Vladimir Sergeyevich Timiryov
Encyclopedia
Vladimir Timirev was a Russian avant garde painter and a victim of Joseph Stalin
's Great Purge
.
. His maternal grandfather was the composer orchestra conductor Vasily Ilyich Safonov
. In 1918, when he was only four years old, his parents separated. His mother commenced a common law marriage with Rear Admiral
Alexander Kolchak, who became Vladimir's "stepfather." Vladimir's father Sergey subsequently moved to China
as a White emigre
.
During the Russian Civil War
, Alexander Kolchak led one of the largest factions of the anti-communist White Movement
based at Omsk
. In February 1920, Vladimir's stepfather was betrayed by his allies and handed over to the Bolsheviks in Irkutsk
. He was given a cursory trial and shot, with his body being cast into the frozen Angara River
. For decades after his death, however, their association with Kolchak would have dire consequences for Vladimir and his mother.
Vladimir graduated from the Vocational School of Construction. Upon completion his first year in 1930, he worked on the construction site of the Bobrikov Chemical Industrial Complex. After graduation, he worked as an artist and book illustrator. Jack London
’s book “Northern Tales” was published with Timirev’s illustrations. He published his drawings in newspapers for the reviews of stage plays.
Vladimir Timirev participated in a science and research expedition to the Caspian Sea
in 1935. During the expedition, he produced many sketches, drawings and water colours on the subject of the Caspian Sea. He also created a series of works about Vyshniy Volochok.
in 1938 and shortly afterwards executed by shooting. Apparently, the reason was an anonymous denunciation made by family friends. The denunciation referred to the fact that Vladimir was the "stepson" of Admiral Kolchak, who was demonized in the Soviet propaganda of the time.
Joseph Stalin
Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin was the Premier of the Soviet Union from 6 May 1941 to 5 March 1953. He was among the Bolshevik revolutionaries who brought about the October Revolution and had held the position of first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Central Committee...
's Great Purge
Great Purge
The Great Purge was a series of campaigns of political repression and persecution in the Soviet Union orchestrated by Joseph Stalin from 1936 to 1938...
.
Life
Vladimir was born in 1914 as the son of Admiral Sergey Nikolayevich Timiryov of the Russian Imperial Navy. Vladimir's mother was the poetess, Anna TimiryovaAnna Timiryova
Anna Vasilyevna Timiryova was a Russian poetess. Born Anna Safonova, she was the daughter of composer Vasily Ilyich Safonov. At age 19 she married admiral Sergey Nikolayevich Timiryov, whom she divorced in 1918 to join her lover, Admiral Alexander Kolchak. After Kolchak's assassination, she was...
. His maternal grandfather was the composer orchestra conductor Vasily Ilyich Safonov
Vasily Ilyich Safonov
Vasily Ilyich Safonov was a Russian pianist, teacher, conductor and composer.Safonov, or Safonoff as he was known in the West during his lifetime, was born at Itschory, Russian Caucasus, the son of a Russian officer of Cossacks. He was educated at the Imperial Alexandra Lyceum, Saint Petersburg,...
. In 1918, when he was only four years old, his parents separated. His mother commenced a common law marriage with Rear Admiral
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
Alexander Kolchak, who became Vladimir's "stepfather." Vladimir's father Sergey subsequently moved to China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
as a White emigre
White Emigre
A white émigré was a Russian who emigrated from Russia in the wake of the Russian Revolution and Russian Civil War, and who was in opposition to the contemporary Russian political climate....
.
During the Russian Civil War
Russian Civil War
The Russian Civil War was a multi-party war that occurred within the former Russian Empire after the Russian provisional government collapsed to the Soviets, under the domination of the Bolshevik party. Soviet forces first assumed power in Petrograd The Russian Civil War (1917–1923) was a...
, Alexander Kolchak led one of the largest factions of the anti-communist 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...
based at Omsk
Omsk
-History:The wooden fort of Omsk was erected in 1716 to protect the expanding Russian frontier along the Ishim and the Irtysh rivers against the Kyrgyz nomads of the Steppes...
. In February 1920, Vladimir's stepfather was betrayed by his allies and handed over to the Bolsheviks in Irkutsk
Irkutsk
Irkutsk is a city and the administrative center of Irkutsk Oblast, Russia, one of the largest cities in Siberia. Population: .-History:In 1652, Ivan Pokhabov built a zimovye near the site of Irkutsk for gold trading and for the collection of fur taxes from the Buryats. In 1661, Yakov Pokhabov...
. He was given a cursory trial and shot, with his body being cast into the frozen Angara River
Angara River
The Angara River is a long river in Irkutsk Oblast and Krasnoyarsk Krai, south-east Siberia, Russia. It is the only river flowing out of Lake Baikal, and is the headwater tributary of the Yenisei River....
. For decades after his death, however, their association with Kolchak would have dire consequences for Vladimir and his mother.
Vladimir graduated from the Vocational School of Construction. Upon completion his first year in 1930, he worked on the construction site of the Bobrikov Chemical Industrial Complex. After graduation, he worked as an artist and book illustrator. Jack London
Jack London
John Griffith "Jack" London was an American author, journalist, and social activist. He was a pioneer in the then-burgeoning world of commercial magazine fiction and was one of the first fiction writers to obtain worldwide celebrity and a large fortune from his fiction alone...
’s book “Northern Tales” was published with Timirev’s illustrations. He published his drawings in newspapers for the reviews of stage plays.
Vladimir Timirev participated in a science and research expedition to the Caspian Sea
Caspian Sea
The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on Earth by area, variously classed as the world's largest lake or a full-fledged sea. The sea has a surface area of and a volume of...
in 1935. During the expedition, he produced many sketches, drawings and water colours on the subject of the Caspian Sea. He also created a series of works about Vyshniy Volochok.
Arrest and execution
Vladimir was arrested by the NKVDNKVD
The People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs was the public and secret police organization of the Soviet Union that directly executed the rule of power of the Soviets, including political repression, during the era of Joseph Stalin....
in 1938 and shortly afterwards executed by shooting. Apparently, the reason was an anonymous denunciation made by family friends. The denunciation referred to the fact that Vladimir was the "stepson" of Admiral Kolchak, who was demonized in the Soviet propaganda of the time.