1918−1923
Civil War
In April 1918, Tyumen became the center of the newly formed Tyumen Governorate, but Bolshevik rule did not last long. In July, the city was occupied by the troops of the Siberian Provisional Government and the White Czechs. Soviet power returned in the summer of 1919.
During the first quarter of the 20th century, Tyumen experienced major political events, including the emergence of the Social Democratic movement, strikes, rallies, demonstrations, the arrest of Bolshevik agitators, the establishment of the Council of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies, elections to the Constituent Assembly and the dissolution of the City Duma.
Following the fall of the Romanov monarchy, public "executive committees" were actively established throughout Tobolsk Governorate, including the Provisional Executive Committee in Tyumen.
Under a decision of the Provisional Government, local authorities were administered by provincial and district commissioners. As a commissioner of the Provisional Government, Pignatti firmly advocated the democratic reorganisation of all aspects of life in the region. It was on his initiative that the Tyumen city authorities decided to rename the city’s main street, Tsarskaya Street. It has been known as Respubliki Street (Republic Street) ever since.
The Bolsheviks were represented by only a small number of members and gathered around I. I. Samoilov in Tyumen. In April, the local Socialist Revolutionary Party organisation had 120 members, while the city’s Constitutional Democratic Party (Cadet) organisation had at least 80.
Under a decision of the Provisional Government, local authorities were administered by provincial and district commissioners. As a commissioner of the Provisional Government, Pignatti firmly advocated the democratic reorganisation of all aspects of life in the region. It was on his initiative that the Tyumen city authorities decided to rename the city’s main street, Tsarskaya Street. It has been known as Respubliki Street (Republic Street) ever since.
The Bolsheviks were represented by only a small number of members and gathered around I. I. Samoilov in Tyumen. In April, the local Socialist Revolutionary Party organisation had 120 members, while the city’s Constitutional Democratic Party (Cadet) organisation had at least 80.
The food situation in the cities, particularly in Tyumen and Kurgan, deteriorated considerably. This provoked discontent among the poorest sections of the population and among soldiers. On 11−12 April, several dozen soldiers from the local garrison, together with a group of townspeople, conducted an illegal search of the food warehouses belonging to the merchant Kolmakov. Fearing further disturbances, the city authorities adopted a policy of non-intervention. Moreover, to prevent the merchant from being subjected to reprisals, they placed him under guard in the military guardhouse.
On 1 August 1917, the royal family was secretly sent to Siberia by a special train, accompanied by representatives of the Provisional Government and a special security detail consisting of 300 selected soldiers from the Guards rifle regiments and several officers.
On the evening of 4 August, the royal family arrived in Tyumen and was taken to the river landing, where officers of the garrison welcomed them. The "exiles" then departed for Tobolsk aboard the steamship Rus.
In September 1917, railway workers went on strike, demanding economic improvements. In the second half of October, printing workers in Tyumen staged a two-week strike organised under the leadership of their trade union.
The balance of political forces in the country was reflected in its first nationwide elections to the Constituent Assembly, held on 12 November 1917. Ten representatives were to be elected from Tobolsk Governorate. The Socialist Revolutionaries won a decisive victory in Siberia, receiving 75% of the votes cast there, while the Bolsheviks received only 10%.
One important political outcome of the elections was the defeat of the Social Democrats. This prompted local Bolsheviks to leave the united party organisations. On 6 December 1917, a Bolshevik group consisting of 67 members was established in Tyumen. Meanwhile, the Bolsheviks had already seized power in the neighbouring major industrial centres of Yekaterinburg and Omsk. Five armed detachments, numbering up to 500 men in total, set out from these cities for Tyumen. On 22 February, they occupied the railway station, telegraph office, post office and bank branches, and dissolved the City Duma and the city police force. On 28 February, martial law was introduced in the city. Arrests and executions without trial or investigation began. The local bourgeoisie was ordered to pay a "contribution" of two million rubles.
The balance of political forces in the country was reflected in its first nationwide elections to the Constituent Assembly, held on 12 November 1917. Ten representatives were to be elected from Tobolsk Governorate. The Socialist Revolutionaries won a decisive victory in Siberia, receiving 75% of the votes cast there, while the Bolsheviks received only 10%.
One important political outcome of the elections was the defeat of the Social Democrats. This prompted local Bolsheviks to leave the united party organisations. On 6 December 1917, a Bolshevik group consisting of 67 members was established in Tyumen. Meanwhile, the Bolsheviks had already seized power in the neighbouring major industrial centres of Yekaterinburg and Omsk. Five armed detachments, numbering up to 500 men in total, set out from these cities for Tyumen. On 22 February, they occupied the railway station, telegraph office, post office and bank branches, and dissolved the City Duma and the city police force. On 28 February, martial law was introduced in the city. Arrests and executions without trial or investigation began. The local bourgeoisie was ordered to pay a "contribution" of two million rubles.
On 3 April 1918, representatives of several soviets in the governorate held a meeting in Tyumen. Declaring itself a provincial conference, the meeting decided to transfer the provincial administrative centre from Tobolsk to Tyumen and established the Provincial Executive Committee of the Soviets. N. M. Nemtsov, one of the leaders of the Tyumen Bolsheviks, became its chairman.
At the same time, the nationalisation of industrial enterprises, shops and banks began. This dealt a final blow to industry, trade and finance. In May 1918 alone, kerosene prices in Tyumen rose by 50%, meat prices by 33%, soap prices by 20% and salt prices by 14%, among other increases. In a telegram to G. I. Petrovsky, the People’s Commissar for Internal Affairs, the chairman of the Provincial Executive Committee, N. M. Nemtsov, stated: "Two months after taking power, we are approaching bankruptcy."
At the same time, the nationalisation of industrial enterprises, shops and banks began. This dealt a final blow to industry, trade and finance. In May 1918 alone, kerosene prices in Tyumen rose by 50%, meat prices by 33%, soap prices by 20% and salt prices by 14%, among other increases. In a telegram to G. I. Petrovsky, the People’s Commissar for Internal Affairs, the chairman of the Provincial Executive Committee, N. M. Nemtsov, stated: "Two months after taking power, we are approaching bankruptcy."
Military confrontation became a reality in the country following the uprising of the Czechoslovak Legion, which broke out on 25 May 1918. Initially, the authorities in Tyumen did not attach much importance to the uprising, hoping it would be suppressed quickly. Only after the territories bordering the governorate fell into Czechoslovak hands did the authorities establish the Extraordinary Operational Headquarters of Western Siberia, appointing G. A. Usievich as its chairman. A. I. Okulov was entrusted with the defence of Tyumen. However, the Czechoslovak advance could not be stopped.
In the territories controlled by the Provisional Siberian Government, all political parties were permitted to operate legally, with the exception of the Bolshevik Party and organisations supporting it.
The Provisional Siberian Government began reversing nationalisation and returning property to its former owners. By August 1918, privately owned enterprises once again included the leather factory belonging to D. M. Reshetnikov, V. Loginov’s match factory, I. S. Golov’s boiler workshop, the N. D. Masharov factory and other businesses that had come under the control of the soviets in early 1918.
The Provisional Siberian Government managed to halt inflation. For five months, from July to November 1918, prices for meat, dairy products and potatoes remained unchanged.
The Provisional Siberian Government managed to halt inflation. For five months, from July to November 1918, prices for meat, dairy products and potatoes remained unchanged.
In the summer of 1919, the Red Army launched an offensive on the Eastern Front. On 14 July, it captured Yekaterinburg and advanced rapidly towards Tyumen. Kolchak’s troops abandoned the city in confusion. Prisoners were subjected to swift reprisals.
On 8 August, the Red Army entered Tyumen. Many townspeople who had lived through Kolchak’s military regime hoped that a just order would now be established. Several new military units were formed, mainly from volunteers, including the 51st Division under the command of V. K. Blücher.
In Tyumen Governorate, where the situation was considered relatively favourable, the population declined by almost 20% as a result of hunger, disease and continuous military mobilisation. Many people left their homes forever and retreated with the White forces, seeking to escape the "Red Terror" and the "proletarian dictatorship" far from their homeland. Approximately 10,000 people fled Tyumen with Kolchak’s retreating army — almost half of the city’s working-age population.
By 1919, Tyumen had approximately 30 schools, four higher primary schools (two for boys and two for girls), a vocational school and several parish schools.
The economic situation was exceptionally difficult. The few large industrial enterprises either closed down or operated below capacity. For example, the Mechanic iron foundry, formerly owned by Masharov and the largest metalworking enterprise in the governorate, produced only 9.2% of its pre-war output in 1920. Woodworking and leather factories were idle because of a lack of raw materials. Equipment at a number of enterprises had been looted or had fallen into disrepair. Agriculture was also in crisis.
In the autumn of 1920, a new wave of nationalisation began, this time targeting small-scale industry. Pressure on private trade intensified. Food requisitioning detachments, supported by security service units and the Red Army, confiscated the last remaining stocks of agricultural produce in the countryside.
The economic situation was exceptionally difficult. The few large industrial enterprises either closed down or operated below capacity. For example, the Mechanic iron foundry, formerly owned by Masharov and the largest metalworking enterprise in the governorate, produced only 9.2% of its pre-war output in 1920. Woodworking and leather factories were idle because of a lack of raw materials. Equipment at a number of enterprises had been looted or had fallen into disrepair. Agriculture was also in crisis.
In the autumn of 1920, a new wave of nationalisation began, this time targeting small-scale industry. Pressure on private trade intensified. Food requisitioning detachments, supported by security service units and the Red Army, confiscated the last remaining stocks of agricultural produce in the countryside.
In December 1920, the Third Tyumen Provincial Party Conference took place. M. I. Kalinin delivered a report entitled "On the External and Internal Situation of the Republic".
In 1921−1922, industrial production continued to decline because of shortages of raw materials. Labour productivity fell in factories and plants. Workers' wages amounted to no more than 25% of the subsistence minimum and were often not paid at all. Strikes became increasingly frequent. In March 1921, workers in two workshops at the Masharov factory went on strike. The security services arrested three organisers, temporarily suppressing the workers' discontent, but it soon erupted again.
Tyumen experienced a devastating famine between 1921 and 1923. According to official figures, 5,000 people in the city were suffering from hunger.
In 1921−1922, industrial production continued to decline because of shortages of raw materials. Labour productivity fell in factories and plants. Workers' wages amounted to no more than 25% of the subsistence minimum and were often not paid at all. Strikes became increasingly frequent. In March 1921, workers in two workshops at the Masharov factory went on strike. The security services arrested three organisers, temporarily suppressing the workers' discontent, but it soon erupted again.
Tyumen experienced a devastating famine between 1921 and 1923. According to official figures, 5,000 people in the city were suffering from hunger.
The introduction of the New Economic Policy (NEP) in industry was accompanied by a reduction in nationalisation. It was decided that even enterprises already transferred to state ownership could be leased to private entrepreneurs or cooperatives. Lease agreements were to last at least one year but no more than six years. By 1 June 1923, almost 3,800 unemployed people had been registered in the governorate. Tyumen had a particularly large number of them.
The revival of economic life in Tyumen Governorate began only in 1923, when the economic system of the preceding years was finally replaced by one based on entirely opposite principles. By this time, the structural reorganisation of industry had largely been completed, wages were once again being paid in money, and the system of equalised wages had been abolished.
The revival of economic life in Tyumen Governorate began only in 1923, when the economic system of the preceding years was finally replaced by one based on entirely opposite principles. By this time, the structural reorganisation of industry had largely been completed, wages were once again being paid in money, and the system of equalised wages had been abolished.