Yakov Dzhugashvili facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Yakov Dzhugashvili
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Yakov in 1941
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| Native name | |
| Birth name | Iakob Iosebis dze Jughashvili |
| Born | 31 March [O.S. 18 March] 1907 Baji, Kutais Governorate, Russian Empire |
| Died | 14 April 1943 (aged 36) Sachsenhausen concentration camp, Oranienburg, Nazi Germany |
| Allegiance |  Soviet Union |
| Service/ |
 Red Army |
| Years of service | 1941–1943 |
| Rank | Lieutenant |
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| Spouse(s) |
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Yakov Iosifovich Dzhugashvili (born March 31, 1907 – died April 14, 1943) was the oldest son of Joseph Stalin. Stalin was the powerful leader of the Soviet Union. Yakov was the only child of Stalin's first wife, Kato Svanidze, who passed away when Yakov was just nine months old.
After his mother's death, Yakov was raised by her family. In 1921, when he was 14, he moved to Moscow to live with his father. His father, Joseph Stalin, had become a very important person in the Soviet government. Yakov was a quiet and shy child. He later studied to become an engineer and then an artillery officer. He was captured by the Germans during World War II and died in a concentration camp in 1943.
Contents
Yakov's Early Life and Family
Yakov Dzhugashvili was born on March 31, 1907, in a village called Baji, in what is now Georgia. His mother, Kato Svanidze, came from a noble family. His father, Ioseb Dzhugashvili, was a revolutionary who later became known as Joseph Stalin.
When Yakov was a baby, his parents moved to Baku to avoid arrest. They returned to Tiflis, but his mother became very ill and died in December 1907. After her death, his father left Yakov to be raised by his mother's relatives. Yakov lived with his aunts for the next 14 years.
Moving to Moscow
In 1921, Yakov moved to Moscow to live with his father. This was a big change for him because he didn't speak Russian. His father, Stalin, was often harsh towards him. Yakov lived in Stalin's apartments in the Kremlin. He was close to his half-siblings, Svetlana and Vasily, and his stepmother, Nadezhda Alliluyeva.
Yakov wanted to go to university, but his father didn't allow it at first. He finally started university in 1930, when he was 23. He graduated in 1935 as an engineer. Later, in 1937, he joined the Artillery Academy and finished his studies in May 1941.
Yakov's Marriages and Children
Yakov had two marriages and one serious relationship. His first serious relationship was with Zoya Gunina. They married in 1928. They had a daughter in 1929, but she sadly died when she was eight months old. Yakov and Zoya then separated.
After returning to Moscow, Yakov had a relationship with Olga Golysheva. They had a son named Yevgeny in 1936. Yakov made sure his son took his last name, but Stalin never accepted Yevgeny as his grandson.
Yakov later married Yulia Meltzer, a famous dancer. They met at a party. They were legally married in February 1938, and their daughter, Galina, was born the very next day.
Yakov's Role in World War II
Captured by German Forces
On June 22, 1941, Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union. This event started a major part of World War II. Yakov, who was an artillery officer, was sent to the front lines. He was captured by the Germans on July 16 during the Battle of Smolensk.
There are different stories about how he was captured. Some say he refused to retreat with his unit. Others suggest he might have surrendered willingly. When Stalin heard the news, he was very upset. He had ordered that no soldiers should surrender. Stalin even had Yakov's wife, Yulia, arrested because he suspected her.
Life as a Prisoner of War
When Yakov was captured, he tried to hide his identity. However, he was soon recognized as Stalin's son. The Germans then used him for their propaganda. They printed leaflets with his picture, showing him smiling with his captors. These leaflets were dropped over Soviet soldiers.
Yakov was moved to a special villa in Berlin. The Germans hoped he would speak on Russian radio broadcasts, but this did not happen. He was then sent to the Sachsenhausen concentration camp.
While in the camp, many people wanted to meet and photograph Stalin's son, which made Yakov uncomfortable. He also had arguments with British prisoners there.
In 1943, after a major battle, the Germans offered to trade Yakov for a German field marshal they had captured. However, Stalin refused this exchange. He said that all Soviet prisoners were like his sons and he would not trade them for anyone.
Yakov's Death
Yakov Dzhugashvili died on April 14, 1943, at the Sachsenhausen concentration camp.
After hearing about his son's death, Stalin reportedly looked at Yakov's photograph. Later, he spoke more kindly about Yakov, calling him "a real man." Yakov's wife, Yulia, was released from prison in 1946. In 1977, Yakov was secretly awarded the Order of the Patriotic War, first class, a military honor.
See also
- Heinz Hitler
- Mao Anying
- Bruno Mussolini
- Quentin Roosevelt
Images for kids
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Yakov's father, Joseph Stalin
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Yakov's mother, Kato Svanidze
