Boris Kamkov
Boris Davidovich Kamkov (Russian: Бори́с Дави́дович Камко́в; June 3, 1885 – August 29, 1938) was a Russian revolutionary, a leader of the Left Socialist-Revolutionaries, and a member of the Council of People's Commissars. He was killed during the Great Purge.
Early years
Boris Davidovich Kats, who became known under the name 'Kamkov', was born on June 3, 1885 (O.S.) in
World War I and February Revolution
During
After the
Kamkov occupied various minor posts in the PSR but increasingly called for a break with the
Collaboration with the Bolsheviks
However, after the victory of the Bolsheviks, the Left SRs accepted the October Revolution, and Kamkov participated in negotiations with the Bolsheviks to form a coalition government. Kamkov favoured some agreements between all socialist parties, a popular position at the time, feeling that "the Left should not isolate itself from the moderate democratic forces."[2] However, efforts to bring about such an all-socialist coalition quickly foundered on the opposition of both Lenin and the SR/Menshevik leaders. The Left SRs were the only party to enter a coalition with the Bolsheviks. Along with Isaac Steinberg, A.L. Kollegaev, Vladimir Karelin, V.Y. Trutovsky, V.A. Algasov and P.P. Proshyan, Kamkov became a member of the Council of People's Commissars (without portfolio). He was also elected to the new Central Executive Committee of the All-Russian Congress of Soviets.
The Bolshevik/Left SR coalition was short-lived. Although Kamkov supported the Left SRs' participation in the Russian delegation in the peace negotiations with Imperial Germany at
Conflict with the Bolsheviks
In June 1918, the Left SRs abandoned the policy of peaceful protest and began to organise illegal strikes, uprisings and assassination attempts. They killed the German ambassador Count Mirbach on July 6, 1918, and on August 30 attempted to kill Lenin. The Bolsheviks responded with violent repression. The Left SR party was, however, by no means unanimous in favour of violent resistance to the Bolsheviks. Mark Natanson was one of the most prominent Left SRs, but alone in his desire to call for continued co-operation with the Soviet government. This sentiment was echoed by many local Left SR branches. This split contributed to the disintegration of the Left SR party. Kamkov was among the anti-Bolshevik hardliners. On July 7, Kamkov helped organise an armed anti-Bolshevik demonstration by Left SRs, which was quickly suppressed. Kamkov went into hiding. The Bolsheviks regarded the July event as a counter-revolutionary uprising; the Left SRs insisted they had merely wanted to demonstrate the Russian people's opposition to the Bolsheviks and the 'German Imperialists'.
Prison, exile and death
In November 1918, much of the Central Committee of the Left SR party was put on trial. Kamkov, who had escaped to newly independent
Notes
- ^ A.R. Gots and B.D. Kamkov frequently served as spokesmen for the Defencist and Internationalist wings of the PSR.