Polish Operation of the NKVD (1937–38)

As a Polish action, the arrest and murder of Soviet citizens by the Soviet Ministry of Internal Affairs ( NKVD ) is called. She was part of the Great Terror, led by Joseph Stalin and Nikolai Yezhov.

Basis for the action was the NKVD Order No. 00485 of 11 August 1937 " About the liquidation of Polish sabotage and espionage groups and organizations in the POW [ Polish Military Organization ] ." This command, which a 30 -page explanatory letter - approved by Stalin and signed by Yezhov - was accompanied assumed the existence of a corresponding, subversively active in the Soviet Union military organization of the Polish state. In reality, the command for the mass repression of Soviet citizens of Polish descent or Polish-sounding names as well as of Soviet citizens with work contacts or private relations to Poland served. In addition, residents of the Soviet-Polish border region were particularly vulnerable. All these people came under suspicion because Poland was perceived by the leadership of the Soviet Union as an enemy. The 14 months lasting " Polish operation " was by far the greatest of all " national operations " of the NKVD during the Great Terror. Within 14 months, 143 810 Soviet citizens of Polish origin, was arrested with Polish-sounding names, with contacts to Poland or residing near the border. Of these, 139 885 were convicted. 111 091 were shot.