Grigory Kaminsky

Grigory Naumovich Kaminsky (Azerbaijani: Griqoriy Kaminski Naum oğlu, Russian: Каминский, Григорий Наумович; November 1, 1895 – February 10, 1938), was a Soviet politician who was the 2nd First Secretary of Azerbaijan Communist Party, and one of founders of the health care system in The Soviet Union.[1]

Grigory Kaminsky
Kaminsky in the 1930s
People's Commissar for Health of the RSFSR and the USSR
In office 15 February 1934 – 26 June 1937
Premier	Vyacheslav Molotov
Preceded by	Mikhail Vladimirsky
Succeeded by	Mikhail Boldyrev
First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Azerbaijan Communist Party
In office 24 October 1920 – 24 July 1921
Preceded by	Mirza Davud Huseynov
Succeeded by	Sergey Kirov
Personal details
Born	November 1, 1895 Ekaterinoslav, Russian Empire
Died	February 10, 1938 (aged 42) Moscow, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Nationality	Soviet
Political party	Russian Communist Party (1917–1937)

Early life

Kaminsky was born in the family of a Jewish blacksmith in Ekaterinoslav, Ukraine.[2] He graduated from Lomonosov Moscow State University with a degree in Medical Studies. Kaminsky was an active participant of youth revolutionary movement.

Political career

In 1917, he became a member of Moscow bureau of Russian Social Democratic Labour Party, secretary of the party committee in Tula and served in administration of the 2nd army. In 1920–1921, Kaminsky was the First Secretary of Azerbaijan Communist Party, chairman of the Baku Commune and Red Army deputies. From 1922 through 1929, he was the chairman of Central Committee of Vserabotzemles trade union and a chairman of kolkhoz center.

In 1930, he was appointed the Secretary of Moscow State Committee of the Communist Party. In 1934–1937, he served as the People's Commissar for Health of the Soviet Union. He's credited with extensive work in establishing production of medicine, preparation of medical personnel, fighting malaria in Soviet Union and promotion of medical science in education system.[1]

Death

After Kaminsky' controversial speech about wrongful arrests of people by NKVD, he was arrested on June 25, 1937 and sentenced to death on February 8, 1938. He was executed by firing squad.[3] He was posthumously rehabilitated on 2 March 1955.[2]

References

1. "Большая Советская Энциклопедия. Каминский Григорий Наумович" [Great Soviet Encyclopedia. Kaminsky Grigory Naumovich]. Retrieved 2010-05-14.
2. "Жертвы политического террора в СССР". Lists.memo.ru. Retrieved 2013-06-13.
3. "ГРИГОРИЙ КАМИНСКИЙ - ПЕРВЫЙ РЕДАКТОР ТУЛЬСКОЙ ГУБЕРНСКОЙ ГАЗЕТЫ "КОММУНАР" (1918-1920 гг.): СУДЬБА И ПУБЛИЦИСТИКА" [Grigory Kaminsky - First editor of Tula Governorate newspaper "Kommunar" (1918-1920)]. Archived from the original on 2011-01-31. Retrieved 2010-05-14.