Sturua, Georgy Fyodorovich

Statesman and politician.

Born June 6 (18), 1884, in the village of Kulashi (now in Samtredsky County, Georgia), in a family of peasants. I.F. Sturua's brother. In 1901, joined RSDRP (Russian Socialist Democratic Workers' Party), was a Bolshevik. In 1903-1914, worked in illegal Bolshevik printing houses in Baku and Moscow. Was repeatedly arrested. In 1914, was exiled to Narym region, which he fled in 1916. Led revolutionary work in Baku. In 1917-1918, was a member of Caucasian Regional Committee of RSDRP(b) and a member of Baku Soviet. In the period of Baku Commune 1918, was a Commissar of Baku-Petrovsk Front. From September 1918 till early 1919, occupied the position of deputy People's Commissar of the Interior of Terek Republic. In October and November 1919, was one of the organizers of the uprising against the Menshevik government of Georgia. In 1920, was arrested and exiled to Azerbaijan. In September thru December 1920, was the secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Bolsheviks of Azerbaijan. After the Soviet power was established in Georgia in 1921, worked in various positions in the Party and the Soviets. In 1925-1927, was the secretary of Abkhazian Committee of Georgia's Communist Party of Bolsheviks. In 1929-1931, was the People's Commissar of Justice of Georgian SSR (Soviet Socialist Republic) and ZSFSR (Transcaucasian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic). In 1931-1933, 1934-1937, and 1953, was elected the chairman of the Trade Union Council of Georgia. In 1937-1950, was elected a deputy of the USSR's Supreme Council. In 1938-1941, occupied the position of the first deputy chairman of the Council of People's Commissars of Georgian SSR. In 1942-1948, was the chairman of the Presidium of Georgian SSR's Supreme Council; in 1946-1948, was the deputy chairman of USSR's Supreme Council. After I.V. Stalin's death, lost all his influence and after short chairmanship in the Trade Union Council of Georgia (in 1953-1954), was appointed the director of Tbilisi Branch of V.I. Lenin's Museum, which he stayed for the rest of his life.

Was elected a member of the Central Executive Committee of Georgian SSR, ZSFSR, and USSR. Delegate of 13th, 15th, 17th, and 18th convocations of VKP(b) (all-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks). Was a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Georgia. Was awarded four orders and several medals.

G.F. Sturua died in Tbilisi on April 1, 1956.