A Soviet politician who played a key role in Stalin's government, overseeing massive industrialization and infrastructure projects, while also being responsible for brutal suppression of dissent.
Lazar Kaganovich, born on November 10, 1893, was a Soviet politician who rose to prominence as one of Joseph Stalin's closest associates. He is known for his instrumental role in consolidating Soviet rule in Turkestan and enforcing grain quotas in Ukraine, which contributed to the devastating Holodomor famine.
Kaganovich's political career began in 1911 when he joined the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party. He quickly climbed the ranks, holding leading positions in Bolshevik organizations in Belarus and Russia. In 1922, Stalin appointed Kaganovich to head an organizational department of the Communist Party, solidifying his grip on the party.
In 1925, Kaganovich became the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Ukraine, and in 1930, he was appointed a full member of the Politburo and Stalin's deputy party secretary. His influence continued to grow, with various appointments as the People's Commissar for Railways, Heavy Industry, and Oil Industry.
One of the darkest chapters in Kaganovich's career was his role in enforcing grain quotas in Ukraine, which led to the devastating Holodomor famine. This catastrophic event resulted in the deaths of millions of Ukrainians, leaving a lasting scar on the nation.
After Stalin's death in 1953, Kaganovich's influence began to wane. He joined a failed coup against Nikita Khrushchev in 1957, resulting in his dismissal from the Presidium and demotion to the director of a small potash works in the Urals. In 1961, he was expelled from the Communist Party and spent the remainder of his life as a pensioner in Moscow.
Kaganovich's legacy is complex and controversial. He played a significant role in shaping the Soviet Union's early years, but his policies and actions led to untold suffering and devastation. As the last surviving Old Bolshevik, his passing in 1991 marked the end of an era.
Kaganovich was born into a Jewish family in Ukraine and spoke Yiddish at home. Despite his later rise to power, he remained humble, claiming to have always been a simple man with simple tastes.
Despite his controversial legacy, Lazar Kaganovich remains a significant figure in Soviet history, serving as a reminder of the complexities and contradictions of the communist regime.
Born in 1878
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