On a sheet of steel measuring 3 ½" x 4 ¾". The surface features a gray-colored protective finish on the verso, and a light-colored finish on the obverse on which the lithograph is imprinted. Manufactured by the Leningrad Printing House. The steel sheet was supplied by the МЕТАЛЛОМЕТР Factory of the NKMP (Russian abbreviation for People's Commissariat of Metallurgical Industry). Only 10,000 copies were ever made, a tiny number by the Soviet standards. The artist's handwritten signature is in the lower right-hand corner of the image.

In excellent condition. Two or three truly microscopic dark spots are the only visible imperfections, noticeable only from up close.

Lazar Kaganovich (Лазарь Моисеевич Каганович, 1893 - 1991) was a leading figure in the Soviet government, party, and economy, member of the Presidium of the Politburo of VKP(b). One of the staunchest supporters of Stalin, he was instrumental in Stalin's ascension to the pinnacle of power. After Lenin's death, in the midst of the fight for power among the top Party leadership, Stalin relied on Kaganovich so much that he appointed him General Secretary of the TsK of the Communist Party of Ukraine, the biggest and most important of the Soviet republics.

Stalin appointed Kaganovich to lead major economic projects where forceful measures, fear of punishment, cruelty and disregard of individuals and whole communities could yield Stalin's desired results quickly. Organizing grain requisitions in the North Caucasus regions (tens of thousands exiled to Siberia or starved to death), leading People's Commissariat of Transportation where fear of retributions led to drastic reduction of the number of accidents and a dramatic improvement of efficiency of Soviet railways, - these are just two items in the long list of Kaganovich's achievements.

In 1935, Kaganovich was appointed to lead Stalin's general plan of reconstruction of Moscow, including construction of the first lines of the subway, the famous Metropolitan with palatial stations and platforms. As the construction's "crisis manager", Kaganovich generously used forced labor in addition to regular workforce, which allowed to open the first Metro lines on 15 May 1935, only 6 months after the planned date of 7 November 1934, the 17th anniversary of the October revolution. From 1935 to 1955, the Moscow Metro was named after Lazar Kaganovich.

Unbridled flattery of Stalin and eager participation in Stalin's repressions earned Kaganovich safe passage through Stalin's Purges. He was released of all his posts only in 1957, and expelled from the Communist Party in 1961. Retired with all privileges of his former status, he lived very comfortably until his death in 1991 at the ripe age of 97. Rumor has it that he died while watching an interview with Gorbachev and Yeltsin on TV. Supposedly, his housekeeper heard his last words. The words were "this is a catastrophe".

Please note that the penny in our photo is for size reference.

Please note that Kaganovich's photo portrait is for illustrative purposes only and does not come with the lithograph.