Blood on the Square: Perspectives on Revolutionary Violence and Disorder in 1905 Ekaterinburg

Abstract

On 19 October 1905, a group of protestors gathered on Ekaterinburg’s central square to rally against the recently promulgated October Manifesto of Tsar Nicholas II. They were met by a group of armed monarchist counter-demonstrators and violence quickly erupted, leading to two deaths and dozens of serious injuries. This ‘pogrom,’ part of a wider outbreak of violence across the Russian Empire in October 1905, shook the city and presented a serious challenge to local authorities, which sought to maintain order and safety. Based on research in Ekaterinburg’s archives and libraries, this article investigates the varying reactions to the violence, with consideration of both official and popular perspectives. What emerges is a rich picture of the events of the Revolution of 1905 in the provinces, which illuminates how city institutions and residents formed a united front to denounce the violence and local representatives of the autocracy.