Kolchak's End

In a book of memoirs published in Russia by Sergius Tschoudnovsky was described the last moments of Admiral Kolchak and his able comrade, General Pepeliayev, the two leaders of the Siberian White Army that tried to smash the might of Bolshevism. Tschoudnovsky, as Chairman of the Investigation Committee, was commissioned, in 1920, their executioner.

It was on the night of Feb. 7 that Tschoudnovsky, accompanied by Red soldiers, went to the prison to inform the captives of their immediate execution. Admiral Kolchak was in his cell, fully dressed under a fur coat, and wearing a Cossack hat. He was expecting rescue at the hands of White forces under General Kappel, who was not far distant.

Wrote Tschoudnovsky:

I read to him the death sentence. He remained silent for a minute and then firmly replied, "Why without a trial? Will there be no trial at all?"

I responded with a counter query, asking since when had he become a convert to shooting only by order of a court; but this was left unanswered.

Kolchak silently obeyed orders and followed me to the prison office.

Then I went for Pepeliayev. He, too, was dressed and sitting on his iron bed. He broke into convulsive sobs while listening to the death sentence. Having recovered his composure, he expressed surprise, declaring he had made peace with the Soviet regime and addressed a petition to the Central Executive Committee, asking for a reprieve. He begged us not to shoot him until the executive's reply came. I informed him this was impossible, and took him to join Kolchak.

While the latter conducted himself with the utmost indifference, Pepeliayev remained in a state of collapse, sobbing loudly, till the last minute.

While in the prison office Kolchak asked permission to see the Princess Timireva, first stating that she was his wife, but immediately afterward explaining "She's not wife, but she is a good woman who was in charge of the lingerie department of my armies."

This request was not granted. Despite the gravity of the moment, the soldiers could not help meeting such a request with a hearty laugh.

We arrived at the spot, carrying out the sentence near the river in the small morning hours. I addressed my soldiers, pointing out to them the significance of the situation, and gave the command. The volley was fired and both leaders fell dead."

Kolchak refused to have his eyes bandaged.

The question then arose what to do with the bodies. The soldiers suggested that they deserved the same fate as thousands of workmen and peasants whom Kolchak had assassinated during his punitive expeditions.

We towed the bodies to the river, cut the ice and threw them into the water.