Anatoly Rogozhin
Encyclopedia
Anatoli Ivanovich Rogozhin was a Russian officer who served in the Imperial Russian Army
, the White Army
, and was the last commander of the Russian Corps
in Serbia during World War II.
He was born on April 12, 1893 in the Chervlen stanitza of the Terek Cossack Host
, the son of a cossack
officer. After being raised in a cadet school and completing the Nikolaevsk Cavalry School, Rogozhin commanded several cossack units in Persia. Returning to Russia in 1914, Rogozhin fought on the South-Western front during World War I
. He then served in Kiev
, then went to Terek where his unit confronted rebellion in the face of the February Revolution
.
In June 1918, Rogozhin participated in the Terek Cossack rebellion against the Bolsheviks and became a part of the White movement
.
After evacuating from Russia, Rogozhin served in the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes in the border patrol. During World War II
he joined the Russian Corps
, becoming the commander of a regiment
. He received an Iron Cross
second class for bravery in battle. Upon the death of General Boris Shteifon
, he became the last commander of the Corps.
Rogozhin managed to negotiate a surrender with the British forces. He and his men were targeted for repatriation to the SMERSH
but were saved by British general Steele. He became the commander of the refugee camp. He also helped organize the evacuation of Russian veterans of the Corps and was one of the last to leave the camp in 1951. Organizing the Russian Corps Combatants veterans organization (Союз Чинов Русского Корпуса), he also established the Nashi Vesti (Our News) periodical magazine.
Rogozhin moved to the United States where he continued being active in white emigre organizations. He died on April 6, 1972, and is buried in the Novo Deveevo Russian Orthodox convent in Nanuet, New York
by a chapel dedicated to the Corps.
Imperial Russian Army
The Imperial Russian Army was the land armed force of the Russian Empire, active from around 1721 to the Russian Revolution of 1917. In the early 1850s, the Russian army consisted of around 938,731 regular soldiers and 245,850 irregulars . Until the time of military reform of Dmitry Milyutin in...
, the White Army
White movement
The White movement and its military arm the White Army - known as the White Guard or the Whites - was a loose confederation of Anti-Communist forces.The movement comprised one of the politico-military Russian forces who fought...
, and was the last commander of the Russian Corps
Russian Corps
The Russian Corps was an armed force composed of anti-communist Russian emigres that existed during the Second World War in German-occupied Serbia...
in Serbia during World War II.
He was born on April 12, 1893 in the Chervlen stanitza of the Terek Cossack Host
Terek Cossack Host
The Terek Cossack Host was a Cossack host created in 1577 from free Cossacks who resettled from the Volga to the Terek River. In 1792 it was included in the Caucasus Line Cossack Host and separated from it again in 1860, with the capital of Vladikavkaz...
, the son of a cossack
Cossack
Cossacks are a group of predominantly East Slavic people who originally were members of democratic, semi-military communities in what is today Ukraine and Southern Russia inhabiting sparsely populated areas and islands in the lower Dnieper and Don basins and who played an important role in the...
officer. After being raised in a cadet school and completing the Nikolaevsk Cavalry School, Rogozhin commanded several cossack units in Persia. Returning to Russia in 1914, Rogozhin fought on the South-Western front during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. He then served in Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
, then went to Terek where his unit confronted rebellion in the face of the February Revolution
February Revolution
The February Revolution of 1917 was the first of two revolutions in Russia in 1917. Centered around the then capital Petrograd in March . Its immediate result was the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II, the end of the Romanov dynasty, and the end of the Russian Empire...
.
In June 1918, Rogozhin participated in the Terek Cossack rebellion against the Bolsheviks and became a part of the White movement
White movement
The White movement and its military arm the White Army - known as the White Guard or the Whites - was a loose confederation of Anti-Communist forces.The movement comprised one of the politico-military Russian forces who fought...
.
After evacuating from Russia, Rogozhin served in the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes in the border patrol. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he joined the Russian Corps
Russian Corps
The Russian Corps was an armed force composed of anti-communist Russian emigres that existed during the Second World War in German-occupied Serbia...
, becoming the commander of a regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
. He received an Iron Cross
Iron Cross
The Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
second class for bravery in battle. Upon the death of General Boris Shteifon
Boris Shteifon
Boris Aleksandrovich Shteifon was a general in the Imperial Russian Army, who subsequently served as a general in the Russian anti-communist White army, and as the leader of the Nazi-allied Russian Corps in Serbia during World War II.-Biography:Shteifon was born on December 6, 1881 in the city of...
, he became the last commander of the Corps.
Rogozhin managed to negotiate a surrender with the British forces. He and his men were targeted for repatriation to the SMERSH
SMERSH
SMERSH was the counter-intelligence agency in the Red Army formed in late 1942 or even earlier, but officially founded on April 14, 1943. The name SMERSH was coined by Joseph Stalin...
but were saved by British general Steele. He became the commander of the refugee camp. He also helped organize the evacuation of Russian veterans of the Corps and was one of the last to leave the camp in 1951. Organizing the Russian Corps Combatants veterans organization (Союз Чинов Русского Корпуса), he also established the Nashi Vesti (Our News) periodical magazine.
Nanuet, New York
Nanuet is a hamlet , in the Town of Clarkstown Rockland County, New York, United States located north of Pearl River; south of New City; east of Spring Valley and west of West Nyack. It is 19 miles north of Manhattan, and 2 miles north of the New Jersey border...
by a chapel dedicated to the Corps.