Pyotr Petrovich Schmidt was born in 1867 in
Odessa,
Russian Empire, now
Ukraine, to the family of rear admiral and the head of Berdyansk port,
Pyotr Petrovich Schmidt (1828–1888). His father Pyotr Petrovich Schmidt Sr, descendant of Anton Schmidt from
Frankfurt am Main, officer in the navy of
Peter the Great, participated in the defense of
Sevastopol during the
Siege of Sevastopol (1854). His mother Yekaterina Yakovlevna Schmidt (born von Wagner) was of German descent. Schmidt spent his youth in
Berdyansk, where his father was city governor (gradonachalnik) and city port head. In 1883 Schmidt Jr entered the Naval Officers' Corps in
Saint Petersburg and after graduation enrolled in the
Imperial Russian Navy. He resigned in 1888 and married Dominika Gavrilovna Pavlova. After the birth of his son Yevgeniy in 1889, the family moved to
Taganrog, where
Alexander Nentzel, manager of the
Azov-Don Commercial Bank offered him a bookkeeper position. In 1893, Schmidt left Taganrog and enrolled again in the
Imperial Russian Navy. ==Uprising in the Black Sea Fleet== The uprising in the
Black Sea Fleet was part of the
Russian Revolution of 1905. Schmidt was a
lieutenant commander of the
destroyer Number 253 in the
Imperial Russian Navy. On 1 October 1905, he made a speech during a meeting in
Sevastopol, urging the citizens to stand up for their rights and demanding the authorities free political prisoners. Participants of the meeting headed towards the city prison, where they were met with machine gun fire. In the following days, Pyotr Schmidt gave a speech at the special session of the
Sevastopol City Council and at the cemetery during the funeral ceremony, where he was arrested. He was conveyed to the battleship
Tri Sviatitelia, which provoked protests and the authorities were forced to release him. On 7 November 1905, Schmidt was retired with the rank of captain (капитан 2 ранга). The uprising continued and with the cruiser
Ochakov in its center. On November 26, 1905, a mutiny began the cruiser, and its officers were expelled from the ship. Lieutenant Commander Schmidt, though not being a member of
RSDRP, was invited to take command of the rebel ships, including the minelayer
Griden, gunboat
Usuriets, destroyers
Zavetniy,
Zorkiy,
Svirepiy,
265,
268,
270, training ship
Dnestr and mine carrier
Bug. The same day, the Soviets of Sailors' and Soldiers' Deputies decided to start a Black Sea Fleet-wide mutiny and appoint Schmidt as Commander of the Fleet. On November 28, Pyotr Schmidt arrived on board the cruiser
Ochakov, which raised the red flag and the signal
Commanding the Fleet. The rebel squadron was also joined by the battleship
Panteleimon. The revolutionary forces made up some 8,200 vs. 10,000 government forces. Schmidt sent a telegram to Emperor
Nicholas II of Russia: The glorious Black Sea Fleet, sacredly devoted to the people, demands Your Majesty to immediately call a meeting of the Constituent Assembly (Учредительное собрание), and no longer obeys orders of Your ministers. Commander of the Fleet P. Schmidt. The commander of the Imperial Russian forces, General
Alexander Meller-Zakomelsky, gave an ultimatum demanding immediate capitulation, but there was no reply. Three hours after the ultimatum, the government forces opened fire at rebel ships and barracks. In 90 minutes, the revolutionary squadron was defeated by the government ships led by the battleship
Rostislav. Schmidt and his 16-year-old son were captured, and all who remained alive were arrested. The next day, the government forces supported by artillery took the rebel barracks. ==Death==