Mikhail Frinovsky
Encyclopedia
Mikhail Petrovich Frinovsky (January 1898 - February 4, 1940) served as a deputy head of the NKVD
in the years of the Great Purge
and, along with Nikolai Yezhov
was responsible for setting in motion the Great Purge
.
. Prior to the First World War he studied in a religious school. In January 1916, Frinovsky volunteered for the army. He served as a sergeant
in the cavalry until his desertion in August of the same year. He found himself in an anarchist group and took part in the assassination of Major-General M. A Bem.
In March 1917 Frinovsky began work accountant in Moscow. In September he volunteered for the Red Guard. The unit under his command participated in the storming of the Kremlin, during which Frinovsky was severely wounded.
Between March and July 1918, Frinovsky again returned to civilian life and worked as a deputy administrator of the Hodynskaya Clinic. In July 1918 he joined the RKP(b) and volunteered for the Red Army. Frinovsky was made a commissar
of a combat unit and is also made head of the Special Section (=the political supervisor and the representative of the secret police, ChK
)of the 1st Cavalry Army.
In 1919 Frinovsky was transferred to the VChK
. Later in the year he became a deputy of the Special Section for Moscow ChK
. In this capacity he participated in many operations most vital for the survival of the bolshevik regime, including actions against the anarchists, as well as the destruction of anarchist and rebel militias in the Ukraine.
From December 1919 until April 1920, Frinovsky served in the Special Section for the Southern Front. In 1920, he was transferred to the South-Western Front, where he serves as chief of the Special Section, and as deputy to the Chief of the Special Section of the 1st Cavalry Army. Between 1921-1922, he was the deputy to the Chief of the Ukrainian ChK.
From 1922 to 1923, Frinovsky headed the administrative division of the Kiev
GPU. From the June 23 he was also head of the OGPU of The South-East.
In November 1923, Mikhail Frinovsky was transferred to the Northern Caucuses and given command of the Special Section for the region. In January 1926, he become head of GPU forces.
In July, 1927, Frinovsky was again transferred to Moscow, this time as aide to the commander of the Special Section for the region. In 1927 he completed high-command courses at the Frunze Military Academy. From November 28, 1928 until September 1, 1930, he served as the commissar
of the Special Forces division assigned to the Dzerjinsky College of the OGPU USSR.
On September 1, 1930, Mikhail Frinovsky was promoted and made chairman of the GPU of Azerbaijan
. In April 1933, he was again promoted and became the commander of OGPU Border Guard. On July 10, 1934, Frinovsky became head of Border and Internal Security for the NKVD
.
After the fall of Genrikh Yagoda
and the appointment of Yezhov to that post Frinovsky became deputy of the Narkom of Internal Affairs.
On September 8, 1938, Frinovsky was made the People’s Commissar of the Navy. This was a well known method of Stalin to ensure successful liquidation of a mighty rival, which also served to weaken Yezhov considerably. By this appointment, Frinovsky was uprooted from his devotees and the sources of power, being forced to travel to distant locations, being ever surrounded by new people of unknown loyalties.
On April 6, 1939, Mikhail Frinovsky was arrested. He was accused of “participating in conspiracies within the NKVD” and on February 4 of the following year, along with Yezhov he was sentenced to death and executed in Moscow.
NKVD
The People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs was the public and secret police organization of the Soviet Union that directly executed the rule of power of the Soviets, including political repression, during the era of Joseph Stalin....
in the years of the Great Purge
Great Purge
The Great Purge was a series of campaigns of political repression and persecution in the Soviet Union orchestrated by Joseph Stalin from 1936 to 1938...
and, along with Nikolai Yezhov
Nikolai Yezhov
Nikolai Ivanovich Yezhov or Ezhov was a senior figure in the NKVD under Joseph Stalin during the period of the Great Purge. His reign is sometimes known as the "Yezhovshchina" , "the Yezhov era", a term that began to be used during the de-Stalinization campaign of the 1950s...
was responsible for setting in motion the Great Purge
Great Purge
The Great Purge was a series of campaigns of political repression and persecution in the Soviet Union orchestrated by Joseph Stalin from 1936 to 1938...
.
Biography
Mikhail Petrovich Frinovsky was born in 1898 into the family of a teacher in the village of Narovchat, Penza GuberniyaPenza Oblast
-External links:* *...
. Prior to the First World War he studied in a religious school. In January 1916, Frinovsky volunteered for the army. He served as a sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
in the cavalry until his desertion in August of the same year. He found himself in an anarchist group and took part in the assassination of Major-General M. A Bem.
In March 1917 Frinovsky began work accountant in Moscow. In September he volunteered for the Red Guard. The unit under his command participated in the storming of the Kremlin, during which Frinovsky was severely wounded.
Between March and July 1918, Frinovsky again returned to civilian life and worked as a deputy administrator of the Hodynskaya Clinic. In July 1918 he joined the RKP(b) and volunteered for the Red Army. Frinovsky was made a commissar
Commissar
Commissar is the English transliteration of an official title used in Russia from the time of Peter the Great.The title was used during the Provisional Government for regional heads of administration, but it is mostly associated with a number of Cheka and military functions in Bolshevik and Soviet...
of a combat unit and is also made head of the Special Section (=the political supervisor and the representative of the secret police, ChK
Cheka
Cheka was the first of a succession of Soviet state security organizations. It was created by a decree issued on December 20, 1917, by Vladimir Lenin and subsequently led by aristocrat-turned-communist Felix Dzerzhinsky...
)of the 1st Cavalry Army.
In 1919 Frinovsky was transferred to the VChK
Cheka
Cheka was the first of a succession of Soviet state security organizations. It was created by a decree issued on December 20, 1917, by Vladimir Lenin and subsequently led by aristocrat-turned-communist Felix Dzerzhinsky...
. Later in the year he became a deputy of the Special Section for Moscow ChK
Cheka
Cheka was the first of a succession of Soviet state security organizations. It was created by a decree issued on December 20, 1917, by Vladimir Lenin and subsequently led by aristocrat-turned-communist Felix Dzerzhinsky...
. In this capacity he participated in many operations most vital for the survival of the bolshevik regime, including actions against the anarchists, as well as the destruction of anarchist and rebel militias in the Ukraine.
From December 1919 until April 1920, Frinovsky served in the Special Section for the Southern Front. In 1920, he was transferred to the South-Western Front, where he serves as chief of the Special Section, and as deputy to the Chief of the Special Section of the 1st Cavalry Army. Between 1921-1922, he was the deputy to the Chief of the Ukrainian ChK.
From 1922 to 1923, Frinovsky headed the administrative division of the Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
GPU. From the June 23 he was also head of the OGPU of The South-East.
In November 1923, Mikhail Frinovsky was transferred to the Northern Caucuses and given command of the Special Section for the region. In January 1926, he become head of GPU forces.
In July, 1927, Frinovsky was again transferred to Moscow, this time as aide to the commander of the Special Section for the region. In 1927 he completed high-command courses at the Frunze Military Academy. From November 28, 1928 until September 1, 1930, he served as the commissar
Commissar
Commissar is the English transliteration of an official title used in Russia from the time of Peter the Great.The title was used during the Provisional Government for regional heads of administration, but it is mostly associated with a number of Cheka and military functions in Bolshevik and Soviet...
of the Special Forces division assigned to the Dzerjinsky College of the OGPU USSR.
On September 1, 1930, Mikhail Frinovsky was promoted and made chairman of the GPU of Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
. In April 1933, he was again promoted and became the commander of OGPU Border Guard. On July 10, 1934, Frinovsky became head of Border and Internal Security for the NKVD
NKVD
The People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs was the public and secret police organization of the Soviet Union that directly executed the rule of power of the Soviets, including political repression, during the era of Joseph Stalin....
.
After the fall of Genrikh Yagoda
Genrikh Yagoda
Genrikh Grigoryevich Yagoda , born Enokh Gershevich Ieguda , was a Soviet state security official who served as director of the NKVD, the Soviet Union's Stalin-era security and intelligence agency, from 1934 to 1936...
and the appointment of Yezhov to that post Frinovsky became deputy of the Narkom of Internal Affairs.
Great Purges
From April 15, 1937 to June 9, 1938, Frinovsky was head of State Security. From March 28 he was also head of the State Security of the NKVD. From 1937 Mikhail Frinovsky is a member of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. During this period he became a close ally of Yezhov and along with him was responsible for organizing the repressions which began that year. Frinovsky personally, without the authorization of a judge, signed numerous arrest warrants.On September 8, 1938, Frinovsky was made the People’s Commissar of the Navy. This was a well known method of Stalin to ensure successful liquidation of a mighty rival, which also served to weaken Yezhov considerably. By this appointment, Frinovsky was uprooted from his devotees and the sources of power, being forced to travel to distant locations, being ever surrounded by new people of unknown loyalties.
On April 6, 1939, Mikhail Frinovsky was arrested. He was accused of “participating in conspiracies within the NKVD” and on February 4 of the following year, along with Yezhov he was sentenced to death and executed in Moscow.