1911-1985. Soviet politician, leader of the
Soviet Communist Party (CPSU) and president
1984-85. He was a protege of Brezhnev and
from 1978 a member of the Politburo.
Chernenko, born in central Siberia, joined
the Komsomol (Communist Youth League) 1929
and the CPSU 1931. The future CPSU leader
Brezhnev brought him to Moscow to work in the
central apparatus 1956 and later sought to
establish Chernenko as his successor, but he
was passed over in favour of the KGB chief
Andropov. When Andropov died Feb 1984
Chernenko was selected as the CPSU's stopgap
leader by cautious party colleagues and was
also elected president. From July 1984 he
gradually retired from public life because of
failing health.