Lavrentiy Beria: Stalin’s Architect of Terror

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  • เผยแพร่เมื่อ 27 มิ.ย. 2024
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ความคิดเห็น • 2.4K

  • @worsethanjoerogan8061
    @worsethanjoerogan8061 5 ปีที่แล้ว +2670

    What I like most about Beria's life story is when they finally came for him he cried, sobbed and begged like a coward when faced with experiencing what he did to countless others

    • @Nantosuelta
      @Nantosuelta 5 ปีที่แล้ว +284

      a cowardly worm to the last

    • @richardanderson8302
      @richardanderson8302 5 ปีที่แล้ว +137

      Damn commies

    • @jimstanga6390
      @jimstanga6390 5 ปีที่แล้ว +47

      Dean Cutler - well....so did Yagoda and Yezhov....

    • @justahawkeye
      @justahawkeye 5 ปีที่แล้ว +66

      @Brocialist Party of America Sorry Bro, you described childs play over your brocialist screwing billions of people during 2nd half of the 20th century. And I know that from my own experience, not just theoretic saloon socialist perspective.

    • @allsystemsgo8678
      @allsystemsgo8678 5 ปีที่แล้ว +58

      Hopefully he was terrified and died painfully.

  • @jmace2424
    @jmace2424 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1719

    I’d love to live in a parallel world where hitler became an artist, stalin became a priest, and himmler just stayed farming chickens.

  • @74jailbreaker
    @74jailbreaker 4 ปีที่แล้ว +340

    I first learned about Beria through the movie the Death of Stalin. It's a great dark, satirical comedy but it's also very interesting how those days following Stalin's death there was such a power struggle.

    • @MeatyTF2Mercs
      @MeatyTF2Mercs 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Ikr

    • @supaheat1486
      @supaheat1486 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      Great movie

    • @thunderbird1921
      @thunderbird1921 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      But...but...it was supposed to be a communal system! HAHAHAHAHAHA Communism is the biggest farce in human history.

    • @stephenquinn3447
      @stephenquinn3447 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      I learned about him in a video about if operation long jump succeeded

    • @Ayo.Ajisafe
      @Ayo.Ajisafe 2 ปีที่แล้ว +9

      Movie is hilarious and simultaneously brutal.

  • @simonpeter5032
    @simonpeter5032 5 ปีที่แล้ว +374

    Referring to Adolf Eichmann as "that" instead of "him".
    *+15 points*

    • @cpegg5840
      @cpegg5840 3 ปีที่แล้ว +18

      Eichmann’s type of evil is the most insidious-banal indifference. I’m glad he swung from a rope, even if it was 17 years late

    • @rogerthat3157
      @rogerthat3157 3 ปีที่แล้ว +11

      Biased, why wouldn't he call beria as "that" then

    • @justinweber4977
      @justinweber4977 2 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      @@rogerthat3157 it would have become tedious to do through an entire video. But, as a quick jab at someone, it works well.

    • @roskcity
      @roskcity 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@rogerthat3157 Not biased.

  • @StephenButlerOne
    @StephenButlerOne 5 ปีที่แล้ว +2848

    You know youre bad when Stalin tells his daughter not to catch a lift of you.

    • @StephenButlerOne
      @StephenButlerOne 5 ปีที่แล้ว +76

      @chanctonbury63 sorry typo nazi.

    • @StephenButlerOne
      @StephenButlerOne 5 ปีที่แล้ว +36

      @chanctonbury63 Извините, товарищ

    • @StephenButlerOne
      @StephenButlerOne 5 ปีที่แล้ว +18

      @chanctonbury63 Google translate shift. I was bored watching the United saints game.

    • @StephenButlerOne
      @StephenButlerOne 5 ปีที่แล้ว +13

      @chanctonbury63 manchester United v Southampton game. You may call it soccer. Just finished.
      Edit--saints is Southampton nick name in my land. Which isn't Russia. You should be able to guess by now.

    • @StephenButlerOne
      @StephenButlerOne 5 ปีที่แล้ว +31

      @chanctonbury63 why would you even think I was a Russian bot. My post was hardly pro, or anti Russian. Just a joke on the behalf of Stalin. Wouldn't that be a crime of some type? If I was Russian.

  • @SerTasera
    @SerTasera 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1987

    "furiously brown-nosing Stalin like a sentient suppository."
    You, sir, are a poet.

    • @denizmetint.462
      @denizmetint.462 5 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      Thanks, fam.

    • @alanfike
      @alanfike 5 ปีที่แล้ว +23

      Fuckit, I'm THAT GUY, but unlike I'm mistaken Morris M seems to deserve the credit, as author of the episode.
      Not trying to deflate what you pointed out, which I liked. Just pushing a spotlight on the other guy.

    • @diandoxlee7346
      @diandoxlee7346 4 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      I like that, "sentient suppository."

    • @hitheremynameisbingo
      @hitheremynameisbingo 4 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      I legit laughed out loud at the "sentient suppository" line, OMG 😂

    • @RickReasonnz
      @RickReasonnz 4 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      Beautiful beautiful words

  • @malcolmabram2957
    @malcolmabram2957 4 ปีที่แล้ว +172

    The big irony of Beria was that during his brief reign following the death of Stalin, he was negotiating an aid package with the USA, similar to the Marshall plan for Germany and the MacArthur plan for Japan. This was one of the contributing factors to his downfall in a coup led by Khruschev. The Soviets refused aid from the west yet this contributed to years of economic stagnation during the Brezhnev era. Beria took quite a different stance after the death of Stalin and if he had succeeded in an economic aid package the history of the west v East, ie The cold War, not to mention the Soviet Union might have been very different.

    • @dasdoohjhgf3975
      @dasdoohjhgf3975 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      ერთადერთი ადეკვატური კომენტარი

    • @prestonjones1653
      @prestonjones1653 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      I'm not sure itbcould have been too different. Maybe the Soviets would have collapsed later, maybe in the mid-2000s, or even the 2010s, but it would have collapsed and there would have been a cold war between the two nuclear powers.

    • @jeffreylebowski2440
      @jeffreylebowski2440 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      would have been like china today

    • @LAZISH
      @LAZISH ปีที่แล้ว +1

      So true!!! These details should be spoken out too. Otherwise, it's half truth

    • @emperorpalpatine6239
      @emperorpalpatine6239 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@dasdoohjhgf3975 Lmao, gotta love how Georgian nationalists idolise criminals like Beria due to the latter being Georgians. Did you miss the part where he was raping women and little girls? Does that sound worthy of admiration to you?

  • @Gronk79
    @Gronk79 5 ปีที่แล้ว +231

    Beria: "Show me the man, and I will find you the crime."

  • @Daniel-rh7kh
    @Daniel-rh7kh 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1023

    Soviet History is so underrated, people usually don't go deep into it, glad to see such work being done.

    • @alicemoore2036
      @alicemoore2036 5 ปีที่แล้ว +29

      Daniel The reason is because Marxism was shown clearly for the ugly thing bared.

    • @tigerstyle4505
      @tigerstyle4505 5 ปีที่แล้ว +62

      Leninism. Marxism is a totally different thing. Marxism-Leninism (Bolshevik ideology and the ideology of most of the Eastern Bloc and their satellite states) is really just Leninism.
      The actions and revolutions of a more pure Marxist strain tended towards mass movements, unions, minimized violence, democracy and a distinct libertarian tendency where Leninism and it's vanguard party theory can only result in bloodshed and power struggles.
      Most Marxists (especially during Stalinist Russia and many still today) readily denounce the USSR and their tactics (see Luxemburg) and do not seek anything resembling totalitarian dictatorships and police states.
      I'm not a Marxist myself, but I think it's important not to conflate the two very different thoughts as they are most definitely not the same. Marx and Marxism became more of a trope and a popular idea that was played to by an opportunist Lenin and the Bolsheviks under him, similar to the Nazi's use of leftist symbols, slogans, rhetoric due to their popular support in Germany at the time while both wings of the party were explicitly anti Marxist, anti socialist/communist and especially anti Bolshevik. This all fits into the context of the Russian revolution which was very much guided by popular support of Libertarian Socialist ideals before the counter revolution of the Bolsheviks as they systematically crushed opposition and solidified their grip on power.
      Too much nuance for the unthinking people of the world, but we don't have many great long term examples of Marxism in action on a long-term scale and anyone saying otherwise doesn't understand Marxism or Leninism well at all. Because Leninism is what we've seen crush much of the world under it's extremely flawed ideology, not Marxism. And Leninism's rise was the greatest blow to Socialism the world has ever seen and it's fall in most if the world Socialism's biggest win so far. Nuances matter ✌

    • @user-ti1tq3cj2p
      @user-ti1tq3cj2p 5 ปีที่แล้ว +15

      What are the main mistakes of Lenin? In what way does Leninism contradict Marxism?

    • @tibfulv
      @tibfulv 5 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      Indeed, Leninism is at its worst by far where it conforms to Marxism, as Lenin discovered to the detriment of Russia after the Revolution. He was forced to reverse most of the Marxist measures after they led to a broken economy and the death of millions. The NEP was a little known part of Soviet history, and short-lived, because after it came Stalin.
      Indeed, Lenin might be an interesting subject for this channel, as he's a lot more complex and tragic than the run-of-the-mill Soviet leader.

    • @numberjackfiutro7412
      @numberjackfiutro7412 5 ปีที่แล้ว +29

      Most leftists say that the Soviet regime wasn't real Communism, but it WAS true Communism. Karl Marx explicitly said in the Communist Manifesto among other works that Communism involves a totalitarian stage, Marx called it " Dictatorship of The Prolitariat ". Plus, the implementation of Communism requires totalitarianism because most people don't give up their possessions, labor, etc willingly, not without being compensated in some way, Thus the confiscation and other things inheirant to Communism can really only happen on a national level at the barrels of state guns. Moreover, totalitarianism is needed to sustain Communism.

  • @Nebukadnezzer
    @Nebukadnezzer 5 ปีที่แล้ว +464

    I'm not saying The Death of Stalin is a documentary, but it has introduced me to many of these (horrible) guys.

    • @allsystemsgo8678
      @allsystemsgo8678 5 ปีที่แล้ว +11

      Same here

    • @Kruppt808
      @Kruppt808 4 ปีที่แล้ว +23

      Info about history is good regardless if it's a doc or comedy. It can inspire you to learn more then you knew before you watched it.

    • @countofdownable
      @countofdownable 2 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      Jason Isaacs as Marshall Zhukov stole the show.

  • @HSMiyamoto
    @HSMiyamoto 5 ปีที่แล้ว +218

    You forgot the story about how Beria's killers were so devoted to "
    literally "erasing" him from Soviet history that subscribers to the official Soviet encyclopedia were mailed a new, expanded article about the "Bering Strait" with directions that the owner was to paste the page over the page in which the Beria entry was printed.
    Although this happened after Orwell published "1984", this story would be retold in US schools, at least, of how the "Memory Hole" in the "Ministry of Truth" that swallowed up all evidence of information the regime had previously said was true (whether or not if was) was not so far-fetched as one might think.

    • @jasoncarswell7458
      @jasoncarswell7458 4 ปีที่แล้ว +19

      that is indeed a valuable example. I knew about Yezhov being erased from the picture of the canal, but I'd never heard of Beria's encyclopedia article being erased that way. I'm not surprised. Live by the summary execution, die by the summary execution.

    • @capcompass9298
      @capcompass9298 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@jasoncarswell7458 Very interesting photos of Yezhov (and not-Yezhov).
      I didn't realise he was Beira's boss.

    • @jasoncarswell7458
      @jasoncarswell7458 4 ปีที่แล้ว +10

      @@capcompass9298 NKVD Chairmen tended to train their deputies in the art of murder, torture and false accusations... and then have them practiced on them. Happened to Yagoda at Yezhov's hands, then Yezhov at Beria's hands, and finally Beria at Ivan Serov's hands.

    • @nicholasbrassard3512
      @nicholasbrassard3512 4 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      @@jasoncarswell7458 it's like sith lords and their apprentices xD

  • @copperhammer
    @copperhammer 4 ปีที่แล้ว +57

    Beria to Stalin: "Give me the man and I 'll give you the crime "

  • @frederickthegreatpodcast382
    @frederickthegreatpodcast382 5 ปีที่แล้ว +745

    Stalin told Harry Truman, “This is our Himmler”

    • @petebondurant58
      @petebondurant58 5 ปีที่แล้ว +88

      Stalin said the same thing to the Germans when the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact was signed.

    • @alanpennie8013
      @alanpennie8013 5 ปีที่แล้ว +43

      Alec Avdakov
      That was rather a neat put down. Stalin could do subtle sarcasm when he wanted (even though he hadn't been to college)

    • @petebondurant58
      @petebondurant58 5 ปีที่แล้ว +51

      He had 50,000 books in his library, most of which were filled with notes written by him in the margins.

    • @alanpennie8013
      @alanpennie8013 5 ปีที่แล้ว +104

      @@petebondurant58
      He was quite the literature buff. Probably why he had so many writers killed. It was an extreme form of literary criticism.

    • @TH-sn7mw
      @TH-sn7mw 5 ปีที่แล้ว +30

      And the SOB even looks like Himmler

  • @KPW2137
    @KPW2137 5 ปีที่แล้ว +678

    Speaking of Beria: he is still pretty well known and recognized.
    However, ever heard of Mao`s secret police head, Kang Sheng?
    Exactly.

    • @nickmitsialis
      @nickmitsialis 5 ปีที่แล้ว +159

      Sounds like a villain from Mortal Kombat.

    • @DarkLordoftheMeme
      @DarkLordoftheMeme 5 ปีที่แล้ว +48

      I have, according to Jung Chang this Chinese version of Beria always caried a puppy with him wherever he went!

    • @nigeh5326
      @nigeh5326 5 ปีที่แล้ว +9

      Any recommendations for books on him?

    • @tengkualiff
      @tengkualiff 5 ปีที่แล้ว

      Pretty sure he knows

    • @jaewok5G
      @jaewok5G 5 ปีที่แล้ว +13

      if you're any good at being the secret police, no one should know your name!

  • @titanicwang2044
    @titanicwang2044 4 ปีที่แล้ว +815

    "Dark humour is like food... Not everyone gets it"
    ~Stalin

    • @devanman7920
      @devanman7920 4 ปีที่แล้ว +20

      This might be the most underated comment I've ever read 😂

    • @Kruppt808
      @Kruppt808 4 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      Stalin was funny? 😂😂

    • @drakashrakenburgproduction5369
      @drakashrakenburgproduction5369 4 ปีที่แล้ว +11

      @@Kruppt808 he had some...interesting quotes.

    • @erichodge567
      @erichodge567 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      Good one...

    • @Mericaa47
      @Mericaa47 4 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      @Frederick Röders Except that in capitalism people work for food while in communism the people leading the country are the only people with food.

  • @toastedaudiolab
    @toastedaudiolab 5 ปีที่แล้ว +75

    "...and furiously brown nosing Stalin like a sentient suppository." That's the best line ever.

    • @g0679
      @g0679 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      toastedaudiolab
      Wonderful imagery.

  • @andriichub8742
    @andriichub8742 5 ปีที่แล้ว +864

    I am Ukrainian and Beria and his atrocious deeds are widely known here due to the harm they caused both my people and other nations of former soviet nation. Thank you for telling this story and for bringing awareness about his crimes and the fact that the bloody dictators never act alone and that they need loyal lieutenants to rely on.

    • @user-ti1tq3cj2p
      @user-ti1tq3cj2p 5 ปีที่แล้ว +17

      Beria is better than an alcoholic Poroshenko)

    • @kentamitchell
      @kentamitchell 5 ปีที่แล้ว +57

      I fervently hope that the Ukrainian people have a happier future ahead of them- in the past century they have certainly been through hell.

    • @brosephyolonarovichstalin2915
      @brosephyolonarovichstalin2915 5 ปีที่แล้ว +29

      I know that life was cheap back then but anyone who knows anything about Stalins regime knows what a disgusting turd Beria was. Wonderful presentation Simon. You’re fantastic.

    • @2HRTS1LOVE
      @2HRTS1LOVE 5 ปีที่แล้ว +24

      Yes, the murdery psychos are always backed by a team of murdery psychos, aren't they? Birds of a feather, I guess, sadly for the rest of the world.

    • @mohammedcohen
      @mohammedcohen 5 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      Read Anne Applebaum's 'Red Famine'...

  • @horrortackleharry
    @horrortackleharry 5 ปีที่แล้ว +300

    One thing I know for sure about Beria: he would have worn a Vincero watch.

    • @luciavaughn3793
      @luciavaughn3793 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      😲 😏

    • @toonbat
      @toonbat 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      "Oh dear. Look at the time."

    • @Ayo.Ajisafe
      @Ayo.Ajisafe 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      😂😂

  • @Chaosdude341
    @Chaosdude341 5 ปีที่แล้ว +22

    Y'all are such an incredible team. The writing and the articulation are like an old school boxing combo -- immediately classic.

  • @ignitionfrn2223
    @ignitionfrn2223 3 ปีที่แล้ว +57

    1:45 - Chapter 1 - Early life (Born into the fires revolution)
    6:20 - Chapter 2 - Rise to power (The NKVD & the terror)
    13:05 - Chapter 3 - WWII (The soviet himmler)
    15:40 - Chapter 4 - The last 100 days (a statesman emerges ?)

  • @acetate909
    @acetate909 5 ปีที่แล้ว +179

    The Death of Stalin is a great satirical film about the events that transpired after Stalin died. I highly recommend it. It's an English movie by Armando Iannucci who made In The Loop.

    • @Lowlandlord
      @Lowlandlord 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      The only really sad thing is that because of Beria and how grotesque he was, I don't want to watch that movie with him in it again.

    • @miguelpalomares3441
      @miguelpalomares3441 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      @@Lowlandlord I'd tell you to not worry since it's lighthearted in a twisted sort of way but beria is like the nail of realism that reminds you the events in the films were completely true, they don't show away from how fucked up of a monster he was, the comedy aspect even fades away from the last minutes or the film too + he's actually shown being a fucking worm with a little girl, so yeah

  • @matthewmckenna248
    @matthewmckenna248 5 ปีที่แล้ว +139

    Hats off to you for bringing out these episodes. And could you cover Dwight D Einesinhower?

    • @Kruppt808
      @Kruppt808 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      We like Ike

    • @thevoid4060
      @thevoid4060 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@Kruppt808 everybody likes ike

  • @neoamaru
    @neoamaru 5 ปีที่แล้ว +26

    Been watching this channel's videos now every day for the past month and a half, i gotta say, Simon's way of presenting this one was special! i like the tongue-in-cheek humor, he'd make a great history teacher ;)

  • @derwolf8174
    @derwolf8174 4 ปีที่แล้ว +18

    I learned of him through "The Death of Stalin" I love that movie

    • @joepeake8972
      @joepeake8972 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Simon Russell Beale did a great job with the character.

  • @jbourne5181
    @jbourne5181 5 ปีที่แล้ว +226

    Loved your comment "terminal case of death".......I'm still laughing

    • @markbencetti7693
      @markbencetti7693 5 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      Loved it too.

    • @carlwessels2671
      @carlwessels2671 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      Reminds me of the old saying,a sexually transmitted, terminal condition, life.

    • @billbyrd1361
      @billbyrd1361 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      Amazing how in modern times we see the same exact thing going on. Certain people that are politically damaging keep coming up dead. Now the total is past 100. Its almost as if the same EXACT play book is being used. Latest examples: Christopher Sign and Jeffrey Epstein.

  • @chilongqua1238
    @chilongqua1238 5 ปีที่แล้ว +313

    "Stalin's architect..."
    Me: "This sounds pleasant!"
    "...of terror"
    Me: "... never mind..."

    • @Mister_Kourkoutas
      @Mister_Kourkoutas 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      CHI LONG QUA the “Stalinist Baroque” style of brutalist Soviet architecture is definitely a terror. One need only look at Pragues skyline. The beautiful“Vienna of the North” marred by hideous communist era high rises.

    • @donkeyslayer4661
      @donkeyslayer4661 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      Pretty Lame!

    • @Edmonton-of2ec
      @Edmonton-of2ec 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Albert Speer, Beria is not

    • @stanislavkostarnov2157
      @stanislavkostarnov2157 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      ​@@Mister_KourkoutasThose buildings are not Stalin's Baroque, but usually constructed much later...
      to see that, look upon the architecture of such towns as have been built as palaces to house the NKVD/OGPU Overlords of the Gulag; the down towns of cities like Magadan, Norilsk, Vorkuta...
      there architecture feels almost spookily Draculean, yet, classically Romanesque. angular ensembles, with lines clearly showing the influence of totalitarian, even Nazi forms, the pale, intricately carved colonnaded square buildings of pale panted panes, rimmed by mounts and cornices of bare white cement, look almost beautiful, if the viewer ignores their multilayered, deep, Luciferical touch.
      the high rises, were the fruits of a time when the evils of a bloodthirsty maniacs rule were watered down to a mediocre stench of the Grimpen quagmire of a fallen civilization

  • @KarchK
    @KarchK 3 ปีที่แล้ว +30

    My grandfather was a gulag prisoner for over 8 years and was released in 53 right after Stalin died , I never knew it was Berija who ordered his and so many others’ release ..

    • @tballstaedt7807
      @tballstaedt7807 2 ปีที่แล้ว +10

      In my opinion, this was a move by Berria to survive in the absence of Stalin. Berria had to distance himself from Stalin's policies to cover his own crimes as a reformer. I think his plan was to lay all of it at Stalin's feet.

    • @user-bp1nc4ug4j
      @user-bp1nc4ug4j ปีที่แล้ว +1

      You wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Beria then😂

    • @GigaChadh976
      @GigaChadh976 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      @@user-bp1nc4ug4j
      If it weren’t for Beria his grandad would have never gone to prison in all likelihood

    • @redjirachi1
      @redjirachi1 8 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      I guess even a monster like Beria can still do a good deed if he gets something out of it. It's always fascinating to me when history's great villains do in fact have something positive to their name

  • @ifteqarahmed7449
    @ifteqarahmed7449 5 ปีที่แล้ว +16

    Simon is amazing. Just cant stop listening to his voice as he narrates history with dramatic reality. I almost find myself living hundreds of years in time

    • @Biographics
      @Biographics  5 ปีที่แล้ว

      Thank you :). One of my favourite things about biographies!

    • @michaellynes3540
      @michaellynes3540 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      Simon almost looks just like Beria in facial appearance

  • @mygreenfroggy
    @mygreenfroggy 5 ปีที่แล้ว +583

    Sentient suppository?? Ten points for a new one for the list of insults, lol! Excellent juxtaposition of words.

    • @stephaneclerc667
      @stephaneclerc667 5 ปีที่แล้ว +12

      The poor but audible s alliteration added to his voice and accent really make a big difference but yes, I will definitely use that insult on colleagues starting tomorrow

    • @genehakman9422
      @genehakman9422 5 ปีที่แล้ว +10

      AsapNicky Bars or he just has his settings private. You must be one of those communist enthusiasts, quite sure that if YOU were the dictator, things would be better. Funny how they never are lol.

    • @genehakman9422
      @genehakman9422 5 ปีที่แล้ว +11

      AsapNicky Bars is English not your first language?, this video is very anti-communist.
      The OP was also just remarking about the "sentient suppository " quip, which happens to be a very funny bit of writing (if you understand English).
      And you seem to be anti-Semitic, so we're done here.

    • @kubist5424
      @kubist5424 5 ปีที่แล้ว

      Lost it at that one.

    • @dukadarodear2176
      @dukadarodear2176 5 ปีที่แล้ว

      Ruth Beaty
      Yes.
      Up your's Stalin!

  • @Viroh
    @Viroh 5 ปีที่แล้ว +14

    Oh boi, I love this series. Listening to real stories about people who played it big in life helps me forget about the small stuff and focus on what matters, and the new weekly episodes always refresh my viewpoints. Keep it up Simon!

  • @MAKOFBEST
    @MAKOFBEST 4 ปีที่แล้ว +16

    I didn't know Johnny Sins loved history so much.

  • @DanMcLeodNeptuneUK
    @DanMcLeodNeptuneUK 4 ปีที่แล้ว +192

    I highly recommend checking out 'The Death of Stalin'.
    Excellent cinema!!

    • @Edmonton-of2ec
      @Edmonton-of2ec 4 ปีที่แล้ว +19

      Dan McLeod John Issacs made me laugh my ass off in that movie

    • @anotherhuman459
      @anotherhuman459 4 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      Pretty good movie, idk why but it seems like he knew what was coming but still he played his part trying to change it but he failed horribly.

    • @Mdebacle
      @Mdebacle 4 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      Steve Buscemi considered playing Khrushchev the role of a lifetime.

    • @abbaszaidi8371
      @abbaszaidi8371 4 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      MVP- Jason Isaacs as brogue Yorkshireman Zhukov

    • @thomassummerhill6357
      @thomassummerhill6357 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Essential reading if you enjoy this era. Court of the Red Tsar by Simon Sebag Montefiorri . Great book 👍

  • @gabri770
    @gabri770 5 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    Nice , been waiting for this for a long time. Keep up the good work 👍🏻👍🏻

  • @kenarnold9132
    @kenarnold9132 5 ปีที่แล้ว +45

    "As he slithered his way up the greasy pole to power" Yep. How many brutal leaders in history deserve this description?

    • @stephenreeds3672
      @stephenreeds3672 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      All of them. Welcome Boris!

    • @flamixflame2685
      @flamixflame2685 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@stephenreeds3672 why do you keep saying welcome Boris

    • @stephenreeds3672
      @stephenreeds3672 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@flamixflame2685 Don't know about keep on saying? "Only once. Like Beria, Boris seems only interested in power. And look what he's doing with it.

  • @tonywilliamson-bruscaglia3070
    @tonywilliamson-bruscaglia3070 4 ปีที่แล้ว +10

    “Greasy pole of power” that’s a new one for Stalin’s rod.

  • @Sana_a04
    @Sana_a04 7 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    "This is our Himmler" - Stalin at the Yalta conference introducing Beria to FDR.

  • @MountainDewComacho494
    @MountainDewComacho494 5 ปีที่แล้ว +14

    I love your biographies. This was especially great as I had never heard of Beria. Truly both fascinating and repulsive.

  • @evenkeel6131
    @evenkeel6131 4 ปีที่แล้ว +21

    My word did Stalin have a stellar mustache.

    • @thomassummerhill6357
      @thomassummerhill6357 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@MrWhodatsay It was rumoured he had halitosis, his breath was rancid ☠️

  • @samuraisoul1043
    @samuraisoul1043 5 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    thank you simon , shell , jack and morris you are a great team loving the vids

  • @martybcurry
    @martybcurry 5 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    Bye the way, awesome series, Simon. Being a history nut, and always seeking out obscure nuggets of truth and trivia, you have made my day many times by revealing fascinating facts that my 40 years of reading have left in darkness. Cheers!

  • @thecitizenoftheinternet1077
    @thecitizenoftheinternet1077 4 ปีที่แล้ว +92

    The irony: Beria sounds like "Bury ya".

    • @bitbybit6988
      @bitbybit6988 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      funny because he usually burned the corpses of innocent Abkhazians instead of burying them.

    • @michaellynes3540
      @michaellynes3540 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Khrushchev: I will bury you in history.

  • @lnkrishnan
    @lnkrishnan 5 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    This was amazing presentation, Simon. My recommendation would be for you to end all your videos with a question for your audience - us - to ponder over - sort of like ending the crescendo that you've built up through the duration of the video. I felt that the earlier biopics sort of left me on the edge, and this one about Lavrentiy left us thinking about what was presented well after the presentation was finished.

  • @dpagan8512
    @dpagan8512 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Your series of history of all types and personalities is to me , among the best every made..keep it up !!!

  • @stjaxn
    @stjaxn 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Man, these are really great. I'm plowing through them. Good work Simon.

    • @Biographics
      @Biographics  5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Glad you’re enjoying them :)

  • @nicka.9842
    @nicka.9842 5 ปีที่แล้ว +52

    Can you do a video on Leonid Brezhnev and Nikita Khrushchev?

  • @chimaloo
    @chimaloo 5 ปีที่แล้ว +31

    You should do a video on Ante Pavelic, head of the Croatian Ustasa during the 30s

    • @petebondurant58
      @petebondurant58 5 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      They were a lot more fun in the 1940s.

  • @Tansea
    @Tansea 4 ปีที่แล้ว +10

    "Sentient suppository" I bow down to your brilliance.

  • @MathiaArkoniel
    @MathiaArkoniel 5 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    I've been subscribed to your Top10's channel since the early days, and am subscribed to all channels that you narrate on Simon. Your way of narrating is AMAZING! Even ads sound awesome presented by you. Your voice has fantastic inflactions in the right places, great tone and timber, but best of all, you sound geniuine and sincer every single time (even about the watch). lol. Really awesome. I hope to keep watching/listening to you talk about interesting subjects for many years to come.

  • @mikdan8813
    @mikdan8813 5 ปีที่แล้ว +24

    Thank you for mentioning Katyn, Simon! Respect from Poland!

    • @bitbybit6988
      @bitbybit6988 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      I still don't understand how more people don't talk about Katyń massacre. It's insane how much respect the soviet monsters get just for fighting fascists and everything they do bad is ignored.

  • @donnielewis6958
    @donnielewis6958 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    Makes Himmler look like a cupcake

  • @nielcarpnava
    @nielcarpnava 4 ปีที่แล้ว +60

    Biographics: Lavrentiy Beria: Stalin's Architect of Terror
    Me: Lavrentiy Beria: Stalin's Greatest A-- Kisser

  • @gioduduchadze2430
    @gioduduchadze2430 4 ปีที่แล้ว +37

    2:20 Georgians don't usually leave their wives and children, but when they do....

    • @sethabdul7824
      @sethabdul7824 4 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      They become mass murderers

    • @matthewtuckman4447
      @matthewtuckman4447 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      Actually thats not always the sole reason Stalin for an example was abused by his father and once Stalin threw a knife at his father to stop him from abusing his mother and his mother was devult and very strict wich is why Joseph hated her and even called her "an old whole" in front of others or his colleagues

  • @CHE6yp
    @CHE6yp 5 ปีที่แล้ว +40

    "..you've never heard of." HA! Didn't expect someone from ex-USSR here, did you? Everyone here knows Beria.

    • @rogerpattube
      @rogerpattube 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      It was a stupid comment from our host to say that no one heard of Beria. From NZ, never studied history but of course know who Beria was.

    • @jefftheriault7260
      @jefftheriault7260 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      A certain amount of preaching to the choir, yes. I think perhaps that was a little bit of word of mouth advertising on his part. Those who know might comment to those who don't, who might find themselves interested in finding out, despite themselves. A gain for all, in the end.

    • @jefftheriault7260
      @jefftheriault7260 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      @Tropic Lightning And that's the absolute truth. Perhaps the biggest chunk of it we're going to find.

  • @MrPoupard
    @MrPoupard 5 ปีที่แล้ว +30

    A psychopathic monster. and as so often in history, it comes in an ordinary package. Thank you for this … horribly fascinating.

  • @newgabe09
    @newgabe09 5 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Great informative video. I'm going to Georgia as a tourist soon, just as there's demonstrations happening. I really appreciate learning some of the background to this in such an easy way

  • @ThePierre58
    @ThePierre58 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    very in depth, concise and informative..i enjoyed this immensely

  • @jackgrover3625
    @jackgrover3625 5 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Incredibly happy I am to see this name pop up, no good videos on him until this

  • @wmellor87
    @wmellor87 5 ปีที่แล้ว +42

    Human beings scare me. Every one of them has the makings of a keg of dynamite ready to explode at any provocation

    • @bezahltersystemtroll5055
      @bezahltersystemtroll5055 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @Leonardo's Truth why would a just god torture his own creation?

    • @arifakyuz7673
      @arifakyuz7673 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      I doubt that Pope Francis said that.

    • @arifakyuz7673
      @arifakyuz7673 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Probably because said creation did a bad thing and is being punished? “Just” doesn’t only mean “altruistic”

    • @obviousbait4277
      @obviousbait4277 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      You speak as if you're not human yourself

    • @supergamergrill7734
      @supergamergrill7734 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      Not all humans are bad. ALao many humans overthrew dictator

  • @nadtz
    @nadtz 5 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    I know who Beria is, I grew up somewhat fascinated by the USSR and I love reading and history. I got into more than a bit of trouble in school when I argued with a teacher about Stalin being at least as bad if not worse than Hitler, but back then I guess people didn't really say that.

  • @windborne8795
    @windborne8795 5 ปีที่แล้ว

    Great commentary! Thank you!

  • @Vladamite
    @Vladamite 5 ปีที่แล้ว +14

    My absolute favorite biographical video. I know that sounds morbid but I have been interested in this man for a while and have often tried to imagine what different path the Soviet Union would have taken if Beria had managed to win his power struggle against Khrushchev.
    Anyway, good work my man, I cannot wait for your next video.

  • @kcsledge95
    @kcsledge95 5 ปีที่แล้ว +16

    Making the case for Beria being a suck-up to Stalin immediately made immediately me think of him as Stalin's Himmler. LOVE being vindicated!

    • @kllk12ful
      @kllk12ful 5 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      Stalin actually did think of Beria as his 'Himmler'

    • @supercobra1746
      @supercobra1746 5 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@kllk12ful
      > Stalin actually did think of Beria as his 'Himmler'
      Wow, you can actually read thought over distance and time!
      @kcsledge95
      > Making the case for Beria being a suck-up to Stalin immediately made immediately me think of him as Stalin's Himmler. LOVE being vindicated!
      It makes me think that a story is a lie )))

  • @niallmcdonagh1093
    @niallmcdonagh1093 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    This is the reason I watch TH-cam.
    Articulate, informed, non judgemental, spell-binding narrative bringing to light the forgotten flooded lower chambers of history.
    Food for the intellect and stimulus to the soul!!!!

  • @farmalmta
    @farmalmta 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    Much improved narration with calmer yet still enthusiastic demeanor!

  • @nuclearnadal2821
    @nuclearnadal2821 5 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    Simon has combined words that turn into puns. I praise Simon for his choice of words to describe something or someone. For the next episode i'd suggest you do one for Friedrich Nietzsche.

  • @BlueHooloovoo
    @BlueHooloovoo 5 ปีที่แล้ว +228

    I believe Beria would of been exactly the kind of leader Stalin was, brutal and repressive. A serial murderer and rapist like Beria got exactly what he deserved. I only wish Stalin suffered the same fate.

    • @tamolamo4698
      @tamolamo4698 5 ปีที่แล้ว +29

      Well conditions of Stalin's death is wery suspitious it's posible that he was poisoned. He lied half dead on the flor in the pool of his own urine for 3 days...

    • @BlueHooloovoo
      @BlueHooloovoo 5 ปีที่แล้ว +19

      +Tamo Lamo - Well at least we can be comforted that Stalin got to feel a sense of helplessness near the end, albeit very briefly. Too bad it didn't go on for longer considering the horrors he visited upon millions. But rarely do dictators get what they truly deserve.

    • @alanpennie8013
      @alanpennie8013 5 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      @Irina
      He was a horrible person but actually quite "liberal" on policy issues.

    • @nickmitsialis
      @nickmitsialis 5 ปีที่แล้ว +9

      Well as the joke in the movie went, "Nobody" wanted to run the risk of disturbing 'Uncle Joe' while he was 'resting'--other wise you might end up getting 'liquidated/disappeared'

    • @royperkins3851
      @royperkins3851 5 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      He did Beria killed him with digoxin triggering a massive stroke that although it didn't kill him outright it made sure the bastard laid there and suffered for three days before he died! The greatest irony was that Beria killed Stalin to save himself from the executioners block ,yet those others like him from Stalin's circle
      Who no doubt would have been purged /executed if Stalin's purge
      Had happened didn't trust him either, he killed the monster he served and ironically still ended up with a shot to the back of the head after shitting himself and begging for his life!

  • @MACarcano
    @MACarcano 5 ปีที่แล้ว

    love the show and the delivery :)

  • @tomlyons8440
    @tomlyons8440 4 ปีที่แล้ว +15

    "its only a war crime if you lose." Stalin

  • @fergalfarrelly8545
    @fergalfarrelly8545 5 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    I love how Simon get stuff no one else could get. Not just the same old people talked of in a dozen other documentaries. Great job Simon. I love your work.

  • @mcmoose64
    @mcmoose64 4 ปีที่แล้ว +14

    Watch the film "The Death of Stalin". It captures perfectly the insanity of the time . One of the most brutal dark comedy/satires of all time .

  • @TheTiacat
    @TheTiacat 5 ปีที่แล้ว

    Very informative. Thanks

  • @trackydog
    @trackydog 5 ปีที่แล้ว

    Brilliant as usual!

  • @1993Shahid
    @1993Shahid 5 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Brilliant video! It's not often I hear realistic numbers for the Great Terror, it's usually bloated out of proportion as if 800 000 victims aren't enough to make their killers into monsters.

  • @zurgboy07
    @zurgboy07 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    I only ever learned about him when I watched a Movie. This guy makes Himmler look like a saint.

  • @gratho9540
    @gratho9540 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    stunningly good program!!

  • @davidjonathangudlaugson4768
    @davidjonathangudlaugson4768 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    Very good encapsulation. Thank you.

  • @PaulSteMarie
    @PaulSteMarie 4 ปีที่แล้ว +10

    ROFL: "brown-nosing Stalin like a sentient suppository"
    That one is right up there with "the nattering nabobs of negativity", written by William Safire for Spiro Agnew.

  • @brucepierson9941
    @brucepierson9941 4 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    Never, ever give up your guns.

  • @scottdewey3544
    @scottdewey3544 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    I enjoy this witty but also factually informative brief biography.

  • @kevinfelton689
    @kevinfelton689 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    I almost got offended when Simon said I'd never heard of Beria, but then I realized that I'd only heard of him because of the comedy movie The Death of Stalin

  • @IlmarKiisk
    @IlmarKiisk 4 ปีที่แล้ว +10

    Would love to hear about Genrikh Yagoda, the man behind starting the Stalin's great purges, which ended with his own death eventually.

    • @satrio303
      @satrio303 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      don't forget about the dwarf Yezhov

    • @thenumbah1birdman
      @thenumbah1birdman 4 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      @@satrio303 who is this "Yezhov" person? He didn't exist, according to my 1940 edition of the Soviet encyclopedia.

  • @MsMdip
    @MsMdip 5 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    "sentient suppository" just made my day 😂😂😂

  • @allertonoff4
    @allertonoff4 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    _the sophistimacated subtleties of the narrative stylistics are highly edutaining_ ;] BRAVO !

  • @DrewJersey2024
    @DrewJersey2024 5 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Great video, as always. I did notice one exceptionally minor typo in the first title graphic. It reads “Fire Revolution”, its missing “of” 👍🏻 You guys always tend to the smallest detail, so I figured u would want to know.

  • @gaberettberg4196
    @gaberettberg4196 4 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    Furiously brown nosing Stalin like a sentient suppository. Lmao! Brilliant!!💚😂😂 walrus mustaches....i can't 😂😂

  • @gordonmckenzie926
    @gordonmckenzie926 4 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    Don’t forget that Beria’s henchman was Vasily Blokhin who personally murdered tens of thousands on Beria’s orders.

  • @mobeefus8867
    @mobeefus8867 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Interesting stuff. You’re right...I’d never heard of him. Very good to learn something. Thank you for the video.

  • @ElizabethF2222
    @ElizabethF2222 5 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Beria "slithered his way up the greasy pole of power" and was one of the "walrus mustached leader's (Stalin's) confidantes." Simon, you really have a way with words! LOL Love this channel. Very educational and interesting with all your witty sayings. Keep these biographies coming!!

  • @IronMan-qi3yg
    @IronMan-qi3yg 4 ปีที่แล้ว +27

    I like the way Simon Whistler speaks. He sometimes hesitates and quickly draws breaths between words as if he's shooting a massive load in his breeches.

  • @saulgoodmanKAZAKH
    @saulgoodmanKAZAKH 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    "Beria is such an unique surname for a Russian"
    "Oh, he is Georgian, like djugashwilli."

  • @AndrewMiller-xw9yx
    @AndrewMiller-xw9yx 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Your opening statement sends chills down my spin you just never flinch bet your good at poker

  • @tenhirankei
    @tenhirankei 5 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    We've heard of Beria before this video. Anyone who saw the Living Daylights may recall the Soviet general that told Bond that Smiert Spionam AKA SMERSH was a Beria operation of Stalin's time.

  • @Maelli535
    @Maelli535 5 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    Good video, pretty accurate as well (I know a lot about Stalin and his cronies). Just a note: the "zh" in the name Yezhov is pronounced like the "s" in "pleasure" (it's this character in Russian: ж).

  • @AR-ii3ly
    @AR-ii3ly 5 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    ‘Slithered up the greasy pole of power’ made me laugh.
    Bob Hoskins played Beria brilliantly in his biopic.

    • @robertmanfredthurrigl9424
      @robertmanfredthurrigl9424 ปีที่แล้ว

      Can you elaborate a bit more on that please. Hosking playing Beria? I was not aware of that. He passed away a few years ago i believe . Bob Hoskins played Nikita Krushev in Enemy at the Gates who was very convincing as was Richard Harris as the German Major Konig to get the soviet sniper played by Jude Law. Sadly the film was let down a bit by Rachel Weisz who was meant to be the romance that blossomed between her and Law. Stalingrad had no place for romance ! The film was very well done BUT that was the one factor that let the film down. War movies are never an easy genre . It starts with the equipment and authentic uniforms and some attention to historic details . Get that wrong and you already make yourself a laughing stock, not that the wider masses and herds of sheep would register little and finer details, BUT to throw a tear jerking romance into a Stalingrad scenario , with a happy ending of bliss and reunion in a field hospital where the lovers meet again, was crinch making . Rather un British and the film was British made but clearly the happy ending was made for the American audience who like a bit of apple pie, even in Stalingrad! It got mixed revues when it came out in 2001 but i liked it in most parts , great on the BIG screen , except for that truly silly Rachel Weisz romantic part between her and Law.
      Prost und Nastrovie NOT !

  • @Isildun9
    @Isildun9 5 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Honestly, Beria's rise to power seems to be a walking, talking exemplar of the 33rd Rule of Acquisition: "It never hurts to suck up to the Boss."

  • @rpm1796
    @rpm1796 5 ปีที่แล้ว

    Well done Bio.

  • @drunkensailor112
    @drunkensailor112 5 ปีที่แล้ว +9

    Please do one about trotski. Such an interesting person.

  • @CiceroLounge
    @CiceroLounge 3 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    Thanks for sharing this interesting historical feature. I've just come to hear of this guy from Armando Iannucci's film comedy "Death of Stalin" portrayed by Simon Russell-Beale as a calculating, spiteful and a sinister resource of intelligence against almost everyone!

  • @rickkigorman1556
    @rickkigorman1556 5 ปีที่แล้ว

    terrific history video...........matter-of-fact good presentation of historical information.......glad i discovered this channel.....look forward to viewing more..........

  • @GULFRAZMAJEEDseye8eyes
    @GULFRAZMAJEEDseye8eyes 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    Congratulation on your video again superbly done you truly are a professional professor of historical value thank you very much for your video. I have to admit that you are very good excellent