Vladimir Purishkevich

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Vladimir Mitrofanovich Purishkevich (Russian: Владимир Митрофанович Пуришкевич) (August 12, 1870, Kishinev – February, 1920, Novorossiysk, Russia), was a Russian politician before the Bolshevik revolution. Born in a family of poor nobleman in Bessarabia Purishkevich graduated from Odessa university with a degree in philosophy. Purishkevich was a far-rightist who in 1905 was one of the founders of the Union of the Russian People, later after a split within the organization in 1908 he founded his own organization known as Union of Archangel Michael.

During the Russian Revolution of 1905 he organized Black Hundreds militia (officially to aid the police in the fight against left-wing extremists and the restoration of order). Purishkevich was elected as a deputee into II, III and IV Russian State Duma, where he became popular leader of the radical monarchist right and gained fame because of his emotional speeches, flamboyant and scandalous behaviour, and his monarchist and anti-Semitic views. During World War I Purishkevich quit politics and was in charge of a medical aid train on the frontlines.

In 1916 together with Prince Yusupov and Grand Duke Dmitri Pavlovich, the Tsar's young cousin, Purishkevich participated in the assassination of Grigori Rasputin, an unsuccessful attempt to save the institution of monarchy. After the February Revolution in 1917, he called for the abolishment of the Soviets. In October, he organized the "Committee for the Motherland's Salvation" in St. Petersburg, and was joined by a number of officers, military cadets and others.

In November, Purishkevich was arrested by Bolshevik Cheka and charged with a "counter-revolutionary conspiracy". During his trial, Cheka found correspondence between Purishkevich and General Kaledin - one of the leaders of the White anti-Bolshevik movement. After a year in Bolshevik jail Purishkevich was released supposedly because of his poor health. He immediately joined General Denikin's army in southern Russia where he published the monarchist journal "Blagovest". In 1920 Vladimir Purishkevich reputedly died from typhus in Novorossiysk.