Kamo (Bolshevik) - Later Life and Death

Later Life and Death

Kamo, after his release from prison and the seizing of power by the Bolsheviks, seemed bored with the new life outside of prison. Stalin introduced him to Lenin as: "The old bank robber-terrorist of the Caucasus." He paced the halls of the Kremlin until he was allowed to create his own band of men who would help raid money on the other side of the Eastern Front to support the country.

Having been given permission to create his own gang, Kamo would test all of his new members to make sure that they were up to the task. Kamo would test his new recruits by taking the new recruits to a forest clearing and have them be attacked by fake White army members, bound to a tree, and then put through a fake execution to test their courage. Kamo said that with this test "you could be absolutely sure wouldn't let you down." On one occasion, a recruit revealed himself to a be a spy when tested by Kamo; he was shot on the spot. Kamo then cut open the man's chest and tore out the man's heart showing it to the other recruits. When Lenin heard about Kamo's test, he was so disturbed that he sent a message stating that he never wanted to see him again.

After the wars were over, Kamo worked in the Soviet Customs office, by some accounts because he was too unstable to work for the secret police. Kamo died in a 1922 road accident when a truck hit him while he was cycling. While there is no proof, some have theorized that Kamo's death was no accident, with the orders for his demise given by Stalin.

Kamo was buried with honors and a wreath was placed on his bier with an inscription stating "To the unforgettable Kamo, from Lenin and Krupskaya." Immediately after Kamo died, Stalin sent someone to collect all of Kamo's records and papers so that they would not embarrass Stalin.

Ironically, Kamo, the man who had been found guilty and sentenced to death for the bloody robbery that took place in Yerevan Square, was buried and had a monument erected in his honor (replacing Pushkin's statue) in Pushkin Gardens, near Yerevan Square. Kamo's monument was later removed during Stalin's rule and his remains moved to another location.