Irakli Tsereteli

Irakli Tsereteli (1881-1960) was a Russian socialist politician. Tsereteli was a leading figure in the Menshevik party in early twentieth century Russia. Born in Georgia in 1881 he became a lawyer, studying in Moscow where he became politically active.

Tsereteli was a member of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party and at the party's 1903 congress in London sided with Julius Martov aganist Lenin by becoming a Menshevik, opposed to Lenin's Bolsheviks.

Tsereteli became editor of a pro-Menshevik publication but decided to move to Germany to escape increasing harassment from the authorities. He returned to Russia during the 1905 Revolution and was elected to the second Duma, emerging as a leading Menshevik. On the dissolution of the Duma, Tsereteli was exiled to Siberia.

Tsereteli returned to Petrograd after the February Revolution. He joined the liberal Provisional Government. After the October Revolution Lenin ordered Tsereteli's arrest so he remained in Georgia for the duration of the Russian Civil War. When the area was taken by the Red Army Tsereteli decided to leave for France later emigrating to the United States where he died in 1960.