Mikhail Berens
Encyclopedia
Mikhail Andreyevich Berens (January 16, 1879 – January 20, 1943) was a officer in the Imperial Russian Navy
and the White Navy
during the Russian Civil War
.
, Georgia
, and graduated from the Naval Cadet Corps
in 1898. He commanded the gunboat
Gilyak in the Imperial Russian Navy
where he distinguished himself during the suppression of Taku Forts
during the Boxer Rebellion
. He was promoted to captain in 1904 and stationed with the Russian Pacific Fleet at Port Arthur
During the Russo-Japanese War
, as a junior officer he served as navigator on the battleship
Sevastopol
, and was captain of the destroyer
Boyki during the Battle of the Yellow Sea
. After the Russian defeat, Berens escaped with his ship to Tsingtao and was interned for the remainder of the war. In 1906 he joined the Baltic Fleet
and was executive officer
of the cruiser
Diana
and subsequently commanded the destroyer Novik during World War I
. On August 18, 1915 he engaged two German destroyers in the Gulf of Riga
, sinking one and inflicting heavy damage on the other. For this action, he was awarded the Order of St. George
from Russia and the Legion of Honour from France.
In 1916 he was promoted to captain of the battleship Petropavlovsk and became chief of staff of the Russian Baltic Fleet in 1917. Following the Russian Revolution, the Russian Provisional Government
dismissed him in 1918 without pension.
He escaped from in March 1919 Petrograd via Finland
and joined Admiral Kolchak, who gave him the rank of rear admiral and assigned him command the White Movement
naval forces at Vladivostok
. On January 31, 1920, he took his remaining vessels and numerous refugees to Tsuruga
in Japan
. In August 1920 he arrived at Sevastopol
in the Crimea
and joined General Wrangel's
Armed Forces of South Russia
. He was assigned command of the fortres of Kerch
in September 1920, patrolling the Sea of Azov
and the Black Sea
. With the collapse of the White Movement, he evacuated his forces with Wrangel's fleet
to Bizerte
in Tunisia
. He commanded the Russian fleet in exile from January 1921 until its disarmament after the recognition by France of the Soviet Union
on October 29, 1924.
Remaining in Tunis, he worked in the agricultural sector, participated actively in the affairs of the local Department of Navy Union. He died in Tunis in 1943 and was buried at the cemetery in Megrin. His ashes were transferred to the Borzhel cemetery in Tunisia on April 30, 2001.
Mikhail's brother Yevgeniy Berens
joined the Bolshevik
cause during the Russian Civil War and became commander in the Soviet Navy
.
Imperial Russian Navy
The Imperial Russian Navy refers to the Tsarist fleets prior to the February Revolution.-First Romanovs:Under Tsar Mikhail Feodorovich, construction of the first three-masted ship, actually built within Russia, was completed in 1636. It was built in Balakhna by Danish shipbuilders from Holstein...
and the White Navy
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...
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...
.
Biography
Mikhail Berens was born in KutaisiKutaisi
Kutaisi is Georgia's second largest city and the capital of the western region of Imereti. It is 221 km to the west of Tbilisi.-Geography:...
, Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
, and graduated from the Naval Cadet Corps
Sea Cadet Corps (Russia)
The Sea Cadet Corps , occasionally translated as the Marine Cadet Corps or the Naval Cadet Corps, is an educational establishment for training Naval officers for the Russian Navy in Saint Petersburg.It is the oldest existing high school in Russia.-History:...
in 1898. He commanded the gunboat
Gunboat
A gunboat is a naval watercraft designed for the express purpose of carrying one or more guns to bombard coastal targets, as opposed to those military craft designed for naval warfare, or for ferrying troops or supplies.-History:...
Gilyak in the Imperial Russian Navy
Imperial Russian Navy
The Imperial Russian Navy refers to the Tsarist fleets prior to the February Revolution.-First Romanovs:Under Tsar Mikhail Feodorovich, construction of the first three-masted ship, actually built within Russia, was completed in 1636. It was built in Balakhna by Danish shipbuilders from Holstein...
where he distinguished himself during the suppression of Taku Forts
Taku Forts
The Dagu Forts , also called the Peiho Forts are forts located by the Hai River estuary, in Tanggu District, Tianjin municipality, in northeastern China. They are located 60 km southeast of the Tianjin urban center.-History:The first fort was built during the reign of the Ming Jiajing...
during the Boxer Rebellion
Boxer Rebellion
The Boxer Rebellion, also called the Boxer Uprising by some historians or the Righteous Harmony Society Movement in northern China, was a proto-nationalist movement by the "Righteous Harmony Society" , or "Righteous Fists of Harmony" or "Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists" , in China between...
. He was promoted to captain in 1904 and stationed with the Russian Pacific Fleet at Port Arthur
During the Russo-Japanese War
Russo-Japanese War
The Russo-Japanese War was "the first great war of the 20th century." It grew out of rival imperial ambitions of the Russian Empire and Japanese Empire over Manchuria and Korea...
, as a junior officer he served as navigator on the battleship
Battleship
A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...
Sevastopol
Russian battleship Sevastopol (1895)
Sevastopol was the last of three ships in the Petropavlovsk class of pre-dreadnought battleships built for the Imperial Russian Navy in the 1890s...
, and was captain of the destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
Boyki during the Battle of the Yellow Sea
Battle of the Yellow Sea
The Battle of the Yellow Sea was a major naval engagement of the Russo-Japanese War, fought on 10 August 1904. In the Russian Navy, it was referred to as the Battle of 10 August. The battle foiled an attempt by the Russian fleet at Port Arthur to break out and form up with counterparts from...
. After the Russian defeat, Berens escaped with his ship to Tsingtao and was interned for the remainder of the war. In 1906 he joined the Baltic Fleet
Baltic Fleet
The Twice Red Banner Baltic Fleet - is the Russian Navy's presence in the Baltic Sea. In previous historical periods, it has been part of the navy of Imperial Russia and later the Soviet Union. The Fleet gained the 'Twice Red Banner' appellation during the Soviet period, indicating two awards of...
and was executive officer
Executive officer
An executive officer is generally a person responsible for running an organization, although the exact nature of the role varies depending on the organization.-Administrative law:...
of the cruiser
Cruiser
A cruiser is a type of warship. The term has been in use for several hundreds of years, and has had different meanings throughout this period...
Diana
Russian cruiser Diana (1899)
The Diana was the second of three Pallada-class protected cruisers built for the Imperial Russian Navy. The cruiser served as part of the First Pacific Squadron at Port Arthur during the Russo-Japanese War and took part in the Battle of the Yellow Sea on August 10, 1904. Later, she served as part...
and subsequently commanded the destroyer Novik 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...
. On August 18, 1915 he engaged two German destroyers in the Gulf of Riga
Gulf of Riga
The Gulf of Riga, or Bay of Riga, is a bay of the Baltic Sea between Latvia and Estonia. According to C.Michael Hogan, a saline stratification layer is found at a depth of approximately seventy metres....
, sinking one and inflicting heavy damage on the other. For this action, he was awarded the Order of St. George
Order of St. George
The Military Order of the Holy Great-Martyr and the Triumphant George The Military Order of the Holy Great-Martyr and the Triumphant George The Military Order of the Holy Great-Martyr and the Triumphant George (also known as Order of St. George the Triumphant, Russian: Военный орден Св...
from Russia and the Legion of Honour from France.
In 1916 he was promoted to captain of the battleship Petropavlovsk and became chief of staff of the Russian Baltic Fleet in 1917. Following the Russian Revolution, the Russian Provisional Government
Russian Provisional Government
The Russian Provisional Government was the short-lived administrative body which sought to govern Russia immediately following the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II . On September 14, the State Duma of the Russian Empire was officially dissolved by the newly created Directorate, and the country was...
dismissed him in 1918 without pension.
He escaped from in March 1919 Petrograd via Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
and joined Admiral Kolchak, who gave him the rank of rear admiral and assigned him command 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...
naval forces at Vladivostok
Vladivostok
The city is located in the southern extremity of Muravyov-Amursky Peninsula, which is about 30 km long and approximately 12 km wide.The highest point is Mount Kholodilnik, the height of which is 257 m...
. On January 31, 1920, he took his remaining vessels and numerous refugees to Tsuruga
Tsuruga, Fukui
is a city located in southern Fukui Prefecture, Japan.-Outline:One of city of Wakasa Area, present southern Fukui Prececture. Municipalized on April 1, 1937....
in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. In August 1920 he arrived at Sevastopol
Sevastopol
Sevastopol is a city on rights of administrative division of Ukraine, located on the Black Sea coast of the Crimea peninsula. It has a population of 342,451 . Sevastopol is the second largest port in Ukraine, after the Port of Odessa....
in the Crimea
Crimea
Crimea , or the Autonomous Republic of Crimea , is a sub-national unit, an autonomous republic, of Ukraine. It is located on the northern coast of the Black Sea, occupying a peninsula of the same name...
and joined General Wrangel's
Pyotr Nikolayevich Wrangel
Baron Pyotr Nikolayevich Wrangel or Vrangel was an officer in the Imperial Russian army and later commanding general of the anti-Bolshevik White Army in Southern Russia in the later stages of the Russian Civil War.-Life:Wrangel was born in Mukuliai, Kovno Governorate in the Russian Empire...
Armed Forces of South Russia
Armed Forces of South Russia
The Armed Forces of South Russia was formed on the 8th of January 1919, it incorporated many of the smaller formations of the White army in that area under them, including the Volunteer Army ....
. He was assigned command of the fortres of Kerch
Kerch
Kerch is a city on the Kerch Peninsula of eastern Crimea, an important industrial, transport and tourist centre of Ukraine. Kerch, founded 2600 years ago, is considered as one of the most ancient cities in Ukraine.-Ancient times:...
in September 1920, patrolling the Sea of Azov
Sea of Azov
The Sea of Azov , known in Classical Antiquity as Lake Maeotis, is a sea on the south of Eastern Europe. It is linked by the narrow Strait of Kerch to the Black Sea to the south and is bounded on the north by Ukraine mainland, on the east by Russia, and on the west by the Ukraine's Crimean...
and the Black Sea
Black Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
. With the collapse of the White Movement, he evacuated his forces with Wrangel's fleet
Wrangel's fleet
Wrangel's Fleet, the last remnant of the Black Sea Fleet of the Imperial Russian Navy, existed from 1920 until 1924. This squadron was a "White" unit during the Russian Civil War...
to Bizerte
Bizerte
Bizerte or Benzert , is the capital city of Bizerte Governorate in Tunisia and the northernmost city in Africa. It has a population of 230,879 .-History:...
in Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
. He commanded the Russian fleet in exile from January 1921 until its disarmament after the recognition by France of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
on October 29, 1924.
Remaining in Tunis, he worked in the agricultural sector, participated actively in the affairs of the local Department of Navy Union. He died in Tunis in 1943 and was buried at the cemetery in Megrin. His ashes were transferred to the Borzhel cemetery in Tunisia on April 30, 2001.
Mikhail's brother Yevgeniy Berens
Yevgeniy Berens
Yevgeny Andreyevich Berens was a Russian military leader, Commander-in-Chief of the Soviet Naval Forces from April 1919 to February 1920.Berens graduated from the Naval Cadet Corps in 1895. He was navigating officer of the Russian cruiser Varyag and fought in the Battle of Chemulpo Bay when his...
joined the Bolshevik
Bolshevik
The Bolsheviks, originally also Bolshevists , derived from bol'shinstvo, "majority") were a faction of the Marxist Russian Social Democratic Labour Party which split apart from the Menshevik faction at the Second Party Congress in 1903....
cause during the Russian Civil War and became commander in the Soviet Navy
Soviet Navy
The Soviet Navy was the naval arm of the Soviet Armed Forces. Often referred to as the Red Fleet, the Soviet Navy would have played an instrumental role in a Warsaw Pact war with NATO, where it would have attempted to prevent naval convoys from bringing reinforcements across the Atlantic Ocean...
.
Awards
- Order of St. Stanislav, Grade 3, with swords and bow
- Order of St. GeorgeOrder of St. GeorgeThe Military Order of the Holy Great-Martyr and the Triumphant George The Military Order of the Holy Great-Martyr and the Triumphant George The Military Order of the Holy Great-Martyr and the Triumphant George (also known as Order of St. George the Triumphant, Russian: Военный орден Св...
, Grade 4 - Order of St. AnneOrder of St. AnnaThe Order of St. Anna ) is a Holstein and then Russian Imperial order of chivalry established by Karl Friedrich, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp on 14 February 1735, in honour of his wife Anna Petrovna, daughter of Peter the Great of Russia...
, Grade 2 - Gold Sword for BraveryGold Sword for BraveryThe Gold Sword for Bravery was a Russian Empire award for bravery. It was set up with two grades on 27 July 1720 by Peter the Great, reclassified as a public order in 1807 and abolished in 1917. From 1913 to 1917 it was renamed the St George Sword and considered as one of the grades of the Order...
- Legion of Honour (France)