The Great Terror 1934-38

The Great Terror 1934-38

The Great Terror started in Leningrad in December 1934. Stalin arrested Zinoviev and Kamenev immediately after the murder of Kirov and organised an investigation into the Party at Leningrad.

Show Trials

The most public aspect of the terror was the three show trials in 1936, 37 and 38. These removed Stalin's rivals from the 1920s.

1936: The trial of the 16 (removed Zinoviev, Kamenev and 14 of their supporters)

1937: The trial of the 17 (removed/imprisoned 17 of Trotsky's supporters)

1938: The trial of the 21 (execution of Bukharin and his supporters)

95% of all those affected by the terror were…