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Mihael LitvinOne of the heads of state security agencies
Country:
 Ukraine |
Content:
- Early Life and Career
- The Revolutionary Period
- Rise in the Security Services
- Cooperation with Ezhov
- Key Roles in the Great Purge
- Purge of the NKVD
- Death and Rehabilitation
Early Life and Career
Mikhail Iosifovich Litvin was born in the Zabaykalskaya Oblast in 1892. From 1906, he worked in fisheries and printing presses on Lake Baikal. In March 1917, he joined the Bolshevik Party.
The Revolutionary Period
During the Russian Revolution, Litvin became the chairman of the Union of Printers and commissioner for the nationalization of Krasnoyarsk's printing presses. Arrested by the White counterintelligence in 1918, he was released in 1919. He served as a typesetter and led an underground group in Khabarovsk.
Rise in the Security Services
In January 1920, Litvin became an investigator for the local Cheka. Following that, he held various positions within the security services, including War Commissioner of the Operational Directorate of the Far Eastern Front and head of the intelligence branch of the State Political Guard of the Far Eastern Republic.
Cooperation with Ezhov
After becoming acquainted with Nikolai Ezhov in Central Asia, Litvin gained his patronage. With Ezhov's support, he was appointed head of the Distribution Department of the Central Asian Bureau of the Communist Party (1930). Ezhov later transferred him to Moscow as head of a sector in the Planning and Financial Cadres Department of the Central Committee (1931).
Key Roles in the Great Purge
Litvin became Ezhov's deputy in the department in 1932. He held several prominent positions in the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Ukraine: Head of the Cadres Department (1933-34), Industrial and Transport Department (1934-35), and Agricultural Department (1935-36).
Purge of the NKVD
After Ezhov became People's Commissar of the NKVD, Litvin was summoned to Moscow and appointed head of the Cadres Department of the Main Directorate of State Security (GUGB). He purged over 14,000 Chekists from the GUGB and NKVD apparatus and played a role in the investigation into the leadership of Armenia.
Death and Rehabilitation
Litvin was promoted to head of the Secret and Political Department of the GUGB in 1937. He was also involved in the development of the case against Nikolai Bukharin. On January 20, 1938, he became head of the NKVD Directorate for the Leningrad Region. During his tenure, over 6,500 people were arrested under various charges.
As Ezhov's downfall became imminent, Litvin was ordered to return to Moscow on November 10, 1938. Two days later, he committed suicide. He was posthumously convicted of involvement in an anti-Soviet organization but was rehabilitated in 1956.
