Yakov Ganetsky
Encyclopedia
Yakov Stanislavovich Ganetsky (also spelled Hanecki), also known as Jakub Fürstenberg (Fuerstenberg)
(15 March 1879, Warsaw
— 26 November 1937) was a prominent Old Bolshevik
and close associate of Vladimir Lenin
, famous as one of the financial wizards who arranged, through his close working relationship with Alexander Parvus
, the secret German funding that saved the Bolsheviks. After the October Revolution
of 1917, Ganetsky served as Chief Soviet banker, trade representative and Ambassador to Latvia. On behalf of the Soviet government he signed the Peace of Riga
and Treaty of Kars
. His last post was that of a director of the Museum of the Revolution of the USSR, presently the State Historical Museum
. He was executed during Stalin's purges
and was rehabilitated posthumously.
, then in the Russian Empire
, into the family of a factory owner. In 1896 he joined the Bolshevik fraction of the RSDRP
. He moved to Germany
in 1901 and studied in rapid succession at Berlin, Heidelberg
, and Zurich
universities. He worked as a salesman. In 1903-09 Ganetsky was a member of the main administration of Social Democracy of the Kingdom of Poland and Lithuania
(SDKPiL) and an active participant in the 1905-07 revolution in Poland.
For his revolutionary activities Ganetsky was repeatedly arrested. From 1907 he was a member of the Central Committee of RSDRP(b)
. During the division of SDKPiL (1912-16) he was a member of the boundary administration and one of the leaders of the pro-Lenin fraction.
During World War I
Ganetsky, in association with Alexander Parvus
and Karl Radek
, was involved in secret negotiations with the German General Staff
regarding funding of the Bolsheviks and was one of the organizers of the (Copenhagen operation) as well as a mediator between Lenin and the Germans. He was one of the organizers of Lenin's return in a "sealed train" from exile in Switzerland
to Russia in 1917.
(15 March 1879, Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
— 26 November 1937) was a prominent Old Bolshevik
Old Bolshevik
Old Bolshevik , also Old Bolshevik Guard or Old Party Guard, was an unofficial designation for those who were members of the Bolshevik party before the Russian Revolution of 1917, many of whom were either tried and executed by the NKVD during Stalin era purges or died under suspicious...
and close associate of Vladimir Lenin
Vladimir Lenin
Vladimir Ilyich Lenin was a Russian Marxist revolutionary and communist politician who led the October Revolution of 1917. As leader of the Bolsheviks, he headed the Soviet state during its initial years , as it fought to establish control of Russia in the Russian Civil War and worked to create a...
, famous as one of the financial wizards who arranged, through his close working relationship with Alexander Parvus
Alexander Parvus
Alexander Lvovich Parvus , born Israel Lazarevich Gelfand , was a Marxist theoretician, a Russian revolutionary, and a controversial activist in the Social Democratic Party of Germany...
, the secret German funding that saved the Bolsheviks. After the October Revolution
October Revolution
The October Revolution , also known as the Great October Socialist Revolution , Red October, the October Uprising or the Bolshevik Revolution, was a political revolution and a part of the Russian Revolution of 1917...
of 1917, Ganetsky served as Chief Soviet banker, trade representative and Ambassador to Latvia. On behalf of the Soviet government he signed the Peace of Riga
Peace of Riga
The Peace of Riga, also known as the Treaty of Riga; was signed in Riga on 18 March 1921, between Poland, Soviet Russia and Soviet Ukraine. The treaty ended the Polish-Soviet War....
and Treaty of Kars
Treaty of Kars
The Treaty of Kars was a "friendship" treaty signed in Kars on October 13, 1921 and ratified in Yerevan on September 11 1922.Signatories included representatives from the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, which in 1923 would declare the Republic of Turkey, and also from Soviet Armenia, Soviet...
. His last post was that of a director of the Museum of the Revolution of the USSR, presently the State Historical Museum
State Historical Museum
The State Historical Museum of Russia is a museum of Russian history wedged between Red Square and Manege Square in Moscow. Its exhibitions range from relics of the prehistoric tribes inhabiting present-day Russia, through priceless artworks acquired by members of the Romanov dynasty...
. He was executed during Stalin's purges
Great Purge
The Great Purge was a series of campaigns of political repression and persecution in the Soviet Union orchestrated by Joseph Stalin from 1936 to 1938...
and was rehabilitated posthumously.
Biography
Yakov Ganetsky was born in WarsawWarsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
, then in the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
, into the family of a factory owner. In 1896 he joined the Bolshevik fraction of the RSDRP
Russian Social Democratic Labour Party
The Russian Social Democratic Labour Party , also known as Russian Social Democratic Workers' Party or Russian Social Democratic Party, was a revolutionary socialist Russian political party formed in 1898 in Minsk to unite the various revolutionary organizations into one party...
. He moved to Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
in 1901 and studied in rapid succession at Berlin, Heidelberg
Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg
The Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg is a public research university located in Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Founded in 1386, it is the oldest university in Germany and was the third university established in the Holy Roman Empire. Heidelberg has been a coeducational institution...
, and Zurich
University of Zurich
The University of Zurich , located in the city of Zurich, is the largest university in Switzerland, with over 25,000 students. It was founded in 1833 from the existing colleges of theology, law, medicine and a new faculty of philosophy....
universities. He worked as a salesman. In 1903-09 Ganetsky was a member of the main administration of Social Democracy of the Kingdom of Poland and Lithuania
Social Democracy of the Kingdom of Poland and Lithuania
The Social Democracy of the Kingdom of Poland and Lithuania was a Marxist political party founded in 1893. Its original name was the "Social Democracy of the Kingdom of Poland" and it eventually became part of the Communist Workers Party of Poland...
(SDKPiL) and an active participant in the 1905-07 revolution in Poland.
For his revolutionary activities Ganetsky was repeatedly arrested. From 1907 he was a member of the Central Committee of RSDRP(b)
Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
The Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union , abbreviated in Russian as ЦК, "Tse-ka", earlier was also called as the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party ...
. During the division of SDKPiL (1912-16) he was a member of the boundary administration and one of the leaders of the pro-Lenin fraction.
During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
Ganetsky, in association with Alexander Parvus
Alexander Parvus
Alexander Lvovich Parvus , born Israel Lazarevich Gelfand , was a Marxist theoretician, a Russian revolutionary, and a controversial activist in the Social Democratic Party of Germany...
and Karl Radek
Karl Radek
Karl Bernhardovic Radek was a socialist active in the Polish and German movements before World War I and an international Communist leader after the Russian Revolution....
, was involved in secret negotiations with the German General Staff
German General Staff
The German General Staff was an institution whose rise and development gave the German armed forces a decided advantage over its adversaries. The Staff amounted to its best "weapon" for nearly a century and a half....
regarding funding of the Bolsheviks and was one of the organizers of the (Copenhagen operation) as well as a mediator between Lenin and the Germans. He was one of the organizers of Lenin's return in a "sealed train" from exile in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
to Russia in 1917.
External links
- Semion Lyandres The Bolsheviks' "German Gold" Revisited: An Inquiry into the 1917 Accusations
- WALL STREET AND THE BOLSHEVIK REVOLUTION By Antony C. Sutton