How did Maxim Gorky help scholars and writers in Petrograd after the Russian Revolution?

Following the Russian Revolution of 1917, Maxim Gorky resided in Petrograd and actively worked to assist scholars and writers who were not considered enemies of the Soviet government. During a period of severe hardship, he provided vital support to help these individuals survive the pervasive hunger and cold.1

Despite his efforts, Gorky’s humanitarian work was frequently undermined by V.I. Lenin and Grigory Zinovyev, the head of the Petrograd Bolsheviks, who actively thwarted his attempts to aid the intelligentsia. Gorky’s independent stance and his earlier criticisms of the Bolsheviks' dictatorial methods eventually led to his own exile in 1921, which was officially framed as a necessity for medical treatment.1