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Politburo And The Church, Kremlin ArchivesN. Petrovsky, S.G. Petrov
Summary of the Bureau of the Central Commission for the Seizure of Church Valuables in the Central Committee of the RCP (b) on the progress of the seizure. May 10, 1922
No. 23-45
May 10, 1922
In Ts.K. R.K.P.
In addition to the excerpt from the minutes No. 14 of the meeting of the Bureau of the Central Commission dated 8 / V-22, a list of provinces is provided where the confiscation of church valuables is slow:
Belarus - seizure is hesitant. This results in a small amount of collected material assets and large thefts.
Yekaterinburg province - the seizure began much later [,] than in other provinces, joint meetings with the clergy and believers were arranged. Until now, the collected values are insignificant.
Vologda province - seizures are extremely sluggish. Despite the large number of churches, few valuables have been collected. The Bureau's repeated telegrams had no effect.
Vitebsk province - the seizure is carried out hesitantly. There were cases of meetings with clergy and believers. This resulted in excesses and small collection of valuables.
Gomel province - the seizure is also hesitant. There was no sufficient preparation for the seizure. Few values have been collected.
Kazan province - the seizure is carried out sluggishly, despite the fact that the starving population is sympathetic to the seizure of valuables. No inventory books and inventories were found. Values are hidden by priests.
Mari region - seizures are extremely weak.
Tambov province - the seizure is carried out in chaotic disorder, massive thefts have been carried out on a large scale. Such actions caused excesses. Of the numerous churches in the Tambov province, few valuables have been withdrawn.
Ryazan province - withdrawal is slow. Few values have been collected. Thefts are allowed.
Penza province - the seizure is carried out unacceptably sluggishly. From fifty churches, only six pounds of silver have been collected.
Ufa province - seizure is poorly conducted. Meetings are arranged with the clergy, at which the priests oppose the seizure. The favorable mood of the starving population is not used.
Ukraine - according to the information collected only 160 poods of silver. Withdrawal is slow.
Mountain Republic - no information at all.
North Caucasus and Don - is going slowly. On the Don there were large thefts from temples.
Armenia 1 * - a statement was received that, in the opinion of the Council of People's Commissars, it is impossible to make an exemption due to local conditions 1 *.
A. Beloborodov
10.V.22.
- L. 69. Typewritten original, signature and date - autograph. In the lower right corner there is a stamp of the Secret Archives of the Central Committee of the CPSU (b) with an inventory number.
- GARF, f. 1235, op. 140, d.59, l. 59. Another copy of the same typewritten bookmark; signature and date - autograph. The last handwritten paragraph is missing.
- Ibid, d. 60, l. 946-rev. Handwritten rough script; signature and date missing. The last paragraph is missing. Three paragraphs before him are inscribed instead of the crossed out one: "Ukraine, Siberia, Turkestan, the Caucasus - they do not yet know their work at all." In the penultimate paragraph of the original instead of "big" it was written: "large".
Notes and Comments:
1 * Written by hand by A.G. Beloborodov.