«Having lost his homeland, he gained recognition in a foreign land...». Life and fate of the russian military engineer Vladimir Apollonovich Antonov

Abstract

Introduction. The article examines the trajectory of the life of a representative of the officer corps of the Russian Imperial Army, military engineer Vladimir Apollonovich Antonov. This choice is explained by the fact that recently the issues of studying the biographies of representatives of Russian emigration have become very relevant.Materials and methods. The authors of the article conducted a microhistoric study of the fate of one of these representatives, which demonstrated both typical and special episodes from his life. The basis of the work was the data of Address calendars and Commemorative books of the Vyatka and Tambov provinces, materials of the State Archive of the Tambov region and the Russian State Military Historical Archive.Results. As a result of studying various sources, it was possible to compile a description of our hero's youthful years during his studies in Tambov. Consider the nuances associated with obtaining a military education, starting service, acquiring the first combat experience and completing training at the military academy. Having studied the documents of the period of the First World War, the authors were able to trace the combat path of Vladimir Apollonovich, who was awarded several awards. During the "troubled" period of the Civil War, it was possible to find out the fact of his participation in the ranks of the white movement and emigration. The apotheosis of the research was the fate of V.A. Antonov abroad, where he was able to realize his vocation and enter the history of the city of Kumanovo. In addition, the result of the work was the clarification of some inaccuracies and errors made earlier in the works of some researchers.Conclusion. Conducting such studies allows us to give an objective assessment of the multifaceted fate of the Russian military emigration, which represented an impressive layer of our compatriots who found themselves in the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes.