Приключения обер-фельдкурата Карла Дрекселя в Сибири (по архивным источникам). Часть 2

Abstract

We can analyze the fate of one of these priests – the ober- feldkurat of the Austro – Hungarian army Karl Drexel. To describe his activities, the article uses a variety of new archival sources, as well as the diary of a priest. During the Russian offensive operation, the priest was taken prisoner in the battle of RabbaRusskaya. In 1915 K. Drexel came under the operational supervision of the Intelligence Department of the Amur military district. He was suspected of creating a secret organization of officers of the Austro-Hungarian army to escape and espionage. At the same time, the gendarmerie also monitored him. K. Drexel falls under the operational supervision of two serious departments at once: the Intelligence Department of the headquarters of the Irkutsk military district and the Irkutsk provincial gendarmerie Department. During the joint operation, the role of K. Drexel as the organizer of the escapes of prisoners of war and the coordinator of illegal assistance to prisoners, both through the Red Cross and the diplomatic mission in China, was revealed. According to the results of the investigation, appropriate decisions were made. Drexel was arrested and his diary was seized. It contains a synopsis of memories. According to the decision of the Main Directorate of the General staff of 1916, September 21 K. Drexel was sent to the Amur military district and was escorted to Khabarovsk on September 26. It should be emphasized that the historical sources analyzed in the article, help to develop a new approach to the analysis of such an interesting topic as the transformation of the manifestations of loyalty and patriotism of PoW. In this case, it is possible to analyze such manifestations both in relation to the homeland and in relation to the country of captivity. The article is divided into two parts based on the internal logic of the presentation of the material. The second part of the article examines Drexel's stay in the PoW camps in Eastern Siberia, the history of his arrest and investigation of his “espionage” activities, and his subsequent fate.