Merkulov, Vsevolod Nikolaevich

Born in the family of a hereditary nobleman, captain of the imperial army. Ketovan’s mother Nikolaevna, nee Tsinamdzgvrishvili, is a noblewoman from the Georgian princely family.

According to the information of Nikita Petrov , Merkulov’s father, “a nobleman, military officer with the rank of captain, served as the head of the Zakatalsky okrug district ”: “In 1899 or 1900, Merkulov’s father was convicted of embezzlement of money in the amount of 100 rubles, spent 8 months in prison in Tiflis, he filed a petition for clemency, considering himself a victim of slander ... In 1908, his father died ” ^[3] .

Vsevolod from childhood was fond of literary work ^[2] .

In 1913 he graduated from the Tiflis Third Men's Gymnasium with a gold medal. In a humanitarian gymnasium, he became so keen on electrical engineering that his articles were published in Odessa in a special journal ^[4] . He continued his studies by entering the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics of St. Petersburg University . There he began to write and publish stories about student life: “While still at university, he wrote several romantic novels that were published in literary magazines and received positive reviews,” recalled his son ^[5] . From September 1913 to October 1916 he gave private lessons.

• In October 1916, after finishing the 3rd year, he was drafted into the army. In 1916-1917, he served in the imperial army (He did not participate in hostilities ^[3] .):
  • October - November 1916 - Private student battalion, Petrograd.
  • November 1916 - March 1917 - cadet of the Orenburg ensign school, graduated from it.
  • April 1917 - August 1917 - Ensign of the reserve regiment, Novocherkassk .
  • September 1917 - October 1917 - Ensign of the marching company, Rivne .
  • October 1917 - January 1918 - Ensign of the 331rd Orsk Regiment of the 83rd Infantry Division of the 16th Army Corps of the 4th Army of the Southwestern Front . The regiment was on the Lutsk direction, in the vicinity of the Stohod river. Merkulov did not participate in the hostilities ^[3] .
  • In January 1918, due to illness, he was evacuated to Tiflis to relatives.
  • Demobilized in March 1918.
• Living with his sister, he published a manuscript magazine, printing copies on the chirograph and selling them for 3 rubles ^[3] .

In July 1918 he married Lydia Dmitrievna Yakhontova and moved to live with her.

• From September 1918 to September 1921, a clerk, then a teacher at the Tiflis School for the Blind, where his mother was a director ^[5] .
• In 1919 he entered the Sokol society, where he was engaged in gymnastics, participated in evenings, and amateur performances.

In the organs of the OGPU

Unlike the version of the voluntary, on his own initiative, Merkulov’s entry into the Cheka, there is information indicating his beginning of work there by forcing the Chekists (as an officer) to be an informant on the white officer ^[3] .

• From September 1921 to May 1923 - Assistant Commissioner, Commissioner, Senior Commissioner of the Economic Department of the Cheka at the Council of People's Commissars of the Soviet Socialist Republic of Georgia.

“I have to say (now, after 30 years, I think I can do this without risking being accused of self-praise) that at that time, despite my 27 years, I was a naive, very modest and very shy person, somewhat reserved and silent. I didn’t give speeches and never learned how to pronounce them until now. My tongue seemed to be constrained by something, and there was nothing I could do about it. Another thing is a feather. I knew how to handle him. I was also never a sneak, no sneak or upstart, but I kept myself modest and, I think, with dignity. So I appeared before Beria when he then called me. It was not necessary to be particularly penetrating in order to understand all this, and I think that Beria at first sight unraveled my character. He saw the possibility of using my abilities for his own purposes without the risk of having an opponent or anything like that, ”Merkulov later recalled ^[6] .

• As an employee of the Cheka, Merkulov twice, in 1922 and 1923, submitted an application to the CPSU (B.). Only for the second time, in May 1923, he was accepted as a candidate with a two-year probationary period. In 1925 he filed an application for admission to the party, it seemed to be accepted, but the party card was not issued. Only Beria’s intervention saved the situation. In 1927, Merkulov was given a party membership card of a member of the CPSU (B.) Indicating party experience since 1925.
• From 1923 to January 23, 1925 - Head of the I Division of the Economic Department of the Plenipotentiary Representation of the OGPU for the ZSFSR - the Cheka at the SNK of the ZSFSR.
• In 1925 - Head of the Information and Agent Division of the Plenipotentiary Representation of the OGPU for the ZSFSR - the Cheka at the SNK ZSFSR.
• In 1925-1926 - Head of the Economic Department of the Cheka - GPU under the Council of People's Commissars of the Soviet Socialist Republic of Georgia.
• In the years 1926-1927. - Head of the Economic Department of the GPU under the SNK of the SSR Georgia.
• In 1927-1929 - Head of the information, agitation and political control department of the GPU under the SNK of the SSR Georgia.
• In 1929-1931 - Head of the Secret Operational Unit and Deputy Chairman of the GPU of the Adjara Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic . From May 4 to July 1930 and. about. Head of the Adjara Regional Department of the GPU.
• From May 1931 to January 29, 1932 - Head of the Secret Political Department of the Plenipotentiary Representation of the OGPU for the ZSFSR and the GPU at the SNK of the ZSFSR

At party work

• From November 12, 1931 to February 1934 - assistant secretary of the Transcaucasian Regional Committee of the CPSU (b) and 1st Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party (b) of Georgia.
• In March 1934 - November 1936 - head of the Department of Soviet Trade of the Transcaucasian Regional Committee of the CPSU (b).
• Until November 1936 - Head of the Special Sector of the Transcaucasian Regional Committee of the CPSU (B.)
• From November 11, 1936 to September 9, 1937 - head of the Special Sector of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Bolsheviks of Georgia.
• From July 22, 1937 to October 1938, he was the head of the Industrial Transport Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Georgia (b).
• Since November 23, 1937 - Member of the Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Bolsheviks of Georgia.

In the NKVD and the NKGB

In September 1938 he returned to work in the state security organs. Merkulov recalled: “The first month after arriving in Moscow, Beria forced me to sit in his office every day from morning to evening and watch how he, Beria , works” ^[3] . September 11, 1938 he was awarded the special rank of Commissioner of State Security of the 3rd rank (on the same day Beria was awarded the special rank of Commissioner of State Security of the 1st rank ^[7] ).

With the appointment of Beria as the head of the GUGB ^[7], Merkulov is appointed to the position of his deputy.

• From September 29 to December 17, 1938 - Deputy Head of the GUGB of the NKVD of the USSR.
• From October 26 to December 17, 1938, he was the head of the 3rd department of the GUGB of the NKVD of the USSR.
• From December 17, 1938 to February 3, 1941 - First Deputy People's Commissar of the NKVD - Head of the Main Directorate of State Security (GUGB).

“Although at the end of 1938, when Beria became People's Commissar of Internal Affairs of the USSR instead of Yezhov and, despite my requests not to do so, nominated me as his first deputy, he still relied mainly on Kobulov in operational work. Now it’s quite clear to me that Beria nominated me to this position mainly because I was the only Russian from his circle. He understood that he could not appoint Kobulov or Dekanozov as the first deputy. Such nominations will not be accepted. There was only one of my candidacy. I think that Beria understood, at least internally, that I wasn’t adapted by nature to this position, but apparently he had no other choice, ”recalled Merkulov ^[6] .

• From March 21, 1939 to August 23, 1946, he was a member of the Central Committee of the CPSU (B.) .

In 1940, Merkulov was part of the "troika", which led the execution of Polish officers ( Katyn execution ) ^{[8] [9] [10]} .

In October 1940, Beria and Merkulov met with Polish prisoners of war at a dacha near Moscow in order to create Polish military units in the USSR.

In November 1940, Merkulov, as part of a delegation led by Molotov, went to Berlin to negotiate with the leaders of the German Empire . He attended a breakfast hosted by Hitler at the Imperial Chancellery on November 13, 1940 in honor of the Soviet delegation. And in the evening of the same day, Molotov gave a return dinner at the Soviet embassy in Berlin, to which, in addition to the Ribbentrop , the SS Reichsfuhrer Himmler also arrived.

In the period from February 3, 1941 to July 20, 1941 and from April 14, 1943 to May 7, 1946, he was the People's Commissar (from March 1946, Minister) of the USSR State Security.

• From July 31, 1941 to April 16, 1943 - First Deputy People's Commissar of Internal Affairs.
• From November 17, 1942 to April 14, 1943 - head of the 1st department of the NKVD of the USSR.
• On February 4, 1943, a special rank was awarded to the Commissioner of State Security of the 1st rank (special ranks of employees of state security bodies were abolished by Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of July 6, 1945).

In the years 1943-1944. - headed the "Commission for the preliminary investigation of the so-called Katyn case " ^{[11] [12] [13]} .

July 9, 1945 awarded the military rank of army general . (Decree of the Council of People 's Commissars of the USSR No. 1664).

May 7, 1946 removed from the post of Minister of State Security of the USSR.

“Using the well-known provocative Shakhurin case against me, Abakumov in May 1946 became the Minister of State Security of the USSR,” said Merkulov ^[6] .

As the son of Vsevolod Merkulov recalled: “According to his father, he was dismissed from the post of minister because of leniency. After the war, when a new wave of repression began, Stalin in this position needed a tough and straightforward man. Therefore, after the father of the MGB, Abakumov headed ... ” ^[5] .

By a resolution of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks, adopted by the poll on August 21-23, 1946, he was transferred from members to candidates for membership in the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks.

From August 23, 1946 to November 18, 1953, he was a candidate member of the Central Committee of the CPSU (B.) - CPSU.

At the Main Directorate of Soviet Property Abroad

I was then appointed deputy chief of the General Directorate of Foreign Property and went abroad. This appointment was initiated by Comrade Stalin . I regarded it as an expression of confidence on the part of Comrade Stalin, given that I was sent abroad, despite being dismissed from such a post as the USSR Minister of State Security ^[6] .

• From February 1947 to April 25, 1947, he was deputy head of the Main Directorate of Soviet Property Abroad at the USSR Ministry of Foreign Trade.
• From April 25, 1947 to October 27, 1950, he was head of the Main Directorate of Soviet Property Abroad under the USSR Council of Ministers for Austria.

At the Ministry of State Control

“In 1950, it was Comrade Stalin who called me as a candidate for the post of Minister of State Control of the USSR ... I felt almost rehabilitated after being released from work at the MGB in 1946,” Merkulov recalled ^[6] .

• From October 27, 1950 to December 16, 1953 - Minister of State Control of the USSR.

Merkulov began to have health problems. In 1952, he had a first heart attack, and after four months - a second. He was in the hospital for a long time. On May 22, 1953, by a decision of the USSR Council of Ministers, Merkulov was granted leave for four months for health reasons.

Arrest, court, execution

Merkulov noted that some time after the death of Stalin, “he considered it his duty to offer Beria his services for work in the Ministry of Internal Affairs ... However, Beria rejected my offer, obviously, as I now believe, believing that I would not come in handy for the purposes that he intended for himself then, taking control of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. That day I saw Beria for the last time ” ^[6] .

• September 18, 1953 was arrested in connection with the case of Beria . He was in solitary confinement in Butyrka. Minutes of interrogations of V. N. Merkulov of September 19 and 21 ^[14] , October 23, 1953 ^[15] .
• November 18, 1953 the poll removed from the membership of the Central Committee of the CPSU.
• On December 16, 1953, he was officially removed from his post as minister "due to the fact that the USSR Prosecutor's Office uncovered criminal, anti-state actions by Merkulov during his work in the bodies of the Ministry of State Security and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the USSR."
• December 23, 1953 By the special judicial presence of the Supreme Court of the USSR together with Beria L.P. , Kobulov B.Z. , Vlodzimirsky L.E. , Goglidze S.A. , Dekanozov V.G. , Meshik P.Ya. under Art. 58-1 "b", 58-7, 58-8, 58-11 of the Criminal Code of the RSFSR was sentenced to death ( execution ) with confiscation of his property, deprivation of military ranks and awards.

V.N. Merkulov wrote 2 plays. The first play was written in 1927 about the struggle of American revolutionaries. The second, “Engineer Sergeyev”, in 1941 under the pseudonym Vsevolod Rokk, about the feat of a worker who went to the front. The play was in many theaters.

• Меркулов участвовал в редактуре доклада «К вопросу об истории большевистских организаций в Закавказье», с которым Л. П. Берия выступил в 1935 году.
• Меркулов подготовил для «Малой советской энциклопедии» статью о Л. П. Берии .
• «Верный сын партии Ленина—Сталина» (биографический очерк о Л. П. Берии объёмом 64 страницы и тиражом 15 тысяч экземпляров), 1940 год.

• Орден Ленина № 5837 (26 апреля 1940 года, за успешное выполнение заданий Правительства по охране государственной безопасности и в связи с празднованием 70-летия со дня рождения В. И. Ленина)
• Орден Красного Знамени № 142627 (3 ноября 1944 года, за выслугу лет)
• Орден Кутузова 1-й степени № 160 (18 марта 1944 года, за выселение карачаевцев, калмыков, чеченцев и ингушей). Указ отменён Указом Президиума Верховного Совета 4 апреля 1962 года.
• 9 медалей
• Орден Республики (Тува) № 134 (18 августа 1943 года)
• Нагрудный знак « Почётный работник ВЧК-ОГПУ (V) » № 649 (1931 год)

Указом Президиума Верховного Совета СССР от 31 декабря 1953 года лишен воинского звания генерал армии и государственных наград.

• Отец — Николай Александрович Меркулов (1848—1908), потомственный дворянин, участник русско-турецкой войны 1877—1878 гг. (за храбрость награжден орденом Св. Станислава 3-й ст. с мечами и бантом), капитан Российской Императорской Армии, служил начальником Джаромухахского участка Закатальского округа ^[16] .
• Мать — Кетована Николаевна, из уважаемого грузинского княжеского рода Цинамдзгвришвили.
• Жена — Лидия Дмитриевна Яхонтова (брак зарегистрирован в июле 1918 года). У Лидии Дмитриевны был родной дядя Виктор Александрович Яхонтов , который был генерал-майором царской армии, в 1917 году — товарищем военного министра в правительстве Александра Фёдоровича Керенского, а с 1919 года проживал в Соединённых Штатах Америки, в городе Нью-Йорке.
• Сын — Рэм Всеволодович Меркулов (1924 г. р.), профессор, кандидат технических наук, зам. Head кафедрой Московского государственного машиностроительного университета (МАМИ) .

• Меркулов В. Н. // Петров Н. В., Скоркин К. В. Кто руководил НКВД, 1934—1941 : справочник / Под ред. N. G. Okhotin and A. B. Roginsky. - M .: Links, 1999 .-- 502 p. - 3000 copies. - ISBN 5-7870-0032-3 .
• Государственная власть СССР. Высшие органы власти и управления и их руководители. 1923—1991 гг. Историко-биографический справочник./Сост. В. И. Ивкин. — М.: РОССПЭН , 1999. — ISBN 5-8243-0014-3
• Колпакиди А. И., Серяков М. Л. Щит и меч. Руководители органов государственной безопасности Московской Руси, Российской империи, Советского Союза и Российской Федерации: Энциклопедический справочник. — М.-СПб.: Олма-пресс Образование ; Нева, 2002. — 735 с. — ISBN 5-7654-1497-4 ; 5-94849-024-6.
• Жирнов Е. Театр одного наркома // Власть : журнал. — 2001. — № 25 .