Extraordinary Sixth All-Russia Congress of the Soviets

Extraordinary Sixth All-Russia Congress of the Soviets was held in Bolshoi Theater from November 6 to 9, 1918. 1,296 delegates attended the Congress, including 963 delegates with voting rights, including 946 members of the Communist Party, 16 members from other parties and a person without party affiliation. The issues included in the agenda of the Congress were: On the Anniversary of The Revolution; On the International Situation; On the Military Affairs; On Building Soviet Power in The Central Region of The Country, On Committees of The Poor (kombedy), and On Local Soviets At the first meeting on November 6, Lenin delivered the “Speech on The Anniversary of The Revolution”. By the proposal of Y.M. Sverdlov, the Congress adopted an appeal to the governments of the countries waging war against Soviet Russia, recommending the start of immediate peace talks. In view of the consolidation of Soviet power and the victories of the Red Army, the Congress adopted a decision of amnesty for the release of political prisoners who no longer posed a threat to the Soviet Republic.

Lenin made a speech on the international situation at the second meeting of the Congress on November 8, and the Congress unanimously approved the resolution drafted by Lenin, on the international situation. On the same day, D. I. Kursky, the People's Commissar for Justice, delivered his report and the Congress adopted the resolution on revolutionary legality, drawn up on the basis of Lenin’s theses, which called on all citizens, organs of Soviet power and persons in charge of administrative state organs to observe these laws of the Soviet state with utmost strict way. At the last meeting on November 9, the Congress examined the problems in military affairs and the construction of Soviets and adopted the corresponding resolutions. The Congress summarized the work of the Poor Peasant Committee and decided to entrust the Committees of The Poor (kombedy) to preside over the re-election of all commune Soviets and village Soviets. The Congress delegates were excited by the news of the outbreak of revolution in Germany and expressed their solidarity with the German workers, soldiers, and sailors who had revolted. The Congress elected a new All-Russian Central Executive Committee consisting of 207 members and 39 alternate members.