- Ivan Nikitich Smirnov
Ivan Nikitich Smirnov ("Иван Никитич Смирнов" in Russian) (
1881 -August 25 ,1936 ) was aCommunist Party activist.In 1899, Smirnov joined the
Russian Social Democratic Labour Party and became aBolshevik . He led his party activity inMoscow ,Saint Petersburg ,Vyshniy Volochok ,Rostov ,Kharkov , andTomsk . Smirnov was subject to repeated arrests. In 1916, he was called up for themilitary service in a reserve regiment in Tomsk, where Smirnov conductedrevolutionary activity. In 1917, he became a member of the executive committee of the TomskSoviet . In August of the same year, Smirnov was one of the organizers and upkeepers of the Bolshevistpublishing house "Volna" (Wave) in Moscow. He was a deputy of the Constituent Assembly. During theRussian Civil War , Smirnov was a member of theRevolutionary Military Council of the Eastern Front (August, 1918 - April, 1919), and the 5th Army (April, 1919 - May, 1920).In 1920-1923, Smirnov was a member of the Executive Committee of the
Russian Communist Party (Bolsheviks) . At the same time, he chaired theSiberia n Revolutionary Committee and was a member of the Siberian bureau of the Russian Communist Party (Bolsheviks). Smirnov is known to have had close ties with theCheka and administered of the rebellious peasants inTyumen andAltay Mountains . He was the one to organize the capture ofGeneral Roman Ungern . In 1921-1922, Smirnov was a secretary of thePetrograd Committee and Northwestern Bureau of the Executive Committee of the Russian Communist Party (bolsheviks). He was the closest associate ofGrigory Zinoviev . Smirnov took part in mass executions and deportations from Petersburg of representatives of the "exploiter class".In April-September 1922 and May-July 1923, Smirnov was a member of the Presidium of
Supreme Soviet of the National Economy (ВСНХ) of theRSFSR (between September 1922 and May 1923 - its deputy chairman). In July 1923, Smirnov was appointedPeople's Commissar for Soviet Postal Services and Telegraph.In 1923, Smirnov became a proactive member of the
Trotskyist opposition. In October 1923 and then in 1927, Smirnov signed the oppositionary "Declaration 46" and "Declaration of the Eighty-three", which later would seriously affect his position in the party ranks and his life. AfterLenin 's death, Smirnov publicly insisted on deposition ofJoseph Stalin from the post of the secretary general. OnNovember 11 , 1927, Smirnov was removed from his People's Commissar post. A month later, he was expelled from the Communist Party by the decision of the 15th Congress. OnDecember 31 , 1927, Smirnov was sentenced to three years of exile by the decision of the Special meeting of theOGPU Board.In October of 1929, Smirnov "broke with
Trotskyism " and was reinstalled in the Communist Party in May of 1930. In 1929-1932, he headed the "Saratovkombainstroy" trust (Combine assembly inSaratov ). In 1932, Smirnov was appointed head of the Department of Erection of New Buildings at the People's Commissariat for Heavy Industry of theUSSR . OnJanuary 14 ,1933 , Smirnov was arrested and once again expelled from the party ranks a month later.On
April 14 ,1933 , he was sentenced to five years oflabor camp s. Still incarcerated, Smirnov was brought to trial as adefendant in the "United Anti-Soviet Trotskyite-Zinovievite Centre" case and sentenced to death on August 24, 1936. He was executed the next day.Smirnov's wife Roza and daughter Olga were executed in 1937. Smirnov was rehabilitated in 1988.
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