Fragments of the transcript of the December plenum of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks in 1936.

From the transcript of the December plenum of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks in 1936.

From Comrade Yezhov's speech. December 4, 1936

Questions of History, 1995, No. 1 Pages. 5-7

Yezhov. ... Zinoviev also named 4 names of the members of the reserve center: Pyatakov, Sokolnikov, Radek and Serebryakov. Now this is fully confirmed by the testimony of the defendants arrested themselves: Pyatakov, Sokolnikov, Radek and Serebryakov. All 4 members of the reserve center testified that they were members of this center 1 . (Stalin. It does not seem that Pyatakov was in the reserve center.) I will say a special word about this, Comrade Stalin. In any case, all these 4 members of the reserve center showed that they really were members as replacement members of the center of the Trotskyist-Zinoviev terrorist center in case the main center was arrested and destroyed. (Beria. But they still worked together with him.) I will talk about this later, why this center was called a reserve ...

...More than 200 people were arrested by the Azov-Black Sea Organization, led by Glebov, Beloborodov and others. In Georgia, over 300 people, led by ......, and Okudzhava. There are over 400 people in Leningrad and over 100 people in Sverdlovsk. I must say that a fairly large group of Trotskyists in Sverdlovsk was actually led by Japanese intelligence through the former chief Knyazev. (Stalin. Through comrade Kabakov. Laughter.) I have already said that through the former. Head of the South Ural Railway D. Knyazev and Turok, who are direct agents of the Japanese ...

... You see, even if it is cynical and rude to raise the question that Pyatakov simply went over to the service as a spy and received money for this, then I must say that, of course, the White Guard intelligence took advantage of this, especially since such prominent people - members of the government, ordering large orders, agree with the firm that they would be given more, that everything will be paid for, then, of course, the White Guard intelligence uses all this. No foreign firm would refuse this. (Stalin. After all, Shestov gave information to German agents and received money from them). Yes. (Stalin. And this Rataichak, he is a German agent, he received money for information from German intelligence, he was a spy. Beria. A real spy.) So, comrades, I think that Pyatakov undoubtedly was, and he himself knew about this, was aware and himself gave such information. He gave information about our armed forces and about the work of our chemical industry. (Beria. And all sorts of others.) He gave them the information that he considered necessary to give them. (Kaganovich. Since they are in favor of defeat, it is clear that they are spies.) As for his supporters, they all gave espionage information.

... I already told you that a member of the party, early. South Ural Railway D. Knyazev, party member, deputy. early dear to them. Kaganovich Turks served as spies in Japanese intelligence and worked as spies, saboteurs, received money from Japanese intelligence. (Stalin. Did they have a connection with the Trotskyists?) Yes, they had a direct connection. Knyazev had connections with Livshits, and Turks had connections with Drobnis. (Mirzoyan. Since 1931 they have been working? Kaganovich. I think since 1929.) According to their testimony, they started working later, but, according to our materials, they were recruited by Japanese intelligence while still in Japan as part of a delegation.

...He says so. Then he speaks on specific issues. He spoke with Kamenev in 1932. Kamenev expressed the opinion that the positions taken by him, Kamenev, against Lenin at the April Conference of 1917 were fully justified in the course of the revolution (Noise. Voices from the localities. What a bastard! Wow!) .) shows that such support has not materialized and that it cannot be counted on in the near future.” Then he says what he said... (Stalin. Who is he?) This is Sokolnikov speaking. "... (Reads.) attraction of free foreign capital in the form of at least concessions." In accordance with this line, it seems, as far as I know, that the members of the Central Committee are aware of and sent out materials about Sokolnikov's talks.

Stalin.I must say, they denied that they allegedly did not have a platform. There was a platform, but it was embarrassing to show it, they hid it. And she was. What was it? Restore private initiative in industry and open the gates to foreign capital, especially English. (Beria. Here are the scoundrels. Lyubchenko. Here are the bastards.) Restore capital, restore private initiative in agriculture, reduce collective farms, restore the kulak. Survive from the USSR Comintern. Here is the program. We, they say, were afraid to say it. (Voices from the floor. About debts.) As for debts, they hinted that perhaps we will pay you old debts if you give a loan. From there they answer that they could give a loan if you pay off your debts. (Voice from the floor. Concerning concessions). As regards concessions, to open the gates to British capital and to foreign capital in general. They had a connection with England, France, with America. Here is the platform. They ask for the English. You, they say, do not force us to put forward the platform, it will be embarrassing for us. The people will be outraged. Therefore, after coming to power, we will gradually deploy it, but you do not demand from us that we put everything at once, then nothing will come of it, the people will not agree. (Kosior. Who was appointed to the government?) ...

Yezhov. ... Further, they conducted specific negotiations, according to the testimony of Reingold and others, Kamenev directly negotiated with Alfan. (Stalin. Who is this Alfan, it must be said.) This is the French ambassador with us, he was removed on the eve of the trial. (Molotov. Before the trial.) On the instructions of Pyatakov, transmitted through Arkus, they tried to negotiate with British government circles, for which they established contact (Molotov. With the French ...) with major French industrial figures. (Stalin. You said with English.) Sorry, with French. “Arkus at first assumed that they should not tie up ... (Reads. Lyubchenko. Tardieu is more suitable.) I expressed the idea ... (Stalin. Who says this?) This is Chlenov speaking. (Continues to read.) "... to be interested in the state of the defense capability of the USSR."

And after that, Yakovlev shows: “Under my leadership, two terrorist groups were created - one under my leadership, consisting of Kulikov, Yakovlev and Matveev - a Komsomol worker. And the second - in the person of Afanasiev and Zapolsky. The first was to prepare a terrorist act against comrade Stalin, the second - a terrorist act against comrade Kaganovich. (Stalin. And what does Rykov have to do with it?) It was Yakovlev who spoke. (Stalin. And what does Rykov have to do with it?) Yakovlev testifies that the center, which was aware of the terrorist intentions of the Trotskyist-Zinoviev bloc, personally, through its members, considered it necessary to switch to methods of terror. And he names the composition of the center: Rykov, Tomsky, Schmidt, Kotov and Uglanov. (Stalin. Who is he? Who names it?) Uglanov calls it, Kulikov, Yakovlev. (Stalin. Do you have Yakovlev's testimony about this?) Yes. I read...

Note:

1. We are talking about the testimony of G. E. Zinoviev at the trial of the “Anti-Soviet United Trotskyist-Zinoviev Center” on August 19–24, 1936.