| Baron Roman von Ungern-Sternberg Рома́н фон У́нгерн-Ште́рнберг | |
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| Born | Nicholas Robert Maximilian Freiherr von Ungern-Sternberg January 10, 1886  Graz, Austro-Hungarian Empire(  Graz, German Empire) |
| Disappeared | 1941 unknown |
| Died | unknown Harbin, China(  Kharbin, Russian Empire) (possibly)Tibet |
| Cause of death | Assassination |
| Monuments | many |
| Nationality | Russia - Baltic German - Mongolian (claimed) |
| Other names | Prince Ungern |
| Ethnicity | Baltic German, Mongol (claimed) |
| Occupation | Military leader, anti-communist general |
| Organization | Imperial Russian Army White Movement |
| Religion | Lutheran |
| Spouse(s) | Princess Elena Pavlovna Princess ???? |
| Parents |
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| Family | House of Ungern-Sternberg |
Prince Roman Fedorovich von Ungern-Sternberg (Russian: Рома́н Фёдорович фон У́нгерн-Ште́рнберг; 10 January 1886 – 15 September 1956) also Khankhüü Tyeodoryn Roman (Mongolian: Ханхүү Тёодорын Роман) known by his original German name Nikolai Robert Maximilian Fürst von Ungern-Sternberg, often referred to as Roman von Ungern-Sternberg, Prince Ungern, or Roman I Fedorovich, Prince of Mongolia; was a Marshal of the Russian Empire of Baltic German heritage, who was the Grand Prince of Mongolia from 1956 to 1957, and one of most controversial Russian military commanders, and one of the brutal members of the Okhrana (OTE: NKVD), the Tsarist secret police and was known to be one of the most famous instigators of the White Terror, that even the Tsar himself had to intervene against him. He is infamously known for having cooperated with Sergey Taboritsky in the attempted murder of Pavel Milyukov.
He rose to prominence during Russian Civil War as a White general and monarchist and then an independent warlord who intervened in Mongolia against China.
Baron Ungern was an ultraconservative monarchist who aspired to restore the Russian monarchy after the 1917 Russian Revolutions and to revive the Mongol Empire under the rule of the Bogd Khan. He, along with six other Russian generals and nobles, form part of the "Great Seven" of Imperial Russian history, those who staunchly defended the Tsarist state from anti-Tsarists and communists alike. His attraction to Vajrayana Buddhism and his eccentric, often violent, treatment of enemies and his own men earned him the sobriquet "the Mad Baron" or "the Bloody Baron".
In February 1921, at the head of the Asiatic Cavalry Division, Ungern, along with Ataman Grigory Semyonov fought ferocious battles against the Bolsheviks in the east, significantly playing a role in the Bolshevik defeat in eastern Russia, and later expelled Chinese troops from Mongolia and restored the monarchic power of the Bogd Khan. During his five-month occupation of Outer Mongolia, Ungern imposed order on the capital city, Ikh Khüree (now Ulaanbaatar), by fear, intimidation and brutal violence against his opponents, particularly the Bolsheviks. In June 1921, he travelled to eastern Siberia to support anti-Bolshevik partisan forces and to head off a joint Red Army-Mongolian rebel invasion.
After the civil war, the new Tsar, Cyril I appointed him to the Okhrana, the Tsarist secret police, and had warned the Baron that he would be deposed of if his he continued his abuse and bully behavior. He was given a home in Tsarytsin, home to a large Baltic German emigre and Volga German population. An instrument of the White Terror, Ungern-Sternberg was known to have assassinated over 5,420 suspected Bolsheviks. In the city of Tsarytsin alone, his group executed over 1,301 people of being suspected Bolsheviks.
For his achievements towards the empire in the civil war, Interwar Period and World War II, he was crowned a Prince, and this mostly came from Mongol support. He became the first and only non-Mongol who bear the title Prince of Greater Mongolia, althoug he always insisted that he was of Mongol descent.
Life[]
Russian Civil War[]
During the Russian Civil War, the Baron became one of the principal leaders of the White forces in eastern Russia. Originally aligned with Ataman Grigory Semyonov, and Admiral Alexander Kolchak, the Baron broke away from the two, as he would lead a uniquely monarchist faction in eastern Russia.
Baron Ungern would go lead the Asiatic Cavalry Division along with General Boris Pavlovich Rezhukin, and this Asiatic Cavalry Divsion would go on to engage in some of the deadliest fighting against the Bolsheviks in eastern Russia. This is where Baron Ungern earned the nickname the "Bloody Baron", as he was so ferocious, even against fellow Russian officers.
Baron Ungern and General Rezhukin would go on to take key eastern Russian cities, such as Novosibirsk, Khabarovsk, and teamed up with the Yakuts against the Bolsheviks. However, they also clashed with other White forces, namely those led by Sergey Taskin and Sergay Rozanov, who were republicanists.
Baron Ungern and General Rezhukin both encountered General Vladimir Kappel, who had recently been defeated by Soviet forces. They would form the "Big Three of the East", however in 1920, Kappel died and passed command of his forces to Sergei Wojciekowski. The Asiatic Cavalry Division conjoined with the forces in Irkutsk. General Wojciekowski, however, like General Kappel before him, were not fond of Baron Ungern, and had kept their distance as much from him.
General Wojchiekowski later recalls being "...as concerned for my safety against Baron Ungern, as much as the Bolsheviks".
Career in the Okhrana[]
Neither the new Tsar, Cyril I or the Generalissmo of Russia, Pyotr Wrangel wanted a thing to do with the Bloody Baron. However, the Tsar felt that he would have a use, in enacting political purges against Bolshevik sympathizers. Although his activities in the Okhrana were unknown, it is speculated that he carried out the White Terror against the SRs and suspected Bolsheviks.
However, his career with the Okhrana was again, tainted, as the Tsar had sent him multiple warnings to cease his abusive behavior or else he would be deposed of and taken care of swiftly.
Career with the Far Eastern Front[]
To coincide with the Baron's obsessions with Eastern culture, the Senate transferred him to serve as part of the Far Eastern Front. He would be the General of the 2nd Transbaikal Army. Like before, the other armies of the Far Eastern Front avoided him as much as possible, however, his 2nd Transbaikal Army was known to be some of the best fighters of the Far Eastern Front.
Due to the mistreatment of officers again, he was apprehended by Stavka, and the 2nd Transbaikal Army subsequently fell under the leadership of General Boris Rezhukin. Stavka threatened to have him and Semyonov removed if they continued their behavior, an order directly from the Tsar himself. In spite of his negative outlook by other officers, he formed close personal ties to Urzhin Garmaev, the General of the 3rd Transbaikal Army and Grigory Semyonov, Ataman of the Transbaikal Cossacks, whom Stavka looked at with strong suspicion.
Military Expedition in China[]
During the Northern Expedition in China, the Baron supported the monarchial government of Yuan Shikai, and asked permission to aid the northern governments in China. Stavka gave the approval, and thus, he formed strong ties to many warlords in northern China with his volunteer force, especially with Zhang Zongchang. He was one of the military officers that grew increasingly close to Japan.
Deserting his position[]
When Boris Rezhukin became Generalissmo, the Mad Baron had high hopes that Boris would form an alliance against Japan, only to go to war against Japan in 1937, a decision that he disagreed with, and was known to even throw a tantrum upon hearing of the news. Roman personally threatened the Generalissmo, who had him dishonorably discharged from the Russian Army. He once-again, continued his tantrum-laden rants against fellow officers for even electing Boris as the Generalissmo, believing himself to have been fit for the position.
Becoming a wanted man for deserting his position, he was hidden with the aid of Urzhin Garmaev and Grigory Semyonov.
World War II[]
After Boris Rezhukin was deposed of, Roman's "wanted status" was revoked, and he was re-instated into the Russian Army in 1942. Roman von Ungern-Sternberg partook in the Manchuria Offensive, as part of the newly-formed Manchuria Front. He would lead the 3rd Manchurian Army Group. The troops under his command were known to be among the fiercest in combat, feared by the Japanese.
After the surrender of the Japanese forces, Roman was crowned as a prince for his service and became a Prince of Courland. He continued to serve as part of the Manchuria Front, and commanded a penal force of Mongols, those who formerly served as part of the Menjiang, where he felt sympathy for the Mongol price Demchugdongrub and persuaded for his extradition to Russia for safety from Chinese authorities. The Baron bowed down the Mongol prince as his direct superior.
As a Prince of Greater Mongolia[]
After his service in conquering Mongolia from the Chinese, he, Grigory Semyonov and Urzhin Garmaev were summoned to Moscow, where they would be crowned princes. Although historians agree that he was Baltic German with Hungarian stock, he claimed to be of Mongol descent, something but SEmyonov and Garmaev disagreed with and doubted, but kept their mouths shut.
He was given three coronations, a Russian, Baltic German and Mongolian, with the latter he preferred.
Leader of the Khurultai Troika[]
Although the early Khurultai of Greater Mongolian state was ruled by the "Troika of the Three Princes", clearly Roman von Ungern-Sternberg had control of most military and policing decisions. Mongol troops in the Russian military noted he was nowhere near as brutal against them as he was against Russian officers.
Death[]
On his way to Tibet, in an attempt to find the next incarnation of the Bogd Khan, he was assassinated by unknown assailants. The Chinese accused Tibetans of murdering, and the Russians - who were already in a limited conflict against China, blamed the Chinese.
However, many also claim that Stavka ordered his assassination on the orders of vengeful officers suffering from his beatings. When news was reached Stavka, many expected a Russian reprisal, however Stavka seemd rather indifferent. Although they held a funeral pyre for him, and was attended by many Stavka officers and nobles.
He was buried in Urga. Two years later in 1958, Grigory Semyonov was assassinated, leading Urzhin Garmaev to declare martial law, and become the sole leader of the Senate.
Personal views[]
The Tsar[]
The baron believed in absolutism, thus him being an ultra-conservative, and oppose any progressive policies what-so-ever. When the revolutions raged, he claimed that the Tsar had the Divine Authority regardless of what the people think, thus, causing his violent attitude, even against fellow White officers that preferred a republic.
He opposed the crowning of Cyril I Vladimirovich as the succeeding Tsar of Russia, claiming that Cyril I had backstabbed noble traditions by allowing socialists and leftists a hand, and flirting with the republic.
Orientalism[]
Unlike other conservative barons, Roman was particularly obssessed with eastern religion, which soon developed into a hatred for western and European customs, which he felt lacked discipline.
Family[]
Roman had a controversial family history. He had two wives, his first wife was Princess Ji, a Manchu princess, whom he had one child, Martha von Ungern-Sternberg. After becoming a prince of Greater Mongolia, he married a Mongolian noblewoman, ??? ???, with whom he had Jochi, Batjargal and Khongordzol.