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SECRET DOCUMENTS OF THE PERIOD OF CHECHENS’ AND INGUSHS’ DEPORTATION

Top secret.

The State Defence Committee (GOKO)

GOKO Resolution # 5074cc of January 31, 1944,

Done in the Kremlin, Moscow

The State Defence Committee hereby resolves:

3. To instruct the USSR People’s Commissariat of Railroads (Comrade Kaganovich) to organize the transportation of special migrants from the North Caucasus to the Kazakh SSR and the Kirghiz SSR by way of forming, for the purpose, special echelons of warm railroad cars equipped to carry humans.

The number of echelons, terms of delivering railroad cars, and embarking and disembarking localities shall be as requested by the USSR People’s Commissariat of the Interior.

Settlements shall be done at tariffs of carrying prison inmates.

The echelons shall travel to their destinations as military echelons do, i.e. their progress shall be specially monitored by dispatchers.

4. To instruct the USSR People’s Commissariat of Trade, Comrade Lyubimov being personally responsible, to ensure the issue of hot food and boiling water to all passing echelons carrying special migrants in line with a schedule of echelons’ progress compiled by the USSR People’s Commissariat of the Interior and the People’s Commissariat of Railroads.

Responsible representatives of the People’s Commissariat of Trade shall be dispatched, no later than February 1, along the echelons’ routes with the purpose of conducting organizational measures and preparations and of inspecting the readiness of eateries and station canteens to serve echelons carrying special migrants.

5. To instruct the USSR People’s Commissariat of Health, Comrade Miterev being personally responsible, to provide each echelon carrying special migrants, for the term to be agreed with the USSR People’s Commissariat of the Interior, with one physician and two nurses and the adequate supply of medicines, as well as to prepare first-aid centres and isolation wards along the echelons’ routes.

Signed: Deputy Chairman of the State Defence Committee

V. Molotov

Top Secret

Attn:

USSR People's Commissar For Internal Affairs Comrade Lavrenty Beria

February 1944

Memorandum

The NKVD has learned from its agents that Khasan Israilov was being concealed by Dzhovatkhan Murtazaliyev with the help of his brother Ayub and his son Khas-Magomed, secretly arresting Dzhovatkhan Murtazaliyev and Ayub Murtazaliyev on February 13. After being interrogated, Ayub Murtazaliyev deposed that Khasan was hiding inside a cave of Bachi-Chu mountain (Dzumsoyevsky village council, Itum-Kale district). In the early hours of February 15 a squad of operatives headed by Comrade Tsereteli surrounded and searched the cave, which was mentioned by Ayub Murtazaliyev, failing to find Khasan Israilov there. The search revealed one Degtyarev light machine-gun in good working condition, as well as three ammunition disks, one British 10-cartridge rifle, one Russian Mosin rifle in good working condition, 200 rifle cartridges, as well as Khasan Israilov's authentic correspondence dealing with his insurgent activities and weighing about 2 kg. Such correspondence lists members of the NSPKB insurgent organization at 20 villages of the Chechen-Ingush Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic's Itum-Kale, Galanchozhsky, Shatoi and Suburban districts (6,540 people, all told), as well as 35 membership cards of the Caucasian Eagles Nazi organization, which were received by Khasan Israilov from German paratroopers, who had landed on the territory of the Chechen-Ingush Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic over the 1942-1943 period. Apart from that, we have found a map of the Caucasus in German marking those specific populated localities that contain NSPKB cells and insurgent organizations on the territory of the Chechen-Ingush Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic and the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic. Having failed to locate Khasan Israilov inside the cave, we demanded that Ayub Murtazaliyev tell us about Khasan Israilov's new cave and its location. Ayub Murtazaliyev, who was pressured to a small extent, later deposed that Khasan had been taken to another cave by Dzhovatkhan Murtazaliyev's son Khas-Magomed. On February 15 we managed to arrest Khas-Magomed Murtazaliyev, who is now being interrogated by Comrade Tsereteli in Itum-Kale.

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State Defence Committee

Attn: Comrade Stalin, February 17, 1944

Preparations for an operation aiming to deport the Chechen and Ingush populations are currently being completed. All in all, 459,486 people, who are subject to deportation, have been registered. Their list includes people living in Daghestani areas, which border on Checheno-Ingushetia, and in the city of Vladikavkaz. Considering the operation's scale and the specifics of mountainous areas, it has been decided to deport the local populace (including the placement of local residents aboard trains) over an eight-day period. It will take us three days to complete this operation in all low-land areas and foot-hills, as well as in some mountainous areas, and to round up more than 300,000 people. The remaining 150,000 people shall be rounded up and deported within the next four days. ... Mountainous areas shall be sealed off well in advance. ... Considering the serious nature of this operation, I request permission to remain in the region prior to the operation's completion, for the most part, e.g. until the February 26-27, 1944 period.

Signed:

Lavrenty Beria.

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State Defence Committee

Attn: Comrade Stalin, February 22, 1944

In addition to Cheka and army-level measures, we have implemented the following measures in order to successfully complete the entire operation aiming to deport the Chechen and Ingush populations on your orders.

1. Molayev, who chairs the Council Of People's Commissars Government) of the Chechen-Ingush Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, was informed about the Government's decision to deport Chechen and Ingush populations, as well as about the relevant motives for such a decision. After hearing my report, Molayev quailed, subsequently regaining his composure and promising to fulfil all orders that will be issued to him in connection with the deportation. After that, we conferred with him in Grozny, choosing nine top Chechen and Ingush officials, who were informed about the pace of deporting Chechen and Ingush populations, as well as about the reasons for such a deportation. ... 40 Chechen and Ingush republican party and Soviet officials were attached by us to 24 districts and ordered to choose 2-3 persons from among local activists at every populated locality for conducting subsequent agitprop campaigns. We talked to the most influential clergymen in the Chechen-Ingush Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, namely, Arsanov, Yandarov and Gaisumov, who were exhorted to assist us through mullahs and other influential local persons. ... The deportation shall commence at dawn February 23, 1944. It was intended to cordon off local districts for the purpose of preventing the populace from leaving territory of populated localities. The populace shall be invited to attend a rally, with some people receiving time for collecting their belongings. The rest shall be disarmed and taken to marshalling areas. As I see it, the deportation of Chechen and Ingush populations will prove to be successful.

Signed:

Lavrenty Beria.

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State Defence Committee

Attn: Comrade Stalin, February 26, 1944

The deportation of Chechen and Ingush populations is proceeding normally. As of the evening of February 25, we have placed 342,647 people aboard trains. 86 trains have left the overall marshalling area for their new final destinations.

Signed:

Lavrenty Beria.

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Excerpts from a report to USSR People's Commissar For Internal Affairs Lavrenty Beria

February 29, 1944

From Alma-Ata.

Preparations for receiving and resettling displaced persons in the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic were mostly completed on February 25. 309,000 displaced persons are being settled at local collective farms. 42,000 people are being settled at state farms. Another 49,000 people are being accommodated at Kazakh enterprises. They are being transported aboard 1,590 motor vehicles, 57,000 horse-drawn carts and 103 tractors. 145 district-level and 375 village-level special NKVD commandants' offices comprising 1,358 operatives have been established in the vicinity of settlements.

Signed:

Nasedkin

Bogdanov

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State Defence Committee

Attn: Comrade Stalin, March 1, 1944

I'd like to inform you about the results of an operation aiming to deport Chechen and Ingush populations. Their deportation began inside most districts, with the exception of highland populated localities, on February 23. 478,479 people, including 91,250 Ingush nationals, were deported and placed aboard trains by February 29. 180 trains have already been filled to capacity, with 159 of them leaving for their new final destinations. Trains containing former administrative officials and religious authorities of Checheno-Ingushetia, whose services were enlisted during the operation, have left the republic today. Owing to heavy snow-falls and rutty roads, 6,000 Chechens still remain to be resettled from some populated localities in Galanchozhsky district. They shall be rounded up and resettled within the next two days. The entire operation was conducted in a well-organized manner; nor was it marked by any serious cases of resistance and other incidents. ... We continue to comb forest areas, temporarily retaining an NKVD-force garrison, as well as an NKVD-operative squad, there. 2,016 anti-Soviet elements from among Chechen and Ingush populations were arrested during preparations for this operation and in its course. We have confiscated 20,072 fire-arms, including 4,868 rifles, as well as 479 machine-guns and sub-machine guns.

Signed:

Lavrenty Beria.

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Excerpts from Lavrenty Beria's memorandum to Comrades Joseph Stalin and Vyacheslav Molotov (Council Of People's Commissars) and Comrade Georgy Malenkov (Central Committee Of The Soviet Communist Party -- Bolsheviks)

July 1944

Aiming to fulfil the resolution of the State Defence Committee, the NKVD has resettled 602,193 North Caucasian residents to the Kazakh and Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republics over the February-March 1944 period. Their list includes 496,460 Chechen and Ingush nationals, 68,327 Karachais and 37,406 Balkars. The resettlement of this contingent from the North Caucasus to new residential areas was implemented in a satisfactory manner. 428,948 people were settled at local collective farms, with another 64,703 people settling down at state farms. 908,542 people have been allotted for the purposes of industrial labour. Most displaced persons (477,809 people, all told) were resettled to the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic. However, republican agencies of the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic have failed to pay due attention to various issues as regards the job placement and economic activities of North Caucasian displaced persons. As a result, their everyday life, as well as their subsequent involvement in socially useful labour, were not satisfactory. The families of displaced persons, who were settled at local collective farms, were not admitted into agricultural artels (teams). The allocation of personal holdings and truck gardens to the families of displaced persons also left a lot to be desired. Those particular displaced persons, who were settled at state farms, and who were allotted for the purposes of industrial labour, didn't take a very active part in production. We have registered typhoid outbreaks, shortcomings in the organization of their economic and everyday activities, as well as thefts and felonies. In May 1944 Deputy People's Commissar For Internal Affairs Kruglov and a group of administrators were sent to the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic for the purpose of re-establishing law and order there. In July 1944 2,196 displaced persons were arrested for committing various crimes. All cases were examined by the Special Conference. 429 special NKVD commandants' offices responsible for monitoring the life of displaced persons, for preventing attempted escapes, for rendering Cheka-and-police services and for facilitating the fastest possible resumption of economic activities on the part of displaced persons' families have been established. The economic standing of displaced persons has been improved. Of 70,296 families, which were settled at collective farms, 56,800 families, or 81 percent, have joined local agricultural artels. 83,303 families, or 74.3 percent, have received personal holdings and truck gardens. 12,683 families used to live in their own homes. Child-labour colonies have also been established, accommodating 1,268 children in June 1944. The employment situation has improved, as well. For example, 16,396 out of 16,927 active persons were engaged in physical labour on the territory of Dzhambul region.

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Excerpts from a report dealing with the activities of the USSR NKVD's displaced-persons department, which was established on March 17, 1944.

September 5, 1944

... And now a few words about Chechen and Ingush nationals. In the early 1930s a real threat of involving considerable masses in an insurgent adventure became imminent on the region's territory. Various excesses and provocations tended to fuel all-out discontent. Therefore the kulaks took advantage of such developments in order to stage open uprisings, as they enlisted the services of numerous middle-of-the-roader peasants. In a bid to crush this counter-revolutionary movement, a number of serious Cheka-level and combat operations involving artillery barrages and air strikes were staged over the March-April 1930 period. In 1932 an armed uprising involving more than 3,000 people was organized, engulfing all auls (mountain villages) in Nozhai-Yurt district, as well as a number of other auls. In late January 1941 an anti-Soviet uprising was provoked in the village of Khilda-Kharoi, Itum-Kale district, also involving local residents. At that time, Chechen and Ingush nationals began to desert en masse from the Red Army. More than 1,500 conscripts had deserted from the Red Army and labour battalions over the July 1941 - April 1942 period. The number of draft-dodgers stood at over 2,200. 850 men had deserted from one national cavalry division alone.

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Top Secret

For your information

December 29, 1944, No. 494

Comrades Kakuchaya and Drozdov have informed USSR People's Commissar For Internal Affairs Comrade Kruglov that his orders have been fulfilled. Khasan Israilov has been killed; his body has been identified and photographed. NKVD agents have now been ordered to eliminate all remaining gangs.

Comrade Leontyev orders Comrade Barannikov to request a detailed report.

Signed:

State Security Captain Malyshev, section chief, USSR NKVD's Main Anti-Banditry Department.

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Attn: Comrade Stalin

Comrade Molotov

Comrade Beria

Comrade Malenkov

January 31, 1946

... Chechen national Magomed Khutuyev, who works for the Tenth October Anniversary collective farm in the Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic's Dzhalal-Abad region, has addressed a rally of collective farmers, noting that he wanted to thank Comrade Stalin for displaying great care toward displaced persons. We are considered to be one Soviet family. We'll take part in these elections, voting for our dear Communist Party's candidates ... Mullah Aliyev, who lives at a collective farm in Dzhambul region's Sverdlovsk district, called on displaced persons not to take part in the vote, explaining his opinion by the fact that no representatives of Chechen and Ingush populations had been nominated for the USSR Supreme Soviet (Parliament)...

Signed:

USSR People's Commissar For Internal Affairs

S. KRUGLOV.

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Attn: Comrade Stalin

THE COUNCIL OF USSR PEOPLE'S COMMISSARS

RESOLUTION No. 1,927 dated July 28, 1945

Moscow, the Kremlin.

ON GRANTING PRIVILEGES TO DISPLACED PERSONS

The Council Of USSR People's Commissars hereby resolves:

1. North Caucasian displaced persons, as well as those from the Crimea, the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic and the Kalmyks, shall be exempted from fulfilling the following tasks at their new settlements:

a) they shall be exempted from delivering agricultural produce to the state on a mandatory basis;

b) they shall be exempted from paying agricultural tax, income tax, as well as the relevant tax being levied on agricultural incomes at townships. 2. The afore-said displaced persons shall have the relevant debts being owed by them within the framework of agricultural tax, income tax being levied on agricultural incomes at townships, as well as within the framework of mandatory agricultural-produce deliveries to the state (at their new places of residence) written off.

Signed:

Deputy Chairman Of The Council Of USSR People's Commissars

N. VOZNESENSKY

Chief Of The Business Department Of The Council Of USSR People's Commissars

Y. CHADAYEV

Not to be published by the press. No. 139/19

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Decree Of The Presidium Of The USSR Supreme Soviet

ON LIFTING ALL DISPLACED-PERSON RESTRICTIONS WITH RESPECT TO CHECHEN, INGUSH AND KARACHAI NATIONALS AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS, WHO HAD BEEN DEPORTED DURING THE GREAT PATRIOTIC WAR.

Considering the fact that present-day restrictions of the legal status of displaced persons, e.g. Chechen, Ingush and Karachai nationals, as well as that of members of their families, who had been deported from the North Caucasus during the Great Patriotic War, are no longer required, the Presidium Of The USSR Supreme Soviet hereby resolves:

1. To abolish the displaced-person status of Chechen, Ingush and Karachai nationals, as well as that of members of their families, who had been deported from the North Caucasus during the Great Patriotic War, and to stop subjecting them to administrative surveillance. 2. Stipulating that the decision to lift the relevant restrictions as regards displaced persons listed in article 1 of this Decree shall not entail the return of their property, which had been confiscated during deportation. Apart from that, such persons shall have no right to return to those specific places, from where they had been deported.

Signed:

Chairman Of The Presidium Of The USSR Supreme Soviet

K. VOROSHILOV

Secretary Of The Presidium Of The USSR Supreme Soviet

N. PEGOV

Moscow, the Kremlin

July 16, 1956

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For your information:

ON THE SITUATION OF CHECHEN AND INGUSH POPULATIONS

In February 1944 more than 496,000 Chechen and Ingush nationals had been deported from the Chechen-Ingush Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. Of that number, 411,000 people (85,000 families) had been deported to the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic. Another 85,500 people (20,000 families) had been deported to the Kirghiz Soviet Socialist republic. As of today, 315,000 Chechen and Ingush nationals live in Kazakhstan; about 80,000 people now live in Kirghizia. The majority of the Chechen-Ingush population are employed, working in a conscientious manner. Of 244,000 adults, 155,000, or 63.5 percent, have jobs. 38,300 people are employed at industrial enterprises, with 91,600 people working within the framework of the agricultural sector. Another 25,000 people work for various organizations and agencies. An on-site check has revealed that an overwhelming majority of all Chechen and Ingush nationals fare just about as well, as they used to, while staying in the North Caucasus. They have their own homes, cows and poultry. However, quite a few Chechen and Ingush nationals, who have talked to us, voiced their discontent over the fact that they are not allowed to return to the places of their previous residence, insistently requesting permission to leave for the North Caucasus. More than 6,000 people have returned to the former autonomous republic's territory after the abolition of their displaced-person status. The Grozny, Daghestani and North Ossetian regional committees of the CPSU (Communist Party Of The Soviet Union) react negatively to the possible return of Chechen and Ingush nationals to the places of their previous residence, explaining their position by the fact that the economic potential of the former Chechen-Ingush Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic makes it impossible to employ them and to resettle them accordingly. Party and Soviet officials explain the undesirability of resettling Chechen and Ingush nationals by the fact that some of them had earned a bad reputation for themselves in the past, also retaining such a reputation at this stage.

Signed:

Y. GROMOV

V. CHURAYEV.

November 14, 1956.

from:

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/news/2000/04/white/part02.htm