Background
Kuibyshev, Valerian was born on June 6, 1888 in Omsk. Son of an officer.
Kuibyshev, Valerian was born on June 6, 1888 in Omsk. Son of an officer.
Educated at the Omsk Cadet Corps.
Joined the Bolshevik Party, 1904. Studying at the Military Medical School in Petersburg, took part in the 1905 Revolution. Expelled from the school, 1906.
Continued his revolutionary activity underground, mainly in Siberia. After the February Revolution 1917, came to Samara and during the October Revolution 1917, seized power there for the Bolsheviks. Left-wing communist in 1918.
Political commissar in the Red Army during the Civil War. Member and secretary of the Central Committee of the Bolshevik Party, 1922. Deputy Prime Minister, 1923.
Chairman of the Supreme Council of the National Economy, 1926. Chairman of Gosplan, 1930. Ally of Stalin during his power struggle with his rivals.
Because of his untimely death, allegedly as a victim of villains, a great number of towns were re-named after him (including the historic city of Samara on the Volga, to which during World War II the Soviet government was evacuated, when the German armies were approaching Moscow).