Comments on: The Kirov Murder Solved?

By: DStone

DStone — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 17:57:11 +0000

In case anyone stumbles upon this thread five months after it began, Matthew Lenoe’s massive book on the Kirov Murder makes it clear this rumor about the withdrawal of Kirov’s bodyguard isn’t true. Kirov’s bodyguard was with Kirov when he was assassinated, but old and slow and a substantial distance behind Kirov up the stairs to his office. Kirov himself resented having a security detail and didn’t want them close to him.

By: DStone

DStone — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 17:29:59 +0000

Helen and JFM–the problem is that most of the piquant details that suggest Stalin’s involvement are very problematic source-wise. They tend to come from defector memoirs, are third- or fourth-hand, and haven’t been confirmed by the archival evidence now available. Matt Lenoe outlines some of the evidentiary problems in “Did Stalin Kill Kirov and Does It Matter?” Journal of Modern History 74.2 (2002), pp. 352-380, and will have a table-breaker of a book on the subject coming out later this spring from Yale University Press.

By: JFM

JFM — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 13:51:21 +0000

Alos, according to Wikpedia (caution!!!), Kirov’s escort had been withdrawn just days before along with the guards at the entrance of the building. Coincidence?

By: Helen

Helen — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 17:01:16 +0000

The story of Kirov having an affair with Nikolaev’s wife has been around for some time. Oleg Khlevnyuk in his “Master in his own house” (about Stalin gradually assuming full control) refers to earlier books and articles that suggest that. The trouble with the theory of Nikolaev being just a loner rather than somebody with personal grievances who was being used by the NKVD is that it does not explain a few things. For example, why had he been arrested several times in the vicinity of Smolnyi with a handgun and released each time? How is it that Stalin seemed completely prepared for something as big as Kirov’s assassination and moved ahead with an immediate purge? What is one to make of those very odd responses Yagoda gave during his trial about the whole event? But the biggest problem of all is the ease with which Nikolaev managed to get close to Kirov as the latter’s personal guard, Borisov, was detained at the last minute. Two days later Borisov was killed (actually probably murdered by NKVD officers) on his way to being interrogated by the investigating committee. So, um, no, the debate will not be settled any time soon.

By: TransitDave

TransitDave — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 18:10:09 +0000

Further insight on the death of Kirov can be read in the book “Special Tasks”by former KGB member Pavel Sudoplatov, one hell of a read about the darkest years of the Soviet Union from an insider, perhaps one of the few who lived to tell what he knew.

By: DStone

DStone — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 19:56:09 +0000

The New York Times story linked above has some of the details. It includes a diary that expresses the gunman’s resentment over expulsion from the party and loss of privileges.

By: Isabel

Isabel — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 21:51:03 +0000

How exciting that some new material regarding such an important murder in Soviet history (and even right around the anniversary of his death) has been found! Do you by any chance know what new evidence for such a conclusion it is that they’ve dug out of the archives?