Stalin's repression

Beginning in 1920 and ending only thirty years later, Stalin's repressions were part of the long and purposeful policy of Joseph Vissarionovich and his entourage. Their objects were opponents of the then-current power.

The word "repression" in Latin means "suppression", punishment applied by the state and the government.

During the reign of Joseph Vissarionovich repression was carried out actively, massively and unquestioningly. What are the reasons for the punishments used in the USSR? Stalin's repressions were carried out in accordance with the articles of the Criminal Code in effect at that time. Here are some of their names: terror, treason, espionage, terrorist intentions, wrecking, sabotage, counter-revolutionary sabotage (for refusing to work in the camp, for escaping from detention), participation in conspiracies, anti-Soviet groups and organizations, agitation against the current government, Families of traitors to the homeland, political banditry and insurrection. However, in order to understand the essence of these articles, you need to familiarize yourself with them in detail.

What are the reasons for the Stalinist repression?

Disputes on this theme are being maintained to this day. Some historians believe that initially repression pursued only one goal - the elimination of political opponents Joseph Vissarionovich. Others believe that they were one of the methods of intimidating and pacifying the Soviet people, aimed at further strengthening the current government. And some even put forward a rather dubious version of the fact that the Soviet Union needed free labor for the construction of highways and canals . There is a point of view that believes that Stalinist repressions pursued anti-Semitic goals.

Who initiated the mass judgments?

Despite the fact that in the Soviet era, Stalin's close associates were considered the main culprits of the repression: N. Yezhov (General Secretary of the State Security) and L. Beria (Commissioner for Internal Affairs), who allegedly misdirected the head of state , most historians say, That repression is the work of solely Joseph Vissarionovich. He was provided with reliable and verified information about future prisoners.

Since 1930, the USSR has established a system of camps for prisoners of the GULAG, which included special settlements (intended for people sent into exile), colonies (for imprisonment of at least three years), camps (for convicts who received a fairly long period). A little later, the Bureau of Corrective Services was included in this system . They engaged in convicts who were sentenced to forced labor without imprisonment.

Victims of repression

From the declassified archives it is known that for counter-revolutionary acts the number of people sentenced to serve their sentence by 1954 was 3,777,380 people, with a maximum of 642,980 prisoners. During the period of repression, more than 1.5 million people were convicted for political as well as criminal offenses.

Few victims of Stalin's repression were rehabilitated during the life of the Leader, many could achieve this only after his death. The persons leading the arrests (Beria, Yezhov, Yagoda, etc.) were later themselves convicted. In perestroika times and the post-Soviet period, all victims of repression were rehabilitated, except for the perpetrators of mass arrests. The state carried out monetary compensation for the loss of valuable property during "dekulakization", carried out in the 1930s during forced collectivization.

It is necessary to remember this bitter history of the past and try to do everything to ensure that in the future nothing reminiscent of the period of life of the Soviet people, which can be described in two words: "Stalin. Repression ".