Lavrenti Beria

1899- 1953

Soviet KGB Head

Soviet strongman Lavrenti Pavlovich Beria began his political career during the Russian Revolution. He later directed the secret police in Georgia and in 1938 was appointed by Stalin as the first Commissar for foreign relations, and the head of the NKVD, the predecessor of the KGB. Beria was one of the most feared men in the Soviet Union. After the death of Stalin, many believed that Beria would attempt to take over. Instead, he was arrested and executed.