Maria “Yasha” Botchkareva and and the Russian Battalion of Death
“Mariya Bochkareva took no prisoners during her brutal training process. All the women’s feminine clothing was taken from them – except for their bras – and their heads were shaved. After being put through their paces by tough male instructors, they donned ill-fitting soldier’s uniforms; due to shortages many of them had no standard-issue army boots and were forced to wear ordinary shoes. They lifted the heavy military packs onto their backs and carried rifles – the only concession being that these were lighter than the men’s.”
“In July 1917 Bochkareva’s women went into action at the front in Belorussia and fought with conspicuous courage, suffering 50 casualties. Among the wounded was Bochkareva herself. Brought back to Petrograd to recuperate, she was hailed as ‘Russia’s Joan of Arc’ by none other than Mrs Emmeline Pankhurst, the British suffragette who arrived in the city.”
- helenrappaport. “Mariya Bochkareva and the Petrograd Women’s Death Battalion.” Helen Rappaport, 27 Aug. 2018, helenrappaport.com/russia/lenin-stalin-revolution/mariya-bochkareva-womens-death-battalion/.
In 1919, Yasha published a book about her experience fighting in the war.
“Overworked and hard pressed to declare every draftee and volunteer fit for duty, Russian physicians had turned blind eyes to cross-dressing, shaven-headed women masquerading as men at their pre-induction physicals. Among these so-called Amazons crossing the gender line was Maria “Yasha” Botchkareva. A Siberian peasant.”
“Botchkareva attached one condition to her proposal. Unlike the new Revolutionary Army democratized by Kerensky’s decree, her battalion would respect the traditional discipline of the old Imperial Army. She would “exercise absolute authority and demand absolute obedience” from her volunteers.”
“Men and women citizens,” Botchkareva addressed the throng of war supporters gathered at St. Petersburg’s Mariynski Theater the following evening, “our mother is perishing! Our mother is Russia. I want to save her. I want women whose hearts are crystal, whose souls are pure, whose impulses are lofty. With such women setting an example of self-sacrifice, you men will realize your duty in this grave hour!”
- Duffy, Don. “Roles of Women in World War 1: The Russian Battalion of Death.” Warfare History Network, Aug. 2002, warfarehistorynetwork.com/article/russian-womens-battalion-of-death-roles-of-women-in-world-war-1/
Links:
https://helenrappaport.com/russia/lenin-stalin-revolution/mariya-bochkareva-womens-death-battalion/
In May 1917 Mariya Bochkareva held a mass rally in Petrograd to recruit women for the newly formed Women's Death Battalion.
https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/article/russian-womens-battalion-of-death-roles-of-women-in-world-war-1/
The roles of women in World War I took an interesting turn in 1917, when Russia looked to her brave female soldiers to boost morale.
