The most famous name on the list of 186 was Nikolai Berdiaev, the world renowned philosopher of mystic non-orthodox Christianity and critical philosophy, an opponent of the close link between church and state under the czars.6 The charge against him and suggested sentence read:
No. 55. Berdiaev, N. A. : Close to the publishing house "Bereg." He is being investigated as part of the cases "Tactical Center" and the "Union of Rebirth." A monarchist and a Kadet of the rightist persuasion. A member of the Black Hundred, inclined to religion, taking part in the religious counter revolution. Ionov and Poliansky are for internal exile. The Commission with the participation of Bogdanov and others is for foreign exile.
Berdiaev's story has been reconstructed from his case file and is representative of what happened to other intellectuals.7
Although in the early days of Soviet power, Berdiaev was allowed to continue to teach at Moscow University and to gather intellectuals in his Free Academy of Religious Culture, he was closely watched by the secret police. On February 18, 1922, Berdiaev was forced to haul scrap metal in freezing weather but was arrested after one day of work. His apartment was thoroughly searched and his manuscripts and correspondence confiscated, although he freely admitted to the arresting officer that he was an "ideological opponent of the idealization of communism.” Berdiaev's arrest was based on the information of an informant (who got his name wrong), that he was a member of the "Council of Social Activists.”
Berdiaev's imprisonment ended after a nocturnal interrogation by none other than the OGPU head Dzerzhinskii, his deputy Menzhin-skii, and Politburo member Kamenev. In his memoirs, Berdiaev describes Dzerzhinskii: "He gave the impression of a dedicated and honest person. He was a fanatic. There was something terrifying about him. Earlier he wanted to be a Catholic monk but he transferred his fanaticism to communism.” After a lengthy conversation, Dzerzhin-skii told him he was free to go but that he could not leave Moscow without permission.
On August i6, Berdiaev was awakened by the OGPU's knock on his Moscow apartment door. The OGPU detachment searched his apartment from one o'clock to five o'clock a. m. and then took Berdiaev to its Lubianka headquarters. In his interrogations, Berdiaev did not hide his antipathy to communism: "Any class organization or party should be subordinated to the individual and to humanity.” And: "No party past or present arouses any sympathy in me.” The OGPU's verdict: exile abroad for anti-Soviet activity. Berdiaev refused to sign any confession, stating "I do not declare myself guilty of engaging in antiSoviet activity and I particularly do not regard myself as guilty of engaging in counter-revolutionary activity during a period of military difficulties for Russia.” After rejection of his protest of the verdict, Berdiaev was forced to sign a pledge not to return to Russia without permission and that he would pay the cost of his travel. Within a month, he was sailing to Germany on the "Ship of Philosophers.” Berdiaev died in Paris in 1948, a world-renowned philosopher and historian whose major works were translated into many languages.
World History
