Stalin полностью

81. Zaria vostoka, Nov. 15, 1931; Esaiashvili, Ocherki istorii Kommunisticheskoi partii Gruzii, II: 115–6. “I will not work with that charlatan,” Kartvelishvili supposedly objected when Stalin had told him he was going to get Beria as his deputy (second secretary of South Caucasus regional party committee). Medvedev, Let History Judge, 462–3 (citing A. V. Snegov, former member of the South Caucasus party committee bureau); Khrushchev, “O kul’te lichnosti,” 155–6; Deviatyi v sesoiuznysi s”ezd professional’nyk soiuzov SSSR, 205, 253. Using the Russified name Lavrentyev, Kartvelishvili would serve as party boss of the Soviet Far East territory from 1933 through Dec. 1936.

82. Beria wrote to Kaganovich (July 13, 1932) in a familiar tone, outlining his work so far and requesting a reduction in grain delivery quotas—a touchy subject with Stalin. Beria mentioned grave difficulties arising from massive livestock destruction—under his predecessor—an absence of cash, different options for locating a coke-chemical plant, the critical need to improve rail transport, overseen by Papuliya Orjonikidze (Sergo Orjonikidze’s elder brother). Beria added pointedly: “I was twice at Koba’s and had the chance to inform him in detail about our affairs. The materials concerning the matters addressed in this letter were also conveyed to comrade Koba.” Sokolov, Beriia, 83–4; RGAPSI, f. 17, op. 120, d. 75, l. 15.

83. On June 21, 1932, Orakhelashvili was disciplined for “groupism [gruppovshchina],” and his wife, Maria, was removed for supposedly inciting the Georgian Communist party against the South Caucasus regional party committee with “false rumors,” particularly against “comrade Beria.” Blauvelt, “Abkhazia Patronage” (citing RGASPI, f. 17, op. 120, d. 82, l. 88). Stalin wrote to Kaganovich: “My opinion: for all the angularity of Beria’s ‘actions,’ it is Orakhelashvili who’s wrong in this. . . . Everyone says that the positive work is going very well in Georgia [under Beria], and the mood of the peasants has improved.” Kaganovich wrote to Stalin (June 23) supporting Beria. When Orakhelashvili asked for the grain quota to be lowered, Stalin lost all patience (July 24). Khlevniuk et al., Stalin i Kaganovich, 185, 189.

84. Orakhelashvili wrote to Orjonikidze of Beria (Aug. 1, 1932): “Our relations are worse and worse and unbearable. Comrade Beria does not come to see me, and we don’t even have telephone conversations . . . He behaves like some kind of League of Nations commissar appointed to a mandate country.” Orhakhelashvili added that he had written to Stalin a month ago asking to be relieved of his duties as first secretary of the South Caucasus, but had received no response. Kvashonkin, Sovetskoe rukovodstvo, 186–9 (RGASPI, f. 85, op. 92, d. 472, l. 1–2). See also Mlechin, KGB, 195; and Gazarian, “O Berii i sude nad Berievtsami v Gruzii,” 113–4.

85. Stalin added: “Sergo insisted on the candidacy of Mamuliya for secretary of the Georgian party, but now it is obvious that Mamuliya is not worth even Beria’s left foot.” Khlevniuk et al., Stalin i Kaganovich, 276 (RGASPI, f. 81, op. 3, d. 99, l. 153–5), 283–5 (f. 558, op. 11, d. 740, l. 153–60).

86. Khlevniuk et al., Stalin i Kaganovich, 276n3 (RGASPI, f. 17, op. 3, d. 903, l. 8); RGASPI, f. 17, op. 120, d. 75, l. 15: Oct. 9, 1932); RGASPI, f. 17, op. 3, d. 903, l. 8. Konstantin “Tite” Lordkipanidze, not a close associate of Beria, was given the Georgian OGPU.

87. Thereafter, Beria would be recorded in Stalin’s office in 1933 (twice), 1935 (twice), 1936 (twice), 1937 (twice), and several times in 1938. Na prieme, 569.