RUSSIAN ODYSSEUS VSEVOLOD VOLIN: THE TRAGIC LIFE OF A HAPPY MAN

The article is dedicated to the fate and activity of the Russian anarchist Vsevolod Eikhenbaum (Volin; 1882‒1945), whose name and works returned to his homeland more than half a century after his death. Twice exiled for life, first by the tsarist regime to Siberia, then by the Soviet government abroad, he nevertheless completed the work of his life – he became a theorist of the international anarchist movement and the author of a study on the history of the revolution in Russia, of which he was an active participant. His book, The Unknown Revolution, 1917‒1921, written in French and published after the author's death, presents a different view of the Russian Revolution, revealing new aspects of it and forcing the reader to rethink what was previously known. Therefore, the work was able to reach Russia only after the collapse of the Soviet Union. What is especially valuable is that it contains both a deep theoretical analysis and concrete historical material that supports it. No less impressive is the scale of Volin's personality, who dedicated his life to serving his idea.