Georgy Chicherin Георгий Чичерин |
|
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People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs of the Soviet Union | |
In office 6 July 1923 – 21 July 1930 |
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Premier |
Vladimir Lenin Alexey Rykov |
Preceded by | None—post established |
Succeeded by | Maxim Litvinov |
People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs of the Russian SFSR | |
In office 9 April 1918 – 6 July 1923 |
|
Premier | Vladimir Lenin |
Preceded by | Leon Trotsky |
Succeeded by | None—post abolished |
Personal details | |
Born |
Kirsanovsky District, Tambov Governorate, Russian Empire |
12 November 1872
Died | 7 July 1936 Moscow, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union |
(aged 63)
Nationality | Soviet |
Political party | All-Union Communist Party (bolsheviks) |
Profession | Diplomat, civil servant |
Georgy Vasilyevich Chicherin (24 November [O.S. 12 November] 1872 – 7 July 1936) (Георгий Васильевич Чичерин) was a Marxist revolutionary and a Soviet politician. He served as People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs in the Soviet government from March 1918 to 1930.
A distant relative of Aleksandr Pushkin, Georgy Chicherin was born in an old noble family. His father, Vasily N. Chicherin, was a diplomat in the service of the Russian Empire. As a young man, Chicherin became fascinated with history as well as classical music, especially Richard Wagner (and indirectly Friedrich Nietzsche), two passions that he would pursue throughout his life. He also wrote a book about Mozart. He spoke all major European languages and a number of Asian ones. After graduating from St. Petersburg University with a degree in history and languages, Chicherin worked in the archival section of the Russian Ministry for Foreign Affairs from 1897 to 1903.
In 1904 Chicherin inherited the estate of his celebrated uncle, Boris Chicherin, in the Tambov region and became very wealthy. He immediately used his newfound fortune to support revolutionary activities in the runup to the Russian Revolution of 1905 and was forced to flee abroad to avoid arrest later in the year. He spent the next 13 years in Western Europe, mostly London, Paris and Berlin, where he joined the Menshevik faction of the Russian Social Democratic Labor Party and was active in emigre politics. While in Germany, he underwent medical treatment in attempts to "cure" his homosexuality.