25 Facts About Alexander Krasnoshchyokov

Alexander Krasnoshchyokov was arrested in 1898 and briefly imprisoned, before being exiled to Nikolaievsk where he met Leon Trotsky.

Alexander Krasnoshchyokov joined the Socialist Labor Party of America and worked as an agitator for the American Federation of Labor.

In 1912 Alexander Krasnoshchyokov graduated from the university and started to work as lawyer.

Alexander Krasnoshchyokov defended striking workers in the 'Bread and Roses Strike' of 1913.

Alexander Krasnoshchyokov was president of the Far Eastern Soviet of People's Commissars, which was established in Khabarovsk in December 1917, and for about four months in summer 1918 had control of the entire Russian far east, until it was overthrown by the intervention of Czech, Japanese, British and American forces.

Alexander Krasnoshchyokov then fled across the taiga, trying to reach territory controlled by the Red Army, but was captured near Samara and sent by 'death train' across Siberia to Irkutsk prison.

Alexander Krasnoshchyokov was released when the local administration in Irkutsk was overthrown by rioters on 28 December 1919.

In January 1920, with the civil war nearing an end, Alexander Krasnoshchyokov crossed the front line to reach Red Army headquarters in Tomsk, and persuaded Vladimir Lenin to create a democratic buffer state in the far east, to enable the allied troops in Siberia to withdraw without loss of face.

In March 1922, Alexander Krasnoshchyokov contracted typhus, and during his absence, his rivals at Narkomfin sacked him.

Alexander Krasnoshchyokov used the opportunity in November 1922 to create Prombank, a new bank to promote trade and industry, leaving the state bank with only the regulation of money and credit, much to the annoyance of the Narkomfin.

When Lenin had his third stroke in March 1923, Alexander Krasnoshchyokov lost his only protector.

Alexander Krasnoshchyokov had made powerful enemies, and appears to have become a focus for resentment against private entrepreneurs who were making money in the relaxed conditions of the New Economic Policy, often in enterprises built on loans provided by Krasnoshchyokov's bank.

Alexander Krasnoshchyokov was arrested on 19 September 1924 on charges of corruption.

Alexander Krasnoshchyokov was tried in March 1924, along with his brother, Yakov, and four bank employees.

Alexander Krasnoshchyokov was accused of paying himself an inflated salary.

Alexander Krasnoshchyokov was sentenced to six years in prison and expelled from the communist party.

Alexander Krasnoshchyokov's brother was sentenced to three years, and the other defendants to shorter terms.

In 1922, Alexander Krasnoshchyokov had begun a love affair with Lili Brik, whose most famous lover was the poet Vladimir Mayakovsky.

Alexander Krasnoshchyokov was held in the Lefortovo prison in Moscow, where he contracted pneumonia in November 1924.

Alexander Krasnoshchyokov was transferred then to the government hospital near the Kremlin.

Alexander Krasnoshchyokov was released under amnesty in January 1925 and sent to Yalta to recover.

Alexander Krasnoshchyokov returned to Moscow in autumn 1925 to work for the Ministry of Agriculture and devoted his energies to improving the cotton crop in Central Asia.

Alexander Krasnoshchyokov married Donna Gruz and they had twin girls in 1934.

Alexander Krasnoshchyokov was arrested in July 1937, sentenced to death for espionage on 25 November, and was one of several prominent former Bolsheviks shot on 26 November 1937.

Alexander Krasnoshchyokov was rehabilitated posthumously in 1956, three years after Stalin's death.