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Engelsina Chezkova with Stalin. Engelsina’s father was shot as a spy and her mother died after being denounced as ‘an enemy of the people’. The Purges. Terms.
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Engelsina Chezkova with Stalin. Engelsina’s father was shot as a spy and her mother died after being denounced as ‘an enemy of the people’ The Purges
Terms • The Great Purges – The term used to describe the wave of terror which Stalin and his supporters used to remove enemies. Targets were enemies of the state. • Terror – The use of fear to either control or keep opponents quiet.
The Apparatus Party Secretariat Collected info on Soviet citizens and party officials Secret Police (OGPU until 1934 and then the NKVD) Involved in surveillance of individuals and running of labour camp Ordinary Citizens Denounced neighbours or family members to the Secret Police.
Why did the Party Purge its members? • Party had a historic role to play in the development of communism • First major purge after Civil War – why? • Some historians – ridding party of undesirables - rid the party of critics (as Lenin had done before)
Was there real opposition to Stalin’s authority? • Industrial trials against ‘wreckers’ to production – real opposition or propaganda purpose • Political opposition – Trotsky from abroad (had friends in government still), Riutin affair (1932) became a vocal opponent of Stalin’s methods – arrested. 1934 a new opponent emerges…
Sergei Kirov • On 1st December 1934 outside his office in the party headquarters at the Smolny Institute in Leningrad, Politburo member and Leningrad party boss Sergei Kirov was assassinated. • The assassin was immediately apprehended, Leonid Nikolaev, a disgruntled party member. Was he acting alone or with others???
Task • In teams you are to investigate the murder using contemporary evidence from a variety of sources. • The case has been reopened. Your CSI team are to look through the evidence and brainstorm the possibilities…
Suspects • Leonid Nikolaev • Stalin • Zinoviev • Kamanev