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The 120th Anniversary of Kharlampiy Ermakov

On February, 7, it is the 120^th anniversary of Kharlampiy Ermakov, the prototype of Grigoriy Melekhov and one of the real personages of the novel by M.A. Sholokhov “and Quiet Flows the Don”.

Kharlampiy Vasiliyevich Ermakov (7.02.1891 – 17.06.1927) was born in Antipov Village of Stanitsa Vyoshenskaya, the Donetsk District of the Don Army Region. Since the age of two he had been brought up with his relatives, in a Cossack family of Bazki Village, Arkhip Gherasimovich Soldatov. He finished a primary school.

K.V. Ermakov took part in the World War I and the Civil war. The war and military service took 10 years and 1 month of his life, including 5 years of service in the Russian Army; 1,5 years – in the Don Army; 3,5 years – in the Red Army.

For more than 8 years the Cossack had not dismounted the horse and had kept his sword, lance and rifle in his hand. Within this period he was 8 times wounded (according to other data – 14 times). Having hardly recovered he was again in the thick of bloody fights. And wherever his lot might have flung him, Ermakov always and everywhere served with his faith and truth, heroism, fortitude and courage.

For his valour he war awarded four Georgian Crosses, four Georgian Medals, personal rewarding arms and other awards.

During the Cossack rebellion of Vyoshenskaya in 1919, K.V. Ermakov commanded the first rebel division, and later became the main prototype of the protagonist Grigoriy Melekhov in the novel “And Quiet Flows the Don” by M.A. Sholokhov.

Ermakov lived 36 years, 4 months and 10 days. He was politically articled (according to 58-11, 58-18 articles) by the Board of the United General Political Headquarters and was shot down in Millerovo. On August, 18, 1989, he was rehabilitated.

In Stanitsa Bazkovskaya, the Sholokhov District, one of the lanes is named after him.

А. Kochetov