Ekaterina Peshkova

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Ekaterina Peshkova

Ekaterina Pavlovna Peshkova nee Volzhina (Russian: Екатерина Павловна Пешкова урожденная Волжина, 1887-1965) was a Russian human rights activist and humanitarian, first wife of Maxim Gorky.

Before the October Revolution she took an active part in the work of Committee for Assistance to Russian Political Prisoners (Комитета помощи русским политкаторжанам) under the leadership of Vera Figner. After 1914 led the Children Commission at the Society for Assistance to the War Victims. After 1918 she was the major activist of Moscow Committee of Political Red Cross.

After 1922 she was the chairwoman of organization Assistance to Political Prisoners (Pompolit, Помощь политическим заключенным, Помполит). She was awarded by an order of Polish Red Cross for her participation in the exchange of POWs after the Polish-Soviet War.

During the years of Stalin political repressions she was often the only person who actually helped the political prisoners, passed letters and parcels of food, advocated softening of the jail terms and amnesties. Thousands of Russian Intelligentsia owed her their lives.