1937 mass execution of Belarusians


In October 1937 there was a mass extermination of Belarusian writers, artists and statespeople by Communist authorities. This event marks the peak of the Great Purge and repressions in the Soviet-controlled East Belarus.
More than 100 notable persons were executed, most of them on the night of 29-30 October 1937. Their innocence was later admitted by the Soviet Union after Joseph Stalin's death.

History

On 7 September 1937 Joseph Stalin signed a list of persons to be judged by a Soviet Military commission. The list was also signed by Vyacheslav Molotov, Lazar Kaganovich, Klim Voroshilov and Nikolay Yezhov. There were trials related to persons from the Belarusian SSR and these were given in a different list dated 15 September 1937 and signed by Stalin, Molotov and the senior state security official Vladimir Tsesarsky. The list of people from the Belarusian SSR sentenced to be executed included 103 persons, and six more persons who were sentenced to ten or more years in concentration camps.
The initial list was extended by the NKVD of the Belarusian SSR. People added to the list by the NKVD of Belarus are marked with an asterisk in the list below. The executions took place in the Minsk internal NKVD prison. Journalist Leanid Marakoŭ alleged that between 3 March 1937 and 22 May 1938, over 100,000 people fell victims of repressions by the Soviet authorities.

List of executed persons

  1. Barys Abuchoŭ
  2. Mikałaj Arabej, head of primary education department of the Communist Party of Byelorussia
  3. Navum Aronaŭ
  4. Ihnat Afanaśjeŭ, lecturer and pedagogue
  5. Anatol Aŭhusсinovič, head of construction department at the Soviet of People's Commissars of Belarus
  6. Siamion Babkoŭ
  7. Hieorhi Barzunoŭ
  8. Vadzim Baškievič, senior official at the People's Commissariate for Education
  9. Sałamon Bejlin
  10. Abram Biełacarkoŭski
  11. Jakaŭ Branštejn, literary critic
  12. Ivan Burdyka, government official
  13. Viktar Vajnoŭ, journalist
  14. Alaksandar Varončanka, people's commisar for education of Belarus
  15. Stanisłaŭ Varšaŭski
  16. Ryhor Vasiljeŭ-Vaščylin
  17. Anatol Volny, artist
  18. Moŭša-Nochim Habajeŭ
  19. Apanas Habrusioŭ
  20. Płaton Hałavač, writer
  21. Anton Hejštern
  22. Josif Heršon, deputy education minister of Belarus
  23. Jakaŭ Hinzburh
  24. Abram Hosin
  25. Kanstancin Hurski
  26. Nochman Hurevič
  27. Mikałaj Dzieniskievič, senior Communist Party official
  28. Mikałaj Dźmitraŭ
  29. Anani Dziakaŭ, president of the Belarusian State University in 1934-1935
  30. Abram Drakachrust
  31. Aleś Dudar, poet
  32. * Chackiel Duniec, critic and writer
  33. Hirš Jelanson
  34. Mikałaj Jermakoŭ
  35. Ivan Žyvucki, teacher
  36. Navum Zamalin, junior professor at Vitsebsk Veterinarian Institute
  37. Michaś Zarecki, writer
  38. Alaksandar Ziankovič
  39. Alaksandar Ivanoŭ
  40. Prochar Ispraŭnikaŭ, agriculture journalist from Vitsebsk
  41. Zachar Kavaloŭ, statesman, Communist Party official
  42. Vasil Kaval, writer
  43. Zachar Kavalčuk, Labour Union leader
  44. Mikałaj Kandrašuk, senior official at the People's Commisariate for Light Industry of Belarus
  45. Sałamon Kantar
  46. Michaił Kapitanaki
  47. * Jazep Karanieŭski, statesman, pedagogue
  48. Ivan Karpienka, veterinarian
  49. Hierasim Kačanaŭ
  50. Viktar Klanicki
  51. Todar Klaštorny, poet
  52. Josif Kudzielka, head of copyright department at the Union of Writers of Belarus
  53. Moyshe Kulbak, Yiddish language writer
  54. Alaksiej Kučynski, statesman, pedagogue, journalist
  55. Michaił Łabadajeŭ, Communist Party official
  56. Leanard Łaškievič, senior agriculture official
  57. Alaksandar Levin, literature critic
  58. Sałamon Levin, literature critic
  59. Pinia Lejbin
  60. Chaim Lajbovič
  61. Maksim Laŭkoŭ, justice minister of Belarus
  62. Siamion Lichtenštejn
  63. Mikita Łukašonak
  64. Jurka Lavonny, poet
  65. Sałamon Lampiert, student
  66. Elizar Maziel, veterinarian, scientist
  67. Leŭ Majsiejeŭ, Communist Party of Byelorussia official
  68. Barys Małaŭ, senior official at the People's Commisariate of Trade
  69. Valery Marakoŭ, poet
  70. Sciapan Marhiełaŭ, geography scientist
  71. Michaił Marholin
  72. Barys Marjanaŭ, Communist Party of Byelorussia official
  73. Pavał Masleńnikaŭ
  74. Andrej Mielik-Šachnazaraŭ
  75. Abram Mirlin
  76. Mikalai Misnikou
  77. Dziamyan Mikhaylau, advisor at the government of Belarus
  78. Mikałaj Michiejeŭ
  79. Siarhiej Mićkoŭ, factory director, ministry official
  80. Siarhiej Murzo, poet
  81. Pavał Muchin, veterinarian
  82. Jakaŭ Navachrest
  83. Ivan Nieściarovič
  84. Ivan Padsiavałaŭ
  85. Ivan Papłyka
  86. Michaił Pasmarnik
  87. Vasil Pietrušenia, transport and utilities adviser at the government of Belarus
  88. Ziama Pivavaraŭ, poet
  89. Michaił Pitomcaŭ
  90. Apałon Pratapopaŭ
  91. Ryhor Pratasienia, agriculture chemistry scientist
  92. Izrail Purys
  93. Alaksandar Puciłoŭski
  94. Ivan Pucincaŭ
  95. Kuźma Piatrašyn
  96. Janka Niomanski, writer, social activist
  97. Aron-Lejb Razumoŭski
  98. Michaił Rydzieŭski, university professor
  99. Alaksandar Samachvałaŭ
  100. Jakaŭ Sandamirski, university professor
  101. Oskar Saprycki, government official
  102. Ivan Sarokaš
  103. Jakaŭ Spiektar, government official
  104. Vasil Starynski
  105. Vasil Stašeŭski, writer
  106. Hieorhi Strele, sovkhoz director
  107. Mikałaj Suroŭcaŭ
  108. Dźmitry Siałoŭ, official at the education ministry
  109. Pancialej Siardziuk, biologist
  110. Miron Tanienbaum
  111. Judal Taŭbin, poet
  112. Ivan Trocki
  113. Ela Trumpacki
  114. Andrej Turłaj, People's Commissar for sovkhozy of Belarus
  115. Jaŭhien Uśpienski, physicist
  116. Ryhor Fałkin
  117. Aba Finkielštajn
  118. Jaŭsiej Fłombaŭm
  119. Isak Frydman, government official
  120. Dźmitry Charłac
  121. Izi Charyk, poet
  122. Piatro Chatuloŭ, literature critic
  123. Alaksandar Čarnuševič, education minister
  124. Mikałaj Čarniak
  125. Michaś Čarot, poet
  126. Kanstancin Čačura
  127. Makar Šałaj, literature critic
  128. Judal Šapira
  129. Pavał Šastakoŭ, journalist
  130. Aran Judelson, Yiddish language poet
  131. Jakaŭ Julkin
  132. Viktar Jarkin, official at the Dniapro-Dzvina river steamboats navigation in Homel