Lavrentiy Beria

Beria was a member of the Soviet government under Joseph Stalin and head of the Soviet secret police known as the KGB (PROSE: Endgame) and NKVD. (PROSE: History 101)

In 1951, he attended dinner parties at Stalin's dacha with other high-ranking Politburo members which included Khrushchev, Malenkov, Bulganin, and Molotov.

Beria was one of the few close associates of Stalin not to be intimidated by him. As other Politburo members praised Stalin, Beria remained silent with a sneer on his lips. He sometimes interrupted Stalin during conversations, which Stalin tolerated to the surprise of others.

Speculating on the death of US Army General Patton in 1945, Beria believed that the Americans were relieved when he died. Elaborating, Beria stated that some of his KGB men believed the Americans had Patton killed to prevent a war with the Soviet Union and World War III. (PROSE: Endgame)

Behind the scenes

 * Although not identified as Lavrentiy Beria, the character of Beria is intended to be the real world Politburo member of this name.
 * In the real world, Beria was never head of the KGB, as he was executed in 1953. The KGB was officially formed months later, in 1954. Beria was, however, head of the KGB's predecessor, the NKVD.
 * He was played by Simon Russell Beale in the movie .