Semen Hryzlo
Encyclopedia
Semen Hryhorovych Hryzlo was a Ukrainian
military and civil activist, one of the organizers of the Free Cossacks
military formations, and a participant in the uprising on the battleship Potemkin
(Borets za Svobodu).
, and worked as a scribe and teacher at a local rural school.
Later Hryzlo was drafted into the Black Sea Fleet
, where he served on the battleship Potemkin
. For his participation in the Potemkin mutiny of 1905, Hryzlo was exiled to Siberia
. At the start of 1917 he returned home and became a member of the Ukrainian Socialist Revolutionary Party. Hryzlo was an active participant in the cultural life of the village of Husakove in the Zvenigorod uyezd.
He was one of the first who military organisers of the Free Cossacks
, becoming the otaman (military commander) of the Kaniboloto Kurin in March 1917. At the first Congress of the Free Cossacks of Zvenigorod uyezd in April 1917 Hryzlo was elected the Kosh Otaman. In June 1917 he was delegated to Kiev
for the 2nd All-Ukrainian Military Congress representing Zvenigorod uyezd.
Hryzlo was one of the organizers the 1st All-Ukrainian Congress of the Free Cossacks that took place on October 3, 1917 in Chyhyryn
where he was elected as a general osavul of Free Cossacks. About that time he had some 20,000 cossacks loyal to him personally. In February 1918 his troops forced the artillerymen of the 2nd Corps of the Russian Guard to lay down their arms, and later forced the surrender of the 6th and the 7th dragoon
regiments of the Russian cavalry. In February 1918 the Hryzlo's Cossacks were successful in defeating several units of the 8th Russian Army near the rail station of Bobrynsk.
At the end of 1918 Hryzlo was in charge of an armored train operating in Volyn. He later came under the command the Northern Front of the Ukrainian People's Army
led by otaman Volodymyr Oskilko
. During Oskilko's Uprising, Hryzlo supported his commander. After the mutiny he returned home to the Cherkasy
land where he wagedguerrilla warfare
against the Bolsheviks' presence, reestablishing the Free Cossacks formations.
Hryzlo was an active participant of the Kholodny Yar Ukrainian partisan
movement cooperating with Ivan Gonta (real name Ivan Lyuty-Lyutenko). In the vicinity of Mokra Kalyhirka the united forces of Hryzlo and Gonta defeated the "execution division" of the Red Army
. By the end of 1920, Hryzlo had allied with the otamans Kvitkovski and Petro Dereshchuk under the leadership of Andri Huly-Hulenko. As members of the Kholodny Yar they managed to defeat the 45th and the 47th Soviet Infantry divisions, selected units of the 1st Cavalry Army, and Grigory Kotovsky's brigades.
Over the time Hryzlo also cooperated with such military leaders as Pylyp Khmara, Larion Zahorodni, and others. On March 3, 1921 near the village of Novoselytsya near Zvenyhorod Hryzlo was ambushed and then surrounded by several squads of the Red Army where he perished. He was buried in the Zvenyhorod cemetery.
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
military and civil activist, one of the organizers of the Free Cossacks
Free Cossacks
Free Cossacks was the Ukrainian association volunteer militia units that arose somewhat spontaneously during the decomposition of the Russian Imperial Army in spring of 1917....
military formations, and a participant in the uprising on the battleship Potemkin
Russian battleship Potemkin
The Potemkin was a pre-dreadnought battleship of the Imperial Russian Navy's Black Sea Fleet. The ship was made famous by the Battleship Potemkin uprising, a rebellion of the crew against their oppressive officers in June 1905...
(Borets za Svobodu).
Biography
Semen Hryzlo was born sometime in the late 1880s in the town of Katerynopil, Zvenigorod uyezd, in the Kiev GovernorateKiev Governorate
Kiev Governorate , or Government of Kiev, was an administrative division of the Russian Empire.The governorate was established in 1708 along with seven other governorates and was transformed into a viceroyalty in 1781...
, and worked as a scribe and teacher at a local rural school.
Later Hryzlo was drafted into the Black Sea Fleet
Black Sea Fleet
The Black Sea Fleet is a large operational-strategic sub-unit of the Russian Navy, operating in the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea since the late 18th century. It is based in various harbors of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov....
, where he served on the battleship Potemkin
Russian battleship Potemkin
The Potemkin was a pre-dreadnought battleship of the Imperial Russian Navy's Black Sea Fleet. The ship was made famous by the Battleship Potemkin uprising, a rebellion of the crew against their oppressive officers in June 1905...
. For his participation in the Potemkin mutiny of 1905, Hryzlo was exiled to Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
. At the start of 1917 he returned home and became a member of the Ukrainian Socialist Revolutionary Party. Hryzlo was an active participant in the cultural life of the village of Husakove in the Zvenigorod uyezd.
He was one of the first who military organisers of the Free Cossacks
Free Cossacks
Free Cossacks was the Ukrainian association volunteer militia units that arose somewhat spontaneously during the decomposition of the Russian Imperial Army in spring of 1917....
, becoming the otaman (military commander) of the Kaniboloto Kurin in March 1917. At the first Congress of the Free Cossacks of Zvenigorod uyezd in April 1917 Hryzlo was elected the Kosh Otaman. In June 1917 he was delegated to 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....
for the 2nd All-Ukrainian Military Congress representing Zvenigorod uyezd.
Hryzlo was one of the organizers the 1st All-Ukrainian Congress of the Free Cossacks that took place on October 3, 1917 in Chyhyryn
Chyhyryn
Chyhyryn is a city located in Cherkasy Oblast of central Ukraine. In 1648 to 1669 the city was the capital of Ukraine .- Location :...
where he was elected as a general osavul of Free Cossacks. About that time he had some 20,000 cossacks loyal to him personally. In February 1918 his troops forced the artillerymen of the 2nd Corps of the Russian Guard to lay down their arms, and later forced the surrender of the 6th and the 7th dragoon
Dragoon
The word dragoon originally meant mounted infantry, who were trained in horse riding as well as infantry fighting skills. However, usage altered over time and during the 18th century, dragoons evolved into conventional light cavalry units and personnel...
regiments of the Russian cavalry. In February 1918 the Hryzlo's Cossacks were successful in defeating several units of the 8th Russian Army near the rail station of Bobrynsk.
At the end of 1918 Hryzlo was in charge of an armored train operating in Volyn. He later came under the command the Northern Front of the Ukrainian People's Army
Ukrainian People's Army
The Ukrainian People's Army , also known as the Ukrainian National Army were often quickly reorganized units of the former Russian Imperial Army or newly formed volunteer detachments that later joined the national armed forces. The army for a long period lacked a certain degree of uniformity,...
led by otaman Volodymyr Oskilko
Volodymyr Oskilko
Volodymyr Panteleimonovych Oskilko was a Ukrainian military activist and administrator. He became famous for the historical Oskilko's Affair .-Biography:...
. During Oskilko's Uprising, Hryzlo supported his commander. After the mutiny he returned home to the Cherkasy
Cherkasy
Cherkasy or Cherkassy , is a city in central Ukraine. It is the capital of the Cherkasy Oblast , as well as the administrative center of the surrounding Cherkasky Raion within the oblast...
land where he wagedguerrilla warfare
Guerrilla warfare
Guerrilla warfare is a form of irregular warfare and refers to conflicts in which a small group of combatants including, but not limited to, armed civilians use military tactics, such as ambushes, sabotage, raids, the element of surprise, and extraordinary mobility to harass a larger and...
against the Bolsheviks' presence, reestablishing the Free Cossacks formations.
Hryzlo was an active participant of the Kholodny Yar Ukrainian partisan
Partisan
-Political matters:*Partisan In politics, partisan literally means organized into political parties. The expression "partisan politics" usually refers to fervent, sometimes militant, support of a party, cause, faction, person, or idea...
movement cooperating with Ivan Gonta (real name Ivan Lyuty-Lyutenko). In the vicinity of Mokra Kalyhirka the united forces of Hryzlo and Gonta defeated the "execution division" of the Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
. By the end of 1920, Hryzlo had allied with the otamans Kvitkovski and Petro Dereshchuk under the leadership of Andri Huly-Hulenko. As members of the Kholodny Yar they managed to defeat the 45th and the 47th Soviet Infantry divisions, selected units of the 1st Cavalry Army, and Grigory Kotovsky's brigades.
Over the time Hryzlo also cooperated with such military leaders as Pylyp Khmara, Larion Zahorodni, and others. On March 3, 1921 near the village of Novoselytsya near Zvenyhorod Hryzlo was ambushed and then surrounded by several squads of the Red Army where he perished. He was buried in the Zvenyhorod cemetery.