Part 1/7:

The Great Purge and the Tragic Downfall of Genrikh Yagoda

The 1930s marked a tumultuous era in the Soviet Union, characterized by Joseph Stalin's ruthless consolidation of power. The period is primarily defined by the Great Purge, a campaign of political repression that targeted anyone perceived as a threat to Stalin’s authority. This included members of the former Bolshevik party, the military, peasants, intellectuals, and various nationalities. The devastation this state-sponsored terror wrought is evidenced by the hundreds of thousands who lost their lives, alongside the catastrophic impact on the Soviet infrastructure, economy, and military.

Among the initial architects of this brutal campaign was Genrikh Yagoda, who would ironically become one of its notable victims.