History 04/02/20 What was common between Himmler and Beria
There is an anecdote (meaning a short story about a real historical episode) that Stalin in 1939, during the visit to Moscow of Minister of foreign Affairs of Germany Joachim von Ribbentrop was introduced to the guest of Lawrence Beria with the words: “this is our Himmler!” However, according to another version, these words were said during the Yalta conference. Roosevelt is said to have appealed to Stalin with the question: “What is the gentleman sitting over there?” This leader of the people said, “This is our Himmler, is – Beria!”
these were words spoken or not, and under what circumstances, in General, now it doesn’t matter. Much more interesting to trace the real circumstances that made the joke so tenacious. What exactly gave the leader a reason to pronounce this joke?
the appearance of
This is the first thing that comes to mind. Indeed, Heinrich Himmler wore glasses, poor vision he had since childhood. There are photographs serious boy with glasses, Himmler on them 7 or 8 years. Lavrenty Beria, too, wore a pince-nez. We now even imagine it can not live without this attribute. However, in childhood and in youth, apparently, his sight was better.
Biography
everything is more complicated. The way of life of these characters were quite different.
Heinrich Himmler was born in Munich into the family of the middle class, staunch Catholics. Since the childhood dreamed to become a soldier and was very interested in politics. This is evidenced by his diary, which he kept from the age of 10. At age 15 he enrolled in the cadet corps as “officer candidate”, but the war did not have time: the war ended before he turned 18. He studied agronomy at the Munich technical high school. From a young age was an anti-Semite. At age 23 he joined the Nazi party. In 25 years, received the title of führer of the SS. By the time Hitler came to power in 1933, Himmler holds the post of reichsführer SS. In Nazi Germany Himmler – Reichsleiter (the highest functionary of the Nazi party) and the Minister of internal Affairs of Germany. He was one of the main organizers of the Holocaust and mass extermination of the population in the occupied territories of Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union. The first concentration camp at Dachau, Himmler created three months after the coming to power of Hitler. In the last days of the Third Reich Himmler betrayed his Fuhrer, by attempting to negotiate with the West. Nothing happened, and fled the ideologist of the Holocaust and was a prisoner of the British army. In conclusion, Himmler committed suicide.
Beria was born into a poor peasant family in Kutaisi province. Through the efforts of the parents received a good education, graduated from the Baku mechanical-building technical school with a diploma of technician-Builder. In 1917 he became a member of the RSDLP(b), from the service at the front he managed to escape, was the reserve due to illness. When Azerbaijan was occupied by the Turks and was established the Azerbaijan democratic Republic, Beria served in the local counterintelligence. According to the official version that gets circulated in the years when Beria was in power, he was a double agent and also worked for the Bolsheviks. In the 1920-ies started his career in the KGB. Beria appointed Manager of the Communist party(Bolshevik) of Azerbaijan, and then – Executive Secretary of the Cheka for the expropriation of the bourgeoisie. Until 1937, Beria was in the Caucasus, climbing the party ladder. Since 1938, Beria – Deputy Commissar of internal Affairs Yezhov, and then, after his arrest Yezhov – Commissar of internal Affairs of the USSR. After Stalin’s death, Beria was arrested and shot. He is charged with treason and espionage.
Similarities and differences
By the 1940s years Himmler was already known as the ideologue of violence motivated by anti-Semitism. Created the first concentration camps, and Himmler, according to contemporaries, it was demonstrated in this rare organizational skills and energy.
Beria in leadership positions in the South Caucasus, the first Secretary of the Central Committee of the GRUZia also proved an excellent organizer. However, in addition to cleansing the party and state apparatus of the countries of the Caucasus, which have destroyed many innocent people, Beria made the development of the Republic, the prosperity of her agriculture and the transformation of the Georgia all-Union resort.
the Holocaust, which became a direct brainchild of Himmler, destroyed in Europe and in the USSR more than 5 million Jews. In addition, the victims of the Nazi ideology were millions of members of other groups recognized as “racially inferior” including Slavs, Gypsies, etc In the USSR during the war destroyed more than 7 million people. At the beginning of 1940-ies, that is, by the time were allegedly uttered the joke of Stalin, the concentration camps in Germany were more than 25 thousand Jews.
With the name of Beria is usually associated Great terror, but this is not true. The peak of executions occurred in the period of “Yezhov terror” – more than 350 thousand people. In 1939 – 2.5 thousand. The mortality rate in the camps with the arrival of Beria fell twice. It is not the humanism of Lawrence Pavlovich, and that he was rather the ideologist and politician, a business Executive and organizer. People in the camps is free manpower, which had to be used wisely. Beria is the realization of the “atomic project of the USSR”. He has created research centres in which scientists have obtained a great opportunity to work. Subsequently, these research centers became the Foundation for the development of space industry.
So what is the identity of the two people, besides his glasses, gave Stalin reason to call Beria “our Himmler”? Apparently, only the position. Himmler was the beginning of the war the Reich Minister of internal Affairs of Germany, Beria – people’s Commissar of internal Affairs of the USSR.
Olga Melnikova
Source:
© Russian Seven
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