简介：Withbreathlesspace,HélèneChatelain("thewoman"in"Lajetée")reconstructsthelifeofNestorMakhnofromhiswritings,Sovietpropagandafilms,reactionsofworkerstodayandthememoryhehasleftinthehearts&mindsofhispeopleinGouliaïpolié,intheeastoftheUkraine. Nestor"Batko"Makhno(1889-1934),leaderofaninsurgentpeasantarmyintherussiancivilwarandheroofthelibertarianLeft. BorninUkraineofpeasantstockinHulyai-Pole,Yekaterinoslavguberniya,NestorMakhno(néMikhnenko)becameananarchistduringthe1905Revolution.Makhno'sfatherhaddiedwhenhewasaninfant,soheworkedasashepherdfromtheageofsevenandasametalworkerinhisteens,attendingschoolonlybriefly.In1910,followinghisarresttwoyearsearlierforkillingapoliceofficer,Makhnowascondemnedtodeath,butthesentencewascommutedtolifeimprisonmentbecauseofhisyouth.Freedin1917fromaMoscowprison,wherehehadbefriendedtheanarchistPeterArshinov,MakhnoreturnedtoHulyai-Poletochairitssovietandorganizerevolutionarycommunes.In1918,heestablishedapeasantarmyinsoutheasternUkraineandduringtheCivilWarprovedhimselftobeabrilliantandinnovative(ifunorthodox)commander.Makhno'sforcesbattledtheAustro-HungarianEmpire,Ukrainiannationalists,theWhites,andtheReds(althoughhealsoperiodicallycollaboratedwiththelatter).Makhno'sRevolutionaryInsurgentArmyplayedadecisiveroleindefeatingtheWhitesinSouthRussiain1919and1920,utilizingtechniquesofpartisanandguerillawarfaretodramaticeffect.TheMakhnovistsalsooversawanenduringlyinfluentialanarchistrevolution(theMakhnovshchina)insouthernUkraine,summoningnon-partycongressesofworkersandpeasantsandexhortingthemtoorganizeandgovernthemselves.In1920,havingrefusedtointegratehisforceswiththeRedArmyandhostiletoBolshevikauthoritarianism,MakhnobecameanoutlawonSovietterritory.InAugust1921,RedforcespursuedhimintoRomania.AftersufferingimprisonmentthereandinPolandandDanzig,MakhnosettledinParisin1924.In1926,hehelpedcreateArshinov'sOrganizationalPlatformofLibertarianCommunists,butbrokewithhisformermentorwhenArshinovcametotermswithMoscow.Thereafter,Makhnodevotedhimselftowriting.In1934,inpovertyandisolation,hediedofthetuberculosishehadoriginallycontractedintsaristprisons,buthisnameandachievementsarereveredbyanarchiststheworldover.HeisburiedinPèreLaChaiseCemetery,Paris.…