Stepan Khalturin, “narodnaya volya”, and the attempt on the life of Alexander II in the Winter Palace

This article is dedicated to the unsuccessful attempt on the life of Alexander II in the Winter Palace on February 5th of 1880. This is the first time in Russian historical research that the preparation for this act of terrorism is researched and explored in such detail, based on little-known materials and archival documents. The article focuses on the ideological, high-minded causes and moral aspects of the revolutionist-terrorists, as 155 well as the functioning terrorist organization “Narodnaya Volya” (“The People’s Will”). The article explains why the political police forces could not prevent this act of terrorism. It is concluded, that the secret political police was unprepared for conflict with this underground terrorist organization, and that it was only coincidence and chance that led to the tragic events.