Mass Killing of Elders Summoned to a Demonstrative Execution at Gerzel-Aul (1825)
In July 1825, at the height of Beibulat Taimiev’s uprising, the Russian Empire exterminated elders summoned under the pretext of an inquiry. The historian D. A. Khozhaev writes that after the insurgents’ five-day siege of the Gerzel-Aul fortification, "the tsarist generals decided to stage a demonstrative execution to intimidate the highlanders": summoned to the fortification were "318 respected men of the Aksai (Kumyk and Chechen) villages," whom General Lisanevich, "calling out those assembled one by one, threatened in the Kumyk language and subjected to insults"[1]. When General Grekov attempted to "inflict a physical insult" on the Chechen mullah Uchar-Hadji from the village of Mairtup, the latter killed Grekov with a dagger and mortally wounded Lisanevich, after which, "upon Lisanevich’s command ‘Stab them!’, the mass extermination by the soldiers of all the unarmed highlanders present in the fortification began"[1]. The imperial historian Potto confirms that both generals "fell at the hand of a fanatic," after which "the mutiny flared up again with redoubled force"[2].
Actors
| ID | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| G0009 | Russian Empire |
The Russian Empire exterminated people for show in order to terrorize the highlanders. Historian D. A. Khozhaev writes that at the Gerzel-aul fortification «the tsarist generals decided to stage a demonstrative execution to intimidate the highlanders», for which they summoned «318 respected men from the Aksai (Kumyk and Chechen) villages», whom General Lisanevich, «calling out those assembled one by one… threatened and subjected to insults»[1]. |
Techniques Used
| ID | Name | Use | |
|---|---|---|---|
| T0104 | Mass Killings of Civilians |
The Russian Empire exterminated unarmed people whom it had itself convened under the pretext of an inquiry. Historian D. A. Khozhaev writes that after General Grekov attempted «to inflict a physical insult» on the Chechen mullah Uchar-Hadji from the village of Mayrtup and was killed by him, «after Lisanevich's command „Stab them! the mass extermination by the soldiers of all the unarmed highlanders present in the fortification began»[1]. The imperial historian Potto confirms that both generals «fell at the hand of a fanatic»[2]." |
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| T0021 | Neutralization of the Opposition |
The Russian Empire eliminated the leadership stratum of the resistance by luring it in under the pretext of an inquiry. Historian D. A. Khozhaev writes that under the guise of a «demonstrative execution», «318 respected men from the Aksai (Kumyk and Chechen) villages» — elders and revered men of the communities — were summoned to the Gerzel-aul fortification; General Lisanevich, «calling out those assembled one by one», after the killing of the generals ordered their extermination: «after Lisanevich's command „Stab them!" the mass extermination by the soldiers of all the unarmed highlanders present in the fortification began»[1]. |
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| T0022 | Terror |
The Russian Empire exterminated people for show in order to terrorize the highlanders. Historian D. A. Khozhaev writes that at the Gerzel-aul fortification «the tsarist generals decided to stage a demonstrative execution to intimidate the highlanders», for which they summoned «318 respected men from the Aksai (Kumyk and Chechen) villages», whom General Lisanevich, «calling out those assembled one by one… threatened and subjected to insults»[1]. |
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Instruments
| ID | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| S0010 | Regular Army |
The Russian Empire exterminated people for show in order to terrorize the highlanders. Historian D. A. Khozhaev writes that at the Gerzel-aul fortification «the tsarist generals decided to stage a demonstrative execution to intimidate the highlanders», for which they summoned «318 respected men from the Aksai (Kumyk and Chechen) villages», whom General Lisanevich, «calling out those assembled one by one… threatened and subjected to insults»[1]. |