Felix Dzerzhinsky

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Felix Edmundovich Dzerzhinsky, nicknamed Iron Felix, spearheaded Bolshevik revolutionary efforts as an official from 1877 until his death in 1926. He led the first two Soviet state security organizations - the Cheka and the OGPU - for nearly a decade, establishing a clandestine police force for the post-revolutionary Soviet government. Dzerzhinsky played a pivotal role in orchestrating mass killings of hundreds of thousands during the Red Terror and Decossackization campaigns. A 15-ton iron monument of Dzerzhinsky once towered over Lubyanka Square in Moscow, near the KGB headquarters, earning it the nickname "Iron Felix". Sculptor Yevgeny Vuchetich created this massive statue in 1958. The iconic landmark stood as a symbol of late Soviet times but remains a contentious figure today; restoration efforts aim to preserve it as a cultural heritage site. Meanwhile, a smaller memorial dedicated to Dzerzhinsky stands in St Petersburg and was unveiled in 1981.