Bardizh, Kondrat Lukich

Politician and statesman.

Born March 9, 1868 in the settlement Bryukhovetskaya, Kubanskaya Province, in a family of Kuban Cossack. Graduated from Stavropol Cavalry Junker College. In 1888-1900, was in the military, was mobilized as a deputy commander (podyesaul) and dealt with his estate. In 1903, was elected an ataman of the Bryukhovetskaya settlement. During the 1905-1907 Revolution, joined the Kadet Party. Was elected a deputy of the State Duma of all the four convocations from the Kuban Cossack Army. A major administrator, was one of the organizers of the Black Sea ? Kuban Railroad construction and its elected directors since 1910.

After February Revolution of 1917, was Interim Government Commissar for Kuban Province. Under the situation of a common revolutionary wave and multiple democratic appeals, Bardizh warned against "demagogic motto endemic" during the Kuban Rada (Parliament) of April 17 thru 22, 1917.

In order to prevent revolutionary actions in June 1917, settlements' Soviet and civil committees were dismissed according to Bardizh's order. After the July events in Petrograd (St. Petersburg), on July 9 Bardizh announced transmission of the power in Kuban region to the military government headed by the army ataman L.L. Bych. In October, after Kuban Legislative Rada adopted a constitution of Kuban region, resigned and was elected as Kuban representative to the Interim Government, but didn't make it to leave for Petrograd before the October Revolution.

In November 1917, K.L. Bardizh joined the United Government of the South-East Union of the Cossack Troops, Caucasus Highlanders, and Free Peoples of the Steppes. At the December session of the region Rada, with the presence of 150 revolutionary-minding soldiers, only Bardizh's presentative and passionate speech describing a morose picture of Kuban's future under the Bolsheviks' rule allowed to incline the majority of the Rada to make a decision in favor of military struggle for an independent Cossack republic.

Starting 1918, was a Ministry of Interior director in the Kuban regional government. To attract the so-called out-of-town people (inogorodniye; not Cossacks) to fight against the Soviet power, insisted on creating a "parity" legislative Rada (46 Cossacks, 46 out-of-town people, and 8 highlanders) and a "parity" government (5 Cossacks, 5 out-of-town people, and 1 highlander). Didn't enter the government, started creating Cossack armed forces. Formed a volunteer detachment of "free Cossacks." In February, a detachment under his command was retreating holding battles towards Georgia. In Tuapse area, Bardizh was captured by [pro-Bolshevik] sailors and shot dead on March 9, 1918, together with two his sons.