Trotsky L.D. (1879-1940), a revolutionary, chairman of Petrograd Soviet in 1917

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TROTSKY (born Bronstein) Lev Davidovich (1879-1940), a political figure. After graduating from applied training school in Nikolaev (1896) he entered Novorossiisk University (Odessa) non-credit, but soon left it. Had been taking part in the revolutionary movement since 1896 (first member of Narodnaya Volya organization, then a marxist). Since 1902 has been living abroad as an emigrant; during the 2nd congress of Russian Social-Democratic Workers' Party (1903) he joined Mensheviks, then took an "out-of-factions" stand. In 1905 he came back to Russia, in the autumn of the same year he became one of the leaders of Petersburg Soviet of working people's deputies, being at the same time the editor of Izvestiya newspaper issued by the Soviet. On December 3, 1905 he was arrested at the Soviet session, in the end of 1906 he was exiled for life to Siberia, but managed to escape from the halting place for transported convicts and emigrated again. In 1908-12 he published an out-of-factions newspaper Pravda in Vienna. During the 1st World War of 1914 -18 he manifested himself as an internationalist, due to antiwar speeches he was deported from France to Spain, then to the USA. In May of 1917 Trotsky returned to Petrograd, came to be at the head of the Inter-regional committee organization; together with the members of this organization was admitted to Russian Social-Democratic Workers' Party (bolshevist) in August. He had been a chairman of Petrograd Soviet since September; Trotsky was one of the leaders of October take-over of 1917. In the first staff of People's Commissars Soviet he was people's commissar of Foreign Affairs; as such he was at the head of the Soviet delegation on the 2nd stage of peace negotiations with Germany in Brest-Litovsk. Since March of 1918 he had been a chairman of Supreme Military Soviet, people's commissar of Military Affairs; since September - a chairman of Military Revolutionary Council of Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic. Trotsky was one of the initiators of Red Army establishment, he took part in elaborating and carrying out of the most important operations of the Civil War. For the organization of Petrograd defence from general N.N. Yudenich's troops in November of 1919 Trotsky was decorated with an Order of Red Banner. He was a member of Politbureau of the Central Committee of Russian Communist Party (Bolshevist). During the power struggle within the Party Trotsky suffered a setback. In January of 1925 he sent in his resignation from the positions of the chairman of Military Revolutionary Council and people's commissar of Military and Naval Affairs. While standing at the head of the joint opposition, Trotsky spoke against I.V. Stalin's policy of "the construction of socialism in one separate country". In 1926-27 he was dismissed from all his party posts, in 1928 he was deported to Alma-Ata, and finally in 1929 outside the borders of the USSR. In 1932 he was deprived of Soviet citizenship. In 1937 Trotsky was granted political asylum in Mexico. Even there he continued active struggling against Stalin. He organized the 4th International, "the world party of social revolution" (1938). He was killed by an agent of People's Commissariat of Home Affairs. In 1923-29 the town of Gatchina was called Trotsk.

References: Старцев В. И. Л. Д. Троцкий: (Страницы полит. биографии). М., 1989; Васецкий Н. А. Троцкий: Опыт полит. биографии. М., 1992; Волкогонов Д. А. Троцкий: Полит. портрет: В 2 кн. М., 1992; Емельянов Ю. В. Троцкий: мифы и личность. М., 2003.

P. Y. Savelyev. Stalin (real name Dzhugashvili) Iosif Vissarionovich
Trotsky (real name Bronstein) Lev Davidovich
Yudenich Nikolay Nikolaevich
Старцев В. И. Л. Д. Троцкий: (Страницы полит. биогр.). М., 1989
Волкогонов Д. А. Троцкий: Полит. портр.: В 2 кн. М., 1992
Емельянов Ю. В. Троцкий: мифы и личность. М., 2003 Petersburg Soviet of Workers' Deputies
Izvestia Petrogradskogo Soveta Rabochikh Deputatov (The Reports of the Petrograd Soviet of Workers'
Pravda (The Truth), newspaper
1927