Maria+Bochkareva

Bochkareva was born in Tomsk, Siberia in 1889 and was the third daughter of a peasant family. She left home at the age of fifteen due to being badly beaten by her alcoholic father. She later married Afansi Bochkareva. The two moved to Tomsk, Siberia and worked as labourers on a construction site. Bochkareva was a good organizer and later became the foreman of a team of 25 male workers.

After being physically abused by her husband Bochkareva left him and went to work on a steamship. She went on to marry her second husband Yakov Buk, but he was also violent towards her. In 1914 she left him and joined the 25th Reserve Battalion of the Russian Army. Bochkareva was highly critical of Nicholas II and the autocracy. She wanted Russia to have universal suffrage. Wanted the Russian government to allow freedom of expression and have an end to political censorship of newspapers and books. Thought Russia should support Serbia against the Triple Alliance. Thought Russia should honour its obligations and support the Triple Entente against the Triple Alliance. As the Russian Army was the largest army in the world she was convinced that Russia would defeat Austria-Hungary and Germany in a war.