The treasure of Galdan

by Andrej Andrejew

  Nikolay Ezhov was this sort of person. Without the proper education, let alone a degree, he managed to climb the career ladder with iron will and treachery - for example toppling his own mentor Genrich Yagoda. The secret police of the Soviet Union was actually overstaffed. In the years following the October Revolution and Civil War this may have been rational, but around 1930 the Soviet power firmly held control over the country. True, the Soviet Union was surrounded by many hostile powers and some anti-soviet elements, as they were called, just admitted defeat rather than changing their attitude. But still, after more than 20 years of intensive effort one could expect to see results.

  The Soviet secret police was founded in 1917 by the legendary Felix Dzierzynski and was at that time called VChK (The All-Russia Extraordinary Committee). In 1920 it was renamed the OGPU (Combined State's Political Office) before later becoming the NKVD. From the very start the Soviet secret police, whatever they were calling themselves, quickly gave to understand that they meant business.

  By 1931 the critical intelligentsia was virtually exterminated and the well-off peasants, so called kulaki, were either deported or forced to join the collective farms. Arbitrary detentions and fast track courts were also not unusual.

  To fulfil these tasks the secret police had an impressive staff. After 1931 in view of the fact that the “enemies of toiling people” were virtually exterminated and the state needed money to fund the gargantuan industrialization program, the question of downsizing would seem to be quite reasonable.

  This is the moment when the heads of such organizations have to exercise a fine balancing act. They cannot just claim the perpetual need to uncover hidden enemies. The logical question would be what they were doing all this time and where are the results. The slicing tactic is a very successful solution to overcome this dilemma. They conducted the persecution of different groups in waves. After declaring victory over one group, the next campaign could be started. In Nazi Germany Heinrich Himmler used to employ the same tactic focusing on persecution of homosexuals, “free loaders”, “Gipsies,” Jews and communists at different times.

  This is what Ezhov did. In addition he blamed his predecessor and mentor Yagoda for insufficient vigilance and negligence. Thus the enemies had been there all along, but Yagoda overlooked them. This was in line with Stalin who thought that the more progress the socialist society achieved the more intensively its enemies would try to topple it.

  Another point which is important to remember when analysing the mentality of these people is the whole environment in which they lived and acted. In post- revolutionary Soviet Union, the destruction of bourgeoisie and counter-revolutionary elements was an integral part of propaganda and state policy. To get a label of “hostile element” it was not even necessary to do anything. It was automatically imposed on persons of “bourgeois descent” which by the way included also intelligentsia, thus becoming a sort of hereditary disease.

  The state emphasized its determination to cleanse the society from these elements and frequently used such definitions like merciless struggle, remorseless prosecution and deadly battle.

  Ezhov's, Himmler's or Pol Pot's thugs were no paranoid sadists. They were diligent executors of the state's policy, willing to excel and perform. Furthermore, as mentioned above they needed to show a perpetual threat to the state in order to maintain their own position.

  Gromov felt his heart racing.

  “Absolutely, Comrade Zalin. I studied it in detail immediately after it had been released.”

  “And then?”

  “Well, I was thinking that the railway NKVD needs to coordinate further steps with the city office.”

  “And how long are you planning to wait for further instructions Comrade Gromov?” Zalin raised his voice. “In this district which is under your responsibility not a single case of anti-soviet activity has been filed. You’ve been in charge since 1936, right? Do you want to tell me there are no hidden enemies here? What about this story with the tanker train by the way?”

  “It was an accident Comrade Zalin. Everything has been properly investigated and all those found guilty are serving their punishment.”

  “So, an accident? Comrade Gromov I am afraid you are not fully aware of the current situation and the magnitude of the problem. Also your problem-” he raised his voice again.

  “This morning we have discussed the work of your department with Comrades Zalessky and Nikolaev.” Nikolaev nodded in agreement. “And I must say we could not help but ask ourselves if you are up to the task.”

  “I fully realize that in the last months I have not paid sufficient attention to this matter Comrade Zalin. The favourable criminal statistic in my district has lulled me in feeling that nothing of major concern is going on. I sincerely regret my insufficient vigilance and if the party thinks I do not deserve my assignment anymore...”

  “Come on Gomov” interrupted Zalin “Mistakes can happen. It is important to learn from them. In view of your working class descent and your merits during the Civil War I think you deserve a chance to improve. But keep in mind, I want you to get started immediately and I want to see convincing results soon. By the way during the last week Comrade Torarev has already arrested 11 anti-social and hostile elements. And this without waiting for further instructions.” Zalin smiled.

  “Any further suggestions comrades?”

  “No” said Zalessky. Nikolaev just shook his head.

  Gromov headed to the basement with his knees trembling. He was starting to realize the disaster he had just escaped. Were Zalin not in good mood today... Better not even to think about it. How could he have misunderstood the directive so badly! He was sure the city NKVD office would take the lead and his department would continue to ensure the security of the railways.

  Gromov could not foresee that in June 1938 Zalin himself would be arrested on charges of espionage and sabotage, and duly executed in 1940. Also the good luck of the head of the Secret Service Ezhov was not to last for long. In December 1938 he was dismissed from his position and in February 1940 arrested and executed. He was crushed between the gearwheels of his own machinery.

  2

  Immediately after returning to the office Gromov summoned the two lieutenants working for him. Actually it was their job to investigate cases and conduct interrogations, but since he knew that there was no room for failure, he could not put his destiny in the hands of the others.

  “You remember Kiselev from the tanker train fire case, don't you?”

  Kiselev, a railway technician was interrogated during the investigation last time but no evidence had been found against him. It emerged that he was sick; although everybody knew that he was most likely drunk and not at the site of the incident that night.

  “Yes Comrade Captain!”

  “I want you to bring him here today. And if he is not at home, plough through the whole district. Got it?”

  It took less than two hours before Kiselev was sitting in Gromov's office.

  Gromov was reading the case file pretending that he wasn’t aware of Kiselev's presence. Then he looked at him intently for a minute and said:

  “You seem not to be very surprised to be arrested Kiselev?”

  “Comrade investigator, I...”

  “Comrade?!” shouted Gromov. “For you I am not a comrade! Japanese imperialists are your comrades!”

  “Sorry eh... grazhdanin sledovatel.” “Grazhdanin sledovatel,” directly translated as “citizen-investigator,” was the usual form for detainees to use to address interrogators.

  “Listen, Kiselev - last time you got away from the prosecution too easily. You thought you were very smart, didn't you? Or did your masters tell you that we are uneducated simpletons easy to fool?”

  “Which masters Com... sorry grazhdanin sledovatel?”

  “So, you want to play games with us? You will regret it! You will very much regret it! We do have enough evidence to convict you Kiselev. Do you know what the penalty for sabotage and espionage is? A co
mplete and sincere confession is your only chance!”

  Kiselev started shaking.

  “I really have no idea, believe me. If I can help the investigation I will do whatever you ask me to do!”

  “Then listen to me. We know that the fire on the bypass interval was not an accident but sabotage. Your sick leave was a perfect excuse but not completely perfect. You were seen on the night near the interval. Tell me who ordered the sand to be put on the rails, what was the purpose and who was involved in completing the crime? And I am warning you for the last time; don't even think about trying to fool me!”

  Kiselev felt like choking. Thoughts raced through his mind. He realized that he would be unlikely to get out of this terrible predicament. Suddenly an idea struck him. A year ago he had supervised the construction of a short railway line to Almaty's air field. Voronov, the lead engineer of the construction site had asked to transfer Kiselev away because he wasn’t fulfilling his tasks diligently.

  “I will confess everything. Please believe me – everything! The engineer Voronov paid me to organize the sabotage.”

  “What was the purpose of your group?”

  “The purpose was to test if it is possible to corrupt the operating of TURKSIB.”

  “Which foreign secret service was behind this?”

  “I really don't know. Strike me down dead if I am lying! Voronov seems to be the local boss of the espionage ring.”

  “Fine, but who executed the task and how?”

  “Eh, in fact the whole organization was supposed to...”

  “I want names Kiselev!”

  “This is what I am saying...”

  “For the last time, the names!”

  “Sure, sure grazhdanin sledovatel. The workers Dzambaev and Musilov drilled the holes in the floor of the carriages so that the sand could drop on the rails. Technician Polozkin switched the red signal on so that the tanker train had to brake abruptly.”

  When Kiselev has been led away to his cell, Gromov started to write his report.

  Urgent. Strictly confidential. For the personal attention of Comrade Feizullah Sakhatov.

  Comrade Sakhatov,

  Please be informed that the railway security department of the NKVD has managed to uncover a network of spies and saboteurs whose aim was to disrupt the operating of TUKSIB railway. The evidence suggests the involvement of the secret service of imperialist Japan. We have the names of the co-ordinator of the network and his accomplices. The arrests are to follow today.

  NKVD Captain Gromov.

  His joy at having pleased his superiors proved to be premature. The poor guys Dzambayev, Musilov and Polozkin were arrested the same day but Voronov was nowhere to be found. On asking the commandant of the air force brigade, who was in charge of the air field and correspondingly Voronov's boss, the reply came that Voronov was on a long term assignment which meant he was abroad.

  The Almaty's NKVD chief Sakhatov, who had returned from Tashkent in the meantime, was furious. They had made some progress towards meeting the quota of Ezhov's directive. But a Soviet engineer working abroad as a spy and saboteur was a major disaster.

  The task now was to figure out who had recommended him for this assignment, who had seen him last and howto get him back to Almaty or liquidate him wherever he was now.

  Gromov found out that the recommendation came from the director of Kazakhstan's Republican Institute of Construction Engineering Fedorov and was approved by the party secretary of the same InstituteTishchenko. Both were interrogated on the same day. The last person to have seen Voronov was the pilot of the special squadron of the air force Novikov but he refused to provide further details. The destination of his flights was a state secret he said, and if NKVD needed further information they should request it from the Commandant of the Middle-Asian military district in Tashkent. The NKVD was not used to such an attitude towards them but the Commandant in Tashkent was too important to insist on disclosing the information. The request had to go via Moscow and took a week to be approved.

  2

  Nicolay Voronov had worked at the Institute for Construction Engineering since 1933 after moving to Almaty from Tomsk.

  During the 30s the Soviet aviation industry boomed, therefore the demand for the construction of airports was high. It was an exciting but challenging task. The aircraft became heavier and bigger thus the planning of the runways had to be not only up to date but actually ahead of current technical developments.

  Voronov had to co-operate closely with pilots and meteorologists. He was provided with the technical characteristics of the airplanes, but he preferred to talk directly with those who were flying them.

  A pilot’s job from that time and from today cannot be compared. Depending on the load, the planes could not usually exceed cruising altitudes above 7000 meters. Thus apart from cumulonimbus clouds which can reach 12 000 meters up, they also had to fly through altocumulus and altostratus clouds. Therefore the flights were much more turbulent than they are today.

  The meteorological reports were not always reliable. The weather forecast was usually available for the starting point, the destination and sometimes but not always for some points in-between. There were no flight control centres to monitor the flights and advise if needed.

  If the pilot was surprised by bad weather he could only rely on his own skills. The aircraft was much more vulnerable thus it was not unusual, especially in winter, for the take-off to be postponed for several days.

  The navigation could also be challenging. Reliable radio compasses were just under development. In cases of poor visibility, approach was either impossible or required very good knowledge about the destination terrain.

  In Asia there were additional challenges namely the desert and the mountains. A sand storm could destroy propellers and make the runway unusable. Overflying high mountain ranges was equally dangerous. Despite the maximum cruising altitude, the distance to the ground was sometimes just few hundred meters which only took a touch of turbulence to cause a crash. Taking off or landing under the conditions of poor visibility was entirely impossible.

  Voronov had to take these factors into account since his institute was mainly in charge of air field construction in the area.

  Amongst the pilots his primary contact was Roman Novikov. In terms of flying Novikov was a real master of the art. His colleagues called him the “acrobat of the clouds”.

  Unlike what was described in the dry and predominantly positive reports on the technical characteristics of the aircraft Novikov could tell Voronov about his real life experience. This proved to be invaluable for example whilst constructing a small air field in Kirgizstan. The technical documentation described the take-off distance being on average 800 meters. Taking into account the maximum weight and the incremental runway slope Voronov proposed to allow for 920 meters. That was when Novikov turned his attention to an important detail which was not mentioned in the technical report. The aircraft factories in several major Soviet cities were located at a maximum of 300 meters above sea level. The test flights usually took place at airports with the same characteristics. However the airfield in Kirgizstan was located at 1080 meters above sea level. Adding in the low temperatures (down to - 35° Celsius) the worst case ground run could be as long as 1250 m. Furthermore in the mountain terrain it was not only the ground run which should be taken into account. Unlike the conditions on the plains where the aircraft could slowly climb as long as the pilot wished, in the mountains the runway frequently faced a sharp slope just a few hundred meters ahead. Therefore even a successful take-off was only the first part of the challenge; the second one was to be able to climb quickly enough but not too quick since this could cause stalling.

  With all this in mind Voronov suggested building a runway at least 1350 m long. This had infuriated the district party secretary. He had already reported to his superiors the estimated cost and the timelines of the project. In line with the zeitgeist he had committed himself to ensuring the completion ahead of sche
dule. Voronov’s amendments to the plan however would mean the extension of construction works by 6 weeks. The secretary, who had no clue about aviation, suggested training the pilots to use shorter runways. If not for the intervention of the military commandant, the potentially dangerous air field with a shorter runway would have been put into operation.

  In April 1937 Voronov had been been summoned to see the head of the Institute, Fedorov. Fedorov informed him that in a few months he would have to take charge of the air field construction in a neighbouring country. He did not disclose which one and or where it was exactly. Voronov tried to explain to him that he would need the year’s meteorological report of the site as well as geological ground characteristics but this was brushed aside. “When the time comes you will be informed accordingly,” said Fedorov.

  Three days later he was summoned again. That time two other persons were present in the office: a colonel of the construction troops and an air force major.