Vasily Chapayev

Vasily Chapayev
Born	January 9, 1887(1887-01-09) Budayka, now part of Cheboksary in Chuvash Republic
Died	September 5, 1919(1919-09-05) (aged 32) West Kazakhstan Province
Ethnicity	Erzya, Chuvash, Russian
Known for	Red Army commander during the Russian Civil War
Parents	Ivan Stepanovich Chapaev, Yekaterina Semyonovna Chapaeva

Сhapayev's birthplace (today the house-museum "Chapayevs' Log House")

Vasily Ivanovich Chapayev or Chapaev (Russian: Василий Иванович Чапаев; February 9 [O.S. January 28] 1887 – September 5, 1919) was a celebrated Russian soldier and Red Army commander during the Russian Civil War.

Biography

Chapayev was born into a poor peasant family in a village called Budayka, now part of Cheboksary. During World War I, he fought as a non-commissioned officer and was awarded the Cross of St. George three times. In September 1917, he joined the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party (Bolsheviks). In December was elected commander of the 138 Infantry Regiment by a vote of the regiment's soldiers. He later commanded the 2nd Nikolaev Division and the 25th Rifle Division.

On September 5, 1919, the divisional headquarters near Lbishchensk (now renamed Chapayev in his honour) were ambushed by White Army forces. According to official sources, Chapayev tried to escape by swimming across the Ural River, but was never again seen alive. His body was never recovered, but the town where he died was later renamed Chapaev, and a museum was established in 1927.

After the Soviet Union had been established, Chapayev was immortalized as a hero of the Bolshevik Revolution in a popular book by Dmitri Furmanov and a 1934 movie. The famous German actor and singer Ernst Busch also recorded the song Tschapajews Tod, which talks about his death in the Ural. In later years Chapayev became a recurring character in numerous Russian jokes. More recently, he became one of the central characters in the novel Chapayev and Void by modern Russian writer Viktor Pelevin.

Private life

In 1908 Chapayev became acquainted with Pelageya Metelina, who was 16. Although his father didn't approve of their relations, Vasily Ivanovich married her. They lived together for 6 years, and had three children. Though there was no official divorce, in 1917 Chapayev started living with the widow of his deceased fellow-soldier Petr Kishkertsev. Curiously enough, her name was also Pelageya. Chapayev adopted both of her children.

Chapaev in Russian culture

Chapayev on a 1948 Soviet Union postage stamp.

In 1923 a Russian writer, Dmitriy Furmanov, who served as a commissar in Chapayev's division wrote a popular novel entitled Chapaev. Later, in 1934, it was made into a film by the Vasilyev brothers. The movie became highly popular in the Soviet Union. The movie turned its main characters (Vasiliy Ivanovich Chapayev, his adjutant Pet'ka and machine-gunner Anka), into some of the most popular heroes of Russian anecdotes.

See also

• Chapayev, the book by Dmitri Furmanov.
• Chapayev, the 1934 movie.
• Chapayev, a board game named after Chapayev.
• Jokes about Chapayev
• Chapayevsk
• Chapayev class cruiser, a group of cruisers built for the Soviet Navy
• Chapayev and Void

External links

• (Russian) Василий Иванович Чапаев: Biography in Russian.
• (Russian) "ГУЛЯЛ ПО УРАЛУ ЧАПАЕВ-ГЕРОЙ..."

Persondata
Name	Chapayev, Vasily Ivanovich
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	January 9, 1887
Place of birth	Budayka, now part of Cheboksary in Chuvash Republic
Date of death	September 5, 1919
Place of death	West Kazakhstan Province