"New light on Stalin's role in the murder of Kirov"
25 January, 2011
Lennart Samuelson has published a review essay in the Swedish newspaper Svenska Dagbladet on two new monographs concerning the mystique that has surrounded the murder of Leningrad鈥檚 Communist Party Boss Sergei Kirov on 1 December 1934.
After their research in the Russian archives, the historians 脜smund Egge (Oslo University) and Matthew Lenoe (Rochester University, New York) have revised the traditional interpretations. Contrary to a widespread story, their analysis of the documentary evidence shows Stalin had not ordered Kirov's assissination. However, Stalin shrewdly directed the investigation to show the lone murderer as part of a "conspiracy". In thay manner, Stalin could step-by-step get rid of all serious opposition in the party and thereafter start mass purges that claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of innocent citizens.
The article .
