The Russian émigré who traded his identity for a Nazi passport

Wars & Conflicts · Published 16 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Born to a Jewish tailor, Sergey Taboritsky spent his life scrubbing away his heritage to become a high-ranking Nazi collaborator. From assassinating politicians in Berlin to managing refugee files for the Gestapo, his journey is a chilling study in ideological radicalization and the desperate pursuit of belonging.

Taboritsky’s radicalization was rooted in a profound identity crisis. Born the illegitimate son of a Jewish tailor, he and his brother were raised Orthodox Christians. In 1915, they unsuccessfully petitioned the Petrograd Spiritual Consistory to be recognized as children of a 'Russian Orthodox person' to rid themselves of what they called 'Cain's seal.' This rejection fueled a lifelong obsession with monarchism and virulent antisemitism. After fleeing to the Weimar Republic, Taboritsky became a key figure in the far-right underground. He co-edited the magazine Luch Sveta, which helped shape the burgeoning Nazi ideology by republishing 'The Protocols of the Elders of Zion.' His violent convictions led him to participate in a 1922 assassination attempt on politician Pavel Milyukov in Berlin. He also spent time in a Kiev prison before fleeing to Germany. While in Berlin, he worked as a typewriter to survive. He even refused to take any work commissions from the Soviet Union for ideological reasons. In 1921, he was briefly jailed for attacking a former Duma politician with an umbrella.

During the shooting, Taboritsky killed Vladimir Nabokov at point-blank range, resulting in a 14-year prison sentence. Post-release, Taboritsky engaged in a long, calculated campaign to obtain German citizenship. To please the Nazis, he fabricated a noble lineage, invented a fictitious father, and hid his mother's Jewish origins. He even added the aristocratic 'von' to his name. It wasn't until 1938, after a physical examination confirmed his 'Nordic Physique,' that he was granted citizenship. He eventually served as a deputy for the Nazi-created Bureau for Russian Refugees, working in close contact with the Gestapo to monitor the sentiments of the Russian émigré community. He joined the SA in the summer of 1935. He wrote directly to Joseph Goebbels to influence his status. In 1942, he officially joined the Nazi Party. He eventually created a youth organization that fell under SS control.

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