Vagarshak Ter-Vaganyan

[1] He was accused of being part of the Trotskyite-Zinovievite centre which allegedly prepared terrorist acts against Stalin, Klim Voroshilov, Andrei Zhdanov, Lazar Kaganovich, Sergo Ordzhonikidze, Stanislav Kosior, and Pavel Postyshev.

In 1918-1920 Ter-Vaganyan served as a member of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee and the Moscow Soviet, and was the editor-in-chief of the magazine “Under the Banner of Marxism.” Subsequently, at the Marx and Engels Institute, he organized and headed the so-called “Plekhanov Cabinet”.

In 1936, he was arrested along with Lev Kamenev, Zinoviev and other persons included in the list of those accused of espionage activities, preparing terrorist acts against the leadership of the USSR and being part of the leadership of the “united Trotskyist-Zinoviev center.” At the end of July - beginning of August 1936, after the use of torture, Ter-Vaganyan confessed to the crimes charged against him.

Gradually, in the unusual atmosphere of the official investigation into Ter-Vaganyan’s “crimes,” the friendship between the investigator of the Stalinist Inquisition and his victim grew stronger.Orlov describes one incident that occurred between Ter-Vaganyan and Vyshinsky: The accused was brought into Agranov’s office, where, in addition to the owner of the office, there were Vyshinsky, Molchanov and Berman.

In response to Vyshinsky’s standard question, Ter-Vaganyan, looking at him contemptuously, said: “As a matter of fact, I have the legal right to remove you as a prosecutor.

Pleased with the impression made, Ter-Vaganyan looked around at everyone present and condescendingly added: “Well, oh well!” Don’t be afraid, I won’t do it.”.Ter-Vaganyan became one of the main defendants in the so-called “First Moscow Trial.” On August 24, 1936, he was sentenced to capital punishment - death by firing squad.