Lavrentiy Beria Лавре́нтий Бе́рия ლავრენტი ბერია | |
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| Born | 29 March 1899 Merkheuli, Russian Empire |
| Died | 23 December 1953 Moscow, RSFSR, Soviet Union |
| Cause of death | Execution |
| Nationality | Georgian |
Lavrentiy Pavlovich Beria (29 March 1899 – 23 December 1953) was a Soviet politician and chief of the NKVD from 1938 to 1945. During the 1950s, he wanted to allow some private industry, weaken the kolkhoz system, and restore diplomatic relations with Yugoslavia. Molotov suspected that Beria was responsible for Stalin's death.[1]
Beria's ally, Viktor Abakumov, was arrested in 1951 and removed from his position as leader of the MVD. Soon after, many of Beria's supporters were purged from the Georgian Central Committee for corruption.[2]
Shortly after Stalin's death, Beria organized a coup in Georgia to restore his supporters to power. Zhukov arrested Beria in June 1953 on Khrushchev's orders, and Beria was executed on 23 December.[2]
References
- ↑ Ludo Martens (1996). Another View of Stalin: 'From Stalin to Khrushchev' (pp. 253–255). [PDF] Editions EPO. ISBN 9782872620814
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Ludo Martens (1996). Another View of Stalin: 'From Stalin to Khrushchev' (pp. 260–262). [PDF] Editions EPO. ISBN 9782872620814