Beria

[Kupr]

In 2016 I read a Finnish book, Berijan tarhat (The farms of Beria), it's a book written by Unto Parvilahti and it's based on his own experiences during captivity in Siberia prison camps after Finland's exit from the World War II.

The book is often compared to Solzhenitsyn's The Gulag Archipelago, they share so much similar.

Some modern Russians noted many "ravings" in Solzhenitsyn's The Gulag Archipelago.

One (former police officer in prison in Sankt-Peterburg) started to read it openly discusing about simple logic in it using own experience in film industry:
(On Russian languge)

 

[trybald]

Only thing Beria deserved :

[yes, as historical as Inglorious Bastards ; on purpose]

In history, Beria's execution took place in an underground bunker under heavy guard, since it was feared that some loyalist groups from among NKVD might attempt to rescue him. Beria himself alternated between threats, cries for mercy, sobbing and begging for a woman (sic!). They found it so unbearable that he was gagged with rags. While gagged, he was reportedly so terrified that his eyes almost left their orbits.

Beria was a Paradox of a man. On one hand a horrible individual who committed despicable acts on national and personal level. On the other hand one of the few people and perhaps the only one that could have saved the SU from its decline, becoming a pariah state and gradual dissolution.

True, but Beria the monster made Beria the visionary reformer impossible. Such a horrible person would never garner needed support. Everyone was too afraid of him to let him live, let alone let him rule.

 

[Kupr]

In history, Beria's execution took place in an underground bunker under heavy guard, since it was feared that some loyalist groups from among NKVD might attempt to rescue him. Beria himself alternated between threats, cries for mercy, sobbing and begging for a woman (sic!). They found it so unbearable that he was gagged with rags. While gagged, he was reportedly so terrified that his eyes almost left their orbits.

As always, history was written by winners.

Some Russian historians proposed that Beria was shot at once in Kremlin. Later story was written for official statement to nation.

 

[Husein]

In history, Beria's execution took place in an underground bunker under heavy guard, since it was feared that some loyalist groups from among NKVD might attempt to rescue him. Beria himself alternated between threats, cries for mercy, sobbing and begging for a woman (sic!). They found it so unbearable that he was gagged with rags. While gagged, he was reportedly so terrified that his eyes almost left their orbits.




True, but Beria the monster made Beria the visionary reformer impossible. Such a horrible person would never garner needed support. Everyone was too afraid of him to let him live, let alone let him rule.

His problem at the end was that he wasn't ruthless enough. Rather than do what everyone expected him to do and line up all that threaten his position he, like a schizoprenic alternated between ignoring it and threatening, ultimately doing nothing and ending up shot. Stalin wasn't loved. His personality wouldn't have garnered him support. Secret police, executions and fear did.

 

[Osteles]

In history, Beria's execution took place in an underground bunker under heavy guard, since it was feared that some loyalist groups from among NKVD might attempt to rescue him. Beria himself alternated between threats, cries for mercy, sobbing and begging for a woman (sic!). They found it so unbearable that he was gagged with rags. While gagged, he was reportedly so terrified that his eyes almost left their orbits.




True, but Beria the monster made Beria the visionary reformer impossible. Such a horrible person would never garner needed support. Everyone was too afraid of him to let him live, let alone let him rule.

He asked for a woman???? Nice trivia. It confirms his 'appetites'.
It is the visionary reform thing I am most interested in. Was it a ploy, or did he really want to reform. Would it have changed the CCCP? Or would it only have led to a faster collapse? In my opinion, he was the only 'leader' apart from Gorbi who actually attempted it, no?

On his monster part, not to be an apologist, but wasn't it a neccesity under Stalin?

 

[Denkt]

On his monster part, not to be an apologist, but wasn't it a neccesity under Stalin?

Probably something like that because monsters can not trust each other and thus by having everyone in Power being guilty of purges, Stalin would be rather safe because it would be hard to form an opposition against him because of prison dilemma. Stalin and his government showed ability to purge pretty much anyone, so nobody, Maybe not even Stalin was safe

 

[pharaomatic]

No one deserves lynching like this.

Tbh I find his end quite fitting, esp when you think of that he himself was an instrument in creating a system with this kind of justice.

Beria was a Paradox of a man. On one hand a horrible individual who committed despicable acts on national and personal level. On the other hand one of the few people and perhaps the only one that could have saved the SU from its decline, becoming a pariah state and gradual dissolution.

I think it's a bit too much to say that he could have saved USSR. It still continued to exist more than 35 years after his death and with remarkable stability. A break with the terrorpast that he and Stalin et al stood for was just as necessary imo.

 

[Graf Zeppelin]

Tbh I find his end quite fitting, esp when you think of that he himself was an instrument in creating a system with this kind of justice.

I dont approve this kind of injustice.

 

[pharaomatic]

I dont approve this kind of injustice.

Guess he reaped as he sowed.

Tbh, I think it's worth a thought at least, is it realistic that he could have met his end in any other way?

 

[pharaomatic]

I dont approve this kind of injustice.

Also, luckily, very few approve of this kind of justice, but the guy was a part of a system that killed millions with the snap of a finger. It's very far from anything we understand as justice today. Can't help to think of Stalins words, that one death is a tragedy, a million is a statistic here.

 

[Jos de trol]

I dont approve this kind of injustice.

he got a trial they can't help it that he's guilty

 

[olm]

While lynchings and kangaroo courts are obviously a very bad practice in general, there is some poetic justice in it then systems of oppression end up consuming the same people who built them.

 

[krieger11b]

In history, Beria's execution took place in an underground bunker under heavy guard, since it was feared that some loyalist groups from among NKVD might attempt to rescue him. Beria himself alternated between threats, cries for mercy, sobbing and begging for a woman (sic!). They found it so unbearable that he was gagged with rags. While gagged, he was reportedly so terrified that his eyes almost left their orbits.

His predecessor Yezhov had something similar. Though given a more formal kangaroo court sentencing, he was executed in a prison cell he designed with a slight slope to make hosing it down to clean it easier, he was begging and crying so much they shoved a sock in his mouth before putting him out of everyone's misery. So another case of poetic justice.

Also on a side note, Stalin was well aware of Beria's special rape room he installed in his home. He just kept the proof around, perhaps in case he wanted to get rid of Beria, which would have made him the only head of the NKVD executed for a crime they actually committed, though I am sure they would add some fake ones on top of it.

 

[Urgat]

I dont approve this kind of injustice.

The man was sentenced and executed by "justice" he help create and maintain. If this is not justice then I don't know what this is.
And no, I don't support death penalty. One reason is you can be wrong and sentence wrong man. But CCCP wa an criminal and oppresive system. There was no justice whatsoever.

 

[Graf Zeppelin]

The man was sentenced and executed by "justice" he help create and maintain. If this is not justice then I don't know what this is.
And no, I don't support death penalty. One reason is you can be wrong and sentence wrong man. But CCCP wa an criminal and oppresive system. There was no justice whatsoever.

I am aware of that but I dont even wish Hitler, Beria,Mao, Napoleon or whoever to be sentenced to death in a kangaroo court.

 

[Urgat]

I am aware of that but I dont even wish Hitler, Beria,Mao, Napoleon or whoever to be sentenced to death in a kangaroo court.

I can see your point but I'm not as golden hearted as you are

 

[MarcoRossolini]

One of the many monstrous characters of Stalin's court (though ultimately a student to the master [Stalin]).

Love his portrayal in Death of Stalin.

 

[krieger11b]

On his monster part, not to be an apologist, but wasn't it a neccesity under Stalin?

You could argue that Stalin would find someone to continue the Gulags and lesser purges of Beria's time. However the sound proof room in house where he raped many women and the bodies they have dug up in the back yard as young as 12-14, yeah that part was not a necessity . Stalin even knew about but only cared about getting more information as a useful way to expedite getting rid of him if he ever felt like it.

 

[James Hale]

The Death of Stalin is such a great movie; I remember really laughing at the scene early on where they walk out of the Kremlin and someone says "Whatever happened to him? Why didn't you just go all the way and ask what happened to Trotsky?" or something similar.