J. V. Stalin

Volume 3

Biographical Chronicle

(March - October, 1917)

Source : Works, Vol. 3, March - October, 1913
Publisher : Foreign Languages Publishing House, Moscow, 1954
Transcription/Markup : Salil Sen for MIA, 2008
Public Domain : Marxists Internet Archive (2008). You may freely copy, distribute, display and perform this work; as well as make derivative and commercial works. Please credit "Marxists Internet Archive" as your source.


March 12
J. V. Stalin, released by the February Revolution from exile in Turukhansk, arrives in Petrograd.

March 14
J. V. Stalin's article "The Soviets of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies" appears in Pravda, No. 8.

March 15
At an enlarged meeting of the Bureau of the C.C., R.S.D.L.P.(B.), J. V. Stalin is appointed to the editorial board of Pravda.

March 16
J. V. Stalin's article "The War" appears in Pravda, No. 10.

March 18
The Bureau of the C.C., R.S.D.L.P.(B.) delegates J. V. Stalin to the Executive Committee of the Petrograd Soviet of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies.
J. V. Stalin's article "Conditions for the Victory of the Russian Revolution" appears in Pravda, No. 12.

April 3
At Byelo-Ostrov Station, Finland Railway, J. V. Stalin, M. I. Ulyanova and a delegation of Petrograd and Sestroretsk working men and women meet V. I. Lenin on his return from exile and accompany him to Petrograd.

April 4
J. V. Stalin takes part in the conference of leading members of the Bolshevik Party and in the joint meeting of Bolshevik and Menshevik delegates to the All-Russian Conference of Soviets where V. I. Lenin expounds his April Theses.

April 6
J. V. Stalin speaks in the debate on V. I. Lenin's April Theses at a meeting of the Bureau of the Party Central Committee.

April 8
J. V. Stalin signs a declaration of protest against the decision of the Executive Committee of the Petrograd Soviet supporting the so-called Liberty Loan.

April 14
J. V. Stalin's article "The Land to the Peasants" appears in Pravda, No. 32.

April 14-22
J. V. Stalin takes part in the work of the Petrograd City Conference of the R.S.D.L.P.(B.).

April 18
J. V. Stalin delivers a speech on "The Provisional Government" at a May Day meeting on Stock Exchange Square, Vasilyevsky Ostrov, Petrograd.
J. V. Stalin's article "May Day" appears in Pravda, No. 35.

April 20
As a member of the Executive Committee of the Petrograd Soviet, J. V. Stalin attends the conference of members of the Provisional Government and the Provisional Committee of the State Duma with representatives of the Executive Committee of the Petrograd Soviet of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies convened in the Mariinsky Palace in connection with Milyukov's Note of April 18.

April 24-29
V. I. Lenin and J. V. Stalin guide the work of the Seventh (April) All-Russian Conference of the Bolshevik Party.

April 24
J. V. Stalin speaks at the conference in support of Lenin's resolution on the current situation and is elected to the commission appointed to draft a resolution on V. I. Lenin's report.

April 29
J. V. Stalin makes a report on the national question at the conference and replies to the discussion. He is elected to the Central Committee of the Party.

May 4
J. V. Stalin's article "Lagging Behind the Revolution" appears in Pravda, No. 48.

May 10
J. V. Stalin speaks at a meeting of the Petrograd Committee of the R.S.D.L.P.(B.) on the organizational structure of the Committee and on the municipal elections.

May 14
J. V. Stalin speaks on the national question at a meeting and concert arranged by the Estonian Workers' and Soldiers' Club in the Stock Exchange on Vasilyevsky Ostrov.

May 21, 24, 26
J. V. Stalin's article "The Municipal Election Campaign" appears in Pravda, Nos. 63, 64 and 66.

May
A Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Bolshevik Party is instituted, to which J. V. Stalin is elected, and of which he has remained a member ever since.

June 3-24
J. V. Stalin attends the sittings of the First All-Russian Congress of Soviets of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies.

June 6
At an enlarged meeting of the Central Committee, J. V. Stalin supports a proposal moved by V. I. Lenin to organize a peaceful demonstration of workers and soldiers.
J. V. Stalin makes a survey of the political situation in Petrograd at a private meeting of the Petrograd Committee of the R.S.D.L.P.(B.) devoted to the question of the demonstration.

Night of June 9
V. I. Lenin and J. V. Stalin attend a meeting of the Bolshevik group of the First All-Russian Congress of Soviets, and then a meeting of the C.C., R.S.D.L.P.(B.). On the motion of V. I. Lenin and J. V. Stalin, the C.C. resolves to call off the demonstration appointed for June 10.
Late that night V. I. Lenin and J. V. Stalin prepare the copy for Pravda and the directives of the Central Committee in connection with the latter's decision to cancel the demonstration.

June 13
J. V. Stalin's article "Yesterday and Today (Crisis of the Revolution)" appears in Soldatskaya Pravda, No. 42.

June 15
J. V. Stalin's article "Results of the Petrograd Municipal Elections" appears in Bulletin of the Press Bureau of the C.C., R.S.D.L.P., No. 1.

June 16-23
V. I. Lenin and J. V. Stalin direct the AII-Russian Conference of Front and Rear Army Organizations of the R.S.D.L.P.(B.).

June 17
J. V. Stalin greets the All-Russian Conference of Front and Rear Army Organizations of the R.S.D.L.P.(B.) on behalf of the Central Committee of the Party.
The appeal of the Central Committee and Petrograd Committee of the R.S.D.L.P.(B.), "To All the Toilers, to All the Workers and Soldiers of Petrograd," written by J. V. Stalin, appears in Pravda, No. 84

June 20
The First All-Russian Congress of Soviets elects J. V. Stalin a member of the Central Executive Committee.

June 21
J. V. Stalin makes a report at the All-Russian Conference of Front and Rear Army Organizations of the R.S.D.L.P.(B.) on "The National Movement and National Regiments." The conference approves a resolution on the national question moved by J. V. Stalin.

June 22
At a meeting of the Central Executive Committee of the Soviets of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies, the Bolshevik group elects J. V. Stalin to the Bureau of the C.E.C.
At a private conference of members of the Central Committee, Petrograd Committee and Army Organization of the R.S.D.L.P.(B.), J. V. Stalin reports on a statement lodged with the Central Executive Committee by the Bolshevik group demanding vigorous measures against the growing counter-revolution.

July 1-3 and 16-20
J. V. Stalin and Y. M. Sverdlov direct the Second (Emergency) Conference of the Petrograd organization of the Bolshevik Party.

July 3
Under J. V. Stalin's guidance, the C.C. of the Bolshevik Party adopts a number of measures to restrain the masses from spontaneous armed demonstration. When it becomes clear that the movement cannot be stopped, the C.C. resolves to take part in the demonstration in order to lend it a peaceful and organized character.

July 4
At a meeting of the Central Executive Committee, J. V. Stalin demands that the spread of calumnies against V. I. Lenin and the Bolsheviks be stopped.

July 6
J. V. Stalin goes to the Fortress of Peter and Paul and succeeds in persuading the revolutionary sailors to refrain from armed action. J. V. Stalin secures the cancellation of the order issued by the Petrograd Military Command to employ armed force against the sailors.

July 7-8
J. V. Stalin and G. K. Ordjonikidze confer with V. I. Lenin on the question of his leaving Petrograd.

July 8-11
J. V. Stalin makes preparations for V. I. Lenin's departure from Petrograd.

July 11
J. V. Stalin and S. Y. Alliluyev accompany V. I. Lenin to Primorsk Station and put him on the train to Razliv.

July 11-October 7
J. V. Stalin maintains close contact with V. I. Lenin in hiding, and, on his instructions, personally directs the activities of the Bolshevik Central Committee.

July 15
J. V. Stalin's article "Close the Ranks!" appears in the Kronstadt Proletarskoye Delo, No. 2.

July 16
J. V. Stalin makes the Central Committee's report on the July events at the morning session of the Second (Emergency) Conference of the Petrograd organization of the R.S.D.L.P.(B.), and a report on the current situation and replies to the discussion at the evening session.

July 20
J. V. Stalin speaks at the conference in the debate on the elections to the Petrograd Soviet of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies and on other questions.

July 20-23
J. V. Stalin writes the appeal "To All the Toilers, to All the Workers and Soldiers of Petro-grad," which is printed in Rabochy i Soldat, No. 2.

July 23
J. V. Stalin's articles "What Has Happened?" and "Victory of the Counter-revolution" appear in Rabochy i Soldat, No. 1.

July 26-August 3
J. V. Stalin and Y. M. Sverdlov direct the Sixth Congress of the Bolshevik Party.

July 27
J. V. Stalin makes the Central Committee's report at the congress and replies to the discussion.

July 30
J. V. Stalin delivers a report on the political situation at the congress.

July 31
J. V. Stalin answers questions put by congress delegates and replies to the discussion on the political situation.

July 31-August 3
J. V. Stalin directs the work of the commission set up by the Sixth Congress to draft the resolution on the political situation.

August 3
J. V. Stalin submits the resolution on the political situation to the congress.
J. V. Stalin is elected a member of the Central Committee of the Bolshevik Party.

August 4
At a plenary meeting of the Party Central Committee J. V. Stalin is appointed editor of Rabochy i Soldat.

August 5
The plenary meeting of the C.C. elects J. V. Stalin a member of the Small Central Committee.

August 6
J. V. Stalin attends a meeting of the Small Central Committee at which a resolution of the C.C., R.S.D.L.P.(B.) on the Moscow Conference is endorsed.

August 8
J. V. Stalin's article "Against the Moscow Conference" appears in Rabochy i Soldat, No. 14.

August 9
J. V. Stalin's article "More on the Subject of Stockholm" appears in Rabochy i Soldat, No. 15.

August 13
At the request of the Central Committee, J. V. Stalin organizes the publication of Proletary as the Party's Central Organ.
J. V. Stalin's article "Counter-revolution and the Peoples of Russia" appears in Proletary, No. 1.

August 16
The Central Committee appoints J. V. Stalin to a commission set up to draft a resolution on the Stockholm Conference.

August 17
J. V. Stalin delivers a lecture to soldiers on "The Social-Democrats and the City Elections" in the premises of the Narva District Committee of the R.S.D.L.P.(B.).

August 18
J. V. Stalin's articles "The Truth About Our Defeat at the Front" and "The Causes of the July Defeat at the Front" appear in Proletary, No. 5.

August 22
J. V. Stalin's article "A Period of Provocation" appears in Proletary, No. 8.

August 26
J. V. Stalin's article "Either—Or" appears in Rabochy, No. 1.

August 27
A resolution of the Bolshevik group on the political situation, drafted by J. V. Stalin, is read out at a meeting of the Central Executive Committee.

August 28
J. V. Stalin's article "We Demand!" appears in Rabochy, No. 4.

August 30
J. V. Stalin attends a meeting of the Party Central Committee at which measures against Kornilov's counter-revolutionary action are discussed.

August 31
J. V. Stalin attends a meeting of the Central Committee which discusses a declaration on the question of power. J. V. Stalin is instructed to give a survey of the political situation at a plenary meeting of the Central Committee.
J. V. Stalin's article "Against Compromise With the Bourgeoisie" appears in Rabochy, No. 9.

August-October
J. V. Stalin edits the Central Organ of the R.S.D.L.P.(B.), which appears successively under the names Proletary, Rabochy, and Rabochy Put.

September 6
J. V. Stalin's article "They Will Not Swerve From Their Path" appears in Rabochy Put, No. 3.

September 9
J. V. Stalin's article "The Second Wave" appears in Rabochy Put, No. 6.

September 15
At a meeting of the Central Committee of the Party, J. V. Stalin opposes Kamenev's demand that V. I. Lenin's letters, "The Bolsheviks Must Assume Power" and "Marxism and Insurrection," should be burned, and recommends that they should be circulated for discussion among the bigger Party organizations.

September 17
J. V. Stalin's article "All Power to the Soviets!" appears in RabochyPut, No. 13.

September 21
At a meeting of the Bolshevik group at the Democratic Conference, J. V. Stalin insists on the observance of V. I. Lenin's directive to boycott the Pre-parliament.

September 23
The Party Central Committee approves the list of Bolshevik candidates to the Constituent Assembly, which includes V. I. Lenin and J. V. Stalin.

September 27
J. V. Stalin's article "A Government of Bourgeois Dictatorship" appears in Rabochy Put, No.21

September 28
J. V. Stalin delivers a speech on the Democratic Conference at a meeting of Bolsheviks of the Vasilyevsky Ostrov District.

September 29
The Party Central Committee decides to pub-D/lish a list of candidates to the Constituent Assembly. J. V. Stalin is nominated for the Petrograd, Yekaterinoslav, Transcaucasian and Stavropol electoral areas.
J. V. Stalin's article "You Will Wait in Vain!" appears in Rabochy Put, No. 23.

October 5
At a meeting of the Central Committee it is resolved on Stalin's motion to call a conference of members of the Central Committee and Petrograd and Moscow Party functionaries to take place at the time of the Congress of Soviets of the Northern Region.

October 8
J. V. Stalin discusses preparations for an armed uprising with V. I. Lenin, who has secretly returned to Petrograd.

October 10
V. I. Lenin and J. V. Stalin attend a meeting of the Party Central Committee where V. I. Lenin's resolution on armed insurrection is approved and a seven-man Political Bureau of the C.C., headed by V. I. Lenin and J. V. Stalin, is set up to direct the uprising.
J. V. Stalin's article "The Counter-revolution Is Mobilizing—Prepare To Resist!" appears in Rabochy Put, No. 32.

October 15
J. V. Stalin's articles "A Study in Brazenness" and "Blacklegs of the Revolution" appear in Rabochy Put, No. 37.

October 16
V. I. Lenin and J. V. Stalin direct an enlarged meeting of the Central Committee of the Bolshevik Party. J. V. Stalin sharply criticizes the speeches of the traitors Kamenev and Zi-noviev on the question of armed insurrection. A Party Centre, headed by J. V. Stalin, is elected-to direct the uprising.

October 20
At a meeting of the Party Central Committee, J. V. Stalin proposes that V. I. Lenin's letters on Kamenev's and Zinoviev's blackleg actions be discussed at a plenary meeting of the Central Committee.
J. V. Stalin takes part in the first meeting of the Revolutionary Military Committee of the Petrograd Soviet.
At a meeting of Petrograd trade union representatives in the Smolny, J. V. Stalin speaks on the preparations for armed insurrection.

October 21
J. V. Stalin attends a meeting of the Party Central Committee which resolves to appoint him and Dzerzhinsky to the Executive Committee of the Petrograd Soviet in order to strengthen the influence of the Bolsheviks in it. It adopts Stalin's proposal that reports and theses should be prepared for the Second All-Russian Congress of Soviets on the land, the war, and the government (speaker, V. I. Lenin), and on the national question (speaker, J. V. Stalin). Stalin and Sverdlov are appointed to direct the Bolshevik group at the congress.

October 24
At 11 a. m., Rabochy Put appears with J. V. Stalin's article "What Do We Need?" calling for the overthrow of the Provisional Government.
J. V. Stalin reports on the political situation at a meeting of the Bolshevik delegates to the Second All-Russian Congress of Soviets.
In the evening V. I. Lenin arrives at the Smol-ny. J. V. Stalin informs him of the political developments.

October 24-25
V. I. Lenin and J. V. Stalin direct the October armed uprising.