Stephan Khalturin
Encyclopedia
Stepan Nikolayevich Khalturin was a Russian
revolutionary
, member of People's Will, and responsible for an attempted assassination of Alexander II of Russia
.
, Russia
. The son of a peasant he became a carpenter, employed in several factories in St. Petersberg.
Khalturin became involved in revolutionary politics, joining The People's Will. In 1880 He found work at the Winter Palace
allowing him to sleep on the premises; this allowed him to bring in packets of dynamite
each day, concealing it in his room, within his bedding.
Under the orders of the Narodnaya Volya, Khalturin constructed a mine on February 17, 1880 in the basement of the building under the dining-room. The mine was set to go off at the time which Narodnaya Volya had calculated the Tsar to be having dinner. Unfortunately for the assassins, Alexander II's guest Prince Alexander of Battenberg
arrived late, delaying dinner so the dining-room was empty. The Tsar was thus able to escape assassination unharmed though 67 people were killed or badly wounded by the explosion.
After the failed assassination, Khalturin escaped to Moscow
and then to Odessa
. On March 18, 1882, he participated in the assassination of a police general named Strelnikov who was sent to Odessa in order to eradicate the revolutionary movement. While Khalturin's accomplice Zhelvakov shot Strelnikov who was seated on a bench into the head, killing him instantly, Khalturin, disguised as a cabman, was going to make Zhelvakov flee, but both were overpowered by the local crowd and arrested. Both men gave to the police fake names, and, following an order by Alexander III, were swiftly court-martialled and hanged without further findings about their identities on March 22, 1882. Thus Khalturin was executed without being known to be the bomber of the Winter Palace.
Russians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
revolutionary
Revolutionary
A revolutionary is a person who either actively participates in, or advocates revolution. Also, when used as an adjective, the term revolutionary refers to something that has a major, sudden impact on society or on some aspect of human endeavor.-Definition:...
, member of People's Will, and responsible for an attempted assassination of Alexander II of Russia
Alexander II of Russia
Alexander II , also known as Alexander the Liberator was the Emperor of the Russian Empire from 3 March 1855 until his assassination in 1881...
.
Early life
Khalturin was born 1857 in VyatkaKirov, Kirov Oblast
Kirov , formerly known as Vyatka and Khlynov, is a city in northeastern European Russia, on the Vyatka River, and the administrative center of Kirov Oblast. Population: -History:...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. The son of a peasant he became a carpenter, employed in several factories in St. Petersberg.
Revolutionary life
Winter Palace
The Winter Palace in Saint Petersburg, Russia, was, from 1732 to 1917, the official residence of the Russian monarchs. Situated between the Palace Embankment and the Palace Square, adjacent to the site of Peter the Great's original Winter Palace, the present and fourth Winter Palace was built and...
allowing him to sleep on the premises; this allowed him to bring in packets of dynamite
Dynamite
Dynamite is an explosive material based on nitroglycerin, initially using diatomaceous earth , or another absorbent substance such as powdered shells, clay, sawdust, or wood pulp. Dynamites using organic materials such as sawdust are less stable and such use has been generally discontinued...
each day, concealing it in his room, within his bedding.
Under the orders of the Narodnaya Volya, Khalturin constructed a mine on February 17, 1880 in the basement of the building under the dining-room. The mine was set to go off at the time which Narodnaya Volya had calculated the Tsar to be having dinner. Unfortunately for the assassins, Alexander II's guest Prince Alexander of Battenberg
Alexander, Prince of Bulgaria
Alexander Joseph, Prince of Bulgaria GCB , known as Alexander of Battenberg, was the first prince of modern Bulgaria, reigning from 29 April 1879 to 7 September 1886.-Early life:...
arrived late, delaying dinner so the dining-room was empty. The Tsar was thus able to escape assassination unharmed though 67 people were killed or badly wounded by the explosion.
After the failed assassination, Khalturin escaped to Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
and then to Odessa
Odessa
Odessa or Odesa is the administrative center of the Odessa Oblast located in southern Ukraine. The city is a major seaport located on the northwest shore of the Black Sea and the fourth largest city in Ukraine with a population of 1,029,000 .The predecessor of Odessa, a small Tatar settlement,...
. On March 18, 1882, he participated in the assassination of a police general named Strelnikov who was sent to Odessa in order to eradicate the revolutionary movement. While Khalturin's accomplice Zhelvakov shot Strelnikov who was seated on a bench into the head, killing him instantly, Khalturin, disguised as a cabman, was going to make Zhelvakov flee, but both were overpowered by the local crowd and arrested. Both men gave to the police fake names, and, following an order by Alexander III, were swiftly court-martialled and hanged without further findings about their identities on March 22, 1882. Thus Khalturin was executed without being known to be the bomber of the Winter Palace.