Letter to L.M. Kaganovich, 12 August 1932

Source: Tom 17

Greetings, Comrade Kaganovich!

1. You should have already received my letter about Ukraine. Please keep the details of the plan set forth in the letter secret for the time being.

2. Representatives of the city of Poti (Georgia) are very insistently requesting three or four buses. It turns out that Molotov promised them five buses, but was unable to keep his promise because Moscow (yes, Moscow!) intercepted (in-ter-cepted!) the entire reserve of buses. Yield a few of them.

3. Beria makes a good impression. He is a good organizer, businesslike, a capable worker. As I look more closely at Transcaucasian affairs, I am increasingly convinced that in the matter of personnel selection, Sergo is an incorrigible bungler. Sergo championed the candidacy of Mamulia for the post of secretary of the CC of Georgia, but it is now obvious (even to the blind) that Mamulia is not worth the left foot of Beria. I think Orakhelashvili will have to be relieved (he is insistently requesting it). Although Beria is not a member (or even a candidate member) of the CC, he will nevertheless have to be promoted to the post of first secretary of the Transcaucasian Kraikom. Polonsky (his candidacy) is not suitable, as he does not command any of the local languages.

Greetings!

I. Stalin

12/VIII-32

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Source: Stalin and Kaganovich. Correspondence. 1931-1936, p. 276.

RGASPI. F. 81. Op. 3. D. 99. L. 153-155.

NOTE: On 13 July 1932, L.P. Beria wrote to Kaganovich: "I visited Comrade Koba twice and had the opportunity to inform him in detail about our affairs." On 9 October, the Politburo granted "Comrade Orakhelashvili's request for release from duties as first secretary of the Transcaucasian Kraikom" and designated Beria as first secretary while retaining him as first secretary of the CC of the Communist Party of Georgia.