Review:
An interesting and well written account of Stalin’s last years, his demise, funeral and further developments after his death. Especially interesting were the relations of the events in DDR, arrest and trial of Beria and the strikes in the Gulags organised by the political prisoners who were demanding an amnesty.
Inspect the whole History Section -->
Khrushchev recalled how Stalin had grown increasingly hostile to Molotov and Mikoyan, because of their support for increasing the state’s investments in agriculture.
The Doctors’ Plot revolved around deaths of Shcherbakov in 1945 and Zhdanov in 1948. Nine doctors were listed, six of them Jewish.
After Stalin’s death Malenkov seemed to be securing the three most important positions within the Soviet hierarchy: the chairman of the Council of Ministers, the head of the Party Presidium and the Secretariat of the party itself. This was quickly changed when on 21st of March was announced that Malenkov resigned as secretary of the party. He remained the premier. Beria was the head of the internal police. Khrushchev was announced as the first secretary. Molotov was restored as foreign minister, Bulganin the defence minister.
Beria reported to the Presidium that 2.5 million political and non-political prisoners were kept in the Gulag. On 27th of March an amnesty for the one million of criminal prisoners was announced.
Events in the East Germany started in June 1953. On 11th of June the communist officials acknowledged their mistakes and agreed to abolish forced collectivisation, safeguard private enterprises etc. Soon after they announced the release over five thousand prisoners accused of small criminal crimes. On 15th of June when a group of workers attempted to approach premier Grotewohl, they were turned away. The next day the workers took to the streets. With the regime unwilling to negotiate. Two days later the workers attacked symbols of communist power. When 25 thousand converged on the House of Ministries, martial law was declared and the Soviet tanks moved to protect the building. Facing with hostile demonstrators, Soviet troops started firing into crowds of unarmed people. At least 120 demonstrators were killed and 200 seriously wounded. Well over 3,000 people were arrested. Strikes spread to other towns. By 20th of June most of the unrest subsided.
Removal of Beria started on 26th of June 1953, when Bulganin, as minister of defence arranged a small group of senior military officers, and had them briefed by Zhukov about the plot. Malenkov, as chairman of Presidium opened the meeting of Presidium and announced that the agenda would focus on Beria’s activities. He accused him of violating the principle of collective leadership and proposed to remove him as minister of state security. The others too accused Beria of promoting himself at others cost. On secret signal Zhukov entered with the other officers and took Beria into custody. They moved him to Lefortovo prison and then to a secret military bunker. Two weeks later they called a plenum of a Central Committee and accused Beria of wanting to see Germany united. On 10th of July Pravda broke the news of Beria’s downfall. On 18th of December a closed-door trial of Beria begun. It was presided by marshal Konev. Beria was found guilty and shot dead on 23rd of December 1953.
The large-scale amnesty in March 1953 did not include any political prisoners. With Stalin dead and Beria discredited they became restless. In May, the prisoners in Norilsk camp, engaged in copper and nickel mining started refusing to work. Soon about 16 thousand out of 70 thousand went on strike. They were offered better working conditions but instead the prisoners demanded a review of their cases and amnesty. Troops descended on the camp and hundreds were killed. Similar unrest happened in Vorkuta, where 50 thousand prisoners worked in the coal mines. When 15 thousand refused to work, the guards killed hundreds. In the spring of 1954 the prisoners revolted in Kengir. They got crushed with tanks and army soldiers. Gradually, the political prisoners started to be released. By January 1959 only 11 thousand political prisoners remained in the camps.
Inspect the whole History Section -->
Notes:
Stalin when discussing his successor, saw only Bulganin as the worthy one. He dismissed Beria because he was not Russian, but Georgian. Khrushchev was a worker. Malenkov could only follow someone else’s lead. Kaganovich wasn’t Russian but Jew. Molotov was too aged. Voroshilov not up to it.Khrushchev recalled how Stalin had grown increasingly hostile to Molotov and Mikoyan, because of their support for increasing the state’s investments in agriculture.
The Doctors’ Plot revolved around deaths of Shcherbakov in 1945 and Zhdanov in 1948. Nine doctors were listed, six of them Jewish.
After Stalin’s death Malenkov seemed to be securing the three most important positions within the Soviet hierarchy: the chairman of the Council of Ministers, the head of the Party Presidium and the Secretariat of the party itself. This was quickly changed when on 21st of March was announced that Malenkov resigned as secretary of the party. He remained the premier. Beria was the head of the internal police. Khrushchev was announced as the first secretary. Molotov was restored as foreign minister, Bulganin the defence minister.
Beria reported to the Presidium that 2.5 million political and non-political prisoners were kept in the Gulag. On 27th of March an amnesty for the one million of criminal prisoners was announced.
Events in the East Germany started in June 1953. On 11th of June the communist officials acknowledged their mistakes and agreed to abolish forced collectivisation, safeguard private enterprises etc. Soon after they announced the release over five thousand prisoners accused of small criminal crimes. On 15th of June when a group of workers attempted to approach premier Grotewohl, they were turned away. The next day the workers took to the streets. With the regime unwilling to negotiate. Two days later the workers attacked symbols of communist power. When 25 thousand converged on the House of Ministries, martial law was declared and the Soviet tanks moved to protect the building. Facing with hostile demonstrators, Soviet troops started firing into crowds of unarmed people. At least 120 demonstrators were killed and 200 seriously wounded. Well over 3,000 people were arrested. Strikes spread to other towns. By 20th of June most of the unrest subsided.
Removal of Beria started on 26th of June 1953, when Bulganin, as minister of defence arranged a small group of senior military officers, and had them briefed by Zhukov about the plot. Malenkov, as chairman of Presidium opened the meeting of Presidium and announced that the agenda would focus on Beria’s activities. He accused him of violating the principle of collective leadership and proposed to remove him as minister of state security. The others too accused Beria of promoting himself at others cost. On secret signal Zhukov entered with the other officers and took Beria into custody. They moved him to Lefortovo prison and then to a secret military bunker. Two weeks later they called a plenum of a Central Committee and accused Beria of wanting to see Germany united. On 10th of July Pravda broke the news of Beria’s downfall. On 18th of December a closed-door trial of Beria begun. It was presided by marshal Konev. Beria was found guilty and shot dead on 23rd of December 1953.
The large-scale amnesty in March 1953 did not include any political prisoners. With Stalin dead and Beria discredited they became restless. In May, the prisoners in Norilsk camp, engaged in copper and nickel mining started refusing to work. Soon about 16 thousand out of 70 thousand went on strike. They were offered better working conditions but instead the prisoners demanded a review of their cases and amnesty. Troops descended on the camp and hundreds were killed. Similar unrest happened in Vorkuta, where 50 thousand prisoners worked in the coal mines. When 15 thousand refused to work, the guards killed hundreds. In the spring of 1954 the prisoners revolted in Kengir. They got crushed with tanks and army soldiers. Gradually, the political prisoners started to be released. By January 1959 only 11 thousand political prisoners remained in the camps.
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