Grigory Yevseyevich Zinoviev Biography

Birth of Grigory Yevseevich Zinoviev

Appointed Member of Russian Social Democratic Party

Helps Lenin in forming the Bolshevik Group within the Social Democratic Party

Elected to the Central Committee of the Russian Social Democratic Party

Sides with Lenin in 1908 when the Bolshevik faction split into Lenins supporters and Alexander Bogdanovs followers

Forced into exile

Helps train Bolshevik cadres near Paris.

Arrested by the Austrian police as a spy & enemy alien

Arrested by the Austrian police as a spy & enemy alien

Released by the Austrians because he is an "enemy of tsarism"

Released by the Austrians because he is an "enemy of tsarism"

Leaves Vienna bound for Switzerland in an Austrian military mail train

Leaves Vienna bound for Switzerland in an Austrian military mail train

Opposes the Bolshevik armed uprising. Resigns after Lenin decides to form a Bolshevik Government but is re-instated

Opposes the Bolshevik armed uprising. After the Russian monarchy was overthrown during the February Revolution, returns to Russia in a sealed train with Lenin and other revolutionaries opposed to the war. Favours broad socialist coalition Government after the October Revolution

Resigns after Lenin decides to form a Bolshevik Government but is re-instated

After the Russian monarchy was overthrown during the February Revolution, returns to Russia in a sealed train with Lenin and other revolutionaries opposed to the war

After the Russian monarchy was overthrown during the February Revolution, returns to Russia in a sealed train with Lenin and other revolutionaries opposed to the war

After the Russian monarchy was overthrown during the February Revolution, returns to Russia in a sealed train with Lenin and other revolutionaries opposed to the war

After the Russian monarchy was overthrown during the February Revolution, returns to Russia in a sealed train with Lenin and other revolutionaries opposed to the war

Lenin, Zinoviev, and other Bolsheviks arrive in Petrograd from exile in Switzerland, they are met at the train station by a large contigent of jubilent workers, soldiers, and party members

Lenin, Zinoviev, and other Bolsheviks arrive in Petrograd from exile in Switzerland, they are met at the train station by a large contigent of jubilent workers, soldiers, and party members

Supports Bolshevik work inside the Soviet movement.

Forced into exile to Finland during the July Days

Works with Lenin and Kamenev as Bolsheviks debate tactics.

Supports attempts to prevent an uncontrolled armed uprising.

Goes into hiding with Lenin after government pressure increases.

Hides with Lenin near Razliv after the crackdown.

Escapes Petrograd with Lenin after the crackdown.

Stays hidden after the failure of the demonstrations.

Supports Bolshevik efforts to dominate Soviet politics.

Opposes the Bolshevik armed uprising

Opposes the Bolshevik armed uprising

On October 10, 1917 (Julian calendar), he and Lev Kamenev were the only two Central Committee members to vote against an armed revolt

Zinoviev, Kamenev, Alexei Rykov, Vladimir Milyutin, and Victor Nogin resign from the Central Committee on November 4, 1917 (Julian calendar)

Lenin wrote a proclamation calling Zinoviev and Kamenev "deserters", he never forgot their behavior, eventually making an ambiguous reference to their "October episode" in his Testament

Rises in Petrograd Bolshevik politics after the revolution.

Appointed President of the 3rd International

Appointed President of the 3rd International

Becomes chairman of the Petrograd Soviet after Bolshevik consolidation.

Zinoviev leads the Petrograd Soviet during early Bolshevik rule.

Leads the Petrograd Soviet during early Soviet rule.

Appointed Member of Politburo

Appointed Member of Politburo

Appointed President of the 3rd International

Appointed President of the 3rd International

Trades Unions under socialism will "support saboteurs". Says Trade Union rights mean nothing under a workers Government. Attacks the independence of Trades Unions at the Alln Congress

Leads the Petrograd Soviet during early Bolshevik rule.

Zinoviev soon returns to the fold and was once again elected to the Central Committee at the VII Party Congress

Oversees Soviet authority as civil war threats grow.

Zinoviev organises Soviet authority during threats to Petrograd.

Leads Petrograd politics during the harsh civil war climate.

Incites the soldiers. Announces, "bourgoisie kill separate individuals but we kill whole classes"

Appointed Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Communist International

Zinoviev becomes the 1st President of Comintern. The Comintern is founded at the Congress of the 3rd International

The Comintern is founded at the Congress of the 3rd International

Responsible for Petrograds defense during two periods of intense clashes with White forces in 1919

Becomes a non-voting member of the ruling Politburo when it is created after the VIII Congress

Becomes the Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Comintern when it is created in March 1919

The first Chairman of the Cominterns Executive Committee is Grigory Zinoviev, from 1919 to 1926

Becomes a non-voting member of the ruling Politburo when it is created after the VIII Congress

Mobilises Soviet support during Yudenich's threat to Petrograd.

The Petrograd Soviet supports defence efforts against White forces.

"We do not permit the legal existence of those who strive to compete with us"

Denounces the Kronstadt sailors as enemies of Soviet power.

Faces revolt from sailors who demand free Soviets.

Addresses the party congress while Petrograd remains under pressure.

Directs Petrograd political mobilisation during the siege.

Zinoviev directs political responses during the Kronstadt crisis.

Zinoviev is made a full member of the Politburo after the Xth Party Congress

Zinoviev is made a full member of the Politburo after the Xth Party Congress

Announces Bolshevik victory after Kronstadt is taken.

Delivers the Central Committee's reports to the XIIth and XIIIth Party Congresses in 1923 and 1924 respectively, something that Lenin had previously done

The triumvirate carefully managed the intra-party debate and delegate selection process in autumn 1923 during the run-up to the XIIIth Party Conference and secured a vast majority of the seats

The triumvirate carefully managed the intra-party debate and delegate selection process in autumn 1923 during the run-up to the XIIIth Party Conference and secured a vast majority of the seats

During Lenins illness, Zinoviev, his close associate Kamenev, and Joseph Stalin formed a ruling triumvirate (or troika) in the Communist Party, playing a key role in the marginalization of Leon Trotsky

The triumvirate carefully managed the intra-party debate and delegate selection process in autumn 1923 during the run-up to the XIIIth Party Conference and secured a vast majority of the seats

Delivers the Central Committee's reports to the XIIth and XIIIth Party Congresses in 1923 and 1924 respectively, something that Lenin had previously done

Appointed Member of Triumvirate. Allies with Stalin & Kamanev in forming a ruling triumvirate after the death of Lenin

An alleged letter sent to British Communists helps defeat MacDonalds Government

The Conference, held in January 1924 just before Lenins death, denounced Trotsky and Trotskyism

Petrograd is renamed Leningrad after Lenin's death.

Zinoviev and Kamenev helped Stalin retain his position as General Secretary of the Central Committee at the XIIIth Party Congress in May-June 1924 during the first Lenins Testament controversy

At the Vth Comintern Congress Zinoviev condemns Marxist philosopher Georg Luk css History and Class Consciousness, published in 1923 after his involvement in B‚la Kuns Hungarian Soviet Republic, and Karl Korschs Marxism and Philosophy

Within weeks of the Congress, Stalin wrestled control of the Leningrad party organisation and Government from Zinoviev and had him dismissed from all regional posts, leaving only the Comintern as a potential power base for Zinoviev

With only the Leningrad delegation behind them, Zinoviev and Kamenev found themselves in a tiny minority and were soundly defeated.

Within weeks of the Congress, Stalin wrestled control of the Leningrad party organisation and Government from Zinoviev and had him dismissed from all regional posts, leaving only the Comintern as a potential power base for Zinoviev

Zinoviev was re-elected to the Politburo, but his ally Kamenev was demoted from a full member to a non-voting member and Sokolnikov was dropped altogether, while Stalin had more of his allies elected to the Politburo.

Zinoviev and Kamenev allied with Lenins widow, Nadezhda Krupskaya, and Grigory Sokolnikov, the Soviet Commissar of Finance and non-voting Politburo member. With Trotsky finally on the sidelines, the Zinoviev-Kamenev-Stalin triumvirate began to crumble in early 1925. With only the Leningrad delegation behind them, Zinoviev and Kamenev found themselves in a tiny minority and were soundly defeated

Zinoviev himself is dismissed in 1926 after falling out of favor with Stalin

During a lull in the intra-party fighting in the spring of 1926, Zinoviev, Kamenev and their supporters gravitated closer to Trotskys supporters and the two groups soon formed an alliance known as the United Opposition

Zinoviev is dismissed from the Politburo after a tumultuous Central Committee meeting in July 1926

Expelled from the Communist Party

When the XVth Party Congress made Opposition views incompatible with membership in the Communist Party, Zinoviev, Kamenev and their supporters capitulated and renounced their alliance with the Left Opposition

Recants his opposition to Stalin & is allowed back into the Communist Party

Expelled for a 2nd time from the Communist Party

Zinoviev, Kamanev & 17 others are tried for the murder of Kirov. Tried in secret & sentenced to 10 years imprisonment. Tried for a 2nd time in secret & sentenced to a long term of imprisonment. Forced to admit the "moral & political responsibility" for Kirovs assassination. Exonerated for the assassination of Kirov

Accusations are made against Zinoviev for his life during a show trial

Against the "terrorist activity of Trotskyite-Zinoviev counter-revolutionary bloc"

Against the "terrorist activity of Trotskyite-Zinoviev counter-revolutionary bloc"

During the trial, Zinoviev, Kamenev and 14 other accused, most of them prominent Old Bolsheviks, confessed to having plotted with Trotsky to kill Stalin and other members of the Soviet leadership

During the trial, Zinoviev, Kamenev and 14 other accused, most of them prominent Old Bolsheviks, confessed to having plotted with Trotsky to kill Stalin and other members of the Soviet leadership

Death of Grigory Yevseyevich Zinoviev, executed

Found guilty of charges during a show trial & shot