Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

Georgy Malenkov

Role / Field:

Key Soviet politician who led the USSR from 1953 to 1955, navigating power struggles.

Born:

1902-01-08

Died:

1988-01-14

Century / Era:

1902s Historical Era

Database Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Origins & Early Life

Georgy Maximilianovich Malenkov (8 January 1902 [O.S. 26 December 1901] – 14 January 1988) was a Soviet politician who succeeded Joseph Stalin as Premier and the overall leader of the Soviet Union in March 1953. Shortly thereafter, Malenkov entered into a power struggle with the party's First Secretary, Nikita Khrushchev, which culminated in his removal from the premiership in 1955 as well as the Central Committee Presidium in 1957. Born and raised in Orenburg, Malenkov served in the Red Army during the Russian Civil War and joined the Communist Party in 1920.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Beginning in 1925, he served in the staff of the party's Organizational Bureau (Orgburo), where he was entrusted with overseeing member records. In this role, Malenkov was heavily involved in facilitating Stalin's purges of the party's ranks during the 1930s. By 1939, he became a member of the Central Committee Secretariat. During World War II, Malenkov was appointed to the State Defense Committee where he was charged with overseeing aircraft and missile production. After the war's end, he became a full member of the Politburo in 1946.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Later in 1948, Malenkov succeeded Andrei Zhdanov as Second Secretary of the Communist Party...

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• 1902 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1902
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• 1988 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1988
• January 14 (01-14) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on January 14

Frequently Asked Questions about Georgy Malenkov