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Iosiph GrigulevichSCIENTIST AND KILLER
Date of Birth: 05.05.1913
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Content:
- Early Life
- Involvement with the Soviet Secret Service
- The Spanish Civil War
- Escape from Execution
- The Trotsky Assassination
- Post-Assassination Activities
- Rise in Europe
- Diplomatic Appointment
- Political Controversy
- Later Career
- Death and Legacy
Early Life
Joseph Grigulevich was born in 1913 into a modest Jewish family in the outskirts of Vilnius. His parents later emigrated to Argentina, where his father became the owner of a large pharmacy. Grigulevich spoke both Yiddish and Spanish fluently.
Involvement with the Soviet Secret Service
In the early 1930s, the young Grigulevich traveled to Europe with his father's support to pursue a liberal education. At the Sorbonne in Paris, he became involved with communist student groups and caught the attention of the Soviet intelligence agency, the OGPU. Grigulevich's physical strength, endurance, and fluency in Spanish (he later mastered English, French, and Russian) made him an asset.
In 1931, the Spanish monarchy was overthrown, and the Soviet leadership's attention turned to this country. Grigulevich was sent to Spain where he organized provocations against the Workers' Party of Marxist Unification (POUM). The POUM, initially supportive of Leon Trotsky, had since distanced itself from the latter. Stalin and his associates considered the POUM to be the main enemy within the Spanish Republican camp.
The Spanish Civil War
As the Spanish Civil War erupted in 1936, Grigulevich became a close aide to General Alexander Orlov, who was essentially Stalin's representative in Spain. He played a role in the organization of mobile groups tasked with eliminating undesirable individuals. In July 1937, Grigulevich's group kidnapped and murdered Andres Nin, the recently arrested leader of the POUM.
Escape from Execution
Despite the Great Terror that swept through the Soviet Union in 1938, Grigulevich managed to avoid arrest. His expertise in Spanish language, provocation, and "wet work" made him a valuable asset to the NKVD. Instead of being executed, he was prepared for a mission to assassinate Trotsky, who was living in Mexico.
The Trotsky Assassination
In late 1939, Grigulevich met with Lavrentiy Beria and Pavel Sudoplatov in Moscow and received instructions to eliminate Trotsky. He was assigned the codename "Yuzek" and sent to Mexico in January 1940. Grigulevich established a network of operatives to carry out the assassination under the codename "Duck."
On May 24, 1940, Grigulevich knocked on the gate of Trotsky's house in Coyoacan, a suburb of Mexico City. He had befriended Trotsky's bodyguard, Robert Hart, who opened the gate. A group of assassins rushed inside, but their initial attempt to kill Trotsky failed. Hart was killed in the attack, as he would have undoubtedly identified "Yuzek."
Three months later, on August 20, 1940, Trotsky was finally assassinated by Ramon Mercader, the son of the leader of the "Mother" group.
Post-Assassination Activities
After Trotsky's assassination, Grigulevich changed his codename to "Arthur" and relocated to Argentina, where he led the Soviet residency. He remained there throughout World War II and the early post-war years. His activities during this period are largely unknown.
Rise in Europe
In 1949, Grigulevich was transferred to Europe, establishing himself in Rome under the alias Teodoro B. Castro. He engaged in import-export businesses while cultivating connections beneficial to his covert activities. He eventually befriended businessmen, intellectuals, and even collaborated with the press.
Diplomatic Appointment
In a bizarre twist, Grigulevich was appointed as Costa Rica's ambassador to Italy and non-resident ambassador to Yugoslavia in October 1951. The appointment was advantageous for Costa Rica due to its strained finances, as "Castro" waived his ambassadorial salary.
Political Controversy
Grigulevich's appointment led to an embarrassing episode. On behalf of Costa Rica, he wrote a speech delivered by Foreign Minister Jorge Moreno at the United Nations General Assembly in 1951, which launched a scathing attack on the Soviet Union. In response, Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Vyshinsky threatened to eliminate small Central American nations from the face of the Earth.
Later Career
Grigulevich continued his activities as a diplomat, historian, and scholar, specializing in Latin American affairs. He was a respected authority in the field, despite his clandestine past remaining unknown to the public.
Death and Legacy
Grigulevich died in 1988. It was only after the collapse of the Soviet Union that the astonishing details of his early life and career as a Soviet assassin were revealed by sources such as defector Vasili Mitrokhin. His story remains a fascinating and chilling account of the shadowy world of espionage and political intrigue.