Wilhelm Adolfovich Kurz

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Wilhelm Adolfovich Kurz

Вильгельм Адольфович Курц
Born1892
Vienna, Lower Austria, Austria-Hungary
Died10 May 1938 (aged 45–46)
Kommunarka shooting ground, Moscow Oblast, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Cause of deathExecution by shooting
Political partyCommunist Party of the Soviet Union


Wilhelm Adolfovich Kurz (1892 – 10 May 1938) was an Austrian-born Soviet revolutionary and politician who served as the Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars of the Volga German ASSR from 1924 to 1929. He also served as the president of Intourist. In 1933 he became the first Soviet official to visit the United States after the US recognised the USSR.

Kurz was arrested in November 1937 and tried for participation in an underground nationalist-fascist organisation. He was found guilty and sentenced to death by the Politburo on 27 April 1938. Kurz was shot on 10 May 1938.