlin were already captured. Power in their hands was taken by representatives of the Committee created during the revolution public organizations Moscow and the Moscow Soviet of Workers' Deputies.

12. "Triple power" in Kyiv

The news of the change of power reached Kyiv by March 3. But unlike Petrograd and other cities of the Russian Empire, not a dual power, but a tripartite power was established in Kyiv. In addition to the provincial and district commissars appointed by the Provisional Government and the local Soviets of Workers and soldiers' deputies a third force entered the political arena - the Central Rada, initiated by representatives of all the parties participating in the revolution to coordinate the national movement. And immediately inside the Rada a struggle began between supporters of national independence and adherents of an autonomous republic in a federation with Russia. Nevertheless, on March 9, the Ukrainian Central Rada declared its support for the Provisional Government headed by Prince Lvov.

13. Liberal Conspiracy

As early as December 1916, the idea of ​​a palace coup had matured among the liberals. The leader of the Octobrist party Guchkov, together with the cadet Nekrasov, were able to attract the future Minister of Foreign Affairs and Finance of the Provisional Government Tereshchenko, Chairman of the State Duma Rodzianko, General Alekseev and Colonel Krymov. They planned not later than April 1917 to intercept the emperor on his way from the capital to headquarters in Mogilev and force him to abdicate in favor of the legitimate heir. But the plan was implemented earlier, already on March 1, 1917.

14. Five centers of "revolutionary ferment"

The authorities were aware of not one, but several centers of the future revolution at once. The palace commandant, General Voeikov, at the end of 1916, named five centers of opposition autocratic power, in his words, the centers of "revolutionary ferment": 1) the State Duma, headed by M.V. Rodzianko; 2) Zemsky Union, headed by Prince G.E. Lvov; 3) City union headed by M.V. Chelnokov; 4) Central military-industrial committee headed by A.I. Guchkov; 5) Headquarters headed by M.V. Alekseev. As subsequent events showed, all of them took a direct part in the coup d'état.

15. Nikolai's Last Chance

Did Nicholas have a chance to retain power? Perhaps if he had listened to "fat Rodzianko." On the afternoon of February 26, Nicholas II receives a telegram from State Duma Chairman Rodzianko, who reports anarchy in the capital: the government is paralyzed, transport of food and fuel is in complete disarray, there is indiscriminate shooting in the street. “It is necessary to immediately instruct a person who enjoys confidence to form a new government. You can't delay. Any delay is like death. I pray to God that this hour of responsibility does not fall on the Crown-bearer.” But Nikolai does not react, complaining only to the Minister of the Imperial Court, Frederiks: “Again, this fat Rodzianko wrote me various nonsense, to which I will not even answer him.”

16. Future Emperor Nicholas III

As early as the end of 1916, during the negotiations of the conspirators, the main contender for the throne as a result of a palace coup was considered Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolayevich, Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Army at the beginning of the First World War. In the last pre-revolutionary months, he was in the capacity of governor in the Caucasus. The proposal to take the throne came to Nikolai Nikolayevich on January 1, 1917, but two days later the Grand Duke refused. During the February Revolution, he was in the south, where he received news of his appointment again as Supreme Commander-in-Chief, but upon arrival on March 11 at Headquarters in Mogilev, he was forced to resign and resign.

17. Fatalism of the king

Nicholas II knew about the conspiracies being prepared against him. In the autumn of 1916, he was informed about this by the palace commandant Voeikov, in December - by the Black Hundred Tikhanovich-Savitsky, and in January 1917 - by the chairman of the Council of Ministers, Prince Golitsyn and the adjutant wing Mordvinov. During the war, Nicholas II was afraid to act openly against the liberal opposition and completely entrusted his life and the life of the Empress to the "will of God."

18. Nicholas II and Julius Caesar

According to the personal diary of Emperor Nicholas II, throughout all the days of the revolutionary events he continued to read a French book about the conquest of Gaul by Julius Caesar. Did Nicholas think that he would soon suffer the fate of Caesar - a palace coup?

19. Rodzianko tried to save the royal family

In the February days, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, along with her children, was in Tsarskoye Selo. After the departure of Nicholas II on February 22 to Headquarters in Mogilev, one after another, all the royal children fell ill with measles. The source of the infection, apparently, was the young cadets - Tsarevich Alexei's playmates. On February 27, she writes to her husband about the revolution in the capital. Rodzianko, through the empress's valet, urged her and her children to immediately leave the palace: “Leave anywhere, and as soon as possible. The danger is very great. When the house is on fire, and sick children are carried out. The empress replied: “We will not go anywhere. Let them do what they want, but I won’t leave and I won’t ruin my children.” Due to the serious condition of the children (the temperature of Olga, Tatiana and Alexei reached 40 degrees) royal family could not leave her palace, so all the guards battalions loyal to the autocracy were gathered there. Only on March 9, "colonel" Nikolai Romanov arrived in Tsarskoye Selo.

20. Treason of allies

Thanks to intelligence and the ambassador in Petrograd, Lord Buchanan, the British government had full information about the impending conspiracy in the capital of his main ally in the war with Germany. On the issue of power in the Russian Empire, the British crown decided to rely on the liberal opposition and even financed them through its ambassador. By facilitating the revolution in Russia, the British leadership got rid of a competitor in the post-war issue of the territorial acquisitions of the victorious countries.

When on February 27 the deputies of the 4th State Duma formed the Provisional Committee headed by Rodzianko, who for a short time assumed full power in the country, it was the allied France and Great Britain who were the first to recognize the de facto new government - on March 1, the day before the abdication still a legitimate king.

21. Unexpected renunciation

Contrary to popular belief, it was Nicholas, and not the Duma opposition, who initiated the abdication for Tsarevich Alexei. By decision of the Provisional Committee of the State Duma, Guchkov and Shulgin went to Pskov with the aim of abdicating Nicholas II. The meeting took place in the carriage of the royal train, where Guchkov suggested that the emperor abdicate in favor of little Alexei, with the appointment of Grand Duke Mikhail as regent. But Nicholas II said that he was not ready to part with his son, so he decided to abdicate in favor of his brother. Taken by surprise by such a statement of the king, the Duma envoys even asked Nikolai for a quarter of an hour to confer and still accept the abdication. On the same day, Nicholas II wrote in his diary: “At one in the morning I left Pskov with a heavy feeling of what I had experienced. Around treason and cowardice and deceit!

22. Isolation of the Emperor

The key role in the emperor's decision to abdicate was played by the chief of staff, General Alekseev, and the commander of the Northern Front, General Ruzsky. The sovereign was isolated from sources of objective information by his generals, who were participants in a conspiracy to stage a palace coup. Most of the army commanders and corps commanders expressed their readiness to come out with their troops to suppress the uprising in Petrograd. But this information was not brought to the king. It is now known that in the event of the emperor's refusal to resign, the generals even considered the physical removal of Nicholas II.

23. Loyal Commanders

Only two military commanders remained loyal to Nicholas II - General Fyodor Keller, who commanded the 3rd Cavalry Corps, and the commander of the Guards Cavalry Corps, General Huseyn Khan Nakhichevansky. General Keller turned to his officers: “I received a dispatch about the abdication of the Sovereign and about some kind of Provisional Government. I, your old commander, who shared with you hardships, sorrows, and joys, do not believe that the Sovereign Emperor at such a moment could voluntarily abandon the army and Russia. He, together with General Khan Nakhchivansky, offered the king to provide himself and his units to suppress the uprising. But it was already too late.

24. Lviv appointed by decree of the abdicated emperor

The Provisional Government was formed on March 2 after an agreement between the Provisional Committee of the State Duma and the Petrograd Soviet. But new government even after the abdication, the consent of the emperor was required for the appointment of Prince Lvov at the head of the government. Nicholas II signed a decree to the Governing Senate on the appointment of Lvov as chairman of the Council of Ministers, dated 2 pm on March 2, for the legitimacy of the document an hour ahead of the time set in the abdication.

25. Self-withdrawal of Mikhail on the initiative of Kerensky

On the morning of March 3, members of the newly formed Provisional Government came to Mikhail Romanov to resolve the issue of accepting the throne. But there was no unity among the deputation: Milyukov and Guchkov insisted on accepting the throne, while Kerensky called for a refusal. Kerensky was one of the most ardent opponents of the continuation of the autocracy. After a personal conversation with Rodzianko and Lvov, the Grand Duke decided to renounce the throne. A day later, Mikhail issued a manifesto, urging everyone to submit to the authority of the Provisional Government until the convocation of the Constituent Assembly. Ex-emperor Nikolai Romanov reacted to this news with the following entry in his diary: “God knows who advised him to sign such a vile thing!”. This ended the February Revolution.

26. The Church supported the Provisional Government

Dissatisfaction with the policies of the Romanovs smoldered in Orthodox Church since Peter's reforms. After the first Russian revolution, discontent only intensified, since now the Duma could pass laws relating to church matters, including its budget. The Church sought to restore the sovereign's rights lost two centuries ago and transfer them to the newly installed patriarch. During the days of the revolution, the Holy Synod active participation did not take sides in the struggle. But the king's abdication was approved by the clergy. On March 4, the chief procurator of the Synod of Lvov proclaimed the "freedom of the Church", and on March 6, it was decided to serve a prayer service not for the reigning house, but for the new government.

27. Two hymns of the new state

Immediately after the start of the February Revolution, the question of a new Russian anthem arose. The poet Bryusov proposed to arrange all-Russian competition to choose new music and anthem words. But all the proposed options were rejected by the Provisional Government, which approved the "Workers' Marseillaise" as the national anthem with the words of the populist theorist Pyotr Lavrov. But the Petrograd Soviet of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies proclaimed the anthem "The Internationale". Thus, the dual power was preserved not only in the government, but also in the issue of the national anthem. The final decision on the national anthem, like on many other issues, was to be taken by the Constituent Assembly.

28. Symbolism of the new power

A change in the state form of government is always accompanied by a revision of all state symbols. Following the anthem, which appeared spontaneously, the new government was to decide the fate of the two-headed imperial eagle. To solve the problem, a group of specialists in the field of heraldry was assembled, who decided to postpone this issue until the Constituent Assembly. It was temporarily decided to leave the double-headed eagle, but without any attributes of royal power and without George the Victorious on his chest.

29. Not only Lenin “slept through” the revolution

IN Soviet time they necessarily emphasized that only on March 2, 1917, did Lenin learn that the revolution had won in Russia, and instead of the tsarist ministers, 12 members of the State Duma were in power. “Sleep disappeared from Ilyich from the moment when news of the revolution came,” Krupskaya recalled, “and the most incredible plans were made at night.” But besides Lenin, the February Revolution was "slept through" by all the other socialist leaders: Martov, Plekhanov, Trotsky, Chernov and others who were abroad. Only the Menshevik Chkheidze, because of his duties as head of the relevant faction in the State Duma, found himself at a critical moment in the capital and headed the Petrograd Soviet of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies.

30. Defunct February Revolution

Since 2015, in accordance with the new concept of learning national history and historical and cultural standard, establishing uniform requirements for school textbooks in history, our children will no longer study the events of February-March 1917 as the February Revolution. According to new concept, now there is no division into the February and October revolutions, but there is the Great Russian Revolution, which lasted from February to November 1917. The events of February-March are now officially referred to as the "February coup", and the October events - "the seizure of power by the Bolsheviks."

Facts fill our lives, they are everywhere! The more facts are revealed to us, the more educated and erudite we become. And this is also a fact! This article contains some interesting and amazing moments in the life of famous people that not many people know about.

Actor Woody Harrelson's father was a contract killer

Famous people often have famous parents, but not all of them became famous thanks to good deeds. The father of Hollywood actor Woody Harrelson was the famous criminal Charles V. Harrelson, who was sentenced to 2 life terms on charges of murdering federal judge Jonathan Wood.

Subsequently, the son often visited Charles in prison, and, according to his confession, he was a well-read and educated person. Woody even tried to challenge the court's decision, but he failed.
An interesting fact: Charles Harrelson for some reason claimed that he was involved in the Kennedy assassination, but later retracted his words. Conspiracy theorists still consider Charles Harrelson one of the suspicious vagrants found near the murder site, but this is nothing more than speculation.

Duchess Margherita Maultash was not at all "the ugliest woman in the world"

According to popular belief, the 14th-century Countess of Tyrol and Duchess of Bavaria Margaret Maultasch (Margarete Maultasch) is considered "the ugliest woman in history." As a “proof” of this statement, the portrait that you now see in front of you, and the very nickname of Margarita, often acts. It is only one letter different from the German word Maultasche - "dumpling", or literally "purse mouth".
However, some researchers believe that the word "maultash" did not mean the duchess's ugly appearance, but came from the name of her castle in South Tyrol. As for the portrait, it was painted by the Flemish painter Quentin Masseys in the 16th century and is a caricature.
If we look at other images of Margarita, including the lifetime one on her personal seal, then we will see, if not a written beauty, but quite an attractive woman with a good figure.

So where did the myth of "the ugliest woman in history" come from? The fact is that Margarita dared to impudence, unheard of at that time: she kicked out her disgusted husband, whom she was married to at the age of 11, and became the wife of her beloved.

Margarita Maultash simply did not let her first husband Johann Heinrich (he is on the left) go home to the castle when he returned from hunting. Apparently, the husband did not enjoy great love not only from his wife, but also from the citizens of Tyrol, since they all refused him shelter.
Annoyed, Johann found support from the Patriarch of Aquileia, as a result of which Margarita and her new husband Ludwig of Bavaria (he is on the right in the picture) were excommunicated for a long time, and ridiculous rumors spread about the duchess.

Marie Antoinette ordered to build a village for herself in which she could lead the life of a "commoner"

The brilliant atmosphere of Versailles and the need to observe court etiquette had a depressing effect on the queen, so as an outlet, she ordered to build for herself a tiny village near the Petit Trianon Palace with a mill, a farm, a dovecote, a pond and a cottage, which was much more comfortable than the palace chambers. All this reminded Marie Antoinette of her childhood, which was spent in the gardens of the Vienna Palace, where she played with relatives, governesses and dogs.

In her private village, the queen dressed up as a regular shepherdess or milkmaid and walked with her children and closest friends, and it seems that it was there that she was truly happy. After the French Revolution, the village of Marie Antoinette was abandoned, but it has now been restored and is open to the public.

Abraham Lincoln gave a speech so impressive that none of the journalists could record it

On May 29, 1856, in Bloomington, Illinois, Abraham Lincoln delivered a speech that is traditionally considered lost, since all the reporters present at this event were literally mesmerized by the words of the future president (Lincoln became one in 1861) and simply forgot to write down from it at least one word. We have no doubt about the oratorical talent of "Uncle Abe", but, you see, it still sounds implausible.

There is another version, according to which the text was deliberately lost, since Lincoln's speech was filled with a passionate condemnation of slavery, for the abolition of which, alas, not everyone advocated at that time. Nevertheless, the “lost speech” made a huge impression on the listeners, and a memorial plaque was subsequently erected in honor of this event, which still exists today.

Queen Victoria's best friend was groom John Brown

The British Queen Victoria is a rare exception among monarchs (at least in the old days) for the reason that she married for love and continued to adore her husband Prince Albert all her life. Is it necessary to explain that his early death was the hardest blow for her?
And who knows how she would have survived this event, if not for the support of the Queen's best friend. It was the Scottish groom John Brown (John Brown), who, like his relatives, faithfully served the Queen in Balmoral Castle. Walking and talking with John helped Victoria recover from the loss, although she never removed the mourning for Albert until the end of her life.
Of course, evil tongues immediately ridiculed the relationship, which, according to Queen Victoria herself, was a warm and loving friendship (so warm and loving friendship). There were scathing cartoons like the one you see now, and the Queen began to be called "Mrs Brown" behind her back.

Be that as it may, Victoria was strongly attached to John Brown and highly appreciated him, because after his death she ordered a statue to be erected in his honor, which was done. It is believed that before her death, the queen bequeathed to bury her along with a portrait of her beloved husband Albert in one hand and a portrait of John's best friend in the other.
The story of Victoria and John Brown was filmed in 1997, and 10 years later another film called Victoria and Abdul was released. It tells about the relationship of the queen with another "favorite", whose name was Abdul Karim.
As expected, this friendship was also condemned, although it is known for certain that the queen signed her letters to the young handsome man only as “your loving mother”.

Composer Arnold Schoenberg was so afraid of the number 13 that he called it "12a". He died on July 13, 13 minutes before midnight.

The founder of the new Viennese school, composer Arnold Schoenberg (pictured with his wife Gertrude and daughter Nuria) had a rare phobia - fear of the number 13, or triskaidekaphobia. Schoenberg was born on the 13th and throughout his life considered this figure a bad omen.
As we have already mentioned, the composer renamed 13 to 12a, and the same fate affected his last opera, which Schoenberg called "Moses and Aron" ("Moses und Aron") instead of "Moses and Aaron" ("Moses und Aaron") only for so that the number of letters in the name is not 13.
And yet the last day of the life of Arnold Schoenberg was precisely the fateful number. On July 13, 1951, he lay in bed all day, feeling that death was approaching. The wife tried to persuade the composer to "stop these stupid things" and get up, but he refused, and at 11:47 pm he actually died, having uttered the word "harmony" before that.

Winston Churchill loved animals, and one of his pets was a lion

The British Prime Minister was a big animal lover. At various times, the cats Nelson and Jock, the poodle Rufus, the bulldog Dodo, as well as cows, pigs, fish, butterflies, swans and other pets lived with Churchill.
But, perhaps, the most unusual of the pets was a lion named Rota, who was presented to the prime minister as a gift as a kitten, and after a while, he prudently assigned the growing king of beasts to the London Zoo. Rota grew up and became the father of 4 cubs, and Churchill visited him at the zoo and fed him meat with his own hands.

Pablo Escobar was photographed in front of the White House in the USA

Drug lord Escobar wasn't always on the run. In 1981, he quite legally visited the United States and even took pictures with his son Juan Pablo in front of the White House in Washington. This photo was taken by Pablo's wife Maria Victoria and was first shown in the film Sins of My Father, based on the book by Juan Pablo Escobar, who legally changed his name to Sebastian Marroquin and now lives in Argentina.

Steve Jobs rarely showered because he believed his diet suppressed bodily odors. He was wrong

Every person has their own oddities, and great people are no exception. According to colleagues who worked with Steve Jobs at Atari, he believed that his plant-based diet prevented the smell of sweat, and therefore it was no longer necessary to take a shower every day. But Jobs was wrong. And so much so that in the company he was quickly transferred to the night shift, where there was especially no one to complain about the unpleasant smell.

Princess Diana stopped wearing Chanel after her divorce from Prince Charles for a very personal reason

According to designer Jayson Brunsdon, after her divorce from Charles, Lady Di refused to wear shoes and, possibly, other things from Chanel, due to the fact that the logo of this brand reminded Diana of her unfaithful husband and rival Camille Parker-Bowles (you see her in the photo next to Diana).

The letters on the CC logo - the initials of Coco Chanel (Coco Chanel) - turned for Diana into "Charles and Camilla" (Camilla & Charles). It is not known whether she subsequently changed her mind, but Bransdon assures that Lady Di had nothing against the brand itself, she simply could not see these ill-fated letters CC.

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Usually great people differ from the average layman, and not only in their famous achievements, but also in character and habits. Among these habits there are many oddities that distinguished many famous people. In this post - a selection of oddities of famous people.

Alexander Vasilievich Suvorov was one of the most famous Russian generals. He did not lose a single battle, and all of them were won with the numerical superiority of the enemy. Suvorov was famous for his strange antics: he went to bed at six in the evening, and woke up at two in the morning, and, upon waking up, doused himself with cold water and shouted loudly “ku-ka-re-ku!”. With all his ranks, he slept in the hay. Preferring to walk in old boots, he could easily go out to meet high officials in a sleeping cap and underwear. He also gave the signal to attack to his beloved “ku-ka-re-ku!”, And, they say, after he was promoted to field marshal, he began to jump over chairs and say: “And I jumped over this one, and through this - That!"

Often famous people were very forgetful and distracted. For example, Diderot forgot the days, months, years and names of loved ones. Anatole France sometimes forgot to get a new sheet of paper or a notebook and wrote on everything that came to hand: envelopes, business cards, wrappers, receipts. But scientists are usually the most scattered.

Newton somehow received guests and, wanting to treat them, went to his office for wine. Guests are waiting, but the owner does not return. It turned out that upon entering the working room, Newton thought so deeply about his next work that he completely forgot about his friends. There is also a case when Newton, thinking of boiling an egg, took a watch, noticed the time and after a couple of minutes found that he was holding an egg in his hand, and was cooking a watch. One day Newton had lunch, but did not notice it. And when by mistake he went to dine another time, he was very surprised that someone had eaten his food.

Einstein, having met his friend and, absorbed in thoughts, said: Come to me in the evening. I will also have Professor Stimson. His friend, puzzled, objected: But I am Stimson! Einstein replied: It doesn't matter, come anyway! In addition, Einstein's wife had to repeat the same thing three times before the meaning of her remarks reached the great physicist.

The father of Russian aviation, Zhukovsky, once, after talking all evening with friends in his own living room, suddenly got up, looking for his hat, and began to hurriedly say goodbye, muttering: However, I stayed up with you, it's time to go home!

The German historian Theodor Mommsen once rummaged through all his pockets to find glasses. A little girl sitting next to him handed them to him. "Thanks, little one," Mommsen said. "What's your name?" “Anna Mommsen, papa,” the girl replied.

One day, Ampere, leaving his apartment, wrote with chalk on his door: Ampere will be at home only in the evening. But he returned home in the afternoon. I read the inscription on my doors and went back, because I forgot that he himself was Ampere. Another story that was told about Ampere was this. One day, sitting in a carriage, he wrote a formula with chalk instead of a slate on the coachman's back. And he was very surprised when, having arrived at the place and got off the carriage, he saw that the formula began to move away along with the crew.

Galileo was no less absent-minded. He spent his wedding night reading a book. Noticing at last that it was already dawn, he went to the bedroom, but immediately went out and asked the servant: - Who is lying in my bed? “Your wife, sir,” replied the servant. Galileo completely forgot that he was married.

Some of the greats didn't get married at all. Now you will not surprise anyone with this, but a hundred years ago it was considered a great oddity. Voltaire, Dante, Rousseau, Spinoza, Kant and Beethoven died convinced bachelors, believing that the wife would only prevent them from creating, and the servant would look after the house perfectly.

True, in Beethoven's house, the servants were powerless to maintain at least some semblance of order: sheets with symphonies and overtures were scattered throughout the office mixed with bottles and plates, and woe to the one who tried to collect them, breaking this mess! And the owner himself at this time, despite any weather conditions, jogged around the streets of the city.

The famous satirist Lafontaine also liked to take a walk. At the same time, he loudly recited the lines and rhymes that came into his bright head, waving his arms and dancing. Fortunately for him, the people then treated such personalities quite calmly, and no one called the orderlies.

The famous writer Leo Tolstoy was famous among his contemporaries not only for his works, but also for his quirks. As a count, he worked in the field on a par with the peasants. At the same time, working in the field side by side with the peasants was not an extravagant hobby for him, he sincerely loved and respected hard physical labor. Tolstoy, with pleasure and, what is important, with skill, sewed boots, which he then presented to his relatives, mowed grass and plowed the land, surprising the local peasants who were watching him and grieving his wife.

Over the years, Tolstoy was increasingly captured by spiritual quests, and he paid less and less attention to everyday life, striving for asceticism and “simplification” in almost everything. The count is engaged in hard peasant labor, sleeps on the bare floor and walks barefoot until the very cold, thus emphasizing his closeness to the people. Just like that - on a bare foot, in a belted peasant shirt, simple trousers - Ilya Repin captured him in his picture.

Lev Nikolaevich maintained physical vigor and strength of mind until the very last days. The reason for this is the count's passionate love for sports and all kinds of exercise which, in his opinion, were obligatory, especially for those engaged in mental work. Walking was Tolstoy's favorite discipline; it is known that already at the fairly respectable age of sixty, he made three foot crossings from Moscow to Yasnaya Polyana. In addition, the count was fond of skating, mastered cycling, horseback riding, swimming, and started every morning with gymnastics.

Already at the advanced age of 82 years, the writer decided to go wandering, leaving his estate, leaving his wife and children. In a farewell letter to his Countess Sophia, Tolstoy writes: “I can no longer live in those conditions of luxury in which I lived, and I do what old people of my age usually do: they leave worldly life to live in solitude and silence. last days own life".

And among scientists, Nikola Tesla was known as one of the most eccentric people. Tesla did not have his own house or apartment - only laboratories and land. The great inventor usually spent the night right in the laboratory or in hotels in New York. Tesla never married. According to him, a solitary lifestyle helped develop his scientific abilities.

He was terribly afraid of germs, constantly washed his hands, and in hotels he could demand up to a couple of dozen towels a day. By the way, in hotels he always checked whether the number of his apartments would be a multiple of three, otherwise he flatly refused to be settled. If a fly landed on the table during lunch, Tesla demanded that the waiters bring it all over again. In modern psychiatry, there is a special term for this kind of oddity - “misophobia”.

Tesla counted steps while walking, the volume of bowls of soup, cups of coffee and pieces of food. If he failed to do this, then the food did not give him pleasure, so he preferred to eat alone.

Having become the author of many inventions that changed the life of modern civilization, Nikola Tesla left behind even more rumors and conjectures about incredible discoveries, which for some reason never reached their publication and application.

Today, November 7 (October 25, old style), the Great October Socialist Revolution took place. The Bolshevik coup took place in the Russian Empire in 1917, becoming one of the most grandiose events of the 20th century.

Despite the fact that there is a lot of historical evidence about the October Revolution, this stage Russian history still not fully understood, and there are many mysteries and misconceptions regarding this event. It's no secret that history as a science is constantly under pressure from the current political forces, and therefore does not always objectively reflect the facts that took place in reality. After the former Soviet idols and leaders left the political arena, information began to surface that caused bewilderment and protest among some, while others made them laugh. We will talk about the most interesting details and myths of the October Revolution, which have been hushed up for a long time.

With the collapse of the USSR, a version of the course of the revolution took root in the minds of the majority, which is just as not completely reliable, just as the facts offered by Soviet propaganda were not completely reliable. In particular, now it is said that Germany threw the Bolsheviks into Russia in a sealed wagon. In fact, Lenin and other revolutionaries arrived in the Russian Empire in 1917 from neutral Switzerland. In itself, a sealed wagon is not something mysterious - even now in rail transportation this is a common occurrence.

The proposal to travel through German territory in exchange for the return of interned German soldiers was put forward at a meeting on March 19, 1917, not by Lenin, but by the leader of the Mensheviks, Julius Martov. Lenin, however, until the last moment did not know exactly about the decision of the German authorities regarding the planned transfer. The head of the Bolsheviks was ready to sneak into the country illegally, under the guise of a deaf-mute Swede. Contacts with subjects of the German Empire were excluded, which is why the car was sealed. The only obligation of the emigrants towards the German authorities was to agitate in Russia for the exchange and send the interned Germans to Germany. In addition to the Bolsheviks, there were also Socialist-Revolutionaries and representatives of the Jewish Social Democratic Party Bund in the carriage. Thus, everything that happened was not a special operation to send a sabotage group of oppositionists into the Russian Empire. Of course, the German side made a certain bet on the destabilization of the state of affairs in Russia by left-wing radicals, but Lenin was not notified about this. Among other things, the Russian state itself at that moment resembled a vivid illustration of the “falling - push” rule.

It is necessary to tell about the then state of the Russian economy in more detail, since this aspect has become the subject of various discussions among historians. At the moment there is a version that Russian empire on the eve of the revolution was the most industrialized country in the world. Despite certain arguments that speak of the truth of such a statement, there are good reasons to doubt the undeniable well-being of the Russian state. Thus, the rates of economic growth in the first decade of the 20th century could not be called impressive; in wartime (1914-1918), they became completely modest. Supporters of the Soviet regime insist that two decades after the October coup Soviet Union became the second largest industrial power in the world. Opponents parry this statement, saying that such a result was achieved through, among other things, terror and inhumane actions against the people of the Soviet state.

The same supporters of the anti-Soviet position claim that the Bolsheviks, after coming to power, literally destroyed big country, many territories were lost. However, there are also specific facts that impartially indicate that the Russian Empire may be to blame for the loss of such a large amount of land. Suffice it to mention that in 1915 Poland was lost during the German and Austro-Hungarian offensive, in February 1917 Russia lost control over Lithuania and Latvia.

Rooted in the minds of the masses and the point of view that Vladimir Lenin directly ordered the execution of Tsar Nicholas II and members of his family. Nevertheless, there is evidence that the destruction of the most august persons was the initiative of the Ural Council, which at that time included, in addition to the Bolsheviks, also the Socialist-Revolutionaries. It was these political forces that could want the murder of the daughters of the Russian Tsar - this measure was a provocation in order to prevent the conclusion of peace with the Germans. Lenin, on the other hand, was allegedly going to hand over the German princesses to the German side, this was part of the agreements.

What's up Soviet myths distributed among the population at the initiative of the ruling circles for the sake of maintaining the faith of the working people in their bright future? First of all, it becomes unclear why in the Civil War of 1917-1923 the "proletarian" government won, because in the territory modern Russia and some CIS countries, there were more intelligentsia and nobles than proletarians. This was well expressed by the character of the novel by A.N. Ostrovsky “How the Steel Was Tempered” Pavka Korchagin: “we were red, and someone else sympathized with us. And there were whites and those who sympathized with them. And then 80% of the population, which has always been with the winners ... "

Soviet historians did not mention the offensive of Denikin's troops on Moscow and its successful completion for the Whites, they were silent about the help of the Muslims, which they provided in the defeat of Denikin's army. The anarchist army of Father Makhno also took part in that battle. By order of the “tops”, Eisenstein’s talented film “October” appeared, shots from which many still consider to be a reflection of real events. In fact, about two thousand Red Guards and Baltic sailors took part in the "large-scale" storming of the Winter Palace. During the assault, both sides suffered a total loss of seven people.

Another scene from the film, when Lenin, standing on an armored car, delivers a speech, which later became the “April Theses”, to soldiers and workers, is real. However, the point of view is erroneous, according to which the "Leninist armored car" was allegedly located near the Marble Palace in Leningrad. Herself October Revolution at the moment it is considered more of an indicative act, since already after the bourgeois-democratic revolution that took place in February, the “bloody tsarist regime” was overthrown. However, controversy on this issue has not subsided so far.

The history of Russia at the beginning of the 20th century was rich in various kinds of events. In 1914 the First World War, which became, in fact, one of the main causes of all subsequent troubles and misfortunes that hit the country. February revolution followed by October Civil War and, finally, the establishment of Soviet power, the emergence of a new totalitarian state. Some of these events largely determined the further course of world history.

Causes of the October Revolution.

After the events of February 1917, the power of the country was in the hands of the Provisional Government. Here it is definitely worth saying that the councils of workers' and peasants' deputies actively interfered with his work.

The composition of the Provisional Government was not constant, the ministers replaced each other every now and then. Meanwhile, the situation in the country worsened. The economy went into complete decline. The financial crisis that hit Russia has reached unprecedented proportions. The treasury, of course, was full, but not in money, but in unpaid bills. Inflation reduced the price of the ruble to 7 pre-revolutionary kopecks. There were problems with the supply of cities, queues at shops. It became restless, more and more rallies and strikes took place. Each put forward their own demands. The villages began peasant uprisings which the authorities were unable to resist. There were certain prerequisites for a change of power and new upheavals.

How was the October Socialist Revolution prepared?

At the end of August 1917, the leadership of the Soviets in major cities passed into the hands of the Bolsheviks. The party is gaining strength and is beginning to grow in numbers. With her, the Red Guard was formed, which constitutes the power fist of the political struggle. The main demands of the party are the resignation of the Provisional Government and the formation of a new government from representatives of the revolutionary proletariat and peasantry.

Perhaps the Bolsheviks could have arranged "October" earlier. The actions of party members were affected by the absence of their leader, Lenin, in Russia. Vladimir Ilyich hid in Finland, from where he sent his directives and instructions to Petrograd. Opinion within the party was divided. Who believed that power should be taken right now, someone suggested to delay - only workers and soldiers are for us, ”we will not stand.

Meanwhile, Lenin continued to send letters to the city of Peter I, in which he spoke of the need to prepare an uprising and seize power. He believed that if the people were suddenly raised in Moscow and Petrograd, the current government would not stand. October 7 Lenin returns to Russia. Revolution becomes inevitable.

The revolution was well prepared. On the 12th, Trotsky, who headed the Petrograd Soviet, established the Military Revolutionary Committee. On the 22nd, agitators from the Bolsheviks went to all the military units of Petrograd. The October Revolution began on October 25, 1917. There were fierce street battles in Petrograd and Moscow. The number of victims of those events is difficult to calculate. Bandits and criminals, of which the Red Guard was predominantly formed, were opposed by beardless Cadets. On the night of the 26th, the rebels managed to capture the Winter Palace. The ministers of the Provisional Government were imprisoned.

Interesting Facts about the October Revolution.

1. On the night when bloody battles were going on in the streets of Petrograd, Lenin reached Smolny with a wig on his head, a bandaged cheek and a fake passport, at five o'clock in the morning, when the fighting was already over. But on his way there were numerous Cossack and Junker cordons. How it happened is a big mystery. Trotsky led the actions of the rebels during the absence of the leader.

2. Lenin immediately issued the "Decree on the Land." Share and distribute. And Vladimir Ilyich was not at all embarrassed that this document completely copied the agrarian program of the Socialist-Revolutionaries.

3. The soldiers did not want to go to the front at all. Lenin sensitively felt the mood of the people. "A world without indemnities!". Yep, we agree. It just didn't work. Civil War, War with Poland, infamous Brest Peace. Here you are, soldiers and "A world without indemnities", you just bring me to power on bayonets.

4. The myth that the Bolsheviks were the main driving force behind the events of those days. The Socialist-Revolutionaries had great influence in the army, and the anarchists in the navy. Without them, the rebellion would have failed.

5. Detachments of the Red Guard were formed from former criminals and deserters. The soldiers received salaries from the Bolsheviks, and those, in turn, from Germany