General Information

Original Title

Nachal'nik razvedki

Author/Creator

Borisov, Boris, director.

Language

Russian.

Published

Soviet Union : Rizhskaia Kinostudiia, 1989.

Physical Description

VHS (90 min.)

Contributors

Contributor

Pipars, Romualds, (director)

Contents/Summary

Summary

Film about life and activities of the creator of the Soviet military intelligence service, Ian Karlovich Berzin (1889-1937). He became the head of the intelligence service in 1924. Soviet espionage networks in China, Germany, and within the Soviet Union are presented, along with Stalin's struggle for power within the Communist Party. The film explores the role of the Soviet intelligence services in gathering information about the military activities of Germany prior to the Second World War. In 1935 Berzin was removed from his position and sent to Khabarovsk; he later participated in the Spanish Civil War under the pseudo-name of General Grishin. Later Berzin was interrogated by the new head of NKVD Nikolai Ezhov, and sentenced to death. After the arrest of Berzin, the Soviet intelligence service was severely purged.

Bibliographic Information

Title Translation

The Head of the Intelligence

Holdings

Item Type	Current Location	Call Number	Status	Shelving Location	Public Note
VHS	OSA Film Library	FL Record 0347	Available	-	-