Vasili Altfater
Encyclopedia
Vasili Mikhailovich Altfater (16 December 1883 – April 20, 1919) was a Russian-Soviet
naval officer, the first Commander-in-chief
of the Soviet Navy
.
Altfrater was born in Warsaw the son of an artillery officer, General Mikhail Altfater who was from a noble Baltic German Family.
Altfater graduated from Marine Cadet Corps
(1902) and Naval Academy's Department of Hydrography
(1908). During the Russo-Japanese War
, Altfater participated in the defense of Port Arthur (Lüshunkou
) and rescue of the crew of the battleship
Petropavlovsk. Later on, Altfater served as the squadron navigating officer
of the 1st destroyer division of the Baltic Fleet
(1909–1910). During the World War I
, Altfater was a spokesperson for the Imperial Russian Navy
, then head of the Military Administration under the Commander-in-chief of the Northern Fleet
. In October 1917, Altfater was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral. After the October Revolution
, he joined the Soviets. In February 1918, Altfater was appointed assistant to the head of the Naval Headquarters. He participated in peace negotiations in Brest-Litovsk. In April, Altfater became a Board member at the People's Commissariat of Naval Affairs. In October, he became a member of the Revolutionary Military Council
(Реввоенсовет, Revvoyensovet) and appointed Commander-in-chief of the Soviet Naval Forces.
Altfater died of a heart attack
in Moscow
on April 20, 1919. On receiving the news about his death, Leon Trotsky
said that "the Red Fleet lost a tireless, competent, energetic and honest worker". He is buried in the Novodevichy Cemetery
, Moscow.
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....
naval officer, the first Commander-in-chief
Commander-in-Chief
A commander-in-chief is the commander of a nation's military forces or significant element of those forces. In the latter case, the force element may be defined as those forces within a particular region or those forces which are associated by function. As a practical term it refers to the military...
of 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...
.
Altfrater was born in Warsaw the son of an artillery officer, General Mikhail Altfater who was from a noble Baltic German Family.
Altfater graduated from Marine 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:...
(1902) and Naval Academy's Department of Hydrography
Hydrography
Hydrography is the measurement of the depths, the tides and currents of a body of water and establishment of the sea, river or lake bed topography and morphology. Normally and historically for the purpose of charting a body of water for the safe navigation of shipping...
(1908). 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...
, Altfater participated in the defense of Port Arthur (Lüshunkou
Lüshunkou
Lüshunkou is a district in the municipality of Dalian, Liaoning province, China. Also called Lüshun City or Lüshun Port, it was formerly known as both Port Arthur and Ryojun....
) and rescue of the crew of 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...
Petropavlovsk. Later on, Altfater served as the squadron navigating officer
Navigator
A navigator is the person on board a ship or aircraft responsible for its navigation. The navigator's primary responsibility is to be aware of ship or aircraft position at all times. Responsibilities include planning the journey, advising the Captain or aircraft Commander of estimated timing to...
of the 1st destroyer division of 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...
(1909–1910). During the 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...
, Altfater was a spokesperson for 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...
, then head of the Military Administration under the Commander-in-chief of the Northern Fleet
Northern Fleet
The Red Banner Northern Fleet is a unit of the Russian Navy that has access to the Barents and Norwegian Seas, the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, and is responsible for the defense of northwestern Russia. It was established in 1937 as part of the Soviet Navy...
. In October 1917, Altfater was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral. After the October Revolution
October Revolution
The October Revolution , also known as the Great October Socialist Revolution , Red October, the October Uprising or the Bolshevik Revolution, was a political revolution and a part of the Russian Revolution of 1917...
, he joined the Soviets. In February 1918, Altfater was appointed assistant to the head of the Naval Headquarters. He participated in peace negotiations in Brest-Litovsk. In April, Altfater became a Board member at the People's Commissariat of Naval Affairs. In October, he became a member of the Revolutionary Military Council
Revolutionary Military Council
Revolutionary Military Council of the Republic or Revvoyensoviet Revolutionary Military Council of the Republic or Revvoyensoviet Revolutionary Military Council of the Republic or Revvoyensoviet (Революционный Военный Совет, Revolyutsionny Voyenny Sovyet; Реввоенсовет, Revvoyensovyet; also...
(Реввоенсовет, Revvoyensovet) and appointed Commander-in-chief of the Soviet Naval Forces.
Altfater died of a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
on April 20, 1919. On receiving the news about his death, Leon Trotsky
Leon Trotsky
Leon Trotsky , born Lev Davidovich Bronshtein, was a Russian Marxist revolutionary and theorist, Soviet politician, and the founder and first leader of the Red Army....
said that "the Red Fleet lost a tireless, competent, energetic and honest worker". He is buried in the Novodevichy Cemetery
Novodevichy Cemetery
Novodevichy Cemetery is the most famous cemetery in Moscow, Russia. It is next to the 16th-century Novodevichy Convent, which is the city's third most popular tourist site. It should not be confused with the Novodevichy Cemetery in Saint Petersburg....
, Moscow.