Kamenev, Lev Borisovich, 1883-1936, Soviet Communist leader. His original name was Rosenfeld. He joined (1901) the Social Democratic party and sided with the Bolshevik wing when the party split (1903). Banished (1915) to Siberia for his revolutionary activities, he returned after the February Revolution of 1917 and became a member of the first Politburo of the Communist party. On Lenin's death (1924), Kamenev, Stalin, and Zinoviev formed a triumvirate of successors and excluded Trotsky, Kamenev's brother-in-law, from power. In 1925 the Stalinist majority in the party defeated Kamenev and Zinoviev, who joined (1926) Trotsky's opposition. Kamenev was expelled from the party in 1927, but he recanted, was readmitted, and held minor offices. He was arrested late in 1934 on charges of complicity in the murder of Kirov and was sentenced to imprisonment. In 1936 he, Zinoviev, and 14 others were tried for treason in the first big public purge trial. They confessed and were executed. Both he and Zinoviev were posthumously rehabilitated in 1988.

orig. Lev Borisovich Rosenfeld

(born July 18, 1883, Moscow, Russia—died Aug. 24, 1936, Moscow, Russia, U.S.S.R.) Russian political leader. A member of the Bolsheviks from 1903, he worked with Vladimir Ilich Lenin in Europe (1909–14), then returned to Russia, where he was arrested and sent to Siberia. After the Russian Revolution of 1917, he served as head of the Moscow soviet (1919–25). When Lenin became seriously ill in 1922, Kamenev joined Joseph Stalin and Grigory Y. Zinovyev to form the ruling triumvirate, attacking Leon Trotsky. In 1925 Stalin shifted his attack to Kamenev and Zinovyev, removng Kamenev as Moscow party head. In 1926 Kamenev was expelled from the party after conspiring with Zinovyev and Trotsky against Stalin. In 1936 he was tried in the first of the purge trials and confessed to fabricated charges, hoping to save his family. He was executed, and his wife, Trotsky's sister, perished in the Gulag.

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orig. Lev Borisovich Rosenfeld

(born July 18, 1883, Moscow, Russia—died Aug. 24, 1936, Moscow, Russia, U.S.S.R.) Russian political leader. A member of the Bolsheviks from 1903, he worked with Vladimir Ilich Lenin in Europe (1909–14), then returned to Russia, where he was arrested and sent to Siberia. After the Russian Revolution of 1917, he served as head of the Moscow soviet (1919–25). When Lenin became seriously ill in 1922, Kamenev joined Joseph Stalin and Grigory Y. Zinovyev to form the ruling triumvirate, attacking Leon Trotsky. In 1925 Stalin shifted his attack to Kamenev and Zinovyev, removng Kamenev as Moscow party head. In 1926 Kamenev was expelled from the party after conspiring with Zinovyev and Trotsky against Stalin. In 1936 he was tried in the first of the purge trials and confessed to fabricated charges, hoping to save his family. He was executed, and his wife, Trotsky's sister, perished in the Gulag.

Learn more about Kamenev, Lev (Borisovich) with a free trial on Britannica.com.

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