Constantine Kromiadi
Encyclopedia
Constantine Gregorievich Kromiadi (Константин Григориевич Кромияди) was a Greek
born military officer and anti-communist who served in the Imperial Russian Army
, the White Army
, and the Russian Liberation Army
.
Kromiadi was born to Greek parents on the Greek island of Corfu
. He entered service in the Russian Imperial Army as a volunteer and fought during World War I
in Persia and also in the Caucasus. During the Russian Civil War
Kromiadi joined the White movement
, achieving the rank of colonel
. After the war he emigrated to Europe.
During World War II
, Kromiadi was a supporter of the Russian Liberation Movement
. In 1942, he headed the Russian National People's Army, an armed unit of Russians, under the pseudonym
of Sanin, together with engineer S. Ivanov. He was relieved by the Germans along with other Russian emigres, at which point he tried unsuccessfully to take command of another Russian unit, the Druzhina Brigade.
Kromiadi became close with captured Soviet general Andrey Vlasov
, thus becoming Vlasov's first White emigre
ally. In 1943, Vlasov gave Kromiadi command of his headquarters. Kromiadi made several attempts to attract White emigres to General Vlasov, and was finally successful by the time of the Prague Manifesto
, having secured the support of two branches of the Russian Orthodox Church
.
After the war's end, Kromiadi continued being active against communism, living in West Germany
and working for Radio Free Europe
. In 1980, he wrote a book on his experience in the Russian Liberation Movement called "For Land, for freedom..." which was published in San Francisco. He died in 1991.
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
born military officer and anti-communist who served in the Imperial Russian Army
Imperial Russian Army
The Imperial Russian Army was the land armed force of the Russian Empire, active from around 1721 to the Russian Revolution of 1917. In the early 1850s, the Russian army consisted of around 938,731 regular soldiers and 245,850 irregulars . Until the time of military reform of Dmitry Milyutin in...
, the White Army
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...
, and the Russian Liberation Army
Russian Liberation Army
Russian Liberation Army was a group of predominantly Russian forces subordinated to the Nazi German high command during World War II....
.
Kromiadi was born to Greek parents on the Greek island of Corfu
Corfu
Corfu is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea. It is the second largest of the Ionian Islands, and, including its small satellite islands, forms the edge of the northwestern frontier of Greece. The island is part of the Corfu regional unit, and is administered as a single municipality. The...
. He entered service in the Russian Imperial Army as a volunteer and fought during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
in Persia and also in the Caucasus. 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...
Kromiadi joined the 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...
, achieving the rank of colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
. After the war he emigrated to Europe.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Kromiadi was a supporter of the Russian Liberation Movement
Russian Liberation Movement
Russian Liberation Movement is a term used to describe Russians during World War II who tried to create an anti-communist armed force which would topple the regime of Joseph Stalin...
. In 1942, he headed the Russian National People's Army, an armed unit of Russians, under the pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
of Sanin, together with engineer S. Ivanov. He was relieved by the Germans along with other Russian emigres, at which point he tried unsuccessfully to take command of another Russian unit, the Druzhina Brigade.
Kromiadi became close with captured Soviet general Andrey Vlasov
Andrey Vlasov
Andrey Andreyevich Vlasov or Wlassow was a Russian Red Army general who collaborated with Nazi Germany during World War II.-Early career:...
, thus becoming Vlasov's first 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....
ally. In 1943, Vlasov gave Kromiadi command of his headquarters. Kromiadi made several attempts to attract White emigres to General Vlasov, and was finally successful by the time of the Prague Manifesto
Prague Manifesto
The Prague Manifesto is a document that was created by several members of the Committee for the Liberation of the Peoples of Russia, an anti-communist coalition of former Soviet military and citizens who aimed to overthrow Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin and establish a non-communist government in...
, having secured the support of two branches of the Russian Orthodox Church
Russian Orthodox Church
The Russian Orthodox Church or, alternatively, the Moscow Patriarchate The ROC is often said to be the largest of the Eastern Orthodox churches in the world; including all the autocephalous churches under its umbrella, its adherents number over 150 million worldwide—about half of the 300 million...
.
After the war's end, Kromiadi continued being active against communism, living in West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
and working for Radio Free Europe
Radio Free Europe
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty is a broadcaster funded by the U.S. Congress that provides news, information, and analysis to countries in Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and the Middle East "where the free flow of information is either banned by government authorities or not fully developed"...
. In 1980, he wrote a book on his experience in the Russian Liberation Movement called "For Land, for freedom..." which was published in San Francisco. He died in 1991.