To Stalin

To Stalin Top Secret Summaries Of The most important testimonies Of Those arrested 1937‐ 1938

A summary of the most important testimonies of those arrested by the GUGB NKVD of the USSR for February 11‐12, 1938

Archive: AP RF. F. 3. Op. 24. D. 404. L. 177‐188

13 February 1938

SECRETARY of the Central Committee of the CPSU (b) comrade STALIN

I am sending you a summary of the most important testimonies of those arrested by the GUGB NKVD of the USSR for February 11‐12, 1938.

Peopleʹs Commissar of Internal Affairs of the USSR General Commissar [1] of State Security (EZHOV) [2]

Top secret

For the 3rd DEPARTMENT

1. WINZER, former trade representative in Bilbao. Interrogated: VOLKOV.

He confessed that he had taken the path of treacherous activity since 1921.

In his testimony, WINZER points out that in 1921, while in Warsaw, he was recruited by a representative of the Polish intelligence service SNARSKI.

In 1923, while working in Berlin in the VOSTAG society, through STASHEVSKY, he contacted the German intelligence agent WEISMAN.

The above‐mentioned intelligence services VINZER transferred materials about the economic state of the USSR and the activities of the Peopleʹs Commissariat for Foreign Trade.

After moving to the USSR, VINZER continued his espionage work, maintaining contact with these intelligence services through visiting intelligence workers, under the guise of representatives of various companies (Y. CORNELIUS, F. GEYL, F. DIRKSEN, etc.).

2. VINOGRADOV V.D. , Counselor of the USSR Embassy in Warsaw. Interrogated: SMORODINSKY.

He gave initial testimony that in 1932 in Berlin he was recruited by RADEK to the Trotskyist organization and was used by the latter to deliver Trotskyist and fascist literature from Germany to the USSR.

Even earlier than that, i.e. in 1931, also in Berlin, VINOGRADOV was recruited for espionage work in favor of Poland by one of the residents of the Polish intelligence service in the USSR LOGANOVSKY (arrested), who connected VINOGRADOV with the press attaché of the Polish Embassy in Berlin TRAMBITSKY.

During his work at the USSR Plenipotentiary in Berlin, VINOGRADOV conveyed to TRAMBITSKY the information at his disposal about Soviet‐German relations.

In 1934, VINOGRADOV, while working at the USSR Plenipotentiary Mission in Bucharest, established an espionage connection with the Polish military attaché in Bucharest, Colonel KOVALEVSKI (previously an attaché in Moscow).

At the end of 1936, VINOGRADOV was appointed advisor to the USSR Plenipotentiary Mission in Warsaw, where, at the direction of LOGANOVSKY, he worked for Polish intelligence in contact with DAVTYAN (arrested), who linked VINOGRADOV with General

MALINOVSKY.

MALINOVSKY VINOGRADOV conveyed information on military‐

political issues and Soviet‐German relations.

3. FOKIN VV, deputy. Peopleʹs Commissar of Mechanical Engineering. Interrogated: KOROTKOV.

He also showed that the counterrevolutionary Trotskyite organization at the Stalingrad Tractor Plant, led by him and CHUNIKHIN (convicted), on the direct instructions of VAREIKIS, was preparing a terrorist act against comrade MOLOTOV in connection with his arrival in Stalingrad in the spring of 1936.

The implementation of the terrorist act was planned by them at the Stalingrad Tractor Plant in connection with the proposed visit to Comrade MOLOTOV STZ.

4. KA INYUSHIN, former head of the planning department of the TsAGI design bureau. Interrogated: RUCHKIN.

He pleaded guilty to the fact that since 1930 he was a member of the anti‐Soviet sabotage organization at TsAGI. On instructions from TUPOLEV, he carried out sabotage activities, expressed in the compilation of reporting data on the work of the design bureau in such a way that sabotage in experimental aircraft construction was covered up with positive facts.

INYUSHIN was aware of all the sabotage activities of Tupolev and the group of designers closest to him (PETLYAKOV, Nekrasov, Pogossky and PETROV, arrested), whom he named as members of an anti‐Soviet organization in TsAGI.

For the 4th DEPARTMENT

1. KLENTSEL MB , former head of Glavmuk. Interrogated by: BARTOSHEVICH, FEDYUKOV.

He confessed that he had been a member of the anti‐Soviet organization of the right since 1935, recruited by KLEINER.

He showed that he shared the ideas of the center of the right on sabotage and terror against the leadership of the CPSU (b) and the Soviet government. He carried out extensive sabotage and sabotage work in the flour‐milling industry, which consisted in the withdrawal of a significant number of flour‐grinding and cereal enterprises for conservation, deterioration of the quality of flour by surrogation, the production of low‐quality flour with metal admixtures and the deliberate reduction of the countryʹs food resources.

He recruited the right directors of the mills BASKAKOV (Leningrad) and MISHIN (Yaroslavl) into the anti‐Soviet organization.

2. Zhilin, former deputy. Head of the Main Directorate of the Film and

Photo Industry. Interrogated: PAVLOVSKY.

During previous interrogations, he confessed that he was a member of the anti‐Soviet organization of the right and, since 1935, an agent of British intelligence.

In addition, he showed that he was recruited into the anti‐Soviet organization of the Rights by FRUMKIN in 1934 and was sent by him to London with the task of concluding deals unfavorable for the USSR with British companies, based on the general wrecking attitude of the Right.

Zhilin showed about a number of deals he had made that were obviously unfavorable for the Soviet Union.

For the 5th DEPARTMENT

1. ANCIPO‐CHIKUNSKY, former Soviet naval attaché in England, former midshipman. Interrogated: PETROV.

At the first interrogation, he testified that he was recruited into an antiSoviet military conspiracy in 1933 by the former Namorsi of the RKKA ORLOV (arrested). In 1933, before ANZIPO‐CHIKUNSKY left for Italy as a naval attaché, ORLOV instructed to establish contact with the Italian naval officer Captain BERTFOLD and inform him about the planned construction of ships of the Soviet fleet.

ANCIPO‐CHIKUNSKY, having established an espionage connection with the Italian naval intelligence (BERTFOLD), provided her with systematic espionage data on the state and construction of the RKKF until 1937.

In January 1936 ANZIPO‐CHIKUNSKY was recalled and sent as a naval attaché to London. Before leaving for London, ORLOV instructed him to establish contact with the head of British naval intelligence, Admiral TRUPP, whom he supplied with espionage materials, which he did until July 1937, before being withdrawn from England.

In May 1937, in London, he arranged a meeting with ORLOV ‐ the former Namorsi, who went there in connection with the crowning of the English king, with the 1st sea lord of the Admiralty CHETFIELD, whom ORLOV, in the presence of TRUPP and he, was informed about the removal of Tukhachevsky from the post of deputy. Peopleʹs Commissar of Defense. ORLOV assured CHETFIELD that the conspiracy would continue and that subversive work on the naval forces would continue, in particular, he would delay the construction of the surface fleet. CHETFIELD approved Orlovʹs intention and asked him to provide him with the blueprints for the approved designs of new battleships, cruisers and destroyers.

2. KOVALEV DM , former commander of the 48th rifle division, brigade commander. Interrogated: LISTENGURT, PETUSHKOV and LUKIN.

He additionally testified that in December 1936, before traveling to Spain as an adviser to the Asturian Corps, he received a directive from URITSKY, with whom he was associated by military organization, to facilitate the defeat of the Northern Front of the Spanish Republican Army.

URITSKY argued to KOVALEV that the defeat of the Spanish Republic was in the interests of the organization of the right, that a quick defeat in Spain would significantly discredit the Soviet government and the Central Committee of the CPSU (b).

URITSKY, explaining to Kovalev the situation in which he would work in Asturias, invited him upon arrival to find the possibility of using the Asturian anarchists to incite them against the socialists and communists in order to disrupt the united popular front, which should make it easier for the fascists to defeat the Asturian corps. At the same time, URITSKY pointed out to KOVALEV that his predecessor, an adviser in the Asturian corps MALYSHEV, had ruined relations with the Asturian anarchists and that KOVALEV urgently needed to improve them.

URITSKY told KOVALEV that the senior adviser to the Northern Front of the Republican Army, YANSON, was a member of an anti‐Soviet military conspiracy. URITSKY suggested to KOVALEV, on his behalf, to contact YANSON and fully follow his instructions (YANSON was arrested).

A few days after his conversation with URITSKY, KOVALEV had a meeting in Moscow with Uborevich, with whom he had previously been associated in an anti‐Soviet military conspiracy.

Uborevich told KOVALEV that he was being sent to Spain thanks to his ‐ Uborevich, insistence and that he asked URITSKY to inform KOVALEV what exactly he should do in Spain as a participant in the conspiracy.

Uborevich, in turn, offered Kovalev, in the interests of the conspiracy, to assist in the defeat of the Republicans in Spain. At the same time, he recommended establishing close contact with YANSON, whom he characterized as an intelligent and loyal commander.

Uborevich told KOVALEV that the advisers sent to Spain mainly ʺhis peopleʺ from the BVI, about which he agreed with URITSKY. ʺThis,ʺ said Uborevich to Kovalev, ʺshould significantly ensure the failure of the entire operation of the USSR in Spain, which is what our external allies demand of us in the fight against Soviet power.ʺ

KOVALEV testifies that upon his arrival in Spain he twice tried to contact YANSON as a participant in an anti‐Soviet military conspiracy and to establish contact with him on the basis of treacherous work, but he failed.

KOVALEV shows that JANSON, being a senior adviser to the Northern Front of the Republican Army, carried out treacherous work aimed at defeating the Republicans in the North (sabotage during the construction of fortifications around Bilbao, when the best fortifications were not built in the direction of the expected enemy offensive, the absence of any work on combat training of republican troops, etc.).

KOVALEV shows that his treacherous work in Asturias consisted of supporting the military formations of the Asturian anarchists to the detriment of the formations of communists and socialists, disrupting organizational measures for the Asturian corps (delaying formations, lack of organization of headquarters, etc.), disrupting the combat training of the Asturian troops. KOVALEV insisted not to give the Asturians fully available reserves to support the Basques in the event of the fascist offensive, accelerated the retreat of the Asturian troops, persuaded the governor of Asturias BELARMINO Thomas to evacuate faster, without organizing the necessary protection against the fascist offensive.

KOVALEV pointed to the treacherous act of the former adviser in the North of Spain GOREV, who, during the offensive of the Nazis, tore off the timely withdrawal of the Basque troops from the resulting sack near Tore la Vega, as a result of which the Basque corps was partially destroyed, partially captured by the Nazis (GOREV was arrested).

3. Khakhanyan GD, former member of the Military Council of the OKDVA. Interrogated by: LISTENGURT, MALYSHEV.

He showed that a member of the anti‐Soviet military conspiracy, the commander of the railway brigade KOLCHUK (not arrested) had carried out preparatory work to carry out acts of sabotage on the railway. For this purpose, KOLCHUK created sabotage groups on the road line.

To carry out acts of sabotage at gas depots, a member of the conspiracy, the head of the fuel department of the OKDVA KOKIN (not arrested), created sabotage groups from among the workers of the gas depots.

Deputy chief of artillery OKDVA DUBOVIK (arrested) also prepared acts of sabotage to destroy the artillery stocks of OKDVA.

The sabotage work was to take on wide dimensions at the time of the outbreak of the war with the Japanese.

By the same period, it was planned to destroy all the food supplies of the DCK through a member of the Pravotrotskyist organization, the former head of the NKVD DCK DERIBAS.

To call in the units of the OKDVA fires, the head of the extreme oil industry PYLAEV (a member of the organization, was sentenced to 10 years) through the head of the Voentorg AEROV (convicted) and the head of the fuel department of the OKDVA KOKIN (both participants in the conspiracy) distributed naphtha and a mixture of kerosene with gasoline instead of kerosene in the units of OKDVA. As a result, there were fires in the units with human casualties.

HAKHANYAN knew from the head of the Intelligence Department of the OKDVA VALINA headquarters (arrested) that all the data about the Japanese fortified areas, which the OKDVA command had, was untrue and had been compiled by him at the direction of the Japanese.

4. LOZOVSKY, former head of the Technical Department of the RKKA Intelligence Directorate. Interrogated: YAMNITSKY, PAVLOVSKY.

In addition, he testified that in May 1919, on the instructions of German intelligence and a member of the Central Committee of the Latvian Communist Party KRASTYNIA Viktor, who attracted LOZOVSKY to participate in the treacherous work carried out by him at that time, he was evacuated from Riga together with units of the Red Army to Rezitsa.

Taking advantage of the confidence of ZUKOVSKY, who at that time was an authorized representative of the Revolutionary Military Council of the 18th Army, LOZOVSKY, in pursuance of the espionage and provocative tasks assigned to him by the Germans, remained at ZUKOVSKYʹs work in the organization of intelligence in Estonia and Livonia.

Up to 15 intelligence officers sent across the cordon (Estonia, Latvia) were betrayed by LOZOVSKY and were arrested and convicted there, including ANDERSEN (nickname), Estonian SIRK, Latvian BRITEN, Estonian NET (he does not remember the rest).

LOZOVSKY regularly informed KRASTYNIA, who remained in

Latvia, and NET (a German intelligence officer) about all the people being transferred to the other side to form partisan detachments. As a result, partisan units in Latvia were defeated.

LOZOVSKY betrayed ZUKOVSKY by reporting him to KRASTYNIA, who in early 1920 was sent by the Revolutionary Military Council of the 15th Army to lead partisan detachments in Latvia.

As a result, ZUKOVSKY was killed as soon as he crossed the border.

5. BLUMBERG Zh.K., former inspector of the Red Army infantry, division commander. Interrogated by: MALYSHEV, KUDRYAVTSEV.

He gave initial testimony that he was recruited into an anti‐Soviet military conspiracy in July 1936 by SEDYAKIN, head of the Red Army combat training department (arrested).

On the instructions of SEDYAKIN, BLUMBERG carried out sabotage, in particular, to draw up a new charter of the Red Army and develop a new shooting course.

BLUMBERG testified that he was recruited into a conspiracy by the deputy inspector of the Osoaviakhim ‐ FILIPKOVSKY Sergei

Mikhailovich (not arrested).

11th DEPARTMENT

1. EVGENIEV E.Ya. , Deputy head. transport department of the Central Committee of the CPSU (b). Interrogated: TROFIMOV, BENKOVICH.

Gave initial testimony that since 1934 he was one of the leaders of the anti‐Soviet Pravotrotskyist terrorist organization in water transport. Through practical anti‐Soviet terrorist, sabotage and sabotage and espionage activities, he was associated with ROSENTAL E.F. and YANSON N.M. (arrested). As members of the Pravotrotskyist organization in water transport, he named: ZOFA, CHEVERDINA (convicted) and SHISHLYANNIKOVA (arrested).

He knew from ROSENTAL about his participation in the organization

‐ MEROVA, KANDALINTSEV (convicted), MEDICH, PETERSON, NIKOLAENKO (arrested) and BITSUTA (scheduled for arrest).

From JANSON he knew about the participation in the organization of

IVANOV, VISHNEVSKY, WILDE, GOLOVANOV (convicted), AMPILOGOV and VASIN (arrested). Personally recruited into the organization: ZAITSEVA (former assistant to the head of the Political Administration of the Peopleʹs Commissariat for Water ‐ arrested), KALITAEVA (the inspector‐dispatcher of the Peopleʹs Commissariat of Water Resources ‐ arrested) and PODOLSKYA (formerly the head of the sector of the Political Administration of the Peopleʹs Commissar ‐ convicted)

I knew from ROSENTHAL that he had received, through PETERSON (arrested), a directive from TROTSKY on organizing terrorist acts against the leaders of the CPSU (b) and the government. In pursuance of this directive, TROTSKY, together with ROSENTHAL, invited KALITAEV, PEROV, VASIN and PODOLSKYA to participate in the preparation of terrorist acts. Preparation of terrorist acts was carried out over Comrades. STALIN, MOLOTOV, VOROSHILOV, EZHOV and KAGANOVICH L.M. The physical perpetrators of the terrorist acts were KALITAEV and PODOLSKAYA. The terrorist group had weapons and explosives at their disposal, which, according to ROSENTAL, were obtained from abroad. The attempts were supposed to be carried out during an aviation holiday at the Tushino and Shchelkovsky airfields and at the Bolshoi Theater.

Head of the Secretariat of the NKVD of the USSR, Senior Major of State Security (SHAPIRO)

[1] So in the source.

Signed by Deputy Peopleʹs Commissar of Internal Affairs Frinovsky.