The Red Wheel

work by Solzhenitsyn

Also known as: “Krasnoe koleso”

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July 13, 2026

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The Red Wheel is a monumental historical novel by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, with August 1914 being its first installment. This work delves into the events leading up to and during World War I, focusing on Russia's devastating defeat at the Battle of Tannenberg. Solzhenitsyn, a Nobel Prize laureate, draws on his experiences and historical research to depict the political and social climate of Russia, ultimately exploring the weaknesses of the tsarist regime that contributed to its downfall. The novel uses a combination of broad characterization and literary allusions to convey its epic scope within a compressed timeframe.12

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Aleksandr Isayevich Solzhenitsyn
…part of a projected series, Krasnoe koleso (The Red Wheel); other volumes (or uzly [“knots”]) in the series were Oktyabr 1916 (“October 1916”), Mart 1917 (“March 1917”), and Aprel 1917 (“April 1917”).
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…part of a projected series, Krasnoe koleso (The Red Wheel); other volumes (or uzly [“knots”]) in the series were Oktyabr 1916 (“October 1916”), Mart 1917 (“March 1917”), and Aprel 1917 (“April 1917”).
Read More