Alexander Ulyanov - revolutionary-Narodovoltsi, Lenin's brother. Biography, revolutionary activity

Alexander Ulyanov - Lenin's brother - was almost always in the shadow of his more famous relative. But I wonder how the course of history would have turned if it had not been for the young Volodya's vow to avenge the death of Tsar Sasha. It was then that the future leader of the world proletariat said his most famous phrase: "We will go the other way."

Childhood and youth

Alexander Ilyich Ulyanov was born in Nizhny Novgorod on March 31, 1866. When he was 3 years old, the family moved to Simbirsk. Alexander's father, Ilya Nikolayevich, initially occupied the post of inspector of public schools, and 5 years later he was promoted and took the place of managing director. Mother, Maria Aleksandrovna, was from an intelligent family and knew several foreign languages. It was she who taught her children to read and write. In total, Maria Alexandrovna had eight children, two of them died as early as the infancy.

Sasha learned to read rather early, namely at the age of four. When he was eight, his home schooling was over, and he entered the Simbirsk gymnasium. Beginning with junior classes, according to his fellow students, he enjoyed great popularity in school. This is evidenced by the fact that the gymnasium issue, which was held in 1883, was named "Ulyanov class."

I must say that Alexander Ulyanov was raised in classical Russian literature. He liked to read the works of Pushkin, Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, Nekrasov. In addition, even in the gymnasium, he began to take a great interest in natural science, in particular, zoology. But Sasha's real passion was chemistry. When he was 16 years old, he independently equipped for himself the semblance of a chemical laboratory, where he spent his free time, often staying for the night.

As you can see, the young Alexander Ulyanov was beyond the years of extremely developed, very serious and engrossed in studies by the boy. Proceeding from this, many predicted for him a great future, which is certainly related to science.

Student years

Alexander, graduating from the classical gymnasium and receiving a gold medal, in 1883 easily entered the St. Petersburg University. He becomes a student of the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics. By the way, this university was already at that time not only one of the best universities, but also the largest scientific center in the Russian Empire.

The first two years of study in the capital, Alexander Ulyanov spent his time attending lectures and doing research. He was one of DI Mendeleev's favorite pupils, so he was a regular at the chemical laboratory, where he was often seen sitting at a microscope. At that time, he did not even think about politics.

At the end of the second course, he finally decided on the choice of specialization - most of all he was interested in the zoology of invertebrates. He conducted a course study, for which he was awarded a gold medal, widely opening before him the door to a real scientific activity. Then no one doubted that the talented student Ulyanov would remain at the university and eventually gained the professorship.

Revolutionary activity

It is the scientific success of Alexander in many ways contributed to increasing his popularity among students. Soon he joined the Scientific Literary Society at St. Petersburg University. At the initiative of Prince Golitsyn, Count Heyden and other reactionary students, this organization acquired an opposite impulse. A huge influence on him began to be provided by a group of students with pronounced revolutionary views.

Gradually, Alexander began to participate in all illegal student meetings and demonstrations, as well as to conduct revolutionary propaganda in the workers' circle. At the end of 1886, together with his comrade Shevyrev, he organized the so-called terrorist faction in the party "Narodnaya Volya".

Attempted

On March 1, 1887, the murder of Emperor Alexander III was planned. Its organizer was the same terrorist faction. The original plan was to shoot the king, but later he was strongly rejected. Then the idea arose to throw bombs, and Andrei and Gerasimov expressed their desire to do so.

After numerous attempts on the emperor, the authorities began to pay special attention to those students who regularly participated in illegal demonstrations, and the police often opened their correspondence. One of these letters referred to the ruthless terror that was to be committed in the near future. This message was addressed to a certain Nikitin. The police gradually began to unravel a thread of conspiracy against the emperor. Thus, the attempt of Alexander Ulyanov and his comrades was solved and prevented.

Trial

It is known that from April 15 to 19 court sessions took place, which took place behind closed doors. They were allowed to be present only to ministers, their proxies, senators, members of the State Council and persons belonging to the highest bureaucracy. Even relatives and close defendants were not only not allowed to enter the courtroom, but they were not allowed even to see them.

Several attempts were made to assassinate the Emperor, but only 15 of them were brought to trial. Among them was Alexander Ulyanov, Lenin's brother. Initially, all convicts were required to be executed, but a little later to eight defendants this so severe sentence was replaced by other punishments. Emperor Alexander III signed the verdict only to five defendants, in the list of which, in addition to Shevyrev, Osipanov, Generalov and Andreyushkin, there was also Alexander Ulyanov. The rest were assigned different terms of imprisonment, as well as a reference to Siberia.

Execution of revolutionaries

As you know, Alexander's mother wrote a letter to the Russian emperor, where he asked for permission to visit his son. Historians tend to think that, most likely, the convict had the opportunity to file a petition for clemency, but for some reason this was not done. Therefore, on May 8 (20), the execution of Alexander Ulyanov and his comrades-in-arms took place. They were hanged in the Shlisselburg Fortress.