Konstantin Chernenko

Konstantin Ustinovich Tschernjenko (Russian Константин Устинович Черненко, scientific transliteration Konstantin Ustinovič Černenko; * 11.jul / September 24 1911greg in Bolshaya Tes, Yenisejsk province, Russian Empire, today the Krasnoyarsk region, .. † March 10, 1985 in Moscow) was a Soviet politician and from 1984 until his death, leader of the CPSU (Secretary General ) and as Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the head of state of the Soviet Union.

Biography

Training and career

Chernenko came from a poor family in Siberia. His father was a miner and his mother worked in agriculture. In 1926, he joined the Young Communist League - and in 1931, the party - the youth organization of the Communist Party. He served from 1930 to 1933 with the border of the OGPU on the Soviet- Chinese border. He then attended party schools and received his diploma in 1945 in Moscow. In 1953 he completed a correspondence course for teacher education.

In 1948 he became head of the Propaganda Department of the Central Committee ( CC) of the Communist Party ( CP) of the Moldavian SSR. Here he first met Leonid Brezhnev, who for 1950-1952 First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Moldavian Communist Party. From now on, he was sponsored by Brezhnev and his shadow his most faithful follower. In 1956 he followed Brezhnev in Moscow and fulfilled similar duties in the field of propaganda in the Central Committee of the CPSU. Brezhnev in 1964 was the first secretary of the Central Committee of the CPSU in October, he took over the job as head of the personal staff of the party offices of Brezhnev.

In the center of power

1965 - ie at the age of 54 years - Chernenko became head of the Central Committee of the General Department. From 1971 he was a member of the Central Committee, 1976-1984 Secretary of the Central Committee.

In 1977 he became a candidate, in 1978 a full member of the Politburo, the highest policy body of the USSR. 1984, now at the age of 72, he became General Secretary of the CPSU and chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet head of state of the Soviet Union; at that time he was already suffering from emphysema and was seriously ill.

The reason for its growing political influence must be seen in his years of absolutely sincere cooperation with Brezhnev as his confidant. He controlled the apparatus of the CPSU and he organized during the periods of sick of all the Brezhnev leadership.

Despite his close relationship with Brezhnev Chernenko was not, but his rival Yuri Andropov after the death of party chief ideologist Mikhail Suslov in January 1982 ( "Second " ) Central Committee Secretary and thus de facto Deputy Secretary General. After the death of Brezhnev on November 10, 1982 not Chernenko, Andropov but was determined to succeed Brezhnev. This decision of the Politburo had to announce to the Central Committee of the CPSU on November 12, 1982 Chernenko. The Central Committee confirmed the decision of the Politburo. Andropov became the new Secretary General. Chernenko was awarded Andropov's previous post as Central Committee secretary. Although was not Chernenko, Mikhail Gorbachev but Andropov's protégé and favorite to succeed, but could not Andropov displace the position of the Central Committee secretary during his reign Chernenko. After the death of Andropov in February 1984 Prime Minister Nikolai Tikhonov Chernenko suggested as the new Secretary General. Chernenko was then confirmed by the Central Committee as the successor Andropov. Andropov's protégé Gorbachev took over as secretary of the Central Committee Chernenko's function and, after Chernenko's death turn his successor.

Chernenko's reign coincided with a phase in which the relationship between East and West after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 and the NATO Double-Track Decision had reached a new low. The tensions manifested themselves also in the reciprocal boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow and 1984 in Los Angeles. Against in November 1984 re-elected with a clear majority U.S. President Ronald Reagan, who pursued a tough anti-communist course, Chernenko looked completely helpless. However, it was decided in his reign, negotiations with the U.S. on arms control to resume in Geneva. Negotiations began, but only after his death. The government contacts with the United States were therefore resumed. Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko therefore traveled before Reagan's reelection in 1984 to meet with President Reagan in the U.S. and agreed to the resumption of the Geneva disarmament talks with his U.S. counterpart George Shultz in January 1985. Gorbachev 's biographer, Christian Schmidt- Hauer writes, Chernenko did with Gorbachev support the rapprochement with the United States. In the same week - in September 1984 - in which the Soviet Politburo posting Gromyko in the United States decided the critics of this policy, General Staff Nikolai Ogarkov, his post was removed. There are many indications that the Politburo at that meeting in September 1984 - that is, during the reign of Chernenko - decided to resume the dialogue with the United States again and Ogarkov discontinued. The only ally Ogarkov in this body, Politburo member Grigory Romanov, Central Committee Secretary for Defence and advocates of a "hard" foreign policy, was during that meeting on a trip abroad.

While Chernenko " vacillating " and in domestic politics helplessly between dogmatists and reformers of the CPSU - with the exception of dismissal Ogarkov - No changes were made in the Soviet leadership ( only the death of Defense Minister Dmitri Ustinov in December 1984 led to the appointment of a new defense minister, who, however, in contrast to his predecessor not a member of the Politburo ), it came under Chernenko from September 1984 on a careful review of the confrontational Soviet foreign policy, which had led to the NATO retrofit decision and reduce the tensions that according to the implementation of the NATO double-track decision in November 1983 - had tightened considerably - even under Andropov. As his successor, Gorbachev advocated Chernenko, also from economic reasons ( he leaned a reduction of social programs in favor of the defense budget down), apparently the rapprochement between the U.S. and the overcoming of mutual tensions. He wanted to return to the détente of the 1970s. This policy was implemented but only under Gorbachev vigorously into action.

Like its predecessor Andropov was Chernenko only a short time Secretary General. He died after only thirteen months in office. He was succeeded by Mikhail Gorbachev.

Honors

Chernenko was three times the Order of Hero of Socialist Labour, four times the Order of Lenin three times and the Order of the Red Banner of Labor. He was buried as his predecessor in the Kremlin wall. The city Scharypowo wore from 1985 to 1988 his name.

Writings

  • Selected speeches and essays 1981 - 1984th Dietz -Verlag, Berlin 1985
  • People and the party are one. Selected speeches and essays. Edition Rötzer, Eisenstadt 1984, ISBN 3-85374-139-8
  • With MS Gorbachev: On the level of the requirements of developed socialism. The 27th Party Congress opposed. Publisher Marxist leaves, Frankfurt am Main 1985, ISBN 3-88012-715-8
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