Vasily Chapayev
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| Vasily Chapayev | |
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| Born | January 9, 1887 Budayka, now part of Cheboksary in Chuvash Republic |
| Died | September 5, 1919 (aged 32) West Kazakhstan Province |
| Ethnicity | Erzya, Chuvash, Russian |
| Known for | Red Army commander during the Russian Civil War |
| Parents | Ivan Stepanovich Chapaev, Yekaterina Semyonovna Chapaeva |
Vasily Ivanovich Chapayev (Russian: Василий Иванович Чапаев; February 9 [O.S. January 28] 1887 – September 5, 1919) was a celebrated Russian soldier and Red Army commander during the Russian Civil War.
Chapayev was born into a poor peasant family in a village called Budayka, now part of Cheboksary. During World War I, he fought as a non-commissioned officer and was awarded the Cross of St. George three times. In September 1917, he joined the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party (Bolsheviks). In December was elected commander of the 138 Infantry Regiment by a vote of the regiment's soldiers. He later commanded the 2nd Nikolaev Division and the 25th Rifle Division.
On September 5, 1919, the divisional headquarters near Lbishchensk (now renamed Chapayev in his honour) were ambushed by White Army forces. According to official sources, Chapayev tried to escape by swimming across the Ural River, but was never again seen alive. His body was never recovered but the town where he died was later renamed Chapaev in honor of his name, and a museum was established in 1927.
After the Soviet Union had been established, Chapayev was immortalized as a hero of the Bolshevik Revolution in a popular book by Dmitri Furmanov and a 1934 movie. In later years he became a recurring character in numerous Russian jokes. More recently Chapayev became one of the central characters in the novel Chapayev and Void by modern Russian writer Viktor Pelevin.
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[edit] Private life
In 1908 Chapaev got acquainted with Pelageya Metelina, who was 16. Regardless of his father's opinion (who didn't approve of their relations) Vasily Ivanovich married her. They lived together for 6 years, had three children. Though there was no official divorce, since 1917 Chapaev lived together with the widow of his deceased fellow-soldier Petr Kishkertsev. Curiously enough, her name was also Pelageya. Chapaev adopted both of her children.
[edit] Chapaev in Russian culture
In 1923 a Russian writer Dmitriy Furmanov, who used to serve as a commissar in Chapaev's division wrote a popular novel entitled Chapaev. Later, namely in 1934, it was filmed by Vasilyev brothers. The movie became highly popular in the Soviet Union, which in the end made the main characters of the movie, Vasiliy Ivanovich (Chapaev), his messenger Pet'ka and machine-gunner Anka, one of the most popular heroes of Russian short jokes, anecdotes.
[edit] See also
- Chapayev, the book by Dmitri Furmanov.
- Chapayev, the 1934 movie.
- Chapayev, a board game named after Chapayev.
- Jokes about Chapayev
- Chapayevsk
- Chapayev class cruiser, a group of cruisers built for the Soviet Navy
- Chapayev and Void
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Vasily Chapayev |
- (Russian) Василий Иванович Чапаев: Biography in Russian.
- (Russian) "ГУЛЯЛ ПО УРАЛУ ЧАПАЕВ-ГЕРОЙ..."
