Stepan Vardanian Russian revolutionary, Soviet statesman and party leader Date of Birth: 28.04.1900 Country: Ukraine

Biography of Stepan Vardanian

Stepan Khristoforovich Vardanian was a Russian revolutionary, Soviet statesman, and party leader. He was born on April 28, 1900, in Mariupol, in a family of professional revolutionaries. His parents were active participants in the revolutionary movement in the Caucasus. From a young age, Stepan found himself in the midst of the struggle for a new world.

As a teenager, he joined the Bolshevik Party and actively participated in revolutionary activities in Baku. He was mentored by Stepan Shaumyan, a legendary Baku commissar, who assigned him to write proclamations, distribute leaflets among the workers in the oil fields of Baku, and engage in Marxist study groups.

During the years 1917-1920, Stepan Vardanian operated in illegal conditions and faced numerous arrests and exile. Despite the challenges, he continued to fight for revolution and the establishment of Soviet power in the Caucasus. He participated in underground meetings, rallies, and armed uprisings.

In 1919, as the Secretary of the Tiflis Underground Committee of the Bolshevik Party, Vardanian wrote his first publication, "Revolution and the Proletarian Youth," defending Lenin's doctrine of the dictatorship of the proletariat in building a socialist society. He gained recognition as a talented party journalist.

In May 1920, after the establishment of Soviet power in the Caucasus, Stepan Vardanian co-founded the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League of Georgia and became its chairman. He also formed and led the Red Guard "Spartak." He attended the 2nd World Congress of the Communist International in the summer of 1920.

In 1921, Vardanian held various positions, including being a member of the Tiflis Revolutionary Committee, Commissioner of Internal Affairs, Head of the Political Department of the Army, and Chairman of the Revolutionary Committee in Alexandropol. He continued his active revolutionary work after the establishment of Soviet power in the Caucasus.

In 1930, Stepan Vardanian was elected the Second Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Armenia and a member of the Presidium of the Central Executive Committee of Armenia. He also became a member of the Central Executive Committee of the USSR. During this time, he developed a close relationship with Sergo Ordzhonikidze.

In April 1932, Vardanian was sent to the North Caucasus and recommended to work in Taganrog. On April 9, 1932, he was unanimously elected as the First Secretary of the Taganrog City Committee of the Communist Party. During his leadership, Taganrog experienced significant growth, becoming an industrial, cultural, and educational center in southern Russia.

Vardanian played a crucial role in the development of the Taganrog Aviation Plant, which became one of the leading aircraft factories in the country. He also initiated the transformation of the old city garden into a Park of Culture and Recreation and supported the construction of the Taganrog tramway system.

Under Vardanian's leadership, the Taganrog Communist organization achieved remarkable success, including the construction of schools, kindergartens, hospitals, theaters, cinemas, and sports facilities. He focused on the city's beautification and urban development, planting trees, flowers, and creating beautiful gardens throughout the city.

On October 26, 1936, Stepan Khristoforovich Vardanian was arrested based on false accusations and charged under the notorious Article 58. He was accused of embezzlement, deliberate delays in the construction of cultural and residential facilities, and undermining the progress of the city.

Despite his significant contributions, Vardanian was unjustly persecuted and spent several years in prison. He was posthumously rehabilitated in 1956 by the Military Collegium of the Supreme Court of the USSR and restored in the party by the decision of the Taganrog City Committee.