Why is the cause of Maxim Gorky’s death uncertain?

The uncertainty surrounding Maxim Gorky’s death in June 1936 stems from the political climate of the Soviet Union during the Great Purge, where official narratives were frequently fabricated through coerced confessions and intimidation.12

While Gorky died while under medical treatment, his passing became a focal point during the 1938 trial of Nikolay Bukharin. During these proceedings, former secret police chief Genrikh Yagoda confessed to ordering Gorky’s murder, claiming it was part of an anti-Soviet plot. However, because the evidence presented in such trials was derived from confessions obtained under torture, the validity of these claims remains highly suspect.12

Some Western authorities have hypothesized that Joseph Stalin may have ordered Gorky’s death because the writer had become disillusioned with the excesses of Stalinist rule. Ultimately, whether Gorky died of natural causes or was the victim of a political assassination remains unknown, as the historical record was heavily obscured by the state's use of show trials to eliminate political rivals.12