Karl Pauker

Karl Pauker Viktorovich (Russian Карл Викторович Паукер; * January 1893 in Lviv; † August 14, 1937 in Moscow) was an officer of the NKVD and headed up to his execution, the bodyguard of Josef Stalin.

Initially he worked himself to the Great Purges, Pauker was denounced by the former NKVD chief Yagoda under torture. Since Pauker "too much and know too well live," Stalin lost his confidence in his security chief and let him arrest only to be finally shoot him on August 14, 1937 April 15, 1937. Pauker was not rehabilitated even after the collapse of the Soviet Union.