Siberian Lena Goldfields Massacre Report

This article discusses the Siberian Lena Goldfields strike and massacre of 1912. Lena Goldfields and Lenzoto was a very successful company that produced one third of the gold in the Russian Empire. Lenzoto mines were in an extremely remote region of Siberia where miners worked and lived. The working conditions were horrible with poor facility maintenance, long hours, and dangerous mines. The miners were also paid low wages and lived in overcrowded housing. The workers were fed poor quality food that was often spoiled. The cost of living was high in Siberia while their wages decreased between 1908 and 1912. The medical facilities at the mines were unsanitary as well. The strike of 1912 started because workers called for a walkout due to being served spoiled meat on February 25th. During February, strike leaders had many meeting with officials from Lenzoto but these negotiations did not accomplish anything. By mid-March almost all of the mines were on strike and Lenzoto production was at a standstill. The workers demanded better working conditions,

Strikes and demonstrations broke out all over the country and help to reignite the workers’ movement. The socialists used the massacre as anti-capitalist and anti-tsarist propaganda. Conservatives also accused the government of misconduct following the massacre. The massacre was just one of the examples of violence against unarmed workers in Russia during this time. The late tsarist government was focused on industrialization and companies pushed for profits while disregarding their employees’ welfare. The government failed to coordinate the clashing interests of the state, workers, and businesses. This is shown by the frequent complaints and warnings about the mines’ conditions being ignored and regulations not being enforced. Soldiers killed unarmed workers in order to protect capital