Konstantin Stepanovich Kuzakov was the illegitimate second offspring of Joseph Stalin, a Soviet revolutionary and political leader who governed the Soviet Union for more than three decades. Konstantin was born from Stalin’s short-lived affair with Maria Kuzakova, who was his landlady during his time in exile in Solvychegodsk. It is likely that Stalin assisted in getting Konstantin enrolled at Leningrad University. The Soviet Union’s interior ministry, known as the People’s Commissariat for Internal Affairs (NKVD), forced Konstantin to sign a document swearing that he would never reveal the truth about his parentage. At that time, he was in his early twenties. Konstantin served as a philosophy instructor at the Leningrad Military Mechanical Institute. He also held a position within the Central Committee’s “apparat” in Moscow and was a colonel during World War II. He was expelled from the Communist Party after being accused of espionage for the United States. Reports indicate that, although Konstantin was never formally introduced to Stalin, Stalin intervened to prevent Konstantin’s arrest in this matter. After Stalin’s passing and the arrest of Lavrentiy Beria, Konstantin was reinstated into the Communist Party and the Soviet “apparat,” taking on various roles. He eventually became the head of a department within the ministry of culture.
Childhood & Early Life of Konstantin Kuzakov
Konstantin Stepanovich Kuzakov was born in 1911. He was the illegitimate second child of Joseph Stalin. While exiled in Solvychegodsk, Stalin had a short-lived affair with his landlady, Maria Kuzakova, which resulted in her becoming pregnant. When Stalin was allowed to move to Vologda in June 1911, Maria was already expecting Konstantin, who was born later that same year.
Stalin also had another son, Yakov Iosifovich Jugashvili, from his first marriage to Kato Svanidze, as well as a son, Vasily, and a daughter, Svetlana, from his second marriage to Nadezhda Alliluyeva. Additionally, he had an adopted son named Artyom Sergeev. Apart from Konstantin, he had at least one more illegitimate son, Alexander. However, he never acknowledged either of the boys as his offspring.
Stalin led the Soviet Union from 1922 until his death in 1953, serving as the general secretary of the Communist Party for three decades starting in 1922 and acting as the nation’s Premier from 1941 until 1953.
Konstantin never got to meet his biological father. He had no relationship with Stalin and was never formally introduced to him. Nevertheless, it was widely believed that Stalin had some influence in getting Konstantin enrolled at Leningrad University. In 1932, Konstantin was pressured by the NKVD to sign a declaration promising to keep the truth about his parentage a secret. Alexander was also coerced by Soviet authorities into swearing not to reveal that Stalin was his biological father.
British historian, academic, and author Robert Service, who penned a biography of Stalin, noted that there was little doubt about Konstantin’s paternity, as many who encountered him in adulthood commented on his resemblance to Stalin, not just in looks but also in the way he carried himself.
Career of Konstantin Kuzakov
Konstantin was affiliated with the Leningrad Military Mechanical Institute for a time and also taught philosophy there. He later worked within the Central Committee’s apparatus in Moscow. During World War II, he served in the military as a colonel.
He collaborated with Andrei Zhdanov, a close ally of Stalin and a leader in the Soviet Communist Party’s cultural ideology. However, while working for Zhdanov in 1947, Konstantin and his deputy faced accusations of espionage on behalf of America.
Konstantin recalled having a brief encounter with Stalin when he was employed at the Kremlin. He described how Stalin paused to look at him, leading Konstantin to feel as if Stalin might speak to him. He mentioned wanting to approach Stalin, but an unexplainable force held him back. Meanwhile, Stalin simply waved his pipe and moved along. Though he was not arrested, the Communist Party eventually dismissed Konstantin from his position.
When Stalin passed away on March 5, 1953, Lavrentiy Beria, appointed as First Deputy Premier, was arrested for treason in June of that year. Subsequently, Konstantin was reinstated in the Party and within the Soviet apparatus. He took on various roles related to culture and became a member of the collegium of Gosteleradio, also serving as the head of a department in the Ministry of Culture.
Family & Personal Life of Konstantin Kuzakov
There is limited information available regarding Konstantin’s romantic relationships or whether he was married. He passed away in 1996, five years after the collapse of the communist regime and the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
Net worth of Konstantin Kuzakov
The estimated net worth of Konstantin Kuzakov is about $1 million.