Background
Zinov’ev, Grigorii was born in 1883 in Elizavetgrad.
Zinov’ev, Grigorii was born in 1883 in Elizavetgrad.
Member of the Social Democratic (Labour) Party from 1901. Emigrated in 1902. In 1903, met Lenin and became his closest collaborator abroad until 1917. Lived in Bern, returned to Russia, again went abroad in 1905.
Returned after the 1905 Revolution. In 1907, member of the Central Committee of the Bolshevik Party. Arrested in 1908. After a few months, released, emigrated again.
From 1908, coeditor of all Lenin’s publications. After the start of W WI, with Lenin in Galicia (Austro-Hungary) and in Switzerland. Took part in the Kienthal and Zimmerwald conferences.
During World War I, the Central Committee of the Bolshevik Party was virtually in the hands of Lenin and Zinov’ev. Returned with Lenin on the sealed train through Germany in 1917. After the unsuccessful Bolshevik revolt in July 1917, went into hiding with Lenin at Razliv.
With Kamenev, opposed Lenin’s plan to seize power in October 1917. After October 1917, Chairman of the Petrograd Soviet. After the Soviet government moved to Moscow in March 1918, remained in Petrograd as practically the dictator of the city and all Northwestern Russia.
Responsible for the first wave of terror in Petrograd in 1918-1919. Candidate member of the Politburo in 1919 and full member from 1921-1926. Head of the Comintern.
During the Kronstadt revolt, panicked and was saved by Trotsky and Tukhachevskii. Helped Stalin to defeat Trotsky in 1923-1924. Tried (with Kamenev) to seize power, but was defeated by Stalin and Bukharin in 1925.
Made a new unsuccessful attempt to seize power (with Trotsky). Lost all his posts and influence in 1926. Several times (on Stalin’s orders) expelled from the party, and re-admitted.
Became the chief accused at the famous show trials in 1935 and 1936. Sentenced to death, and executed. One of Lenin’s closest collaborators among the old Bolshevik guard.
Remembered mostly for his rule of terror in Petrograd after the 1917 Revolution, his fiery speeches at international conferences of the Comintern in the 1920s, and his pathetic appearance at the Stalinist show trials in the 1930s. Rehabilitated under Gorbachev, 1988.