Shmidt Dmitry Arkadievich

Divisional Commander (11/26/1935, NKO No. 2484)

Jew. Born in August 1896 in the city of Priluki, Poltava province, in the family of an insurance agency clerk.

Member of the CPSU(b) since 1915

Received home education. Before being drafted into the army, he worked as a mechanic and projectionist. For revolutionary activities he was arrested and served in prison in Nikolaev.

In January 1915 he was drafted into the RIA. Member of the First World War. For military distinction he was awarded four St. George Crosses (researcher Yu.G. Kurepin did not identify documents confirming the awards) and in February 1916 he was promoted to officer. In battles he was wounded three times. After the February Revolution of 1917, he carried out Bolshevik propaganda among soldiers of units of the Southwestern Front, assisted in the formation and training of Red Guard units. He led the Bolshevik faction in the committee of the 164th Infantry Division of the 12th Corps of the 7th Army of the Southwestern Front. The last rank and position in the old army was lieutenant, or battalion commander.

Volunteer in the Red Army since 1918.

Participant in the Civil War, during which he held positions:

Commandant of the city of Pryluky.

Commander of a partisan detachment.

From October 1918, commander of the 7th Sudzhansky (later the 5th Soviet Regiment, then included in the 46th Rifle Division)

Commander of the 2nd Brigade of the same division (from February 1919)

Commander of the combined brigade of the 37th Infantry Division (from April 1919)

Since August 1919 - chief of staff of the military and military personnel of the Yaroslavl district.

Temporarily commanded the 37th Infantry Division.

In 1920 - commander of the Kherson group of forces.

At the end of 1920 he was enrolled as a junior student at the Academy of the General Staff.

After the Civil War in responsible command positions.

From May 1921 - Chief of Staff of the 17th Cavalry Division.

In 1922-1923 - student of the Higher Academic Courses at the Military Academy of the Red Army. In 1923-1924. - commander and military commissar of the 2nd and commander of the 1st divisions of the Red Cossacks.

Since August 1924 - head of the Ukrainian cavalry school.

Since August 1926 - commander and military commissar of the 7th Samara Cavalry Division.

Since May 1927 - head of the North Caucasian mountain nationalities cavalry school.

In 1928 he graduated from KUVNAS at the Military Academy named after M. V. Frunze.

From May 1930 - Deputy Chief of Staff of the North Caucasus Military District.

In 1931-1933 - student of the Special Group of the Military Academy named after M.V. Frunze, after which he was appointed commander and military commissar of the 2nd separate mechanized brigade.

Since February 1934 - commander and military commissar of the 8th separate mechanized brigade.

Delegate to the XVII Party Congress.

On June 19, 1937, the Military Collegium of the Supreme Court of the USSR sentenced him to death on charges of participation in a military conspiracy. The sentence was carried out on the same day.

By decree of the PVS of the USSR dated July 20, 1940, he was deprived of state awards.

By decree of the USSR PVS dated July 11, 1967, his rights to awards were restored.

Awarded:

Order of the RVSR No. 505 of October 19, 1920. Order of the Red Banner of the RSFSR No. 14530. Issued to replace No. 829 and No. 5062.

“Awarded with the Order of the Red Banner... is the former commander of the 2nd consolidated brigade of the 37th Infantry Division, now a student at the General Staff Academy, Comrade. Schmidt for the courage and bravery he showed in numerous battles with the enemy: during the capture of the city of Rylsk, the Lyubotin railway junction and near Kremenchug during the crossing of our troops across the Dnieper River and the capture of the Kryukovo settlement, where he captured... many military trophies. In addition, under his personal command of the brigade, during heavy battles near Shepetovka, the enemy pressure at Sudilkovo was contained, which contributed to the defeat of the main forces of the Petliura army... Comrade. Schmidt was seriously shell-shocked, but remained in service, continuing to personally command the brigade and personally act at the gun in battle with the enemy’s armored train.”

Order of the RVSR No. 205 of June 25, 1921. Order of the Red Banner of the RSFSR No. 236 “2”. Secondary award.

“The former commander of the 2nd consolidated brigade of the 37th Infantry Division, Comrade. Shmidt Dmitry Arkadyevich for courage, military valor and energy in a number of battles on the Eastern Front. November 19, 1919 near the village of Loznoye comrade. Schmidt, personally leading the brigade, defeated enemy units that were significantly superior to us. On November 24 of the same, near the Tishina colony, comrade. Schmidt, with a skillful maneuver, went behind enemy lines and with his bold actions contributed to the complete defeat of the enemy grenadier division, which was almost entirely captured. On November 29, during the attack on the mountains. Tsaritsyn comrade Schmidt was wounded near Gorodishche, but remained in the ranks and inspired his fellow Red Army soldiers with the example of his courage. Having been wounded for the second time, he was forced to leave the ranks of his brigade and, leaving it, conveyed to the advancing chains: “Comrades, for my wounds you will return Tsaritsyn to Soviet power!”

Other awards:

ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE COMMANDER OF THE ARMED FORCES OF UKRAINE V. A. ANTONOV-OVSEENKO ON THE NOMINATION OF D. A. SCHMIDT FOR AN AWARD OF AN HONORABLE WEAPON

Active Army

To the commander of the 2nd brigade of the 2nd Soviet Ukrainian Rifle Division, Comrade Schmidt

Commander of the 2nd brigade of the 2nd Soviet Ukrainian Rifle Division Dmitry Arkadyevich Schmidt for the capture of Rylsk - the first city of the rebel invasion of Ukraine - as commander of the 7th Sudzhansky rebel regiment;

for the capture of the railway junction Lyubotin in the position of commander of the 5th Soviet Ukrainian Rifle Regiment, during this operation he commanded the 2nd Ukrainian Division;

for the battles near Kremenchug, for the night battle and crossing the Dnieper in battle and the capture of the Kryukov settlement, where he captured 10 enemy trains and many military trophies;

for special heavy battles near Shepetovka, where, under his command as a brigade commander near Sudilkov, the enemy’s pressure was restrained, which contributed to the defeat of the main forces of the Petliura army under the command of Oskilko. Personally supervising the filling of the breakthrough, he was severely shell-shocked and remained in the ranks, continuing to personally command and personally act for the numbers at the gun in the battle with the enemy’s armored train;

For his constant military merits, Comrade Schmidt was presented by the Revolutionary Military Council of the Soviet Army of Ukraine for a military award - an honorary weapon.

Commander of all armed forces of Ukraine

Member of the Revolutionary Military Council of Soviet Troops of Ukraine

For special assignments with the commander

all armed forces of Ukraine

TsGASA, f.103, op.1, d. 5, l.119.

ADDRESS BY THE FORMER COMMANDER OF THE UKRAINIAN FRONT V. A. ANTONOV-OVSEENKO TO THE VUTSIK AND THE COUNCIL OF NARKOM OF THE USSR ON AWARDING THE SENIOR COMMAND STAFF OF THE FRONT WITH HONORABLE WEAPONS

1. The commander of the 1st division, Comrade Shchors, and the brigade commander, Comrade Bozhenko, were presented with an honorary weapon from the government. The award was approved, but the honorary weapon itself has not yet been received.

2. May 28 this year g. with a special certificate, the commander of the 2nd brigade of the 2nd Soviet Ukrainian Rifle Division, Comrade Schmidt, was presented with an honorary weapon from the government.

I ask for approval.

3. The commander of the 3rd Soviet Ukrainian Army, Comrade Khudyakov, is presented with an honorary weapon from the government for conducting combat operations in the area of ​​his army against Grigoriev.

4. Head of the 6th Tkachenko is presented with an honorary weapon from the government for his personal valor in battles with the Petliurites and for special valor in suppressing the Grigoriev rebellion.

Enclosure: copy of certificate No. 1089 *.

Former commander Antonov

Consisting of special assignments under Commander Malakhovsky

TsGAOR Ukrainian SSR, f. 2579, op.1, d.19, l.2. Script.

Sources:

1. Cherushev N. S., Cherushev Yu. N. “Executed elite of the Red Army 1937-1941. Commanders of the 1st and 2nd ranks, corps commanders, division commanders and their equals.”

2. Strekalov N. Sysolyatin I. “Awards of the Soviet Republics”

3. http://www.rkka.ru/ihandbook.htm Table of assignments of ranks to A. A. Zhukov.

4. Military history magazine 1973 No. 10.

5. Civil war in Ukraine vol.3.

As you know, the commander of the Kyiv Military District, Commander Yakir, was arrested on May 30, 1937.

Yakir was interrogated in Moscow only 4 (!) times: on May 30 (arrested on May 28), June 3, 5 and 7. At first -He denied everything with indignation. In a confrontation with Cork, who had denounced him (May 30), he said:

« I always knew that Cork was a very bad person (!), to say the least, but I could never imagine that he was just a provocateur ».

Then Yezhov himself arranges an interrogation for him.

And in the evening of the next day he writes about his surrender:

« I can no longer hide my criminal anti-Soviet activities and plead guilty, my guilt is enormous; I have no right to leniency ».

1 June he gives a 22 page written statement confessing everything.....where is this confession now?

Secret...what did Yakir say that was so interesting?

SCHMIDT

As is known, Yakir was initially exposed by the testimony of his subordinate and favorite divisional commander Dmitry Schmidt.

He was a controversial personality.

Dmitry Arkadyevich Schmidt - real name - David Aronovich Gutman

He was born in 1896 in the city of Priluki, Poltava province. With the outbreak of the First World War, he was drafted into service in the tsarist army. In 1916 he received the rank of ensign.

Then he joined the Red Army

Knight of two Orders of the Red Banner of the RSFSR, full Knight of St. George, participant in the First World War and Civil War, division commander of the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army.

Since the fall of 1918, Schmidt served in the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, and was the commander of a regiment, brigade, and rifle division. Participated in the defense of Tsaritsyn. Later he began to command a group of troops in the Kherson direction.

For distinguished service in the Civil War, he was twice awarded the Order of the Red Banner of the RSFSR.

The second time Joseph Stalin signed the proposal. By the age of 23, Schmidt had already been wounded nine times in battle.

After the end of the war, Schmidt continued to serve in the Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army. He commanded a cavalry division, a cavalry school, and the 7th Samara Cavalry Division.

Later he became deputy chief of staff of the North Caucasus Military District. In 1933 he graduated from the Military Academy of the Red Army, then in 1934-1937 he commanded the 8th separate mechanized brigade in the Kiev Military District

In general, Schmidt did not have any conflicts with the country's leadership and Stalin until the mid-20s.

But then the frostbitten hero turned out to be an ardent supporter of Trotsky.

Divisional Commander Schmidt... the same frostbitten hero who threatened Stalin with physical violence

It can be said that the greatest service to Schmidt was provided by the Soviet diplomat A. Barmin, who knew him closely, a supporter of Trotsky, who fled to the West.

Due to the exclusivity of the material, it will have to be presented here:

« I first met Schmidt on the steps of the academy in September 1920. His energetic, carefully shaven face was framed by a neat “naval” beard of the type that Radek now wears.

He had thin lips and piercing eyes. On his head was a hat, jauntily tilted to one side, as is customary among horsemen in the south. The blue tunic was decorated with two Orders of the Red Banner, at that time - very rare military distinction - even among well-known military leaders of the Red Army.

It was belted with a Caucasian strap, from which hung silver jewelry. A large inlaid curved saber hung in a scabbard on his belt. He had not yet fully recovered from his wound and, limping, leaned on a cane.

I moved slowly and felt not quite at ease in Moscow. He was a typical commander of the revolutionary era, the embodiment of energy, like a taut bowstring.

Like many, Schmidt was promoted by the revolution from rural obscurity to the front ranks of the revolutionary army.

He was the son of a poor Jewish shoemaker and, if not for the revolution, would probably have followed in his father's footsteps, wasting all his enormous energy on petty mischief and village enterprises. The social storm unleashed a wealth of talent, allowing thousands of people to demonstrate their leadership abilities on a national scale.

At the beginning of the revolution, Schmidt joined the navy, but when one half of the Russian fleet was frozen in the Baltic ice, and the second was sunk in the Black Sea to avoid falling into the hands of the Germans, the sailors turned into soldiers. Schmidt became the commander of one of the shock troops, which was a threat to the whites.

Naked to the waist, belted crosswise with machine-gun belts, the brave Red Army soldiers walked at full height towards the enemy under brutal fire, throwing grenades at him.

They terrified the whites, who called them « red devils ». In the end, Schmidt decided to turn his sailors into horsemen, and his detachment became known throughout Ukraine. Young peasants flocked to him, and soon his detachment grew to the size of a regiment, and then a brigade.

Schmidt studied at the academy for two years, and these were years of hard study. We became great friends. He was distinguished by selfless courage, was modest, purposeful, loved jokes, and was sentimental like a child. His character was formed in a harsh military environment, and he remained that way until the end of his days.

We often spent evenings together in his small room on Tverskaya Street. His charming wife Valentina treated us to tea and what in those days could pass for cake.

Dmitry Schmidt talked about the heroic deeds of those who fought next to him, about the sailors who became cavalrymen to fight the Germans, the Whites, the Petliurists and all sorts of gangs who did not even know for whom or against whom they were fighting.

I remember one of his stories.

— In nineteen nineteen, the city of Kamenets-Podolsky on the border with Austria, - he said -was surrounded by marauding gangs. The city's population was literally groaning from robbery. Then I decided - Schmidt said,break through there and defend the city at all costs.

It was difficult to restore order, but we were not given anything else. We covered the walls of the city with proclamations in which threats alternated with promises to protect the city. And we held the city.

In Kamenets-Podolsk, Schmidt had a meeting with the People's Commissar of Defense of Soviet Hungary, Tibor Samueli, who was on his way to Moscow by plane.

Perhaps this was subsequently a significant factor in his appointment as commander of the strike force. It was this group that was to come to the aid of the Hungarian revolution across the borders of Poland and Romania.

As I learned then, Schmidt was not at all embarrassed by the prospect of breaking through two borders. I am convinced that he always regretted that the order to attack was never given. Red Budapest fell too quickly...

A few years after graduating from the academy, I again heard about Schmidt, who at that time was serving in Minsk. One of the senior officers insulted his wife, and Schmidt, putting a bullet in the stomach of the offender, lowered him down the stairs. The offender survived, and the scandal was hushed up.

In the period 1925-1927, Schmidt joined the opposition.

He arrived in Moscow for the party congress just at the moment when the expulsion of the Trotskyist opposition from the party was announced. He was dressed, as usual, in the uniform of his division: a large black cloak, a belt with silver decorations, a huge saber and a hat askew.

Leaving the Kremlin with Radek, he encountered Stalin. Political passions were running high at that moment. Stalin actively intrigued in party affairs, but he had not yet managed to subjugate the party.

Schmidt approached him and began to abuse him, half-jokingly and half-seriously, as only a real soldier can do, that is, in words that must be heard to be believed.

And in the end he pretended to draw his saber and promised the General Secretary that one day he would cut off his ears.

Stalin listened to the insult without saying a word, with a pale face ».

There can be only one conclusion from the above material: a person with such views and character traits, no matter what they say, was capable of much, including the most extreme actions.

Let us remember that during the Civil War he had two Orders of the Red Banner, but they were not simply given.

FIRST INTERROGATION PROTOCOL OF SCHMIDT

"Question: You are a member of the communist-revolutionary Trotskyist organization. Give evidence on the merits of the issue.

Answer: I am not a member of any Trotskyist counter-revolutionary organization.

Question: Which Trotskyist did you keep in touch with until recently?

Answer: I periodically met with Zyuk, the commander of the Chapaev division, now transferred to Ukraine...; Kuzmichev, chief of staff of the air brigade in Zaporozhye, saw him for the last time in Kyiv in the fall of 1935 after the maneuvers; Leonov, where exactly he worked, I did not know; I saw him for the last time in Moscow at Dreitzer’s apartment in 1933; Bliskovitsky also did not know where he worked; he met with him until 1932 inclusive at Okhotnikov’s apartment.

I was especially closely connected with Yakov Okhotnikov and Efim Dreitzer.

Question: What does “closely connected” with Okhotnikov and Dreitzer mean?

Answer: Okhotnikov and Dreitzer are my old friends from the army.

Okhotnikov and Dreitzer drew me into the Trotskyist organization in 1927. Subsequently, they, like me, renounced their Trotskyist views, and I continued to maintain close relations with them.

Question: How often did you meet with Dreitzer and Okhotnikov?

Answer: ...I met Okhotnikov in Moscow quite often until his arrest in 1933.

I also usually met with Dreitzer in Moscow and stayed at his apartment until his arrest in 1936.

Question: Did you inform the party organization or the command about the arrest of Okhotnikov, with whom you were closely associated until his arrest, for counter-revolutionary activities?

Answer: No, I didn’t tell anyone about this because I didn’t know that I should do it. I believed that I was above suspicion and must frankly say that when I learned from Okhotnikov’s wife about his arrest, I intended to write a letter to the chairman of the OGPU, in which I wanted to vouch for Okhotnikov’s honesty and his devotion to the party and Soviet power. It was only when I learned that he had been convicted that I decided that he was truly guilty.

In general, at that time (this was in 1933, before the murder of Comrade Kirov), I did not yet attach such great importance to the arrest of Okhotnikov.

Question: Did you inform anyone about the arrest of the Trotskyist Dreitzer, with whom you were also associated until his arrest?

Answer: No, I didn’t tell anyone about it either.

Question: You did not inform anyone about the arrest of the Trotskyist Okhotnikov for the reasons that it happened before the murder of Comrade. Kirov and you did not attach any importance to this, but Dreitzer was arrested in 1936?

Answer: This is my mistake.

Question: You are a letter from the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks on all party organizations, issued after the villainous murder of Comrade. KIROV, have you read?

Answer: Yes, I read it.

Question: How is it that you, a member of the CPSU(b), commander of the Red Army, did not draw any conclusions for yourself and continued to be associated with the Trotskyists?

Answer: I repeat that I made an unforgivable mistake, but I claim that I did not know that Okhotnikov and Dreitzer were carrying out Trotskyist work.

Question: Hasn’t Dreitzer expressed Trotskyist views to you in recent years?

Answer: On the contrary, I assert that Dreitzer was an honest member of the CPSU(b), devoted to the party line.

Question: The point is not your friendship, but the fact that you were associated with Dreitzer and other Trotskyists, since you yourself remained a Trotskyist.

Answer: I deny not only that I was a Trotskyist after 1927, but that I was associated with anyone on a Trotskyist basis.

Question: Precisely because you remained a Trotskyist after 1927, Okhotnikov, Dreitzer and other Trotskyists carried out counter-revolutionary work with you.

Answer: I categorically deny this.

Question: Dreitzer gave exhaustive testimony about his counter-revolutionary Trotskyist activities until recently and showed that you and he were members of the Trotskyist organization.

Answer: I repeat that I know nothing about Dreitzer’s counter-revolutionary activities.

Question: Your testimony is false, since Dreitzer himself testified that his meeting with you in Kyiv was connected with the activities of the illegal Trotskyist counter-revolutionary organization, of which you were a member.

Answer: I deny this again.

The interrogation is interrupted.

Recorded from my words, that’s right, read by me Schmidt

Interrogated:

Us. secret polit, department of the GUGB

State Security Commissioner of 2nd rank: (G. Molchanov)

Deputy beginning secret polit, department of the GUGB

State Security Commissioner of the III rank: (G. Lyushkov)"

From the interrogation protocol it is clear that no one tortured Schmidt, he denies his guilt and strives to justify himself in every possible way.

Georgy Molchanov, Head of the Secret Political Department of the OGPU under the Council of People's Commissars - GUGB NKVD of the USSR, Commissioner of State Security 2nd Rank

SECOND INTERROGATION PROTOCOL

“Question: Despite the facts presented to you during the interrogation of July 9 and subsequent interrogations, which completely expose you to Trotskyist communist-revolutionary activities, you stubbornly continue to deny this unfoundedly. Do you finally intend to give truthful testimony?

Answer: I have already said and repeat: I am not guilty of anything.

Question: We present to you the corresponding passage from the testimony of S.V. Mrachkovsky dated July 19 this year. g.: “D. I know Schmidt well as an active Trotskyist, an old friend of E. Dreitzer in the army. In 1927 or 1928 D. Schmidt was attracted by E. Dreitzer to Trotskyist activities.

He was active in Trotskyist work in the North Caucasus, where at that time he was the commander of one of the cavalry units. Schmidt maintained contact with our organization through Dreitzer until recently."

Answer: I confirm Mrachkovsky’s testimony about my Trotskyist work in 1927. But lately I continue to deny belonging to the Trotskyist organization.

Sergey Mrachkovsky

Question: Your tactics of unfounded denial of facts will lead nowhere. We present to you the testimony of E. Dreitzer dated 2/VII p. g., which establishes that during your meeting with him in May 1935 in Kyiv, complete solidarity was achieved between Dreitzer and you on the need to organize terrorist acts against the leaders of the CPSU (b).

Answer: This testimony of Dreitzer is absolutely incorrect.

Question: You not only approved the terrorist plans of the organization, but you yourself took upon yourself the preparation of a terrorist act against Comrade. Voroshilov.

Answer: This is not true

Question: We present to you the testimony of S.V. Mrachkovsky dated 19.VII. g.: “E. Dreitzer reported to me that he was simultaneously preparing the murder of Voroshilov, for which he had to be prepared

Shmidt Dmitry. It was assumed that Schmidt would kill Voroshilov either during a personal report to Voroshilov, or during the next maneuvers at which Voroshilov would be present.” Answer: I continue to categorically deny this.

Schmidt (signed)

Interrogated:

Beginning secret watered department of the GUGB

Commissioner of States. safe 2 ranks: (Molchanov)

Pom. beginning 1 department SPO GUGB

Captain of States. safe (Lulov)"

Here Schmidt also refuses to admit, although he casually admits his participation in Trotskyist activities in the 20s.

CONFRONTATION

The investigation, in order to force Schmidt to confess, confronted him with his accomplice Dreitzer, who was an active anti-Stalinist.

"From the protocol of the confrontation between Dreitzer Yu. O. and Schmidt D. A. dated August 8-10, 1936.

Question to Dreitzer: What can you show about the nature of your connection with Schmidt in recent years?

Answer: As I have already shown, I kept in touch with Schmidt until recently. From systematic communication with Schmidt and conversations with him, I know that Schmidt until recently remained in Trotskyist positions.

Question to Schmidt: Do you confirm this testimony of Dreitzer?

Answer: No, I do not confirm. After my departure from Trotskyism in 1927, I completely shared the general line of the CPSU(b).

Question to Dreitzer: What caused this meeting of yours with Schmidt in May 1935?

Answer: As I have already shown in detail during previous interrogations, I, on instructions from the center of the Trotskyist-Zinoviev organization, prepared a terrorist act against Stalin. Due to the fact that the issue of practical preparation of a terrorist act against Voroshilov, due to the lack of suitable people, had not been resolved, Mrachkovsky in the spring of 1934 instructed me to intensify my connections in the army for this purpose.

As suitable candidates, Mrachkovsky and I identified Schmidt and Kuzmichev, who were known to me as persons who had formally abandoned Trotskyism and remained in Trotskyist positions.

In May 1935, I was presented with a formal pretext for a trip to Kyiv, which I used to meet with Schmidt. ...I reported

him about the existence of the all-Union center of the Zinoviev-Trotskyist bloc, about the decision of this center to move to terror over the leaders of the CPSU (b).

In particular, I told Schmidt about a personal letter I received from Trotsky in the fall of 1934 with a directive to kill Stalin and Voroshilov and about similar directives from Mrachkovsky.

Question to Dreitzer: You testified that you went to Kyiv with the aim of involving Schmidt in participating in the preparation of a terrorist act against Comrade. Voroshilov. What were the results of your negotiations with Schmidt?

Answer: Schmidt completely agreed with me that it was necessary to strike a blow at Stalin and Voroshilov. Then I told him that preparations for a terrorist attack against Stalin were already underway and that we needed to prepare for a terrorist attack against Voroshilov.

After this, I directly asked Schmidt whether he was able to take upon himself the murder of Voroshilov. Schmidt gave his consent and expressed confidence in the success of the terrorist attack, since he, as a major commander, has relatively easy access to Voroshilov...

Question to Schmidt: ... Dreitzer is now reproducing to you the specific circumstances under which you were involved by him in terrorist work. Do you finally intend to give truthful testimony?

Answer: I categorically deny this testimony of Dreitzer. He's slandering me.

Written down from our words correctly, we read:

Dreitzer Schmidt

The confrontation was carried out:

Beginning sec. watered dept. GUGB state commissioner without. II rank (Molchanov)

Beginning ECO GUGB State Commissioner without. II rank (Mironov)

Pom. beginning I department SPO captain state without. (Lulov)

Opera. Pack. 5 dept. IVF ml. Lieutenant (Fradkin)"

RECOGNITION OF DIVISION COMMANDER SCHMIDT

Question: Throughout the investigation, despite the materials presented to you and the confrontation with the accused Dreitzer, which exposed you as an active participant in the terrorist-Trotskyist organization, you stubbornly denied your participation in the organization.

Do you intend to give frank testimony now, after the confrontation?

Answer: Yes, you are right. I made sure that there was enough evidence against me. Considering any further denial pointless, I decided to tell the truth.

Indeed, since May 1935, I have been a member of the terrorist Trotskyist organization, from which I received the task of carrying out a terrorist act against the People's Commissar of Defense Voroshilov.

Question: Why did Dreitzer, not afraid of exposure, tell you - the commander of the Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army - about the terrorist activities of the Trotskyist center and suggested that you commit the murder of Comrade. Voroshilov?

Answer: Dreitzer is my old friend and political associate.

In 1927, meeting with Dreitzer Efim and his friend Yakov Okhotnikov, I was involved by them in the Trotskyist organization.

At that time, Dreitzer and Okhotnikov studied at the Military Academy and were part of the leadership of the military center of the Trotskyist organization, which led the work in the Red Army units.

At the same time, I knew from Dreitzer that the leadership of the military center of the Trotskyist organization included the following persons:

1) Broydo Sergey, b. Commissioner of the 2nd Cavalry Corps;

2) Okhotnikov Yakov, b. adjutant of Comrade Yakir;

3) Putna, b. commander of the 27th division;

4) Mikhail Zyuk, division commander;

5) Leonov, b. Commissioner of the Shot School; 6) Primavov b. commander of the Red Cossacks corps;

7) Bakshi;

8) Kuzmichev and

9) Bulatov Boris. I don’t remember the positions of the last three now.

Question: What exactly did you do according to the directives transmitted by Dreitzer?

Answer: I was practically unable to do anything on Dreitzer’s instructions, because soon after my meeting and conversation with Dreitzer, arrests began.

Question: Which of the Trotskyists in the Red Army was Dreitzer associated with, besides you?

Answer: According to Dreitzer, I know that he maintained an organizational connection with Boris Kuzmichev, the chief of staff of the air brigade; Zyuk Mikhail, commander of the 25th division; Bakshi, commander of the mechanized corps in Leningrad; Putnoy, military attaché of the USSR in England; Turovsky, office. Commander of the Kharkov Military District;

Broido Sergey; Primakov, deputy commander of the Leningrad Military District.

Schmidt

Interrogated::

Head of the GUGB NKVD of the USSR

Head of the 7th department of the GUGB NKVD

State Security Captain (Southern)

For special assignments OO GUGB NKVD Lieutenant of State Security (Radin)"

ABOUT THE ROLE OF PUTNA

Question: In the interrogation protocol dated August 22, this year. g. you showed that Putna Vitovt was part of the military center of the Trotskyist organization. What do you know about c.-r. Trotskyist activities of Putna?

Answer: I met Putna in 1922 in Moscow while studying together at the Higher Attestation Commission.

At that time, Putna was an active Trotskyist. In 1925, I worked as the head of the Elisavetgrad cavalry school. The head of the military educational institutions of the Red Army was Putna V., to whom I came in the same year with a report.

Putna at that time was a Trotskyist and, having met me, began to groom me so that I would join the Trotskyists. Putna proved to me that the leadership of the All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks) cannot ensure the governance of the country, that only the “genius” of Trotsky can lead the country to victory. At the same time, Putna cited examples from the civil war, where he attributed all victories only to Trotsky.

Putna told me that there is Lenin’s will, which directly states that Trotsky should lead the party. In 1927, when I joined the Trotskyists, from the words of Dreitzer, Okhotnikov and Putna, I learned that Putna was part of the military center of the Trotskyist organization and was carrying out a lot of organizational work in the Red Army.

In his work, he reports personally to L. Trotsky, from whom he receives directives for work in the army. In 1927 or 1928, Putna was sent by the Revolutionary Military Council as a military attaché to Japan.

Then, before leaving, I had a meeting with Putna, who told me that Trotsky came to his apartment, who gave him a whole series of directive instructions in connection with his departure abroad.

Vytautas Putna

In the protocol of August 22, I already indicated that in 1932-1933 tt. I met with Putna regarding joint Trotskyist activities, I knew that he was one of the leaders of the Military Trotskyist Center and led the meetings of the said center at the apartment of Yakov Okhotnikov.

Question: ...Which of the participants in the Trotskyist organization in the Red Army do you know?

Answer: Of the participants in the Trotskyist organization working in the Red Army, in addition to the named persons, I know: Yuri Sablin, head of the UPR (fortified area), division commander; in the past b. Left Socialist-Revolutionary, participant in the Moscow uprising of the Left Socialist-Revolutionaries. Kuzmichev Boris, chief of staff of the air brigade, Primakov’s adjutant during the civil war; Zubok Alexander, commander of the 30th division, brigade commander.

My testimony was recorded correctly from my words. I have read them.

Schmidt

Interrogated:

Head of the GUGB NKVD of the USSR

Commissioner of State security rank II (Gai)

Head of the 7th department of the GUGB PA

Captain state security (Southern)

for special instructions PA GUGB

Lieutenant State security (Radin)

ABOUT RADEK

Question: The investigation knows that you met with Karl Radek several times. On what basis did your meetings with him take place, what was the nature of these meetings?

Answer: I met K. B. Radek in 1927 under the following circumstances: as I already showed in the interrogation protocol of August 22, in 1927 I was involved in the Trotskyist organization by Yakov Okhotnikov, who then introduced me to L. Trotsky. My meeting with L. Trotsky took place on Malaya Dmitrovka in Glavkontsessky.

At this meeting, I asked Trotsky about a number of questions about the internal party situation. Since, in Trotsky’s opinion, my political knowledge was limited (L. Trotsky believed that I was poorly informed about the positions of the Trotskyists), he suggested that Okhotnikov send me to one of the opposition leaders, in particular to Karl Radek.

After meeting with Trotsky, Okhotnikov and I went to the Kremlin to Radek K.’s apartment and after meeting him I stayed in Radek’s apartment for 7-10 days.

While staying with Radek, the latter began to introduce me to opposition documents. Radek showed me a number of Lenin's letters and tried in every possible way to discredit Stalin. radical ).

Question: Did you meet Radek and where exactly after 1927?

Answer: After 1927, I met Radek in Moscow at the end of 1931. This meeting took place in the restaurant of Herzen’s house and was of a casual nature. Radek was then interested in my place of work, I explained to him that I had arrived at the Military Academy. Radek gave me his address and asked me to come to his apartment. In the summer of 1932 I went to Radek’s apartment.

He lived at that time in the government house. By this time, there were several articles in the press exposing Radek in smuggling Trotskyist smuggling in the history of the CPSU (b), where Radek put forward the idea that the party consisted of “streams.”

(...) Radek told me that, despite the criticism, he remains unconvinced and swore at those criticizing. Soon Dreitzer, Okhotnikov, Ivan Leonov and another acquaintance of Radek, whose last name I don’t know, came to Radek’s apartment.

...After the persons listed above had gathered, Radek started a conversation, which was, in essence, an instruction on organizational issues of the Trotskyist underground. The essence of this conversation boiled down to the following:

Radek first of all focused on the fact that for every Trotskyist it is absolutely clear that a departure from Trotskyism is only a tactical step, since “it is ridiculous to think (Radek’s literal expression) that we, the leaders who have been engaged in theory for many years, will change our beliefs to please Stalin.

We theoretically proved the correctness of Trotskyist views, and even the Central Committee, which is only making a democratic gesture, does not believe in our departure.”

At the same time, Radek, in addition to these general definitions of the positions of the Trotskyists, dwelled on a number of practical issues.

Radek considered it necessary to begin restoring organizational ties with former Trotskyists and creating underground groups. However, he warned of great caution.

Karl Radek

My third meeting with Radek was in 1934, in February at the Astoria Hotel in the city. Kharkov. According to Radek, he came to Kharkov in order to meet a number of people he needed from members of the Trotskyist organization in Ukraine. He didn’t tell me who personally. Outwardly, his arrival was accompanied by some kind of report on an international issue.

During our meeting, Radek asked me how work was being done to create Trotskyist cells in the army, emphasizing that the leadership of the Trotskyist organization and he personally attached great importance to the work in the Red Army, since, according to Radek, in the course of further events it would be precisely these groups of Trotskyists in the army will have to rely on at a decisive moment for the organization.

Question: Who else have you been involved with?

Answer: I remember that in 1928, while in Moscow, I stayed at the Select Hotel, where b. Head of the Special Department of the Zaporozhye Division of the Red Cossacks Kogan.

In a conversation with me, Kogan told me that he is a Trotskyist, he also knows me as a Trotskyist, and that, wanting to work actively, he asks to be connected with the Trotskyist organization. I explained to Kogan that I had broken with the Trotskyists.

Lazar Kogan

Then Kogan began to assure me that he was an active Trotskyist and had the intention of working honestly in the organization, and that I should not regard his appeal to me for any other purpose, since he was a security officer.

After this meeting, I met with Kogan again in the period 1932-1933, but now I cannot remember the circumstances of this meeting. I only remember that Kogan told me that he got in touch with one of the leaders of the Trotskyist organization and continues to carry out Trotskyist work.

The testimony was recorded correctly from my words, read by me: Schmidt

Interrogated:

beginning special department of the GUGB NKVD Commissar of State Security II rank (Gai)

Beginning 7th department of the OO GUGB NKVD Captain of State Security (Yuzhny)

D/special charge OO GUGB NKVD Lieutenant of State Security (Radin)

Schmidt was broken, as evidenced by this message:

NKVD investigator

Comrade Peters

I've been in isolation for nine months. I still don’t know anything about my case. In general, in my tragic state, I don’t see the end of the edge. Known suicide bombers are kept in such terrible isolation from the outside world.

If you are able to do anything, then reduce the isolation and bring me up to date - well, in the end, when this torment ends. I'm hallucinating, I'm having nightmares.

I also especially ask: report to the People's Commissar not to send me to trial.

I note that he was broken - but no one tortured him.... no one forced him to testify. He was simply broken.

Question: We know everything about your treacherous fascist activities. Your further denial is absolutely useless. You are completely exposed. Start giving comprehensive and truthful testimony.

Answer: I am forced to admit that until now I have not really told the complete truth during the investigation. I admit that I tried my best to deceive the investigation in order to hide my criminal activities against the Soviet regime...

Now I realized that my card is broken. I am exposed, my hope for an anti-Soviet coup has completely collapsed and my further denial is useless.

Question: Speak.

Answer: I confess that, until the moment of my arrest, I was a participant in a military-fascist conspiracy whose goal was an anti-Soviet coup through an armed uprising.

Question: Who and when were you involved in this organization?

Answer: I was involved in this organization in 1935 by Jonah Yakir.

Question: Recreate the situation in which he recruited you into the organization and what exactly did he tell you?

Answer: This conversation took place in his office. Having found out that I remained in my previous Trotskyist positions, he offered me complicity in the military-fascist conspiracy, pointing out to me that in addition to him, Tukhachevsky, Primakov and Putna were also taking part in the organization.

Question: Who else did Yakir name you during this conversation?

Answer: No one else.

Question: This is not true, if you really want to tell the truth, name everyone whom Yakir called?

Answer:Yakir, in addition to the persons I named, also named Uborevich, who in turn is associated with Khalepsky .

What I have read and written down from my words is correct. Schmidt

Question: During interrogation on June 1, you named Khalepsky as a participant in the fascist military conspiracy. How do you know about this?

Answer: In that conversation, when Yakir invited me to participate in a military conspiracy, he named Khalepsky among the people leading the conspiracy...

Yakir then told me that Khalepsky was personally connected with Tukhachevsky in conspiratorial activities and periodically with Uborevich.

Inokentiy Khalepsky

...Khalepsky is a person whom Tukhachevsky put forward in every possible way, and Khalepsky himself told me that he considers Tukhachevsky the most talented and capable leader of the Red Army.

Question: Have you personally spoken with Khalepsky on issues related to the conspiracy?

Answer: No, there was no direct conversation in which we identified ourselves as participants in the conspiracy. However, judging by the fact that, after the Stakhanov rally at the end of the winter of 1936, he came up to me and gave me an obviously sabotage task, I realized that he knew about my belonging to the conspiracy, and accepted this sabotage task from him as a directive to disruption of combat training.

This wrecking task consisted in the fact that he told me that there was no need to deal with issues of control and fire (training), in particular tactics, no one would force you to do this. It is important that there are no breakdowns or accidents, which everyone attacks, and this becomes known through numerous reports and messages from the Special Department, the prosecutor's office and others.

From here it became clear to me not only that Khalepsky wants to create the impression of external well-being in the motorized mechanized troops and hide the most serious shortcomings, but directly direct the matter towards sabotage and disruption of the combat readiness of the motorized mechanized units.

Question: ...Name all the participants in the military-fascist conspiracy known to you.

Answer: In addition to the persons I have already listed, Yakir, in a conversation with me, said that he personally involved those closest and most loyal to him in participating in this conspiracy, naming

Sidorenko - commander of the 6th Rifle Corps, Germonius - commander of the 17th Rifle Corps, Kuchinsky - former. beginning headquarters at Yakir, now the head of the Academy of the General Staff of the Red Army, and Butyrsky - division commander, chief of staff of the KVO.

I know all these people personally. Sidorenko is a random person in the party and army, Yakir’s nominee, the son of a major Moscow millionaire. Previously, he was Gamarnik’s secretary. Hermonius - former "Her Majesty's" page, the son of a White Guard general, who is now in White emigration in Paris. Kuchinsky - former Officer. Butyrsky is also a former officer and Trotskyist.

In addition to them, Yakir told me that he had accomplices in the conspiracy among army-wide political workers, whom Yakir did not mention by name.

Question: You indicated that in 1935 you were recruited by Yakir to participate in a fascist military conspiracy. By this time you were a member of the c.-r. terrorist Trotskyist organization and were part of its military center. Tell me, who took the initiative to talk about this topic?

Answer: The initiative to involve me in participation in the conspiracy belongs to Yakir, who began the conversation with me by clarifying my political positions...

The fact that I so decisively introduced him to the course of my Trotskyist activities is explained by the fact that the Trotskyists had long relied on Yakir, who was Trotsky’s promoter, sympathized with the Trotskyists and was in opposition to Voroshilov...

Therefore, when Yakir began a conversation with me, I understood from the very beginning that he was looking for organizational contact with the Trotskyists for a joint struggle with the existing leadership.

Question: About which of his accomplices in the k.-r. Trotskyist activities did you tell Yakir?

Answer: On this issue, I named him Putna, Dreitzer and Okhotnikov, pointing out to him that I was connected with them through the Trotskyist underground organization.

Question: You informed Yakir about your assignment to carry out a terrorist attack on comrade. Voroshilov?

Answer: No, I didn’t tell him about that.

Question: Why? You knew his hostile attitude towards Comrade. Voroshilov?

Answer: I, of course, knew this, but since he did not directly touch on this issue in his conversation with me, I did not tell him about this terrorist mission.

Question: Which of the co-conspirators did you inform? Trotskyist organization about the conversation with Yakir regarding the conspiracy?

Answer: Having met Primakov in his apartment in Moscow in 1936, I informed him about Yakir’s proposal to take part in the conspiracy, conveying to him in detail the content of my conversation with him. Primakov answered me that he knew about this and that he also talked about it with Yakir.

Question: What instructions did Yakir give you?

Answer: Having formulated before me the main goal of the conspiracy - the seizure of power through an armed uprising, Yakir instructed me to be ready myself and to prepare a unit for this.

Question: What specifically did you do to implement these instructions?

Answer: I was unable to do anything specifically, because due to the arrest of me by the NKVD, I was not able to see Yakir again, because by that time he was just returning from abroad.

Question: Have you received instructions from Yakir to attract new personnel?

Answer: In principle, there was such an instruction, but Yakir repeatedly emphasized that this must be done extremely carefully, in order to avoid failure, and each time the candidates I had planned should be coordinated with him.

Question: So, by that time you already had trained personnel who you had previously attracted to the radical revolution. Trotskyist activity.

List these persons.

Answer:

I only had one case where I was involved in an organization.

In the fall of 1935, Savko, the deputy, came to my apartment. beginning POOKRA Kharkov Military District. He knew me as an ex. Trotskyist, began to ask about my mood. When I asked him why he was interested in this, he replied that he knew that I had not moved away from Trotskyism, from Dreitzer. After that, I realized that he was looking for contact with Trotskyists, I invited him to take part in the work of the organization, to begin to gather Trotskyists in his district, to which he agreed.

Question: What exactly did Savko do?

Answer: I never met him again.

Question: At the beginning of the interrogation you spoke about the sabotage carried out by the organization. Give comprehensive testimony on this issue.

Answer: When speaking about sabotage, I meant sabotage carried out through the armored forces.

...Serious attention is drawn to the fact that as a result of sabotage actions emanating from the ABTU, there are no means of communication on the T-26 and BT tanks, which excludes the possibility of command and control of units and fire control in battle. Of course, the engine on the T-26 is destructive, as it completely runs out of steam during the middle transition.

...A very serious issue in the field of tank operation is that literally hundreds of tanks are destroyed on shooting ranges, because for several months a year, every day - every 15 minutes the tank turns 2 times by 180°. To avoid this massive damage to tanks, it is enough to equip turning circles at the shooting ranges (following the example of the railway in the depot).

Khalepsky, despite a reasoned proposal made to him on this issue, did not give his consent to this, citing the fact that such a method (without turning circles) gives the driver additional training on sharp turns. The absurdity of this argument is completely obvious, since in combat conditions, the tank will never have to make exactly such evolutions (180°).

Schmidt"

LAST STATEMENT

"To NKVD investigator Lieutenant Peters.

As I have already shown before, having received the task of terror, I did not have the task of recruiting people. As for the question of why I didn’t make an attempt on the people’s commissar, Comrade Voroshilov, despite the fact that I saw the people’s commissar many times and approached him with a report.

This is difficult for me to answer. One thing I can say is that I was not able to commit this crime. This was all until the moment when I was brought into the military conspiracy. And having received other tasks from Yakir: that is, to lead a unit during an armed uprising, then these two tasks are incompatible.

I did not receive terror assignments from Yakir, but waited for instructions on what specific work to do in preparation, what immediate tasks lay ahead of me to complete. I had lost contact with Dreitzer by this time, after his visit in May 1935.

With the testimony of last year and this year, I exhausted everything I knew. I'll answer what I missed.

Dm. Schmidt"

CONCLUSION

This was the recognition of Divisional Commander Schmidt.

It is clear from the text that no one forced him to confess; he confessed after a confrontation and under the pressure of evidence.

And let someone try to prove the opposite....

While Kamchatka social networks are filled with videos of pink salmon scattered along country roads and comments on them like “What a disgrace! The common population has nowhere to get fish, and you scatter it along the roads,” real amateur fishermen (both the process and the salmon itself) do not waste time. At their service are 17 sites for sport and recreational fishing, where you can catch fish, breathe fresh air, and generally get involved with nature.

We asked the acting head of the North-Eastern branch of the Federal State Budgetary Institution “Glavrybvod” Dmitry SHMIDT to tell us in detail about how sport and recreational fishing is organized in Kamchatka this year, and about how the process of salmon hatchery reproduction is going on the peninsula.

- Dmitry Yuryevich, how this year could amateurs purchase vouchers giving them the right to go fishing?

The process of purchasing vouchers (licenses) for amateur and sport fishing with us is as simple and convenient as possible. We sold vouchers to citizens to catch the only species of salmon - Chinook salmon - directly at the recreational sport fishing department upon presentation of a passport - one voucher per day per person. Such measures were taken because Chinook salmon are in a depressed state, and we are keeping more careful and strict records of their catch. Vouchers to catch other types of fish can be purchased at Sberbank, at Russian Post offices, at Instant Payment terminals and through our website. The most popular method turned out to be purchasing through terminals - it is through them that the largest number of vouchers are sold.

By the way, since payment through the terminal occurs step by step, during this process the citizen purchasing the ticket becomes familiar with the rules that he must follow on the site while fishing. This is also important. After all, responsible employees are assigned to all areas, fisheries inspectors and the police also work for them - all of them, at one time or another, can drive up to a citizen conducting fishing and ask to see a permit. The fisherman must have a permit (license) and an identification document in his hands.

This year we have already sold more than 24 thousand vouchers in the Kamchatka Territory, more than 20 thousand of them are salmon fishing licenses. More than 4 thousand people visited fishing grounds with these vouchers.

- So the population has an interest in this type of fishing?

Of course, it is growing every year, and the number of tickets sold is increasing. Especially this year – when the salmon runs are so good. In the Kamchatka Territory, the allocated limit for sport and recreational fishing is 166.1 tons this year. For salmon species, more than 40 percent of the allocated quotas for all subzones have already been used.

There are 8 sites on the east coast, and 9 on the west coast. All of them are located in places familiar to amateurs. Among them there are very popular ones - such as, for example, site No. 766 on the Avacha River, on Lake Bolshoy Vilyui (for smelt and herring), sea sites on the Bolshaya and Malaya Lagerny, in the village of Oktyabrsky and at Cape Levashov, in Sobolev and Palana...

Do our amateur fishermen behave decently when fishing? Do they follow all the rules and fish only with approved fishing gear?

As a rule, yes. We, of course, bear the burden of maintaining the sites, are responsible for their sanitary condition, and remove garbage. This is our duty and responsibility. Although, of course, I would like fishermen to be more clean, especially since we pay little for the right to fish.

As for fishing gear, we deliberately abandoned the use of nets in river sections, because in our understanding they do not fit well with the concept of amateur and sport fishing. Especially on the river. Chum salmon and pink salmon are excellently caught using spinning rods. Chinook salmon, of course, are more difficult to catch... Net fishing gear remains only in sea areas where you can’t catch fish in any other way. Of course, amateurs go to the sites mainly with permitted fishing gear. Unfortunately, there are also violators, and the conversation with them goes into the area of ​​responsibility of the regulatory authorities - the FSB PU, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the SVTU FAR.

There are specific fishing standards in sea and river areas for each type of salmon - these must also be observed. In this case, the main thing is not to cheat with the rules. If you took a voucher for one amount of fish, but caught twice as much in the net at the sea site, then you should know that it is possible to immediately extend the previously purchased voucher - agree with the person responsible at the site and pay for the actual volume caught. But at the same time, you should already have the original ticket, paid for earlier in one of the ways. You need to know about this and be prepared for it, so that Rybvod and the regulatory authorities have no complaints against you.

- Are there any complaints from amateurs about Rybvod?

If there are complaints in general or regarding the work of specific employees at the sites, we are ready to consider and accept all of them. There are different channels of communication with us - through the website, through requests. We see all requests daily and always respond to them. And we ask citizens to provide as much information as possible about the work of the sites.

Dmitry Yuryevich, another important area of ​​the branch’s work is fish farming. How are things going in our fish hatcheries?

Five of them are now fully operational. Catching breeders and laying eggs for incubation is a busy time. Manufacturers' approach to factory traps this year is very good. We associate this with the new methods of the fisheries protection forces in their work. The fish are accompanied by inspectors along the river from the mouth to the factory traps. At the same time, it fits in a ribbon, in good uniform volumes and is preserved until ripening. At the Ozerki plant, we were even able to remove the intermediate mill from the river this year, because manufacturers are fully approaching the factory traps, without delivery from the intermediate mill. We never tire of thanking SVTU FAR, PU FSB, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs for this.

The Vilyuisky plant has not yet started catching the breeders. Coho salmon eggs are laid there for incubation. The spawners have already entered the lake in good volume and are now at maturity. The plant in Ketkin has fulfilled 107 percent of the plan for laying caviar according to the state order. At the Paratunsky plant, the catch of chum salmon spawners has already exceeded 90 percent; there is still a catch of coho salmon ahead - we will also stock its caviar according to state orders. The plant in Malki fulfilled the plan for chinook salmon by 102 percent. At the plant in Ozerki, the process of catching sockeye salmon is still underway, with the plan being fulfilled to date by more than 70 percent.

All these plans constitute the state task for salmon reproduction. But our factories also raise so-called “commercial” fry. Its cultivation is paid for by enterprises participating in compensation measures. This is a kind of payment for the damage they cause to nature and salmon stocks. Tell me, which of our enterprises are involved in this process?

Many: fisheries and gas complexes, mining industry. Everyone who works in fishing areas annually applies to SVTU FAR for approval of their activities. Most of them become payers as part of compensation measures. This money is then used to maintain fish hatcheries, raise fry and then release them into the natural environment. And then we receive feedback in the form of the return of salmon to the spawning rivers of Kamchatka, which are successfully caught by the fishery complex.

For example, in 2018, Kamchatka hatcheries released more than 50 million salmon fry into the Kamchatka rivers. Of this, about 9 million chum and sockeye salmon were released as part of compensation measures. This year, in Ozerki, chum salmon eggs have already been fully allocated for incubation as part of aquaculture; in Ketkin and at the Paratunsky plant, more than 50 percent of the required spawners have been caught for these purposes.

Are businesses participating in this process in good faith? Or are there debtors among them to pay for compensation measures?

Unfortunately, there are debtors. We work with them in close cooperation with SVTU FAR in all ways available within the framework of the law. Last year, in particular, 38 organizations with debts were involved in the reproduction process, and 3 million salmon fry were raised with their funds.

I believe that this process needs to be treated more conscientiously, with the utmost seriousness. The same applies to the process of assessing the impact of activities on natural resources, and to calculating the damage caused. In the end, behind all this is the conservation of our resources - and therefore our future.

Every year, enterprises must obtain coordination of their activities with an assessment of the impact on natural resources. They all need to understand that only government agencies can give the most correct conclusions using the most current data, and we recommend turning to them. Only they have many years of experience in carrying out this work, a constantly updated scientific data base, and competent employees. For example, according to state regulations, the conclusions prepared by KamchatNIRO are checked by the Glavrybvod. And vice versa, our conclusions are checked by KamchatNIRO. As a result, the company receives a document of 100% quality. Unfortunately, we are forced to admit that there are unscrupulous organizations offering such services in Kamchatka.

Therefore, when ordering documentation from somewhere else, business managers should think: if obtained using outdated databases, will it bring subsequent problems in their work?

Interviewed by Svetlana SOLOVIOVA

Time flies quickly in an era of global changes in the world. What until recently seemed almost modern is today often perceived as patriarchal antiquity. So the topic of repression in the USSR in the 30s became a kind of textbook, having lost the heightened perception of it by society, characteristic of the late 80s. Meanwhile, like any historical phenomenon, it has its own undercurrents and reefs.

This was once again recalled by Viktor Suvorov’s book “Cleansing: Why did Stalin behead his army?” As stated in the annotation, “contrary to generally accepted opinion, Viktor Suvorov proves that Stalin acted correctly, accurately and decisively, clearing the army of “brilliant” commanders.” Among the latter, the author mentions the name of Dmitry Schmidt. Without touching on the conceptual side of Suvorov’s book, we considered it necessary to focus attention specifically on Schmidt’s personality and the main facts of his biography, since in the interpretation of some of them Suvorov contradicts himself.

So, Dmitry Arkadyevich Schmidt was born in 1896 in Priluki, Poltava province, into the family of a Jewish employee. During the First World War he was a private, and from 1916 an ensign in the Russian army. For military merits, one of the very few Jewish soldiers was awarded the Cross of St. George in all four degrees (full Knight of St. George).

In 1917, he became a Bolshevik and led the Bolshevik organization of one of the divisions of the 12th Army Corps. In January 1918, he made a lot of efforts to establish Soviet power in Priluki, but fell into the hands of the enemy and was sentenced to death. Nevertheless, during the execution of the sentence, he was wounded and remained alive and during the German-Austrian occupation of Ukraine he led the Bolshevik underground and a partisan detachment in the Prilutsky district.

In the fall of 1918, Schmidt became the commander of the Red Army: he commanded first an infantry regiment, then a brigade, an infantry division on the approaches to Tsaritsyn, and a group of troops in the Kherson direction. For military services he was twice awarded the Order of the Red Banner. Moreover, for the second time he was nominated for the award by none other than Stalin. The price of a successful military career for 23-year-old Schmidt was nine wounds.

Of course, from the perspective of today, one can assess Schmidt’s life path differently. But one thing is certain: he was a solid person, brave to the point of recklessness, accustomed to taking responsibility and not hiding behind other people’s backs. Otherwise, he would never have become a Knight of St. George and a Red Order Bearer. This is an essential point for understanding Schmidt’s behavior towards Stalin (as discussed in Suvorov’s book) and the logic of all subsequent events.

In 1917-1920 Schmidt and many other future victims of 1937 found themselves on one side of the political and military confrontation in society, defending their “truth of life” as best they could. In doing so, they significantly helped create a system that then destroyed them.

But let's return to the milestones of Schmidt's biography. In 1922-1924. he was already the head of the cavalry division, in 1924-1925 - the head of the Elizavetgrad Cavalry School, then commanded the 7th Samara Cavalry Division, was the head of the Krasnodar Cavalry School, and deputy chief of staff of the North Caucasus Military District. In 1931-1933 he studied at the Military Academy of the Red Army, and in 1933-1936 he commanded the 8th separate mechanized brigade of the Kyiv Military District. In 1935, when military ranks were introduced into the Red Army, he became a division commander.

Regarding the assignment of this title to Schmidt, Suvorov first writes that “he was moved down from a high position, but his rank was not lowered in the hope that he would improve.” Here the author was somewhat hasty, because Schmidt was appointed to the post of brigade commander in 1933, when personal military ranks did not yet exist in the army, so there was simply no reduction in rank.

Suvorov is closer to the truth in another section of the book, where he writes that “in 1935, Schmidt received the rank of division commander, although at that moment he commanded only a brigade.” In other words, Schmidt was given the title for the future, which most likely consisted of the deployment of the 8th brigade into a division. It is this development of events that fits entirely into the context of Suvorov’s previous books. Commenting on the incident that occurred between Stalin and Schmidt in 1927 after the end of the XV Congress of the CPSU (b), Suvorov again made a mistake: “Stalin is threatened by the offended commander of the 8th mechanized brigade.” Let us clarify again: Schmidt was not yet the commander of the 8th Brigade. These reservations by the author do not support his general assessment of Schmidt’s personality (“a complete lack of intelligence,” “a hooligan”). By the way, Marshal of the Soviet Union Zhukov, who had the opportunity to serve together with Schmidt in the 20s, was of the opposite opinion: “D. Schmidt is a smart guy, he expressed his thoughts clearly.” True, Zhukov also got it from Suvorov...

On July 5, 1936, in Kyiv, NKVD officers detained (actually arrested) Schmidt and sent him to Moscow. The circumstances of this arrest, in their dramatic nature, are somewhat reminiscent of the arrest of Sergei Kotov, the hero of N. Mikhalkov’s film “Burnt by the Sun.” But it was not the “capture group” who brought him into the hands of “justice” on a summer evening from outside the city, but his wife, Alexandra Konstantinovna, who probably already sensed evil, and was also subsequently convicted.

In Moscow, D. Schmidt was officially arrested and charged with participation in a “Trotskyist-Zinovievist counter-revolutionary terrorist organization.” Dmitry Arkadyevich was under investigation for eleven months, during which he admitted that before 1927 he had briefly been a member of the Trotskyist organization, but after 1927 he was not associated with anyone on a Trotskyist basis. In fairness, it must be said that in the 20s, Schmidt, due to his convictions and temperament, really showed himself as an active supporter of Leon Trotsky. But we are not aware of documents confirming that it could have come to his real participation in the conspiracy against Stalin.

Persons who had known Schmidt, previously arrested in this “case,” slandered the division commander under torture, testifying to his active involvement in the Trotskyist-Zinovievist conspiracy, but Dmitry Schmidt himself resolutely rejected all accusations. Nevertheless, under the influence of appropriate investigative methods, he was finally forced, under the dictation of his investigators, to admit “participation in a terrorist Trotskyist organization.” It is also true that at the trial he renounced this “testimony” of his.

In March 1937, in an appeal addressed to the investigator of the Main Directorate of State Security of the NKVD of the USSR, Dmitry Schmidt wrote: “I’ve been sitting in an isolation cell for 9 months. I still don’t know absolutely nothing about my case. In general, in my tragic state, I don’t see the end of the edge. In such a terrible notorious suicide bombers are kept isolated from the outside world... I am hallucinating, nightmares are choking me.”

In the address to the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks, Stalin dated April 6, 1937, there are the following lines: “I am not asking for your favor... I am writing to you, knowing that you can check everything... The most important thing is that I am not guilty of anything. - Well, to the same extent as Beilis or Dreyfus were innocent. T. Stalin!... In my solitary confinement I fell ill and am writing to you while lying in bed... There is no place for an honest man, a fighter and a revolutionary in prison".

After the death sentence was handed down to the participants in the “military-fascist conspiracy” led by Marshal Tukhachevsky, on June 17, 1937, an indictment was formulated in the case of D. Schmidt. He was charged with attempting to commit a terrorist attack against Voroshilov, preparing for the disintegration of the motorized unit he commanded, and participating in a military-fascist conspiracy for the purpose of an anti-Soviet coup and the seizure of power through an armed uprising.

On June 19, 1937, a closed court hearing of the Military Collegium of the Supreme Court of the USSR in the case of D. Schmidt took place in Moscow, lasting 30 minutes. The division commander was sentenced to capital punishment and executed the next day...

Shmidt Dmitry Arkadevich. Divisional Commander (1935). Jew. Member of the CPSU(b) since 1915

Born in August 1896 in the city of Priluki, Poltava province, in the family of an insurance agency clerk. Received home education. Before being drafted into the army, he worked as a mechanic and projectionist. For revolutionary activities he was arrested and served in prison in Nikolaev. In January 1915 he was called up for military service. Member of the First World War. For military distinction he was awarded four Crosses of St. George and promoted to officer in February 1916. In battles he was wounded three times. After the February Revolution of 1917, he conducted Bolshevik propaganda among soldiers of units of the Southwestern Front, assisted in the formation and training of Red Guard units. He led the Bolshevik faction in the committee of the 164th Infantry Division of the 12th Corps of the 7th Army of the Southwestern Front. The last rank and position in the old army was lieutenant, or battalion commander.

In the Red Army voluntarily since 1918. Participant in the Civil War, during which he held positions: commandant of the city of Priluki, commander of a partisan detachment, commander of the 7th Sudzhansky (later 5th Soviet) regiment (then included in the 46th Infantry Division) (from October 1918), commander of the 2nd brigade of the same division (from February 1919), commander of the combined brigade of the 37th Infantry Division (from April 1919). From the order of the Revolutionary Military Council of the Republic No. 505 of October 19, 1920: “The Order of the Red Banner is awarded... to the former commander of the 2nd consolidated brigade of the 37th Infantry Division, now a student of the Academy of the General Staff, comrade. Schmidt for the courage and bravery he showed in numerous battles with the enemy: during the capture of the city of Rylsk, the Lyubotin railway junction and near Kremenchug during the crossing of our troops across the Dnieper River and the capture of the Kryukovo settlement, where he captured... many military trophies. In addition, under his personal command of the brigade, during heavy battles near Shepetovka, the enemy pressure at Sudilkovo was contained, which contributed to the defeat of the main forces of the Petliura army... Comrade. Schmidt was seriously shell-shocked, but remained in service, continuing to personally command the brigade and personally act at the gun in battle with the enemy’s armored train.” Since August 1919 - chief of staff of the military and military personnel of the Yaroslavl district. Then he temporarily commanded the 37th Infantry Division. In 1920 - commander of the Kherson group of forces. At the end of 1920 he was enrolled as a junior student at the Academy of the General Staff.

After the Civil War in responsible command positions. From May 1921 - Chief of Staff of the 17th Cavalry Division. In 1922-1923 - student of the Higher Academic Courses at the Military Academy of the Red Army. In 1923-1924 - commander and military commissar of the 2nd and commander of the 1st divisions of the Red Cossacks. Since August 1924 - head of the Ukrainian cavalry school. Since August 1926 - commander and military commissar of the 7th Samara Cavalry Division. Since May 1927 - head of the North Caucasian mountain nationalities cavalry school. In 1928 he graduated from KUVNAS at the Military Academy named after M. V. Frunze. From May 1930 - Deputy Chief of Staff of the North Caucasus Military District. In 1931-1933 - student of the Special Group of the Military Academy named after M.V. Frunze, after which he was appointed commander and military commissar of the 2nd separate mechanized brigade. Since February 1934 - commander and military commissar of the 8th separate mechanized brigade.

Awarded two Orders of the Red Banner (1920,1921).

Arrested on July 6 (according to other sources - July 9), 1936. On June 19, 1937, the Military Collegium of the Supreme Court of the USSR was sentenced to death on charges of participation in a military conspiracy. The sentence was carried out on the same day. By decision of the Military Collegium of July 6, 1957, he was rehabilitated.

Cherushev N.S., Cherushev Yu.N. The executed elite of the Red Army (commanders of the 1st and 2nd ranks, corps commanders, division commanders and their equals). 1937-1941. Biographical Dictionary. M., 2012, p. 303-304.