Statesman.
The “Iron Felix” was the founder and chief of the Soviet Russian secret police Cheka. It executed a comprehensive terror campaign against all the people who stood in the way of Soviet power.
Background
Lived: 1877-1926.
Felix Dzerzhinsky descended from a Polish noble gentry family. His dream was to become a catholic priest. Felix became an active member in the Social Democratic Party of Poland.
Career
Dzerzhinsky was first imprisoned in 1897 and of the next 20 years he spent 11 in exile or in prison. During the October Revolution he was responsible for the security of the Bolshevik Smolny headquarters.
Cheka
Lenin appointed Dzerzhinsky the Comissar of Internal Affairs and entrusted him the forming of secret police. In December 1917 the Cheka was formed. Dzerzhinskys right hand man was Yakov Peters.
Terror was considered an effective method to enforce War-Communism and obedience to the party. After the assassination attempt of Lenin in September 1918, an extensive Red Terror campaign was started by Cheka. Dzerzhinsky was also behind the forming of the first concentration camps.
The Iron Felix remained a fanatical Chekist to the end of his life. “A good Chekist has clean hands, cool head and warm heart” as he famously said.
Death
Dzerzhinsky was the great supporter of Stalin and fanatically criticized his opponents.
In 1926, during one of the Central Committee meetings, he gave a furious two-hour speech against Trotsky. After coming down from the podium he had a heart attack and died.
Felix Dzerzhinsky
Statesman.
The “Iron Felix” was the founder and chief of the Soviet Russian secret police Cheka. It executed a comprehensive terror campaign against all the people who stood in the way of Soviet power.
Background
Lived: 1877-1926.
Felix Dzerzhinsky descended from a Polish noble gentry family. His dream was to become a catholic priest. Felix became an active member in the Social Democratic Party of Poland.
Career
Dzerzhinsky was first imprisoned in 1897 and of the next 20 years he spent 11 in exile or in prison. During the October Revolution he was responsible for the security of the Bolshevik Smolny headquarters.
Cheka
Lenin appointed Dzerzhinsky the Comissar of Internal Affairs and entrusted him the forming of secret police. In December 1917 the Cheka was formed. Dzerzhinskys right hand man was Yakov Peters.
Terror was considered an effective method to enforce War-Communism and obedience to the party. After the assassination attempt of Lenin in September 1918, an extensive Red Terror campaign was started by Cheka. Dzerzhinsky was also behind the forming of the first concentration camps.
The Iron Felix remained a fanatical Chekist to the end of his life. “A good Chekist has clean hands, cool head and warm heart” as he famously said.
Death
Dzerzhinsky was the great supporter of Stalin and fanatically criticized his opponents.
In 1926, during one of the Central Committee meetings, he gave a furious two-hour speech against Trotsky. After coming down from the podium he had a heart attack and died.
Yakov Sverdlov