Was Stalin an Okhrana informant?

[Christopher Hill]

This seems to be mostly a  thing said among Conservative circles which was told to me by a Conservative conspiracy theorist who said my "Communist Idol" Stalin was a Tsarist Informant,  today he directed me to "Conservapedia" where there was one line stating that he was a "Low level informant" for the Okhrana.
http://www.conservapedia.com/Joseph_Stalin

I also found this letter here:
http://www.j-bradford-delong.net/movable_type/refs/Safari_Scrapbook2/Was%20Stalin%20an%20Agent%20of%20the%20Tsarist%20Okhrana%3f.html

Dear Sir Alexei Fedorovich!

Joseph Vissarionovich Djugashvili-Stalin, who has been
administratively exiled to the Turukhansk Territory, upon his arrest in
1906 gave the Chief of the Tiflis State Gendarmerie Administration
valuable denunciatory information.

In 1908 the Chief of the Baku Okhrana Section received from Stalin
a series of intelligence reports, and afterwards, upon Stalin's arrival
in Petersburg, Stalin became an agent of the Petersburg Okhrana Section
.
The work of Stalin was distinguished by accuracy, but was
fragmentary.

After Stalin's election to the Central Committee of the Party in
Prague, Stalin, upon his return to Petersburg, went over into open
opposition to the Government and completely discontinued his connection
with the Okhrana.

I am informing you, dear sir, about the above for your personal
considerations in your secret-service work.

With assurances of my fullest respect,

Eremin

So, any thoughts on this? I actually wouldn't put it past this scumbag, but I don't consider "Conservapedia" to be an accurate source.

[Rosa Lichtenstein]

The best book on this is:

Brackman, R. The Secret File Of Joseph Stalin. A Hidden Life (Frank Cass, 2003).

Alas, the Eremin letter is a forgery.

[Giorgi]

I've heard similar stories after the collapse of soviet union in the nationalist newspapers in Georgia about stalin but I think it is only rumour

[Rosa Lichtenstein]

Well according to those who have researched this, Stalin had the evidence destroyed --, but some still exists. On that, see the book I mentioned above.

[P.O.U.M]

Rosa's book can be read at google. Though the book is incomplete. It looks like it's mostly there, just single pages missing throughout the book for whatever reason.

http://books.google.com/books?id=zQL8POkFGIQC&lpg=PA45&ots=3RprnYGPCE&dq=Brackman%2C%20R.%20The%20Secret%20File%20Of%20Joseph%20Stalin.%20A%20Hidden%20Life&pg=PP1#v=onepage&q&f=false

The idea is entertaining. But meh. At 400 pages, I could read something more worthwhile.

It's really not hard to find reasons to call Stalin an idiot or a jackass. If he was involved with the secret police, best agent ever. Though it does sound a bit far fetched. A internet review also noted the lack of sources at times. The author doesn't always note his sources or how said sources knew the information. And the author apparently simplifies Stalin's historical motives to simply trying to hide his past. But that's the opinion of an anonymous internet user reviewing the book, as we all are. Take it as you will.

[jackie2]

I've heard similar stories after the collapse of soviet union in the nationalist newspapers in Georgia about stalin but I think it is only rumour






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