Malyuchenko D.A.

Cleansing or revision? Control functions of the Special Department of the OGPU of Baltic Navy in the first half of the 1930s. Pp. 28–34.

UDC 94(47).084.6

DOI 10.37724/RSU.2025.88.3.003

 

Abstract. The special position of state security agencies in Stalin’s administrative system often led to a significant expansion of their powers and authority. Among these were the special services’ methods of investigation, inspections, and control measures in various spheres of society. This fully applies to the activities of the military counterintelligence agencies of the special departments of the OGPU, which performed control functions in the military department. Unfortunately, this part of the functioning of the special departments has not received due attention from researchers, especially in the work at the level of specific military and naval districts. Based on archival materials that are just now introduced into scientific circulation, mainly from the Russian State Naval Archive. We provide analysis and comparison of the results of a series of control operations carried out by the Special Department of the OGPU of the Baltic Sea Naval Forces in the first half of the 1930s. The cases investigated cover several aspects of the life of the Navy, making it possible to conduct a comprehensive study of the activities of military counterintelligence in order to identify the distinctive features of the control measures implemented. The Special Department also monitored military maneuvers, implementation of training and combat plans, medical services, and, of course, the morale of Red Navy personnel. Based on the results of the study of the documents, it is shown how important the information collected by the Special Department staff was, and to what extent the results of the investigations became a reason for purges of the Baltic Fleet servicemen.

 

Keywords: Special department of the OGPU, military counterintelligence, Baltic Fleet, personnel purges, political control.

 

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