Georgy Malenkov’s political career reached its peak after Stalin’s death in 1953. He briefly succeeded Joseph Stalin as the Premier of the Soviet Union, serving from 1953 to 1955. During his tenure, Malenkov pursued policies of de-Stalinization, including some reforms aimed at easing the strict control imposed by Stalin’s regime. However, his efforts were met with resistance from conservative elements within the Soviet leadership.
Malenkov’s time in power was short-lived, as he was soon outmaneuvered by Nikita Khrushchev in a power struggle within the Communist Party. Khrushchev emerged as the new leader of the Soviet Union, and Malenkov was forced to resign from his position as Premier in 1955.
After his resignation, Malenkov was sidelined from top-level politics and held various lesser positions within the Soviet government. He eventually fell out of favor with the Communist leadership and was expelled from the Party in 1961. Malenkov lived out the rest of his life in relative obscurity, passing away on January 14, 1988, in Moscow, Russia.