The Black Hundred, also known as the black-hundredists (Чёрная сотня, черносотенцы in Russian, or Chernaya sotnya, chernosotentsy) was a reactionary movement in Russia in the early 20th century, a supplemental organ of the tsarist regime, which stood for inviolable autocracy in its struggle against the revolutionary movement.

"Svyaschennaya druzhina" (Священнaя дружинa, or The Holy Brigade) and "Russkoye sobraniye" (Русское собрание, or Russian Assembly) in St.Petersburg are considered to be predecessors of the Black Hundred. Starting in 1900, the two organizations united representatives of the reactionary intelligentsia, government officials, clergy and landowners . A number of black-hundredist organizations were formed during and after the Russian Revolution of 1905, such as "Soyuz russkogo naroda" (Союз русского народа, or Union of the Russian People) in St.Petersburg, "Soyuz russkikh lyudey" (Союз русских людей, or Union of the Russians), "Russkaya monarkhicheskaya partiya" (Русская монархическая партия, or Russian Monarchist Party) and "Obschestvo aktivnoy bor'by s revolyutsiyey" (Общество активной борьбы с революцией, or Society of Active Struggle Against Revolution) in Moscow, "Beliy dvuglaviy oryol" (Белый двуглавый орёл, or White Two-headed Eagle) in Odessa and others.

Members of these organizations came from different social strata , such as landowners, clergymen, high and petty bourgeoisie, merchants, artisans, workers and the so-called declassed elements (see Declasse ). "Sovet ob’yedinyonnogo dvoryanstva" (United Gentry Council) guided the activities of the black-hundredists. The tsarist regime provided moral and financial support to the movement. The Black Hundreds were founded on a devotion to Tsar, church and motherland, expressed by the tsar's motto, Autocracy, Orthodoxy, and National Character. Despite certain program differences, all of the black-hundredist organizations had one goal in common, namely their struggle against the revolutionary movement. The black-hundredists conducted oral propaganda in churches by holding special services, during meetings, lectures and manifestations. Such propaganda provoked anti-Semitic moods and monarchic "exaltation" and caused numerous pogroms and terrorist acts against revolutionaries and certain public figures, performed by their armed wing, the Yellow Shirts.

The Black Hundred movement published newspapers, such as Russkoye znamya (Russian Banner), Pochayevsky listok (The Pochayev Page), Zemschina, Kolokol (Bell), Groza (Thunderstorm), Veche and other. Many rightist newspapers, such as Moskovskiye vedomosti (Moscow News), Grazhdanin (Citizen) and Kievlyanin (Kievan), published their materials, as well. Among the prominent leaders of the Black Hundred movement were Alexander Dubrovin , Vladimir Purishkevich , Nikolai Markov , Pavel Bulatzel , Ivan Vostorgov , A.I.Trischatiy, monk Iliodor , M.K.Shakhovskoy and others.

The black-hundredists organized four all-Russian congresses with the purpose of uniting their forces. In October of 1906, they elected the so-called glavnaya uprava (a kind of board of directors) of the new all-Russian black-hundredist organization "Ob’yedinyonniy russkiy narod" (Объединённый русский народ, or Russian People United). After 1907, however, this organization disintegrated and the whole Black Hundred movement became weaker with membership rate steadily decreasing. During the February Revolution of 1917, the remaining black-hundredist organizations were officially abolished. After the October Revolution, many leaders and regular members of these organizations fought against the Soviet authorities. The term "black-hundredist" was later used with reference to the extreme reactionaries, belligerent adversaries of socialism and others.

In today's Russia, the term "black-hundredist" has become synonymous with far-right thuggishness of a fascist character. Its modern day Russian manifestation is Pamyat, a nationalist organisation known for its anti-Semitism.

Reference

• Black Hundred: The Rise Of The Russian Extreme Right (1993) Walter Lacquer