The Collector’s Encyclopaedia · Signatories · Security services
Lavrentiy Beria (1899–1953): Signature, Documents and Historical Profile
| Born | 29 March 1899, Merkheuli (Georgia) |
|---|---|
| Died | 23 December 1953, Moscow (executed) |
| Key offices | Head of the NKVD (1938–1953); deputy premier (February 1941); Marshal of the Soviet Union (1945) |
| Documents bearing his name | NKVD orders and reports, state documents |
| In the collection | No pieces currently available |
Lavrentiy Beria ran Stalin’s secret police from 1938 and oversaw the Gulag, deportations of entire peoples and mass executions. His signature stands on documents of repression; after Stalin’s death he was arrested and shot.
Who Was Lavrentiy Beria?
Beria was born in Merkheuli in Georgia in 1899. Brought to Moscow in 1938 as deputy to Nikolai Yezhov, he became head of the NKVD the same year. He became a deputy premier in February 1941 and a Marshal of the Soviet Union in 1945.
What Documents Bear Beria’s Signature?
His signature appears on NKVD orders, reports and state documents. Such documents are evidence of repression and should be described accordingly.
Soviet documents bring their own checks. Signatures are usually in Cyrillic, and official papers combine typed text, printed forms, ink signatures and round seals. A collector should read the Russian text, compare the office named with the date, and remember that Soviet state papers were often reproduced, so many documents carry a printed or stamped signature rather than ink.
What Should Collectors Watch For?
- Read the Cyrillic text and check the office against the date.
- Distinguish ink signatures from printed or stamped ones.
- Soviet-era reproductions and later commemorative items are common.
- Ask for documented provenance on any important piece.
Responsibility and Fate
After Stalin’s death Beria was defeated in the power struggle, arrested in 1953, tried in December 1953 and executed on 23 December 1953.
Collector’s Note
NKVD documents are among the most sensitive Soviet papers. I describe them with the same care as documents of the Nazi police apparatus.
Related Entries and Pieces
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Frequently Asked Questions
When did Beria head the NKVD?
From 1938 until 1953.
What happened to Beria?
He was arrested after Stalin’s death and executed on 23 December 1953.
Was Beria a marshal?
Yes, from 1945.
Historical Responsibility Notice: this entry documents historical figures and artefacts of the Soviet period for collecting, preservation, education and research. It does not endorse or glorify any ideology, and it is written in memory of the victims of political repression and war.
References & Further Reading
- Encyclopaedia Britannica, Lavrenty Beria.