Kharkiv workers on the arrests of Soviet oppositionists in 1929

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Top Secret
OCRIL “K”.

SPECIAL REPORT ON THE REACTION OF KHARKIV WORKERS ON THE ARRESTS OF SOVIET OPPOSITIONISTS

POSITIVE REACTIONS

STATE ELECTRICITY STATION NO. 1. MELNIK, a locksmith at P No. 1, expressed his views within a workers’ group regarding the arrest of oppositionists, stating: “THE GPU DID THE RIGHT THING BY ARRESTING MILLER [an oppositionist]. HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN ARRESTED EARLIER, AS HE WAS ALWAYS RECRUITING WORKERS WITH HIS SPEECHES.”

PLANT “SERP AND MOLOT.” On February 1st of this year, a working conference was held at the plant, during which a report on the 10th anniversary of the Police and the Investigation Department was presented. In his report, Deputy Prosecutor VOLODARSKY stated: “About 200 oppositionists were arrested in Moscow and several dozen in Kharkiv.” Voitovich, a non-partisan repair shop mechanic who participated in the discussion, remarked: “I KNEW TROTSKY FROM MOSCOW AND LENINGRAD, WHO WAS A MENSHEVIK BEFORE THE REVOLUTION, ARGUED WITH LENIN SEVERAL TIMES AND LED UNDERGROUND ORGANIZATIONS. WE DID NOT GET THE REVOLUTION FOR FREE, BUT THE OPPOSITION WANTS TO SEPARATE US, THE WORKERS, FROM THE PEASANTS. WE WORKERS WILL NEVER AGREE TO THAT. THERE IS NO PLACE FOR OPPOSITIONISTS AND MENSHEVIKS AMONG US.”

The Presidium received several notes with the following content: “What is Trotsky’s condition? I heard that he is ill.” “Why can’t Trotsky be put among the workers so that the workers can influence him?” “Is it true that Trotsky helps the homeless with money?” “Why did Kamenev and Zinoviev remain in the Party?”

PETROVSKY’S TYPOGRAPHY. VERKHOLOMOV, a non-partisan typesetter at the printing house, commented on the arrest of the oppositionists: “IT’S HIGH TIME TO PUT AN END TO THEM LIKE THIS, AND THEY WERE STILL BEING TREATED WITH CEREMONY.” In response, a typist named TAKHTAULOV, also non-partisan, remarked: “AFTER ALL, THE OPPOSITION IS RIGHT AND DEFENDS THE INTERESTS OF THE WORKERS, AND PEOPLE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ARRESTED FOR TELLING THE TRUTH.” TAKHTAULOV seldom speaks at meetings and rarely attends them. He enjoys drinking and consistently supports the opposition whenever it’s discussed.

KHARTSYZSK CANTEEN. On January 27th, a non-partisan worker named OGURTSOV claimed: “THERE IS A 150-STRONG TROTSKYIST ORGANIZATION IN MOSCOW. THESE UNDERGROUND ORGANIZATIONS WORK WITH THE HELP OF THE FOREIGN BOURGEOISIE.” POLSKY, a non-partisan laborer present at the time, staunchly defended the opposition, stating: “THE COMMUNISTS HAVE DRIVEN OTHER PARTIES UNDERGROUND, AND THE OPPOSITION IS ALSO GOING DEEP UNDERGROUND.”

8th PLANT OF THE OIL PLANT. In discussions among themselves regarding the arrest of oppositionists in Moscow, the following exchanges were observed among the factory workers: “THE OPPOSITION IS EXCLUSIVELY ENGAGED IN COUNTER-REVOLUTIONARY ACTIVITIES, AND THEY CANNOT EXPECT ANY SUPPORT FROM THE WORKERS.” On January 31st, during an open meeting of the workers’ union on the activities of the opposition, a resolution was passed TO CONTINUE THE STRUGGLE AGAINST THE OPPOSITION.

“RED THREAD” FACTORY. On February 1st, worker MASLOVICH informed a group of workers: “I WAS UNAWARE OF THE CAMPAIGN TO EXPEL OPPOSITIONISTS FROM THE FACTORY. I DEEPLY REGRET SPEAKING AT YESTERDAY’S MEETING, AS MY RUSSIAN IS NOT FLUENT AND I MAY HAVE BEEN MISUNDERSTOOD. IN TRUTH, I AM AGAINST THE OPPOSITION.”

In the weaving shop, weavers discussed the arrest of oppositionists TILCHENKO, SCHUCHINSKYI, GOLDMAN, and EDELMAN, who allegedly provided his apartment for meetings of the arrested. Weaver SENDEROV commented: “WHO ELSE SHOULD BE ARRESTED EXCEPT FOR THE WORKERS?”

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“RED THREAD” FACTORY. On January 31st of this year, at an open meeting of the workers’ union, the issue of the counter-revolutionary activities of the Trotskyists was raised. The proposal to dismiss the oppositionists MANDELKERN, SCHUCHINSKYI, and GOLDMAN from their jobs was met with applause by the attending workers, who also suggested adding PHILIPPOV to the list. The chairman of the factory committee provided confirmation that PHILIPPOV had been arrested for distributing leaflets about the Antropov club.

“KOZHPOSAD” FACTORY. During a conversation among the workers regarding the arrest of the oppositionists, worker ERMAN remarked: “IT’S JUSTIFIED THAT THEY’RE BEING ARRESTED BECAUSE THEY’RE CONDUCTING COUNTER-REVOLUTIONARY ACTIVITIES AGAINST THE SOVIET GOVERNMENT.”

On February 2nd of this year, worker ERMAN approached MILECHOVSKYI and NESHKIS at work and asked, “HAVEN’T YOU BEEN ARRESTED YET? WHY HAVEN’T YOU?” Worker KATS, who was also present, commented, “IT’S COMPLETELY JUSTIFIED TO ARREST THOSE WHO ENGAGE IN COUNTERREVOLUTIONARY ACTIVITIES. IF THE WORKERS UNDERMINE THE DICTATORSHIP OF THE PROLETARIAT, THEY MUST FACE ARREST.” Worker OVSIEVICH chimed in, saying, “WHAT’S SURPRISING ABOUT ARRESTING WORKERS? I REMEMBER 1920 WHEN WORKERS WERE ARRESTED BY THE MENSHEVIKS, AND TODAY, THE OPPOSITIONISTS ARE SIDING WITH THE MENSHEVIKS AND UNDERMINING SOCIALIST CONSTRUCTION. IF A FEW PEOPLE ARE ARRESTED FOR THIS, IT’S ONLY RIGHT.” NESHKIS, who was present, questioned, “DOES THE PROLETARIAN DICTATORSHIP EXIST NOW?” After that, everyone returned to work.

NEGATIVE REACTIONS

KHARKIV TILE FACTORY. In the assembly shop, a group of workers were heard saying: “WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT THE OPPOSITION WANTS FROM US. WE HAVE NOT YET MANAGED TO HEAR A SINGLE TROTSKYIST SPEAK. WHAT ARE THEY FIGHTING FOR AND WHAT ARE THEIR DEMANDS? HOW CAN WE DECIDE ON THE RUTHLESS STRUGGLE AGAINST THEM? THE TROTSKYIST GROUP IS OBVIOUSLY GROWING IF THEY STARTED ARRESTING 150 PEOPLE AT A TIME.”

GAMALEI, a worker present in this group, said: “IN THE BURGUAZE COUNTRIES COMMUNISTS ARE IN PARLIAMENTS, THEY HAVE THEIR OWN PRESS, BUT HERE WE HAVE ONLY ONE DIRECTION OF PRESS. SO, WHERE IS FREEDOM?”

BOGDANOV, a repairman in the forge shop in the team of blacksmith ZEMLIAK, said: “In MOSCOW, 150 OPPOSITIONISTS have been arrested, and the GAZETTE HAS PRINTED ONLY 10 NAMES, OF WHICH 8 ARE ZHID.[1] THREE TROTSKYITES HAVE SPOKEN AT OUR GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY,[2] WHO ARE NOW BEING KICKED OUT OF THE GATES FOR THIS.” To this, the blacksmith ZEMLIAK replied: “IF TROTSKY WERE NOT A ZHID, EVEN A POLE, HE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN SENT AWAY SO SOON, AND HALF THE PARTY WOULD HAVE FOLLOWED HIM.” BOGDANOV, a worker present, added: “YES, MY DEAR, IF HE WERE NOT A ZHID, NOT ONLY THE PARTY, BUT ALSO THE WORKERS AND PEASANTS WOULD ALL FOLLOW HIM AND WOULD HAVE TURNED EVERYTHING AROUND LONG AGO. BUT THIS NATION IS WHAT’S IN THE WAY. EVERY WORKER AND PEASANT – HERE [hitting his fist in his chest] FEELS PAIN, BECASUSE ZHID IS A DECEITFUL NATION THAT WILL DEFRAUD, THAT’S WHY THERE IS NO TRUST. NOW THEY ARE ONLY IN OUR WAY. THEY’RE FIGHTING FOR THE SEATS, AND IT FALLS ON OUR HEADS. WE’LL HAVE TO ANSWER FOR IT. TROTSKY, BEING IN TURKESTAN, DISSOLVED HIS ROOTS AND THE STRUGGLE WILL CONTINUE.”

STATE ELECTRICITY STATION NO. 1. At a meeting regarding the arrests of oppositionists in Moscow, a worker spoke out against the opposition. The following day, foundry workers FEDOROV, a non-partisan, and PATOCHKIN, a former Komsomol member expelled for opposition, approached him and remarked, “WHY DID YOU SPEAK AGAINST THE OPPOSITION? IF YOU DON’T KNOW A DAMN THING, DON’T SPEAK OUT. BECAUSE THE PARTY HAS DEVIATED FROM ITS PROGRAMME. IT WAS WRONG NOT TO LET MILLER, KULISHOV, AND ZELMANO SPEAK.” [oppositionists]

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KOMBORBEZ PRINTING HOUSE. A worker at the printing house, TISHCHENKO, expressed in a group of workers: “AT PRESENT, SEARCHES ARE BEING CONDUCTED IN THE FLATS OF THOSE OPPOSITIONISTS WHO WERE EXILED LONG AGO. GPU SENT AN EMPLOYEE TO THE WIFE OF A STUDENT EXILED FOR OPPOSITION, AND DESPITE HER ABSENCE, THEY BROKE THE LOCK AND SEARCHED THE ENTIRE HOUSE. THE TIME WILL COME WHEN WE WILL ALL BE ARRESTED AND IMPRISONED. WHO IS GPU ARRESTING NOW, AND WHAT DO THESE ARRESTS ACHIEVE? THESE OPPOSITIONISTS ARE WORKERS LIKE US. THEY CAN’T BE COUNTER-REVOLUTIONARIES. THE OPPOSITIONISTS ARE MORE COMMITTED TO THE CAUSE OF THE WORKING CLASS, THEY ARE MORE LEFT-WING THAN THOSE IN POWER. BEING WORKERS THEMSELVES, THOSE IN POWER STRANGLE OTHER WORKERS.”

KHARKOVSK. LABOUR EXCHANGE. On February 2 of this year, in the leather workers’ section, a group of workers heard from the unemployed GINZBURG, a Komsomol member: “THE GPU AND THE PARTY TAKE ESTEEMED BOLSHEVIKS, WHO HAVE DEVOTED ALL THEIR YEARS TO THE REVOLUTION, AND SEND THEM TO THE FAR NORTH (Siberia), WHERE THEY LIVE WITHOUT MEDICAL HELP. THE RUSSIAN PROLETARIAT HAS GAINED NOTHING FROM THE REVOLUTION. THE WORKER CANNOT SAY A WORD BECAUSE THERE IS NO FREEDOM OF SPEECH. THE PROLETARIAT OF GERMANY HAS MORE FREEDOM, BECAUSE IT HAS ITS OWN ORGANIZATIONS, SUCH AS THE UNION OF RED FRONT WORKERS, THE COMMUNIST PARTY, WHICH CAN SPEAK FREELY ON ANY QUESTION.” GINZBURG is in the Komsomol cell of private enterprises.

THE PRINTING HOUSE OF THE “KNYGOSPILKA.” Workers YARMAK, KALMANOVICH, and others in a group of workers said: “THE SOVIET GUARDS ARE CLEANER THAN THE CZAR’S, BUT NOTHING CAN BE DONE BY FORCE. THESE ARRESTS WILL SILENCE THE WORKERS, BUT IT WILL BUILD UP IN THEIR HEARTS. IT IS ONLY A PITY THAT THE BEST LABOR FORCES ARE BEING DESTROYED.” Dialer SERGEYEV added: “THERE HAVE BEEN NO OPPOSITIONISTS FOR A LONG TIME NOW. THEY ARE ALL CAREERISTS, AND FOR THE SAKE OF THEIR OWN INTERESTS, THEY WILL BETRAY US ‘IVANS’ AT ANY MOMENT.”

KHARKOV CRIB FACTORY. On the next day after the general meeting, where a report was made on the activities of the opposition and the arrests of oppositionists in Moscow, in a group of workers the receiver FRANS said: “NOW IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR WORKERS TO SPEAK OPENLY ABOUT ANYTHING AGAINST ANYTHING, BECAUSE THEY WILL BE IMMEDIATELY CLASSED AS OPPOSITIONISTS AND ARRESTED. AND THEN YOU WILL GO INTO EXILE IN SIBERIA.” The foundry worker ZHATNIKOV, who was present, added: “NOW YOU MUST SPEAK CAREFULLY, OR YOU’LL END UP IN THE OPPOSITION. I’M LIKE, WHATEVER HAPPENS. BUT I WILL STILL SPEAK.” Komsomolets[3] YUDITSKYI remarked: “IT FIGHT OPPOSITION IN A WRONG WAY, THERE WERE OPPOSITIONISTS AT THE FACTORY, AND THEY WERE TAKEN AND FIRED.”

“PROLETARIY” PRINTING HOUSE. When discussing the arrest and dismissal of oppositionists from enterprises, the non-party worker KULIK said: “THE PARTY IS WRONG TO THROW OUT OPPOSITIONISTS FROM WORK. IT MUST RE-EDUCATE THEM AT WORK.”

KUTUZOV FACTORY. On February 2 of this year, electrician VOLOVICH stated: “THE OPPOSITION WILL NOT be intimidated by arrests. THE OPPOSITION IS RIGHT ON SOME ISSUES, SUCH AS WAGES. I DON’T KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE, BUT NOW THE SITUATION OF THE OPPOSITION IS UNENVIABLE.”

“KOZHPOSAD” FACTORY. On January 31 of this year, there was a discussion among the workers about the dismissal of 3 oppositionists at the “Bolshevik” factory. Worker NESHKIS, an oppositionist, stated: “IT IS WRITTEN IN THE GAZETTE THAT COMMUNISTS ARE BEING REMOVED FROM THEIR JOBS ABROAD. COMMUNISTS ARE ALSO BEING REMOVED FROM THEIR JOBS HERE. IT IS NOT SOVIET POWER, IT is WRANGEL’S POWER.” To this, the worker RUBINSTEIN, a member of the Party, remarked, “You are Trotskyists, and Trotskyists have always been Mensheviks and betrayed the working class. All of you are traitors to the working class.”

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The oppositionist MILEHOVSKY, who was present, said: “WHY DO WE HAVE TO ARGUE? WE WANTED TO IMPROVE THE SITUATION OF THE WORKERS, AND YOU FOOLS ARE STILL VOTING TO GET US OUT OF WORK. BUT YOU WILL REMEMBER OUR WORDS, AND YOU WILL KNOW WHO THE DEFENDERS ARE.”

Furthermore, MILECHOVSKY, in a conversation with a worker, said: “In Germany, there was a demonstration of Communists who shouted – ‘DOWN WITH STALIN, FREE TROTSKY’ – THE DEMONSTRATORS WENT TO THE PARTY COMMITTEE AND WROTE ON THE DOOR – DOWN WITH STALIN, FREE TROTSKY. BY ARRESTING AND REMOVING OPPOSITIONISTS FROM THEIR JOBS, THEY MAKE THINGS EVEN WORSE. THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE MUST MAKE PEACE WITH US, THEN IT WILL BE BETTER.”

KUTUZOV FACTORY. The oppositionist DANILOVICH is spreading rumors among the workers that the GPU BEAT THE ARRESTED OPPOSITIONISTS.

CHIEF OF THE KHARKOV DISTRICT DEPARTMENT
G.P.U. U.S.S.R.

[signature] /Blatt/

” January 1929.
No. …
Kharkiv

Notes:

[1] Pejorative term for Jewish people, in Russian and Ukrainian languages specifically.

[2] Russian joint-stock company “General Electric Company” [Всеобщая электрическая компания].

[3] A member of Komsomol.