Punishment of Women Narodniks for Political Terrorism

Abstract

The article is dedicated to the study of the problem of punishment of Russian women, members of the populists’ organizations (mainly “People’s Will”, see “Narodnaya Volya”), for participation in political terrorism in the 70s - 80s of the 19th century. A historiographical review of the literature on the topic under consideration is given. The information about women punished for participating in terror against the authorities, including attempts on the emperors Alexander II and Alexander III, is specified and summarized. The facts of the refusal of convicted criminals to protect and pardon are reported. The information about the execution of sentences in respect of women convicted for revolutionary terrorism to death penalty, penal servitude and exile settlement is specified. Their stay at the Peter and Paul Fortress and the House of Pre-Trial Detention in St. Petersburg, and after their conviction - at Kara katorga, Shlisselburg Fortress and other places of punishment is shown in detail. Particular attention is paid to the issue of applying the act of pardon with respect to women victims convicted of political terrorism. To clarify individual facts and dates, different points of view are compared.