Lot 227

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Description:

LAVRENTIY BERIA
(1899-1953) Chief of the NKVD, the Soviet security and secret police apparatus under Joseph Stalin during World War II, his deputy premier from 1941 on, and serial rapist, he was purged and executed after Stalin's death. Fine association and content war-date T.L.S in indelible pencil on NKVD letterhead, 5pp. large 4to., 1940, to KLIMENT VOROSHILOV (1881-1969), Soviet military officer and politician who served as Stalin's defense minister, reorganized the general staff, mechanized the army, and developed the air force. Beria sends a damning report to Voroshilov which undoubtedly led to the execution of many of those named within. It reads, in part: '...Special division of the NKVD of the Leningrad military district has reported...At a distance of 80 metres from hill 65,5 the platoon came under enemy fire. The support company could not render any assistance to the platoon since there had not been sufficient preparation for the engagement.
The divisional commander was already aware that the machine-guns in this company did not work properly, and that the troops' personal weapons were defective, and that out of the whole company only two Red Army men were able to fire their rifles during military action...3rd Company, under command of company commander KIRILENKO, went on the reconnaissance and no positive result came of it, but, coming under machine-gun fire from the enemy, it took losses...The majority of troops in the reconnaissance company do not even know how to ski...KUZNETSOV announced on his return that they were forced to bury their skis in the snow since no one knew how to ski...During military action by the 24' Rifle Division an artillery preparation was arranged which should have lasted for 2 hours...reserves were only enough shells for 40-45 minutes of firing. In order to comply with this order, commanders of the artillery units intervened to extend the time between salvoes...2nd Lieutenant Ayllis said: 'We live here in a worse state than someone living far from the centre of a collective farm. Not one piece of information about the situation at the front
and about the actions of our units has been forthcoming...' A Red Army soldier of the 662nd Rifle Regiment, of that same division, TOLKACHEV said: 'We are fed up with all this, you don't know what is happening...all we are doing is sitting around...'ANDREYEV in 9th Army's area of operations...claims: 'no kind of work amongst the local population is necessary, they should be left alone and not agitated...' File holes in left margin, else fine condition. With full translation.

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December 7, 2021 10:00 AM EST
Chesapeake City, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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