Investor Presentaiton
CONCLUSION
Ultimately, it was Kaganovich's loyalty and absolute dedication to Stalin, as well as his
reputation for ruthlessness, that led to his eventual downfall. As Molotov once stated,
Kaganovich was a "two hundred percent Stalinist. "228 When Stalin died in 1953, Kaganovich
remained loyal unlike others who began to turn away from his violent legacy. Furthermore,
when Khrushchev initiated de-Stalinization in 1956, Kaganovich, along with Molotov, "sought
to minimize the ideological dimension" of the movement and thus secured his own removal from
the Party a few short years later. 229 Specifically, during the June 1957 Presidium meeting,
Kaganovich joined Bulganin, Malenkov, Voroshilov, Molotov, Pervukhin, and Saburov in
230
demanding Khrushchev's removal.2 He was thus labeled as one of the leaders of the 'Anti-Party
group' along with Malenkov and Molotov, and the group came under heavy attack.
On June 28, they "capitulated, with each engaging in self-criticism before the Central
Committee. "231 Rees describes Kaganovich as a “beaten man" when he admitted to the crime of
conspiring against Khrushchev. 232 Even then, he refused to say his actions were anti-Party in
nature. Kaganovich was removed from his position as minister of the construction materials
228 Ibid.
229 Rees, Iron Lazar, 254.
230 Ibid, 256-257.
231 Ibid, 257-258.
232 Ibid, 258.
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