Quick Facts
Biography
Mikhail Emmanuilovich (Mendelevich) Plisetski (Russian: Михаил Эммануилович (Менделевич) Плисецкий (1899—1938) was a Soviet diplomat.
Biography
Michael Plisetski was born in Gomel to the Lithuanian Jewish family of Mendel Plisetski (1869-June 30, 1930) and his wife Sima (née Markovsky, 1868-1939).
In 1918 Michael was in the army and participated in Civil War in Russia. He joined the communist party the following year. After the civil war Michael Plisetski studied at the Economic Institute and worked in the Commissariats of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade.
In 1932-1936 — headed the Soviet coal mines at Barentsburg on the Norwegian island of Spitsbergen where he managed the coal concessions (trust "Arctic-carbon"). He also served as the Consul General of the USSR to the island.
He was purged and arrested on April 30, 1937, charged with espionage, and executed on January 8, 1938. As millions of other Russian political prisoners and victims of political repressions, Michael Plisetski was rehabilitated by the Soviet authorities on March 3, 1956.
According to his daughter, the arrest was triggered by Mikhail's meeting in 1934 with his elder brother Lester Plesent, who had been living in the USA since 1912. Other sources suggest that his arrest may have been related to his hiring Richard Pikel, the former secretary of Grigory Zinoviev, who both were also purged and executed.
Family
Michael Plisetski was married to Russian silent film actress Rachel Messerer. They had three children: daughter Maya Plisetskaya (1925-2015) - famous ballerina, and sons Alexander Plisetski (1931—1985) - a well-known balletmaster, and Azari Plisetski (b. 1937) - a choreographer.
Michael had two brothers: Israel Plisetski (after moving to USA in 1912 — Lester Plesent) and Vladimir Plesent, an alumnus of The Moscow Institute of Cinematography, actor, stuntman. Vladimir served in special Air Forces during World War II and was killed in action. Michael also had two sisters: Elizabeth (married name Ezerskaya) and Maria (married name Levitskaya).