Published online by Cambridge University Press: 20 November 2018
Reaction and revolution, so much a part of the reign of Nicholas II, became even more prevalent in the opening years of the twentieth century. The foundation of the Russian Empire had begun its erosion process which would topple the autocracy by 1917. Nicholas and his ministers had to act decisively and aggressively if they hoped to stem the process. To fight the wave of revolution and popular discontent in April of 1902, Nicholas appointed Viacheslav Pleve as Minister of the Interior. Pleve was a careerist who was devoutly loyal to the autocracy. In contemporary terms he might be described as an ‘aparatchick,‘ a party man who towed, and at times shaped, the party line. V. I. Gurko, a colleague, characterized him as “a legal clerk … a very superior clerk it is true, but a clerk nevertheless.” Pleve had also earned the dubious honor of being the autocracy's “most famous policeman,” a reflection of fourteen years of service as Director of the Police Department and Assistant Minister of the Interior.
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5. The Blood Accusation, the accusation that Jews use the blood of a young Christian boy in the making of the Passover matzoh can be dated back to the First Crusade. Young William of Norwich who died in 1144 was the first supposed victim. Maurice Samuels who wrote about the celebrated Beiliss trial points out that the legend reappeared across the centuries and was particularly prevalent during the 19th century. The most famous accusations were those in Demascus (1860), Saratov, Russia (1857), Kutaiss Affair; Georgian Russia (1879) and Tiszu-Ezzlar, Hungry (1882). For more information see, Maurice Samuels, Blood Accusations (New York: 1966).Google Scholar
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