Nikolai Sollogub
Encyclopedia
Nikolai Sollogub was a Russian
and later Soviet
military officer. A Komandarm 2nd class, he served during the Russian Civil War
and the Polish-Bolshevik War of 1920. Dismissed from service during the Great Purge
, he died in 1937.
He was born May 16, 1883 in Minsk Governorate
of the Russian Empire
, to a russified
branch of an old Polish-Lithuanian
nobility
, the Dowoyno-Sołłohub (his distant relative was a Polish
general Stanisław Sołłohub-Dowoyno). Early in his life he joined the Imperial Russian Army
and graduated from Pavlov's Military School (1903) and the Nicholas' General Staff Academy
(in 1910). He served with distinction during the Great War
as staff officer of the 1st Army, the 11th Army and the Western Front
.
Following the Russian Revolution
he joined the Red Army
in June of 1918. Initially a staff officer of the Northern Front, he later served a variety of roles and eventually in August of 1919 became the commanding officer of the 16th Army
facing Poland
. During the Polish-Bolshevik War he successfully crossed the Berezina with his forces and pursued the Polish Army to the gates of Warsaw. However, he failed to capture the city and his army was defeated in the Battle of Warsaw
and completely disintegrated following the Battle of Białystok. His staff was captured by the Poles, but Sollogub managed to evade capture and reached Russian lines.
Despite his army's defeat he was considered one of the most skilled Russian military commanders of the time and continued his military service after the Peace of Riga
. Briefly arrested in 1922 and accused of conspiracy against Soviet Russia, he was nevertheless acquitted and restored to his former post in the Red Army. Initially a military governor of Crimea
, later he commanded the 5th Corps, the Academy of Air Forces and became the deputy commander of Red Army's Air Forces. In 1925 he became the deputy commander of Frunze Military Academy. Arrested during the Great Purge by the NKVD, he died August 7th, 1937.
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and later Soviet
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....
military officer. A Komandarm 2nd class, he served 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...
and the Polish-Bolshevik War of 1920. Dismissed from service during the 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...
, he died in 1937.
He was born May 16, 1883 in Minsk Governorate
Minsk Governorate
The Minsk Governorate or Government of Minsk was a governorate of the Russian Empire. The seat was in Minsk. It was created in 1793 from the land acquired in the partitions of Poland, and lasted until 1921.- Administrative structure :...
of the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
, to a russified
Russification
Russification is an adoption of the Russian language or some other Russian attributes by non-Russian communities...
branch of an old Polish-Lithuanian
Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth was a dualistic state of Poland and Lithuania ruled by a common monarch. It was the largest and one of the most populous countries of 16th- and 17th‑century Europe with some and a multi-ethnic population of 11 million at its peak in the early 17th century...
nobility
Szlachta
The szlachta was a legally privileged noble class with origins in the Kingdom of Poland. It gained considerable institutional privileges during the 1333-1370 reign of Casimir the Great. In 1413, following a series of tentative personal unions between the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of...
, the Dowoyno-Sołłohub (his distant relative was a Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
general Stanisław Sołłohub-Dowoyno). Early in his life he joined 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...
and graduated from Pavlov's Military School (1903) and the Nicholas' General Staff Academy
General Staff Academy (Imperial Russia)
The General Staff Academy was a Russian military academy, established in 1832 in St.Petersburg. It was first known as the Imperial Military Academy , then in 1855 it was renamed Nicholas General Staff Academy and in 1909 - Imperial Nicholas Military Academy The General Staff Academy was a...
(in 1910). He served with distinction during the Great War
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...
as staff officer of the 1st Army, the 11th Army and the Western Front
Western Front (Russian Empire)
The Western Front was a major unit of the Imperial Russian Army during the First World War. It was formed on the base of the Northwestern Front and disbanded in 1918.-Composition:Field Office * 1st Army...
.
Following the Russian Revolution
Russian Revolution
Russian Revolution can refer to:* Russian Revolution , a series of strikes and uprisings against Nicholas II, resulting in the creation of State Duma.* Russian Revolution...
he joined the Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
in June of 1918. Initially a staff officer of the Northern Front, he later served a variety of roles and eventually in August of 1919 became the commanding officer of the 16th Army
Western Army (Russia)
The Western Army or 16th Army was created on November 15, 1918, by the Russian SFSR for the purpose of recovering territories lost by the Russian Empire during the First World War and establishing Soviet republics in those territories...
facing Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
. During the Polish-Bolshevik War he successfully crossed the Berezina with his forces and pursued the Polish Army to the gates of Warsaw. However, he failed to capture the city and his army was defeated in the Battle of Warsaw
Battle of Warsaw (1920)
The Battle of Warsaw sometimes referred to as the Miracle at the Vistula, was the decisive battle of the Polish–Soviet War. That war began soon after the end of World War I in 1918 and lasted until the Treaty of Riga resulted in the end of the hostilities between Poland and Russia in 1921.The...
and completely disintegrated following the Battle of Białystok. His staff was captured by the Poles, but Sollogub managed to evade capture and reached Russian lines.
Despite his army's defeat he was considered one of the most skilled Russian military commanders of the time and continued his military service after the Peace of Riga
Peace of Riga
The Peace of Riga, also known as the Treaty of Riga; was signed in Riga on 18 March 1921, between Poland, Soviet Russia and Soviet Ukraine. The treaty ended the Polish-Soviet War....
. Briefly arrested in 1922 and accused of conspiracy against Soviet Russia, he was nevertheless acquitted and restored to his former post in the Red Army. Initially a military governor of 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...
, later he commanded the 5th Corps, the Academy of Air Forces and became the deputy commander of Red Army's Air Forces. In 1925 he became the deputy commander of Frunze Military Academy. Arrested during the Great Purge by the NKVD, he died August 7th, 1937.
Reference
Jerzy Odziemkowski, Leksykon wojny polsko-rosyjskiej 1919 - 1920, Warsaw: Oficyna Wydawnicza Rytm, 2004. Соллогуб Николай Владимирович in Great Soviet EncyclopediaGreat Soviet Encyclopedia
The Great Soviet Encyclopedia is one of the largest and most comprehensive encyclopedias in Russian and in the world, issued by the Soviet state from 1926 to 1990, and again since 2002 .-Editions:There were three editions...