17 Facts About Nikolai Shvernik

Nikolai Shvernik was born in 1888 in St Petersburg in a working-class family of Russian ethnicity.

Nikolai Shvernik's father was a retired sergeant major, who worked in factories in St Petersburg.

Nikolai Shvernik worked in factories as a turner, and joined the Bolsheviks in 1905.

In 1923, he was appointed to the staff of Rabkrin, which was headed by Joseph Stalin, whom Nikolai Shvernik loyally supported during the power struggles of the 1920s.

Nikolai Shvernik was a full member of the Central Committee from December 1925 until he died 45 years later.

In December 1927, when there were sudden food shortages in the cities because the peasants were holding back their produce in anticipation of rising prices, Nikolai Shvernik was dispatched to the Urals, as regional party secretary.

Nikolai Shvernik continued to support Stalin loyally through the rapid industrialisation of the soviet economy, which was opposed by almost the entire leadership of the trade unions.

Nikolai Shvernik was recalled to Moscow in 1929, and imposed as chairman of the Metallurgist Trade Union.

Nikolai Shvernik presided over the 1931 Menshevik Trial, in which fourteen Russian economists came up for trial on charges of treason.

Nikolai Shvernik was Chairman of the Soviet of Nationalities from 1938 to 1946.

Nikolai Shvernik was Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Russian SFSR from 1944 to 1946.

Nikolai Shvernik only became a member of the Politburo of the CPSU Central Committee in 1952 but was demoted in 1953 when the body was reduced in size.

Reputedly, Nikolai Shvernik was so distressed by Stalin's death, in March 1953, that he was the only prominent party leader seen crying at the dictator's funeral.

Nikolai Shvernik returned to his work as the chairman of the All-Union Central Council of Trade Unions.

In July 1957, Nikolai Shvernik again became a full member of the Presidium, after a stretch of more than 16 years as a 'candidate' member.

Nikolai Shvernik remained on the body until he retired in 1966.

Nikolai Shvernik died on 24 December 1970 at Moscow at the age 82 and his ashes were placed in an urn in the Kremlin Wall Necropolis.