On July 15/28, Russian Orthodox Church reveres memory St. Ravnoapostolnogo Grand duke Vladimir, Krestitelja Russia. This day always was especial for the Russian Far East emigration storing memory of one the most known white military leaders - general V.O.Kappele, whose heavenly patron St. Vladimir was.
General-lieutenant Vladimir Oskarovich Kappel - the participant of the First world war, one of the most valorous white generals in the East of Russia, has proved as the brave officer, up to the end kept duty of times to the given oath. He personally drove the subordinated parts in attacks, on fatherlike cared of the soldiers entrusted to him. This valorous officer of Russian Imperial army has for ever remained the national hero of White struggle, the hero, a burning flame of ineradicable belief in revival of Russia, in correctness of the affair. The valorous officer, the ardent patriot, the person of crystal soul and rare nobleness, general Kappel has gone down to history of White movement as one of his most light representatives. It is indicative, that when during the Siberian Ice campaign in 1920. V.O. Kappel (he was then in a post of the Commander-in-chief White armies of East front) has died, soldiers have not left a body of the nice commander in unknown ice desert, and have made with it unprecedented hardest transition through lake Baikal that it is worthy and on an orthodox ceremony to betray to his ground in Chita.
After the arrival to Chita on February 22, 1920 kappelevtsy (namely so grades of Far East army began to refer to informally) have buried the commander in a fencing of the Chita church. Later, at ostavlenii them of city, remains of the general have been transported to Harbin and at the big gathering of people perezahoroneny at northern wall Piously - Iverskogo a temple. Above a tomb the unquenchable icon lamp has been lit.
Piously storing memory of the commander dividing with them all nevzgody and burden of military everyday lifes, his fighting comrades aspired to embody V.O.Kappel's grave forever. To make it it was possible already after the termination of Civil war. The monument was will erect on national donations and is consecrated on June 28, 1929 in an environment of thousand crowd. It represented a granite block with a stone cross above it to which basis the emblem of the Siberian ice campaign - a sword in a thorny wreath has been placed. On a gravestone the inscription has been cut: " People, remember, that I loved Russia and loved you and the death have proved it. Kappel ". In some days after consecration of a monument kappelevtsy celebrated case a holiday on which was present more than 200 person. Behind a table one empty seat before which have put the device and a bouquet of white roses has been left. It was a place of general Kappel. Annually, on July 28, in a fencing Piously - Iverskoj churches on V.O.Kappel's tomb requiem for which former colleagues of the general on White struggle gathered was made.
The general-lieutenant in a coffin, Beside costs kappelevets honourable Sentry in February, 1920 in Chita
After clearing Harbin in August, 1945 from the Japanese invaders, on a tomb of general V.O.Kappel there came the maximum Soviet military leaders and gave a soldier's duty of "classless" memory to this brave person. But in 1956 under the order of the Soviet General consulate in Harbin tomb Kappel has been profaned: the monument is destroyed, taken out and thrown at a fencing New (Uspenskogo) cemeteries, and a tomb have razed to the ground. Now V.O.Kappel's remains still are based in the ground of Harbin.. In spite of the fact that the tomb has been destroyed, the place of a burial place of the general nevertheless managed to be established.
Transferring ashes of the general-lieutenant Kappel from the New cathedral in female Monastery in Chita, February, 1920
Last, 2003, was marked by the beginning of actions on the organization of process of carry of remains of V.O.Kappel to Russia, one of key roles in which alongside with the Moscow Patriarchy is played by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation which has taken on very difficult and responsible mission under the decision of all questions with the Chinese party. Many efforts should be applied to our embassy in Beijing and to general consulate in SHenjane that all was resolved by worthy image. This undertaking initiated by News agency " White Soldiers " is supposed, that, will allow to achieve in result the sanction of the Chinese authorities to carry of ashes of the Russian general to Russia - so that adequately perezahoronit it in Chita where originally V.O.Kappel's body and was predano to the ground on orthodox custom.
IA " White Soldiers "