Nikolai Kuzmin
Encyclopedia
Nikolai Nikolayevich Kuzmin (1883–1938) was a Soviet political and military leader. He was the political Commisar of the Baltic Fleet
during the time of the Russian Civil War
.
Kuzmin Graduated from St Petersburg University and joined the Bolshevik Movement in 1903. He participated in the 1905 revolution. In 1917 he was a member of the military organisation of the Central Committee of the Communist Party. He was also editor of two newspapers Soldatskaya Pravda (
«Солдатская правда») and Derevenskaya Bednota («Деревенская беднота»).
During the Civil War Kuzmin served as a Political Commisar
on the South Western Front (1918–1919) and the Petrograd area from 1920. In 1920 he was appointed Political commissar of the Baltic Fleet and took part in suppressing the Kronstadt Rebellion
. He was awarded the Order of the Red Banner.
In 1924 Kuzmin became chief assistant prosecutor in the Supreme Court of the USSR for military justice. He was critical of the abuse of power by the OOGPU and removed from his post. He was made Chief Political Officer of the Central Asian Military District in 1925 and in 1931-32 he was made Chief Political Officer of the Siberian Military District
.
Kuzmin moved into civilian life in 1932 and became head of the Omsk branch of Sevmorput
. He was arrested on 28 May 1937 as part of Stalin's Purges. Kuzmin refused to confess and pleaded not guilty at his trial. He was sentenced to death and shot on 8 February 1938. Kuzmin was posthumously rehabilitated
in 1956.
Baltic Fleet
The Twice Red Banner Baltic Fleet - is the Russian Navy's presence in the Baltic Sea. In previous historical periods, it has been part of the navy of Imperial Russia and later the Soviet Union. The Fleet gained the 'Twice Red Banner' appellation during the Soviet period, indicating two awards of...
during the time of the Russian Civil War
Russian Civil War
The Russian Civil War was a multi-party war that occurred within the former Russian Empire after the Russian provisional government collapsed to the Soviets, under the domination of the Bolshevik party. Soviet forces first assumed power in Petrograd The Russian Civil War (1917–1923) was a...
.
Kuzmin Graduated from St Petersburg University and joined the Bolshevik Movement in 1903. He participated in the 1905 revolution. In 1917 he was a member of the military organisation of the Central Committee of the Communist Party. He was also editor of two newspapers Soldatskaya Pravda (
«Солдатская правда») and Derevenskaya Bednota («Деревенская беднота»).
During the Civil War Kuzmin served as a Political Commisar
Political commissar
The political commissar is the supervisory political officer responsible for the political education and organisation, and loyalty to the government of the military...
on the South Western Front (1918–1919) and the Petrograd area from 1920. In 1920 he was appointed Political commissar of the Baltic Fleet and took part in suppressing the Kronstadt Rebellion
Kronstadt rebellion
The Kronstadt rebellion was one of many major unsuccessful left-wing uprisings against the Bolsheviks in the aftermath of the Russian Civil War...
. He was awarded the Order of the Red Banner.
In 1924 Kuzmin became chief assistant prosecutor in the Supreme Court of the USSR for military justice. He was critical of the abuse of power by the OOGPU and removed from his post. He was made Chief Political Officer of the Central Asian Military District in 1925 and in 1931-32 he was made Chief Political Officer of the Siberian Military District
Siberian Military District
The Siberian Military District was a Military district of the Russian Ground Forces. In 2010 it was divided between the two newly formed Central and Eastern Military Districts.- History :...
.
Kuzmin moved into civilian life in 1932 and became head of the Omsk branch of Sevmorput
Sevmorput
Sevmorput is a Russian nuclear-powered icebreaking LASH carrier and container ship. Delivered in 1988 and named after the Northern Sea Route , she is the last of only four nuclear-powered cargo ships ever built and the only one still operating on nuclear power.- Development and construction :The...
. He was arrested on 28 May 1937 as part of Stalin's Purges. Kuzmin refused to confess and pleaded not guilty at his trial. He was sentenced to death and shot on 8 February 1938. Kuzmin was posthumously rehabilitated
Rehabilitation (Soviet)
Rehabilitation in the context of the former Soviet Union, and the Post-Soviet states, was the restoration of a person who was criminally prosecuted without due basis, to the state of acquittal...
in 1956.
Source
- This article is translated from Russian Wikipedia
- Залесский К. А. Империя Сталина. Биографический энциклопедический словарь. Москва, Вече, 2000