Description:

VENIAMIN SVERDLOV (EXECUTION OF TSAR NICHOLAS II)
(1886-1939) Russian-Jewish ‘Trotsky Terrorist' and the youngest brother of Yakov Sverdlov, Lenin's Bolshevik ally who ordered the execution of Tsar Nicholas II and family on July 16, 1918. Veniamin was first arrested in 1905 in a protest march for Maxim Gorsky's arrest. He then played a key role in the activities leading up to the Russian Revolution along with his brother, and, before the October Revolution, fled to the United States, where he unsuccessfully tried to manage a bank, went bankrupt, and was forced to live in poverty. After the Revolution and at the behest of his brother Yakov, Sverdlov returned to Russia and worked in the People's Commissariat of Railways. He continued to act in functionary political positions until October 1938, when he was arrested as a ‘Trotsky Terrorist' and executed during ‘The Great Purge' on Apr. 16, 1939. However other sources claimed Veniamin was successful in the U.S. and that his stint as a ‘capitalist' there belied his alleged Communist leanings and suggested that his execution was an error in bureaucracy, and even go so far to suggest that he was not executed at all, but rather fled again to the United States! Very rare, typed D.S. 1p. 8vo., Copenhagen, Aug. 9, 1928, approving the travel of A. U. Zelenko of the Presidium of the Technical Society to Germany on a scientific trip to: ‘…familiarize himself with the achievements in the field…[and to] negotiate with foreign publishing houses and institutions on the issue of the latter's participation in the All-Union Exhibition of Mass Technical Books organized by the Society…'. Boldly signed at the conclusion in red indelible pencil. Weakened central fold with small a split at the bottom, overall, very good. Possibly the only extant signature of this mysterious Revolutionary figure, and most definitely worthy of further research.

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December 6, 2024 10:00 AM EST
Elkton, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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