I.M. Zaltsman and Chelyabinsk regional committee of VKP(b): relationship of local party and economic bodies in the early postwar years

The character and directions of cooperation of local party and economic bodies in post-war years are shown by the example of relationship of the leadership of Chelyabinsk regional committee of VKP(b) and the director of Kirov Plant I.M. Zaltsman. It is revealed that during the 1940s party bodies and the Director were bound not only official, but also informal relations, which manifested itself in personal service, joint rest etc. A key figure of this informal group was N. S. Patolichev who protected I.M. Zaltsman from criticism and had given him all necessary assistance. In 1946, after N.S. Patolichev's transfer to Moscow, relation between the new head of Chelyabinsk regional committee A.A. Beloborodov and I.M. Zaltsman some time was strained. But thanks to Patolichev's intervention these relations managed relations were normalized and the informal group saved. After that A.A. Beloborodov began actively to help the Director to resolve production issues and those problems that he had with his subordinates and ordinary Communists. This help was the most considerable in 1948 when the Plant received an increased plan with which could not cope on its own. In turn, the plant management has provided substantial assistance to agriculture of the region and the improvement of Chelyabinsk. However unconditional support that the regional committee of VKP(b) provided Zaltsman has generated serious conflicts in leadership of the region (between secretaries of the regional committee and between party bodies and prosecutor's office) and the plant. Information about errors and abuses of Director through various channels began to come to the Central Committee of VKP(b) and personally J.V. Stalin was the cause for serious inspection. During this inspection numerous problems on Kirov Plant were confirmed and it turned out that the regional committee of VKP(b) to justifies the Director. In summer of 1949 Zaltsman was removed from office because he lost his powerful patrons such as A.A. Kuznetsov and N.S. Patolichev and confidence of J.V. Stalin, and protection the local leadership was no longer able effectively to cover his mistakes and abuses. However, following the group solidarity and hope for a favorable outcome of "Zaltsman's affair," the party leadership of the region has not organized a campaign of criticism of former director and have not repented that supports him. As a result, in early 1950 took place "Chelyabinsk case" in which three of five secretaries of the Chelyabinsk Regional Committee of the CPSU (b) lost their jobs.

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