Soviet-Empire.com U.S.S.R. and communism historical discussion.
22 Dec 2010, 12:03
The NKVD Border Guards were an elite fighting unit trained in Siberia during the 1930s. As war with Nazi Germany came closer these specially trained units were placed on the western borders of the Soviet Union. Its said that although Stalin did not want the war and tried not to believe the Nazi Germans provocative maneuvers were the beginning of the war he him self realized it was inevitable and his weakened army after the purges and Finland was just not ready for it. He did however sign the orders saying that these specially trained troops were to stay behind the enemy lines as the German tanks rolled over and to start guerilla warfare against the invader in the occupied territories. I’ve got a book about this at home but ive forgotten the title and the author but ill call my family and get the details because it really opened my eyes. The NKVD were not just Stalin’s secret police there was many different branches and the border guards were the elite. They were like the Waffen SS. The were put into all the toughest areas of fighting. Its sad that they are not discussed as an elite fighting force of World War Two. I want to try and popularize there image. It has been tarnished of course because of the role it played in the great terrors but the border guards were and elite fighting force. So Comrades join the debate!
I’m sure some of you will have heard about the battle for the Brest Fortress. Well that was them holding out for so long. Have any of you heard about the NKVD border guards? If so what do you know?
I look forward to your ideas!
Тов. Том
I’m sure some of you will have heard about the battle for the Brest Fortress. Well that was them holding out for so long. Have any of you heard about the NKVD border guards? If so what do you know?
I look forward to your ideas!
Тов. Том
23 Dec 2010, 05:41
I tried to translate the piece from the article "Government order for de-Stalinization. What is the goal?" by Andrei Kuchin. Here it is:
"On the eve of World War II the People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs along with the border troops included the troops for guarding railway facilities and particularly important industrial enterprises, Escort Troops and Operational Troops.
On 22.06.41 47 land border detachments, 6 marine border detachments and 9 independent border commandant's offices of the NKVD on the western border of the Soviet Union from the Barents to the Black Sea have borne the brunt of the first strike of German troops. Hitler's command in its plans will only be given 30 minutes to destroy the frontier posts. And the guards kept fighting to the death for days or weeks. Chief of frontier post and a graduate of the Saratov 4-th school of the Border Guard and OGPU Troops Lopatin was among the first who was posthumously awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union. Now it is the Dzerzhinsky Red Banner Saratov Higher Command School of Interior Ministry. In the first months of war the troops of the NKVD actually performed non-core functions, performed the tasks of the Red Army and fought with the German troops as a motorized infantry forces of the Red Army because the internal troops of the NKVD were better prepared than the Red Army.
The Brest Fortress. The Border Troops and the 132nd Independent Battalion of the NKVD Escort Troops kept the defense for two months. Brest was hastily abandoned by the Red Army at 8.00 am 22.06.41 after a battle with the enemy infantry that had crossed Bug river by boat. In Soviet times all remembered the inscription of one of the defenders of Brest Fortress: "I am dying but I do not give up! Goodbye Motherland! 20.VII.41y". But few people knew that it was made on the wall of the barracks of the 132nd Independent Battalion of the NKVD Escort Troops.
The defense of Stalingrad. The 10th Infantry Division of the NKVD Internal Troops have borne the brunt of the first strike and held the line against the enemy until arrival of Red Army divisions. Soldiers of the 41th Independent Brigade of the NKVD Escort Troops were involved in law enforcement and defense of Leningrad.
On June 24, 1945 during Victory Parade composite battalion with banners and standards of the defeated German troops formed of the soldiers of the NKVD troops was the first to march through Moscow's Red Square. It was recognition of indisputable combat merits of the chekist warriors that they demonstrated during the war."
"On the eve of World War II the People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs along with the border troops included the troops for guarding railway facilities and particularly important industrial enterprises, Escort Troops and Operational Troops.
On 22.06.41 47 land border detachments, 6 marine border detachments and 9 independent border commandant's offices of the NKVD on the western border of the Soviet Union from the Barents to the Black Sea have borne the brunt of the first strike of German troops. Hitler's command in its plans will only be given 30 minutes to destroy the frontier posts. And the guards kept fighting to the death for days or weeks. Chief of frontier post and a graduate of the Saratov 4-th school of the Border Guard and OGPU Troops Lopatin was among the first who was posthumously awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union. Now it is the Dzerzhinsky Red Banner Saratov Higher Command School of Interior Ministry. In the first months of war the troops of the NKVD actually performed non-core functions, performed the tasks of the Red Army and fought with the German troops as a motorized infantry forces of the Red Army because the internal troops of the NKVD were better prepared than the Red Army.
The Brest Fortress. The Border Troops and the 132nd Independent Battalion of the NKVD Escort Troops kept the defense for two months. Brest was hastily abandoned by the Red Army at 8.00 am 22.06.41 after a battle with the enemy infantry that had crossed Bug river by boat. In Soviet times all remembered the inscription of one of the defenders of Brest Fortress: "I am dying but I do not give up! Goodbye Motherland! 20.VII.41y". But few people knew that it was made on the wall of the barracks of the 132nd Independent Battalion of the NKVD Escort Troops.
The defense of Stalingrad. The 10th Infantry Division of the NKVD Internal Troops have borne the brunt of the first strike and held the line against the enemy until arrival of Red Army divisions. Soldiers of the 41th Independent Brigade of the NKVD Escort Troops were involved in law enforcement and defense of Leningrad.
On June 24, 1945 during Victory Parade composite battalion with banners and standards of the defeated German troops formed of the soldiers of the NKVD troops was the first to march through Moscow's Red Square. It was recognition of indisputable combat merits of the chekist warriors that they demonstrated during the war."
23 Dec 2010, 13:39
Brilliant comrade thats just what I was looking for!Thanks! Lets raise the profile of this elite fighting unit!
25 Dec 2010, 03:33
Here I found the story of NKVD sniper Mikhail Galchkov in English. He was a soldier of the NKVD Border (or Frontier which is the same) Troops.
Here the article "The role and tasks of the NKVD during the Great Patriotic War" in English. It is mostly about other branches of the NKVD but also can be quite interesting.
Here the article "The role and tasks of the NKVD during the Great Patriotic War" in English. It is mostly about other branches of the NKVD but also can be quite interesting.
25 Dec 2010, 20:47
In Chris Bellamy's book Absolute War: Soviet Russia in WWII, you can find many informations about them. According to hom they had a key role, as had the NKVD. He also speaks about the Brest Fortress.
26 Dec 2010, 11:08
Thats the book ive got at home Comrade! Im in Moldova now and forgot what it was called. Thats where I got all my Info from. Thanks Comrade for telling all about that great book! It goes into great detail about the "Road of Life" which was made over lake lagoda to help those trapped in the siege of Leningrad. Great book!
15 Jan 2011, 15:09
I just read only a little bit about the defence of Brest Fortress, but I have to say I am impressed. The courage and resilience of those Comrades is unbelievable. Holding out for at least two more months after the Fortress was officially "captured" by the nazis, resisting in small pockets of troops, with an ever decreasing amount of troops, based in underground dungeons, just with the goal of killing as much of the enemies of the People as possible in defence of the Motherland, with such fervour that the nazis' only hope to root resistance was flooding the entire basement of the Fortress... Magnificent. Even Hitler and Mussolini were heavily gaurded and in fear of attacks when they visited the Fortress two months after its "capture". As one of the heroic defenders said it:
Quote:"We'll die but we'll not leave the fortress". "I'm dying but I won't surrender. Farewell, Motherland. 20.VII.41."
20 Jan 2011, 21:58
Quote:"I'm dying but I won't surrender. Farewell, Motherland. 20.VII.41."
This is a more accurate translation of the inscription than in my post, thanks.
21 Jan 2011, 12:11
Quote:The civilians inside the fortress looked after the wounded, reloaded the machine-gun discs and belts with cartridges and even took up rifles to help defend the fortress. Children brought ammunition and food supplies from half destroyed supply depots, searched for and brought weapons and watched enemy movements.
Popular resistance ftw. <3
Yes, we all like popular resistance but at the same time we dislike useless one-liners in this forum. This is more of a general warning to everyone posting here. So please, girls and guys, avoid one-liners. Thanks.
01 Feb 2011, 00:12
Comrades! Popularise the NKVD border guards! Its about time they were known to all interested in war fare!