Persecution of Tambov Doukhobors, 1803

At the turn of the 18th century, the Doukhobors were subjected to bitter persecution by church and state. On account of their faith, members of the sect were harassed, extorted, imprisoned, tortured, exiled and executed in barbarous ways. The following account, reproduced from Aylmer Maude's book, "A Peculiar People: The Doukhobors" (London: 1905) illustrates the cruelties suffered by Doukhobors in Tambov province, Russia at the hands of local officials in 1803.

In a certain village of the Tambov Government some officially Orthodox peasants, who bore the character of being well behaved and industrious, refused to receive the priest who came to visit them at Christmas. They would not go up to him to kiss the cross, nor did they give him the usual presents. When official inquiry was made, they explained that they had suffered much rudeness and violence at the hands of this unworthy priest. The magistrate, before whom the case was examined, reported that the peasants had been guilty of rudeness, and of perverting the Orthodox by holding heretical gatherings. 

The case was sent for trial to the Tambov courts. There the peasants declared that they were not Orthodox, but had been induced externally to conform to the Church by threats the priest had used. As to their real beliefs, they explained that they did not respect the Church, nor the cross, nor the Gospels, nor icons which are made by men's hands. They did not believe in communion, confession or baptism. They hated priests and did not let them into their houses. They did not keep the fasts of the Church, but partook of milk and flesh, except pig's flesh, which they refrained from "in order to escape the fate of the Orthodox, and not to perish." 

They had no marriage, but lived lovingly with whom they chose. They buried their dead at home, and served God in the spirit, strengthened and confirmed by the spirit, from which spirit they received the sword, with which spiritual sword they waged war and overcame all things. They declared that they rendered obedience to the authorities, and refrained from converting the Orthodox to their sect. 

The two chief offenders, of the nine accused, were sentenced to be knouted, and banished to the town of Kola in Archangel province; the other seven were to be severely flogged in public, and all their children were to be baptized. Two of the offenders died of their flogging.

On the morning of April 14, 1803, a Doukhobor named Zot Mukoseev, drove up in a peasant cart to the house of the Governor of Tambov, Palitsin. "Is the Governor at home?" asked he of the sentinel. "His Excellency is not at home". "Then let his wife know that I have brought a present". The Governor's steward came to see what was on the cart. Mukoseev, however, would not let him examine it, but, taking the horse from the cart, got on its back and rode off, leaving the cart in the Governor's yard. They servants naturally hastened to examine the cart, and they found on it a corpse, discoloured with dark blue bruises and wales. It was the body of the peasant Peter Drobyshev, one of the two who had been flogged to death by the police. 

Mukoseev was overtaken, brought back, and questioned. At his examination he stated that, "On April 13, the peasant Ermakov brought my own brother Sergei to me; many people were following him - men and women. My brother was being held up by his arms and could hardly stand on his feet. I placed him on the bed, and Ermakov told me: 'Your brother Sergei is ill after being publicly flogged with other Doukhobors of our village. He was punished for his faith's sake by the Assessor Von Menik.' Next day I went to see those who had been flogged, and among them visited Peter Drobyshev, whom I found already dead. Near his body sat his little son (whose name I don't remember) crying. Then I took the dead body and drove it to the Governor to ask for protection..."

Palitsin, the Governor, was much offended by Mukoseev's conduct, and addressed a complaint to the Minister of the Interior, stating that "During my absence from home, extreme agitation and offence have been caused and a great insult offered, to my whole family."

On inquiries it transpired that Von Menik had been in the habit of punishing the peasants unmercifully. He compelled the Doukhobor girls to kiss him; put peasants into the stocks, and made heavy requisitions upon them; so that, for instance, he had collected sashes alone for a value of thirty rubles from them, and also demanded one hundred rubles in money, saying, "If you don't give it, I'll have you all knouted and send you to exile."

Besides Peter Drobyshev himself, his father Filipp Drobyshev also died, five days after the flogging.

Dr. Drugov, called as a medical expert, deposed that "The punishment inflicted on the Doukhobors was not excessive, and they died, probably, from taking poison, which may have caused the dark blue spots and other marks on the backs and bellies of the deceased."

Zot Mukoseev was sentenced to be knouted and banished to Arkhangel; while five other peasants were to be beaten with rods.