The Kirov Affair

Question 1

What year was the Kirov affair

Answer 1

1934

Question 2

17th Party Congress

Answer 2

At the 17th Party Congress (1934) the top B’s all admitted their past errors; these included Bukharin, Tomsky and Rykov.
This gave the impression of unity at the top of the Party.

Kirov gave a speech advocating a more moderate approach rather than the forcible grain seizures that were occurring in the countryside. For this, he received a standing ovation.

The title of General Secretary was replaced by “Secretary of Equal Rank” and was shared between 4 people including Stalin. This in theory meant that Stalin was no more important than the other 3 (which included Kirov)

Question 3

Elections of the Central Committee

Answer 3

Stalin received 150 negative votes.

Question 4

When was Kirov murdered

Answer 4

December 1934, under suspicious circumstances

Question 5

After Kirov’s murder

Answer 5

A decree was issued the next day that Yagoda, head of the NKVD, had the power to arrest people and execute anyone found guilty of plotting terrorist activities.

Question 6

January 1935

Answer 6

Kamenev, Zinoviev, and 17 others were arrested and accused of terrorist activities.
During that year 250,000 Party members were expelled; there was even a purge of employees of the Kremlin e.g. cleaners and librarians who were accused of being foreign spies.

Question 7

What year was the great purges

Answer 7

1936-38

Question 8

What year was Stalin preparing a new constitution and what else was he preparing

Answer 8

1936. He was also preparing a new purge

Question 9

August 1936

Answer 9

A show trial involving Zinoviev, Kamenev and 14 others took place. All were found guilty of a plot to murder Stalin and all were executed

A month after the trial, Yagoda replaced Yezhov as head of the NKVD.