Author’s Note
190 Words
Author’s NoteThe Third Section of the Russian Secret Service was started by Czar Nicholas I, who reigned from 1825 to 1855.
In 1849, a sensation was caused by the arrest of a junior member of the Foreign Office together with nineteen of his friends who met privately on Friday evenings as a discussion group.
They were accused of ‘subversive talk’, which ranged from a criticism of serfdom and censorship to arguments in favour of abolishing the Church, the State and private property.
After being imprisoned in the Fortress of St. Peter for quite some time, all twenty were sentenced to death and the execution was scheduled to take place on the Parade Ground.
It was not until the young men were waiting to go before the firing squad that a ‘gracious reprieve’ arrived, commuting the sentences to imprisonment.
The whole episode was theatrical, but all were condemned to go to Siberia.
Under Czar Alexander III, the Third Section became even more appalling and no one was safe from its interference and cruelty.
The Courtiers in attendance on the Czar looked over their shoulders before they spoke.
Russian infiltrators, even behind closed doors in their own homes, were terrified.
- Writer
