On this date in 1938, the Soviet intelligence agent Janis Berzin(s) was shot in the basement of Moscow’s Lubyanka Prison.

A Latvian radical back to Riga’s chapter of the 1905 revolution,* Berzins became a trusted associate of Lenin in exile, and transitioned with the 1917 Revolution into a variety of political-security-military leadership positions in the new Soviet state.

For most of the 1924-1937 period, Berzins directed — indeed, practically created — Soviet military intelligence. He’s credited with personally recruiting the legendary World War II spy Richard Sorge; in 1936-1937 he was the chief Soviet military advisor in the Spanish Civil War under the nom de guerre “Grishin”. Russians fighting in Spain just referred to him as “the old man.” (Source)

Of course, no degree of seniority was sufficient safety during the frightful purging years of the Yezhovshchina. Once back in Moscow, Berzins fell instantly, almost randomly, over a spurious accusation of internal espionage.

His conviction was reversed after Stalin died.

* But not one of the Latvian revolutionaries who ended up in a shootout with London police.

On this day..

• 1869: Katkeena and John Anayitzaschist, Glyphs and Gallows
• 1948: Ruth Closius-Neudeck
• 1566: Agnes Waterhouse, the first witchcraft execution in England
• 1598: Lucas, waterboarded Guale
• 1741: Not Sarah Hughson, "stubborn deportment"
• 1629: Louis Bertran, martyr in Japan
• 1879: Kate Webster, of the Barnes Mystery
• 1969: Joseph Blösche, Der SS-Mann
• 1947: Three Jewish terrorists and two British hostages
• 1936: Aboune Petros, Ethiopian bishop
• 1600: The Pappenheimer Family
• 1747: Alexander Blackwell, who left them smiling