Lazare Moïsseïevitch Kaganovitch (ЛазарьМоисеевичКаганович) born in Kabany the November 22nd 1893 and dead the July 25th 1991 is a politician of the Soviet Union, collaborator of Joseph Stalin.

Biography

Faithful of Stalin

Kaganovitch is resulting from a poor Jewish family of the surroundings of Kiev. He works as of his childhood in factories of shoes and, joining his Mikhaïl older brother, adheres to the Bolchevism in 1911. He sees himself entrusting minor political tasks in the Red Army during the civil war and fights on the southern face. In 1920, it is sent in Central Asia. In its station, it is at the origin of the abandonment of the name Turkestan then used to indicate this area, estimating that it expressed “ a large-Turkish aspiration which should be striped as soon as possible Soviet terminology ”.

Belonging to the very first team of Stalin, Kaganovitch knows a rapid rise then: candidate at the Central committee in 1923, he is member the following year. First secretary of the Ukrainian Communist party of 1925 to 1928, it directs the operations of elimination of oppositional and plays a considerable part in the implementation of the Stalinist purgings of the Thirties in this province completely upset by collectivization.

Temporary elected official with the Politburo, it becomes titular about it in 1930 and, remarkable longevity, remains there until 1957, having in addition joined Praesidium in 1952. From 1930 to 1935, it is with the head of the organization of the party to Moscow and, until 1939, one of the three secretaries of the Central committee, supervising in particular successively industry, agriculture and transport. This station, it is characterized by its action in modernization from Moscow and in particular in the construction industry from the first line from the subway from the capital.

A dedicated collaborator

During the years 1930, Kaganovitch takes part with zeal and without state of heart in the implementation of the economic reforms and social of Stalin, in particular the collectivization of agriculture and the industrialization as fast as violent of the USSR, like with the political purgings. Vice-president of the the Council of the police chiefs of the people of 1938 to 1957, it forms part during the second world war of the Committee of State to Defense. He is, on March 5th, 1940, one of the Soviet persons in charge who contresign the order of execution by NKVD of 25.700 Polish officers captive facts by the Red Army (Massacre of Katyń).

During the Patriotic Great War, Kaganovitch is named Commissaire (and member of the Military council) on the face of Caucasus North. In 1943-1944, it once again receives the responsibility for the railroads, essential strategic element in the fight against the Nazi Germany. In 1943, it obtains the rare distinction of " Hero of socialist work " . From 1944 to 1947, finally, it ensures the ministry for Construction materials and becomes this last year, 1st secretary of the Ukrainian Communist party. From this period, Kaganovitch is chief of Gossnab, posts important in a managed economy subjected to planning. On the political plan, although of Jewish origin , it shows that it is Stalinist pure and hard when it does not hesitate to support the GenSek (general secretary) when this one launches, at the time of its last years to be able, in 1953, of violent campaigns anti-semites.

A victim of the destalinization

After the death of Stalin, Kaganovitch succeeds in preserving its influence. From May 1955 in June 1956, he is Wages and Minister for Labor. In 1957, it replaces Khrouchtchev for a few months at the post of first secretary of the Party in Ukraine and contributes to the rise with the capacity of this last. For as much its influence decrease very quickly. With his/her colleagues of the preserving tendency Molotov and Vorochilov, it foments an intrigue to eliminate its old protected become meanwhile an increasingly virulent detractor from the Stalinist methods. Shown to have fomented the activities of the " group; antiparti" , Kaganovitch is dislocated of its functions to the government, then of Praesidium in June 1957, to be relegated to the direction of a cement factory in province.

Violently criticized with the XXII° Congress of the PCUS of October 1961 which defends a line of radical destalinization, it is however not excluded from the Party, elimination which will occur only three years later. Fallen in the lapse of memory, Kaganovitch finds a certain notoriety at the beginning of the Glasnost when journalists obtain from old directing the exhumation of discussed revelations. It also owes it with its longevity. Having succeeded in reaching the worthy age of 97 years, he dies in 1991, very little time before the events which lead to the disappearance of Soviet Union that he largely contributed to work.