Vadim Birstein - The Perversion of Knowledge

Suslov, Mikhail(1902–1982), Party figure. At the Central Committee (CC) from 1944. Secretary of the CC and the main Party ideologist (1947–1988). Chief editor of the main Party newspaper Pravda (1949–1951), a Politburo (Presidium) member (1952–1953; 1955–1982) (Naumov and Sigachev, Lavrentii Beria , p. 487).

Sverdlov, Yakov(1885–1919), one of the main non-émigré Party leaders. In exile to Siberia (1912–1917), the first year with Stalin. Like Stalin, an early editor of the Bolshevik newspaper Pravda. In 1917, an unofficial secretary general of the Bolshevik October Revolution, then secretary of the Central Committee, Politburo member, and the first president of the Soviet Republic. Played an important role during the Civil War (Doyle in Bazhanov, p. 243).

Tagantsev, Vladimir(1889–1921), geographer, son of an outstanding criminologist, academician, and former senator, Nikolai Tagantsev (1843–1923). Secretary of the Sapropelic Society within the Russian Academy in the former Tagantsev family’s country estate. Arrested in 1921 (together with other representatives of intelligentsia) as an alleged member of the anti-Soviet Petrograd Armed Organization. After a closed trial, Tagantsev, his wife, and other members of this “plot” were sentenced to death and shot.

Tamm, Igor(1895–1971), physicist. After graduating from Moscow University (1918), taught physics at several institutions. From 1934, worked at the Academy Physics Institute. Academician (1953). Together with Yakov Zeldovich, Andrei Sakharov and others, was a key scientist in the creation of the Soviet H-bomb. Hero of Socialist Labor (1953). In 1956 openly confronted Ly-senkoat the Academy General Assembly. Nobel Prize for physics (1958) (Holloway, Stalin and the Bomb , pp. 294–319).

Tarle, Eugeny(1875–1955), historian, author of books on the history of Russia, France, and other European countries. Corresponding member (1921), and academician (1927). Arrested on January 28, 1930. In 1931 sentenced to 5 years’ exile to the city of Alma-Ata (Kazakhstan). Released in 1932 after the intervention of Minister of Culture Anatolii Lunacharsky. Returned to Leningrad and continued his career.

Tarusov, Boris(1900–?), biophysicist. Graduated from Odessa University (1924). At the Bakh Institute of Biochemistry (1931–1940), head of a laboratory at the All-Union Institute of Experimental Medicine (from 1938). Studied the action of toxins with cells and biological action of radiation. In 1953, created the Biophysics Department at the Biological Faculty of Moscow State University, which he chaired until death. Supported Mairanovsky.

Timofeev-Ressovsky, Nikolai(1900–1981), geneticist, one of Nikolai Koltsov’s pupils. In 1925, with his wife, Elena, also a geneticist, was invited to Oscar Vogt’s Institute of Neurology in Berlin. Head of the Laboratory of Genetics at the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute in Berlin (1935–1945). Coauthored several papers with German atomic physicists Karl Zimmer and Max Delbrück. In 1944 his eldest son, a member of the anti-Nazi underground group that helped foreign slave workers to escape and hide, perished in the Mauthausen concentration camp. Arrested in 1945 by the NKVD and sentenced to 10 years’ labor. Almost died of pellagra in the Karaganda system of labor camps. Transferred to a special secret biophysics institute within the MGB (1947–1955). In 1955 organized a biophysics laboratory at the Academy Ural Division. In 1964 organized the Department of Genetics and Radiology at a new Institute of Medical Radiology within the Medical Academy in the town of Obninsk. In 1971 this laboratory was closed by KGB order. Professor-consultant at the Institute of Medical-Biological Problems in Moscow (1972–1981). Rehabilitated after his death.

Trotsky, Leon(1879–1940, pseudonym of Lev Bronstein), Communist theorist and state figure. Joined underground Socialist movement in 1896 and in 1898 was arrested and exiled to Siberia. In 1902, escaped from exile with a forged passport bearing the name “Trotsky.” Joined Lenin in London, but during the split of the Party in 1903, sided with the Mensheviks. Returned to Russia in 1905 and played an important role in the revolution of 1905. Arrested in 1906 and exiled again in Siberia. In 1907, escaped from exile once again and settled in Vienna, then in Switzerland, and finally in Paris. At the outbreak of World War I was expelled from France and Spain. In mid-May 1917, returned to Petrograd and was jailed by the Provisional Government. While imprisoned, was formally accepted to the Bolshevik Party and elected to the Central Committee. Released in September and elected chairman of the Petrograd Soviet of Workers’ and Soldiers’ Deputies. After the revolution, commissar of foreign affairs and commissar of war. During the Civil War and the period of War Communism that followed, was the number-two man next to Lenin. During Lenin’s illness from 1922–1924, isolated by Stalin. In 1925, removed from the War Commissariat, then expelled from the Politburo in 1926, then from the Central Committee, and finally from the Party. In January 1928, exiled to Central Asia together with principal followers. In 1929, banished from Soviet territory. Moved to Turkey, then to France, to Norway, and finally was forced to seek asylum in Mexico. Was the object of two assassination attempts ordered by Stalin. The second, organized by Pavel Sudoplatov and Naum Eitingon, succeeded, and on August 20, 1940, Trotsky died of a stabbing wound caused by an ice pick.

Tsanava, Lavrentii(1900–1955) joined the local CheKa branch in Georgia in 1921. At the Georgian Regional OGPU in Tbilisi (1930–1933), then at different state positions in Georgia (1933–1937). NKVD commissar of Belorussia (1938–1941). Head of the NKVD Special Departments at different fronts (1941–1943), NKVD/MGB commissar/minister of Belorussia (1943–1951), head of the Second MGB Main Directorate and deputy MGB minister (1951–1952). Dismissed on February 15, 1952, and arrested on April 4, 1953, as a co-organizer of the assassination of Solomon Mikhoels. Died in prison on October 12, 1955 (Petrov and Skorkin, Kto rukovodil NKVD , pp. 431–432).

Tsitsin, Nikolai(1898–1980), botanist. Member of the Agricultural Academy (VASKhNIL) (1932). Director of the Siberian Institute of Cereal Industry (1934–1938), of the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition (VSKhV) in Moscow (1938–1949; 1953–1957), vice president of the VASKhNIL (1938–1948), director of the Academy Main Botanical Garden in Moscow (1945–1980). Elected academician in 1939 together with Trofim Lysenko. Did not support Trofim Lysenko in 1947–1948. As retaliation, dismissed from the VSKhV directorship and as vice president of the VASKhNIL. President of the International Association of Botanical Gardens and the Fourteenth International Genetics Congress. Joined the Party in 1938. Deputy of the USSR Supreme Soviet. Twice Hero of Socialist Labor, Stalin and Lenin Prizes, seven Lenin Orders.

Tulaikov, Nikolai(1875–1938), agronomist. Academician (1932). Director of the Saratov Institute of Grain Farming, head of the Scientific Committee of the Commissariat of Agriculture (from 1917). Lenin Prize (1929). Arrested with some of his colleagues in 1937 after Trofim Lysenko and one of his cronies, Vsevolod Stoletov, proclaimed Tulaikov “a saboteur” and a campaign of public meetings followed. Tried and shot on January 20, 1938.

Ulrich, Vasilii(1889–1951), military prosecutor. In the early 1920s, chairman of the Military Tribunal of the Internal Security (OGPU) Troops. Chairman of the Military Collegium (MC) of the USSR Supreme Court (1926–1948). The number of victims sentenced to death at the MC meetings presided by Ulrich is countless: Between October 1, 1936, and September 30, 1938, alone, 30,514 persons were condemned to death and an additional 5,000 persons were sentenced to various terms in labor camps. Dismissed in 1948 and assigned to the Military Law Academy (Parrish, The Lesser Terror , pp. 205–207).