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91-696: The first Border Guards Day celebrations were marked on May 28, 1919, the first anniversary since the Border Troops were created as a directly reporting agency under the Cheka of Felix Dzerzhinsky , which was one of the pioneer border protection forces in the modern world (together with the Polish Straż Graniczna and the Italian Guardia di Finanza , among others), in the midst of the Russian Civil War ,

182-648: A Revolutionary : Since the first massacres of Red prisoners by the Whites, the murders of Volodarsky and Uritsky and the attempt against Lenin (in the summer of 1918), the custom of arresting and, often, executing hostages had become generalized and legal. Already the Cheka, which made mass arrests of suspects, was tending to settle their fate independently, under formal control of the Party, but in reality without anybody's knowledge. The Party endeavoured to head it with incorruptible men like

273-644: A gangster-like slang for the verb to kill in an attempt to distance themselves from the killings, such as 'shooting partridges', or 'sealing' a victim, or giving him a natsokal (onomatopoeia of the trigger action). On November 30, 1992, by the initiative of the President of the Russian Federation the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation recognized the Red Terror as unlawful, which in turn led to

364-568: A holiday due to the Soviet occupation of the Baltic states . The Baltic border agencies of the three countries celebrate their own professional holidays on different days. The Day of the State Border Guard of Latvia has been celebrated on November 7 since 2015, marking the founding of the force in 1919. The Day of the State Border Guard of Lithuania is celebrated on June 29. In Kazakhstan ,

455-791: A military section, headed by M. S. Kedrov , to combat counterrevolution in the Army. In early 1919, the military control and the military section of VCheKa were merged into one body, the Special Section of the Republic , with Kedrov as head. On January 1, he issued an order to establish the Special Section. The order instructed agencies everywhere to unite the Military control and the military sections of Chekas and to form special sections of frontlines, armies, military districts, and guberniyas . In November 1920

546-512: A motion "broadening the rights of the [Cheka] in relation to the use of the [death penalty]." There is no consensus among the Western historians on the number of deaths from the Red Terror . One source gives estimates of 28,000 executions per year from December 1917 to February 1922. Estimates for the number of people shot during the initial period of the Red Terror are at least 10,000. Estimates for

637-503: A radio telegram to all Soviets with a petition to immediately organize emergency commissions to combat counter-revolution, sabotage and speculation, if such commissions had not been yet organized. February 1918 saw the creation of local Extraordinary Commissions. One of the first founded was the Moscow Cheka. Sections and commissariats to combat counterrevolution were established in other cities. The Extraordinary Commissions arose, usually in

728-629: A systematic work of organs of VCheKa in RKKA refers to July 1918, the period of extreme tension of the civil war and class struggle in the country. On July 16, 1918, the Council of People's Commissars formed the Extraordinary Commission for combating counterrevolution at the Czechoslovak (Eastern) Front, led by M. I. Latsis . In the fall of 1918, Extraordinary Commissions to combat counterrevolution on

819-471: A team of sailors, and a strike team. Through the winter of 1917–1918, all activities of VCheKa were centralized mainly in the city of Petrograd. It was one of several other commissions in the country which fought against counterrevolution, speculation, banditry, and other activities perceived as crimes. Other organizations included: the Bureau of Military Commissars, and an Army-Navy investigatory commission to attack

910-532: Is confused by the fact that the Soviet Bolshevik government used the term 'bandit' to cover ordinary criminals as well as armed and unarmed political opponents, such as the anarchists. Estimates on Cheka executions vary widely. The lowest figures ( disputed below ) are provided by Dzerzhinsky's lieutenant Martyn Latsis , limited to RSFSR over the period 1918–1920: Experts generally agree these semi-official figures are vastly understated. Pioneering historian of

1001-757: Is still found in use in Russia today (for example, President Vladimir Putin has been referred to in the Russian media as a chekist due to his career in the KGB and as head of the KGB's successor, FSB ). The Chekists commonly dressed in black leather, including long flowing coats, reportedly after being issued such distinctive coats early in their existence. Western communists adopted this clothing fashion. The Chekists also often carried with them Greek-style worry beads made of amber, which had become "fashionable among high officials during

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1092-823: Is the date of de facto re-establishment of the Latvian Border Guard, as by the order of the Minister of Defence of 13 December 1991 No. 4-V “On the Formation, Determination of Responsibilities, Structure and Staff of the Border Guard Battalions“ the Border Guard Military Units Board of the Republic of Latvia under the MoD was established, which then assumed control over the Border Guard Battalions,

1183-518: The Cheka (Russian: ЧК , IPA: [tɕɪˈka] ), was the first Soviet secret police organization. It was established on 20 December [ O.S. 7 December] 1917 by the Council of People's Commissars of the Russian SFSR , and was led by Felix Dzerzhinsky . By the end of the Russian Civil War in 1921, the Cheka had at least 200,000 personnel. Ostensibly created to protect

1274-750: The Council of Ministers of the USSR . Following the fall of the Soviet Union , the status of the holiday was unclear due to the lack effort in the Russian government to make it an official holiday in the Russian Federation . President Boris Yeltsin signed a decree in 1994 officially making Border Guards Day a professional day off for the servicemen of the Border Service of the Federal Security Service of

1365-589: The October Revolution from "class enemies" such as the bourgeoisie and members of the clergy , the Cheka soon became a tool of repression wielded against all political opponents of the Bolshevik regime. The organization had responsibility for counterintelligence , oversight of the loyalty of the Red Army , and protection of the country's borders, as well as the collection of human and technical intelligence . At

1456-531: The Red Terror Sergei Melgunov claims that this was done deliberately in an attempt to demonstrate the government's humanity. For example, he refutes the claim made by Latsis that only 22 executions were carried out in the first six months of the Cheka's existence by providing evidence that the true number was 884 executions. W. H. Chamberlin claims, "It is simply impossible to believe that the Cheka only put to death 12,733 people in all of Russia up to

1547-499: The Republic of Latvia and the Republic of Belarus , and 498 km long sea border (external EU border), as well as monitoring of 343 km long border between the Republic of Latvia and the Republic of Estonia and 588 km long border between the Republic of Latvia and the Republic of Lithuania (internal EU border). On November 18, 1918 the People's Council of Latvia proclaimed

1638-704: The Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014. The date commemorates the day during the Ukrainian War of Independence on which Ukrainian troops established the border of the Ukrainian State in the settlement of Kovpaky on April 30, 1918. Cheka The All-Russian Extraordinary Commission ( Russian : Всероссийская чрезвычайная комиссия , romanized : Vserossiyskaya chrezvychaynaya komissiya , IPA: [fsʲɪrɐˈsʲijskəjə tɕrʲɪzvɨˈtɕæjnəjə kɐˈmʲisʲɪjə] ), abbreviated as VChK (Russian: ВЧК , IPA: [vɛ tɕe ˈka] ), and commonly known as

1729-606: The Soviet occupation of Latvia in June 1940 , members of the brigade were killed, wounded and taken prisoner by Soviet NKVD Troops during the Masļenki border incident . In protest over the dissolution of the agency, General Bolšteins committed suicide at his office. On 3 October 1940 Alfons Noviks , People's Commissar of the Interior of the Latvian SSR , signed an order on the disbandment of

1820-720: The Soviet of Labor and Defense created a Special Section of VCheKa for the security of the state border. On February 6, 1922, after the Ninth All-Russian Soviet Congress, the Cheka was dissolved by VTsIK, "with expressions of gratitude for heroic work." It was replaced by the State Political Administration or GPU, a section of the NKVD of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (RSFSR). Dzerzhinsky remained as chief of

1911-460: The Stavropol Cheka (hot basement, cold basement, skull measuring, etc.). The Chekists were also supplemented by the militarized Units of Special Purpose (the Party's Spetsnaz or ЧОН ). Cheka was actively and openly utilizing kidnapping methods. With kidnapping methods, Cheka was able to extinguish numerous cases of discontent especially among the rural population. Among the notorious ones

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2002-580: The Border Guard Battalions and discharge of border guards from their positions. On 10 October 1940 the Border Guard Brigade of the Republic of Latvia was dissolved by the Soviet occupation authorities. After the restoration of the independence of Latvia on 4 May 1990, on 20 December 1990 the Supreme Council of the Republic of Latvia adopted a Law “On State Border of the Republic of Latvia”, but due to

2093-777: The Border Guard Brigade of the National Armed Forces was reorganized into the Border Guard Forces ( Latvian : Robežapsardzības spēki ). On 7 January 1997 the supervision of the Border Guard Forces was transferred to the Ministry of the Interior of Latvia . On 14 February 1997 the Border Guard Forces were renamed the Border Guard of the Ministry of the Interior, and on 1 May 1998 – the State Border Guard. The border guard

2184-481: The Cheka than died in battle. Historian James Ryan gives a modest estimate of 28,000 executions per year from December 1917 to February 1922. Lenin himself seemed unfazed by the killings. On 12 January 1920, while addressing trade union leaders, he said: "We did not hesitate to shoot thousands of people, and we shall not hesitate, and we shall save the country." On 14 May 1921, the Politburo , chaired by Lenin, passed

2275-411: The Cheka, created to punish desertions. These troops were used to forcibly repatriate deserters, taking and shooting hostages to force compliance or to set an example. In September 1918, according to The Black Book of Communism , in only twelve provinces of Russia, 48,735 deserters and 7,325 "bandits" were arrested, 1,826 were killed and 2,230 were executed. The exact identity of these individuals

2366-530: The Council of Ministers’ decision of 29 January 1992 “On Ensuring the Takeover and Guarding of the State Border of the Republic of Latvia”. By the establishment of the Border Guard Battalions, work was started on the development of border defence infrastructure – physical border marking, creation of border control infrastructure, improvement of living conditions for border guards, drafting of regulations and rules. By

2457-516: The Council of People's Commissars of the RSFSR (Russian: Всероссийская чрезвычайная комиссия по борьбе с контрреволюцией и саботажем при Совете народных комиссаров РСФСР , Vserossiyskaya chrezvychaynaya komissiya po borbe s kontrrevolyutsiyey i sabotazhem pri Sovete narodnykh komisarov RSFSR ). In 1918 its name was changed, becoming All-Russian Extraordinary Commission for Combating Counter-Revolution, Profiteering and Corruption . A member of Cheka

2548-772: The Day of the Border Guard is celebrated on August 18. It became a professional holiday in 1992, and was included to the calendar of professional holidays in 2002. June 10 celebrates the founding of the Moldovan Border Police in 1995. Border Guards Day is celebrated on August 11 in Turkmenistan , honoring the founding of the State Border Service of Turkmenistan . In Ukraine, Border Guards Day ( Ukrainian : День прикордонника) has been celebrated on April 30 as an official holiday since 2018. After Ukraine gained its independence,

2639-638: The Interior. On 10 March of the same year, the newly established Border Police ( Latvian : Robežpolicija ) took over the border guarding functions from the Border Guard Division. In 1935 the Cabinet adopted the Law on State Border Guarding. On 6 April 1935, a separate military unit – the Border Guard Brigade ( Latvian : Robežsargu brigāde ) was created within the Ministry of the Interior, with General Ludvigs Bolšteins appointed as its Commander. Shortly before

2730-429: The Russian Federation , which was founded 2 years earlier. Today, it is a celebration of more than 4 centuries of border protection and control in Russia, dating back to Prince Mikhail Ivanovich Vorotynsky's Zasechnaya cherta in the 16th century, an early prototype to the border checkpoints in operation today nationwide. Tajikistan has recognized 28 May as Border Guards Day since its independence in 1991 and celebrates

2821-535: The Separate Border Control Point and Border Guard Training Center Military Units. The protection of the border was entrusted to seven Border Guard Battalions located at Valmiera , Viļaka , Ludza , Daugavpils , Jelgava , Liepāja , Ventspils and Riga Separate Border Control Points. The protection duties by the new service started by organising checkpoints on roads and taking over the functions of Soviet Border Troops in ports and airports, based on

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2912-596: The Southern (Ukraine) Front were formed. In late November, the Second All-Russian Conference of the Extraordinary Commissions accepted a decision after a report from I. N. Polukarov to establish at all frontlines, and army sections of the Cheka and granted them the right to appoint their commissioners in military units. On December 9, 1918, the collegiate (or presidium) of VCheKa had decided to form

3003-623: The Soviet Republic had accounted for some 75 Uyezd-level Extraordinary Commissions. By the end of the year, 365 Uyezd-level Chekas were established. In 1918, the All-Russia Extraordinary Commission and the Soviets managed to establish a local Cheka apparatus. It included Oblast, Guberniya, Raion , Uyezd , and Volost Chekas, with Raion and Volost Extraordinary Commissioners. In addition, border security Chekas were included in

3094-707: The Special Investigation Commission to investigate the atrocities of the Bolsheviks estimated the number of deaths at 1,766,188 people in 1918–1919 only. The Cheka engaged in the widespread practice of torture . Depending on Cheka committees in various cities, the methods included: being skinned alive, scalped, "crowned" with barbed wire, impaled, crucified, hanged, stoned to death, tied to planks and pushed slowly into furnaces or tanks of boiling water, or rolled around naked in internally nail-studded barrels. Chekists reportedly poured water on naked prisoners in

3185-559: The State Border Guard fulfil their duties of service. Currently the State Border Guard comprises the Central Board, territorial boards, including the Aviation Board. The State Border Guard College is an institution of higher education under the authority of the State Border Guard. The State Border Guard ensures surveillance of 276 km long border between the Republic of Latvia and Russian Federation , 172,9 km long border between

3276-559: The VCheKa was officially an independent organization from the NKVD , its chief members such as Dzerzhinsky, Latsis , Unszlicht , and Uritsky (all main chekists), since November 1917 composed the collegiate of NKVD headed by Petrovsky. In November 1918, Petrovsky was appointed as head of the All-Ukrainian Central Military Revolutionary Committee during VCheKa's expansion to provinces and front-lines. At

3367-541: The VCheKa. Originally, members of the Cheka were exclusively Bolshevik ; however, in January 1918, Left SRs also joined the organization. The Left SRs were expelled or arrested later in 1918, following the attempted assassination of Lenin by an SR, Fanni Kaplan . By the end of January 1918, the Investigatory Commission of Petrograd Soviet (probably same as of Revtribunal) petitioned Sovnarkom to delineate

3458-430: The address of VCheka's first headquarters as "Petrograd, Gorokhovaya 2, 4th floor". On December 11, Fomin was ordered to organize a section to suppress "speculation." And in the same day, VCheKa offered Shchukin to conduct arrests of counterfeiters. In January 1918, a subsection of the anti-counterrevolutionary effort was created to police bank officials. The structure of VCheKa was changing repeatedly. By March 1918, when

3549-455: The ages of 8 and 13 were imprisoned and occasionally executed. All of these atrocities were published on numerous occasions in Pravda and Izvestiya : January 26, 1919 Izvestiya #18 article Is it really a medieval imprisonment? («Неужели средневековый застенок?»); February 22, 1919 Pravda #12 publishes details of the Vladimir Cheka's tortures, September 21, 1922 Socialist Herald publishes details of series of tortures conducted by

3640-431: The anarchist forces. In May 1919, two Cheka agents sent to assassinate Makhno were caught and executed. Many victims of Cheka repression were "bourgeois hostages" rounded up and held in readiness for summary execution in reprisal for any alleged counter-revolutionary act. Wholesale, indiscriminate arrests became an integral part of the system. The Cheka used trucks disguised as delivery trucks, called "Black Marias", for

3731-429: The areas during the moments of the greatest aggravation of political situation. On February 25, 1918, as the counterrevolutionary organization Union of Front-liners was making advances, the executive committee of the Saratov Soviet formed a counter-revolutionary section. On March 7, 1918, because of the move from Petrograd to Moscow, the Petrograd Cheka was created. On March 9, a section for combating counterrevolution

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3822-419: The commission were: "to liquidate to the root all of the counterrevolutionary and sabotage activities and all attempts to them in all of Russia, to hand over counter-revolutionaries and saboteurs to the revolutionary tribunals , develop measures to combat them and relentlessly apply them in real-world applications. The commission should only conduct a preliminary investigation". The commission should also observe

3913-398: The counterrevolutionary element in the Red Army , plus the Central Requisite and Unloading Commission to fight speculation. The investigation of counterrevolutionary or major criminal offenses was conducted by the Investigatory Commission of Revtribunal. The functions of VCheKa were closely intertwined with the Commission of V. D. Bonch-Bruyevich , which beside the fight against wine pogroms

4004-421: The date of celebration was moved to November 4 by decree of President of Ukraine , Leonid Kravchuk . The new date however, did not take root, with border guards who served during the Soviet era recognizing May 28 as Border Guards Day. The holiday was moved back to its original in 2003, but was changed in 2018 to April 30 by order of President Petro Poroshenko as a result of his de-Russification policy following

4095-413: The department of TsIK for the fight against "counterrevolutionaries". On December 6, the Council of People's Commissars (Sovnarkom) strategized how to persuade government workers to strike across Russia. They decided that a special commission was needed to implement the "most energetically revolutionary" measures. Felix Dzerzhinsky (the Iron Felix) was appointed as Director and invited the participation of

4186-425: The desertion-plagued Red Army . After 1922 Cheka groups underwent the first of a series of reorganizations ; however the theme of a government dominated by "the organs" persisted indefinitely afterward, and Soviet citizens continued to refer to members of the various organs as Chekists . In the first month and half after the October Revolution (1917), the duty of "extinguishing the resistance of exploiters"

4277-429: The direction of Vladimir Lenin , the Cheka performed mass arrests, imprisonments, torture, and executions without trial in what came to be known as the " Red Terror ". It policed the Gulag system of labor camps , conducted requisitions of food , and put down rebellions by workers and peasants. The Cheka was responsible for executing at least 50,000 to as many as 200,000 people, though estimates vary widely. The Cheka,

4368-405: The end of the Latvian War of Independence , on 8 November 1920 the Border Guard ( Latvian : Robežapsardzība ) was renamed to the Border Guard Division ( Latvian : Robežsargu divīzija ) and it was tasked with border protection duties. On 2 February 1922, the Cabinet of Ministers of Latvia decided to dissolve the Border Guard Division and to assign border guarding functions to the Ministry of

4459-421: The end of the civil war." Donald Rayfield concurs, noting that, "Plausible evidence reveals that the actual numbers … vastly exceeded the official figures." Chamberlin provides the "reasonable and probably moderate" estimate of 50,000, while others provide estimates ranging up to 500,000. Several scholars put the number of executions at about 250,000. Some believe it is possible more people were murdered by

4550-423: The executioner fired slightly downward at point-blank range. This had become the standard method used later by the NKVD to liquidate Joseph Stalin 's purge victims and others. It is believed that there were more than three million deserters from the Red Army in 1919 and 1920 . Approximately 500,000 deserters were arrested in 1919 and close to 800,000 in 1920, by troops of the 'Special Punitive Department' of

4641-442: The first celebrations were owing to the duties of the border guards in the conflict. Although Border Guards Day is mainly celebrated in Russia , a number of former republics in the former USSR , have preserved and continue to celebrate this holiday on May 28. A number of other countries still celebrate the holiday on different dates. Abkhazia has recognized 28 May as Border Guards Day since its independence in 1991 and celebrates

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4732-460: The first in a long succession of Soviet secret police agencies , established the security service as a major player in Soviet politics. It was dissolved in February 1922, and succeeded by the State Political Directorate (GPU). Throughout the Soviet era, members of the secret police were referred to as " Chekists ". The official designation was All-Russian Extraordinary (or Emergency ) Commission for Combating Counter-Revolution and Sabotage under

4823-422: The first months of its existence, VCheKa consisted of only 40 officials. It commanded a team of soldiers, the Sveaborgesky regiment, as well as a group of Red Guardsmen. On January 14, 1918, Sovnarkom ordered Dzerzhinsky to organize teams of "energetic and ideological" sailors to combat speculation. By the spring of 1918, the commission had several teams: in addition to the Sveaborge team, it had an intelligence team,

4914-411: The following individuals: V. K. Averin , V.V Yakovlev , D. G. Yevseyev , N. A. Zhydelev , I. K. Ksenofontov , G. K. Ordjonikidze , Ya. Kh. Peters , K. A. Peterson , V. A. Trifonov . On December 7, 1917, all invited except Zhydelev and Vasilevsky gathered in the Smolny Institute to discuss the competence and structure of the commission to combat counterrevolution and sabotage. The obligations of

5005-547: The former convict Dzerzhinsky, a sincere idealist, ruthless but chivalrous, with the emaciated profile of an Inquisitor : tall forehead, bony nose, untidy goatee, and an expression of weariness and austerity. But the Party had few men of this stamp and many Chekas. I believe that the formation of the Chekas was one of the gravest and most impermissible errors that the Bolshevik leaders committed in 1918 when plots, blockades, and interventions made them lose their heads. All evidence indicates that revolutionary tribunals , functioning in

5096-476: The functions of detection, suppression, and prevention of anti revolutionary crimes. At the meeting of the Council of People's Commissars on January 31, 1918, a merger of VCheKa and the Commission of Bonch-Bruyevich was proposed. The existence of both commissions, VCheKa of Sovnarkom and the Commission of Bonch-Bruyevich of VTsIK, with almost the same functions and equal rights, became impractical. A decision followed two weeks later. On February 23, 1918, VCheKa sent

5187-418: The holiday similarly to Russia . Belarus has recognized 28 May as Border Guards Day since its independence in 1991 and celebrates the holiday similarly to Russia . The border troops of both Belarus and Russia commonly hold joint parades during the holiday. Kyrgyzstan has recognized 28 May as Border Guards Day since its independence in 1991 and celebrates the holiday similarly to Russia . The date of

5278-425: The holiday similarly to Russia . 2014 celebrated the 20th anniversary since the establishment of the Tajik Border Troops . In honor of this anniversary, a military parade in central Dushanbe was held, with the commander of the Border Troops, Lieutenant General Rajabali Rahmonali and Commander of the Dushanbe Military Garrison, Major General Bakhtiyor Ruzmonshoev inspecting the more than 1,000 troops who participated in

5369-439: The holiday was shifted to October 29 in 2003 by order of President Akayev , but was changed back to its original date 2 years later due to appeals veterans of the Soviet Border Troops and the Kyrgyz Frontier Force . South Ossetia has recognized 28 May as Border Guards Day since its independence in 1991 and celebrates the holiday similarly to Russia . The holiday was established as a professional holiday in 1958, by order of

5460-421: The independence of the Republic of Latvia as well declared temporary borders of the newly established state. For the purposes of their protection, on 7 November 1919 Jānis Balodis , Latvian Army Commander-in-Chief, issued an order to form border guard units. The activities of border guards were based on the internal border guarding provisional regulations of the People's Council, issued on 5 December 1918. After

5551-534: The left. On April 11/12, 1918, some 26 anarchist political centres in Moscow were attacked. Forty anarchists were killed by Cheka forces, and about 500 were arrested and jailed after a pitched battle took place between the two groups. In response to the anarchists' resistance, the Cheka orchestrated a massive retaliatory campaign of repression, executions, and arrests against all opponents of the Bolshevik government, in what came to be known as " Red Terror ". The Red Terror , implemented by Dzerzhinsky on September 5, 1918,

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5642-451: The light of day and admitting the right of defense, would have attained the same efficiency with far less abuse and depravity. Was it necessary to revert to the procedures of the Inquisition?" The Cheka was also used against Nestor Makhno 's Revolutionary Insurgent Army of Ukraine . After the Insurgent Army had served its purpose in aiding the Red Army to stop the Whites under Denikin , the Soviet communist government decided to eliminate

5733-441: The meeting of December 8, the presidium of VChK was elected of five members, and chaired by Dzerzhinsky. The issues of " speculation " or profiteering, such as by black market grain sellers and " corruption " was raised at the same meeting, which was assigned to Peters to address and report with results to one of the next meetings of the commission. A circular, published on December 28 [ O.S. December 15] 1917, gave

5824-402: The new organization. As its name implied, the Extraordinary Commission had virtually unlimited powers and could interpret them in any way it wished. No standard procedures were ever set up, except that the commission was supposed to send the arrested to the Military-Revolutionary tribunals if outside of a war zone. This left an opportunity for a wide range of interpretations, as the whole country

5915-401: The number of people shot by the Cheka in 1918–1922 is about 37,300 people, shot in 1918–1921 by the verdicts of the tribunals – 14,200, i.e. about 50,000–55,000 people in total, although executions and atrocities were not limited to the Cheka, having been organized by the Red Army as well. According to anti-Bolshevik Socialist Revolutionary Sergei Melgunov (1879–1956), at the end of 1919,

6006-420: The order of the Minister of Defence of the Republic of Latvia from 1 February 1992, the Border Guard Brigade of Defence Forces of the Ministry of Defence ( Latvian : Aizsardzības ministrijas Aizsardzības spēku Robežsargu brigāde ) was established by merging the 7 existing border battalions, the Riga Separate Border Control Point and Vārve Training Centre. By the order of Minister of Defence of 23 November 1995,

6097-484: The organization came to Moscow, it contained the following sections: against counterrevolution, speculation, non-residents, and information gathering. By the end of 1918–1919, some new units were created: secretly operative, investigatory, of transportation, military (special), operative, and instructional. By 1921, it changed once again, forming the following sections: directory of affairs, administrative-organizational, secretly operative, economical, and foreign affairs. In

6188-494: The parade. Armenia has recognized 26 April as Border Guards Day since 2007. In Azerbaijan , the Day of the Border Guard is celebrated on August 18, in order to honor the parliamentary decree signed on August 18, 1919, which outlined the borders of Azerbaijan and its protection. In 2000, Heydar Aliyev announced that August 18 was set to be the new holiday of the State Border Service . The Baltic republics of Estonia , Latvia , Lithuania do not recognize May 28 as

6279-407: The people etc.'". That day, Sovnarkom officially confirmed the creation of VCheKa. The commission was created not under the VTsIK as was previously anticipated, but rather under the Council of the People's Commissars. On December 8, 1917, some of the original members of the VCheka were replaced. Averin, Ordzhonikidze, and Trifonov were replaced by V. V. Fomin, S. E. Shchukin, Ilyin, and Chernov. On

6370-497: The presidium of VCheKa approved the draft on the establishment of the Politburo at Uyezd militsiya . This decision was approved by the Conference of the Extraordinary Commission IV, held in early February 1920. On August 3, a VCheKa section for combating counterrevolution, speculation and sabotage on railways was created. On August 7, 1918, Sovnarkom adopted a decree on the organization of the railway section at VCheKa. Combating counterrevolution, speculation, and crimes on railroads

6461-448: The press and counterrevolutionary parties, sabotaging officials and other criminals. Three sections were created: informational, organizational, and a unit to combat counter-revolution and sabotage. Upon the end of the meeting, Dzerzhinsky reported to the Sovnarkom with the requested information. The commission was allowed to apply such measures of repression as 'confiscation, deprivation of ration cards, publication of lists of enemies of

6552-484: The right to directly enter their representatives into the VCheKa. Sovnarkom recognized the desirability of including five representatives of the Left Socialist-Revolutionary faction of VTsIK. Left SRs were granted the post of a companion (deputy) chairman of VCheKa. However, Sovnarkom, in which the majority belonged to the representatives of RSDLP(b) retained the right to approve members of the collegium of

6643-452: The role of detection and judicial-investigatory organs. It offered to leave, for the VCheKa and the Commission of Bonch-Bruyevich, only the functions of detection and suppression, while investigative functions entirely transferred to it. The Investigatory Commission prevailed. On January 31, 1918, Sovnarkom ordered to relieve VCheKa of the investigative functions, leaving for the commission only

6734-467: The secret arrest and transport of prisoners. It was during the Red Terror that the Cheka, hoping to avoid the bloody aftermath of having half-dead victims writhing on the floor, developed a technique for execution known later by the German words " Nackenschuss " or " Genickschuss " , a shot to the nape of the neck, which caused minimal blood loss and instant death. The victim's head was bent forward, and

6825-511: The suspension of Communist Party of the RSFSR. State Border Guard The State Border Guard ( Latvian : Valsts Robežsardze ) is the border guard of Latvia . The State Border Guard is an institution subordinated to the Minister of the Interior. The State Border Guard is an armed institution and it serves to ensure the security of the state border and to prevent illegal migration. Every day more than 2,000 border guards and employees of

6916-408: The system of local Cheka bodies. In the autumn of 1918, as consolidation of the political situation of the republic continued, a move toward elimination of Uyezd-, Raion-, and Volost-level Chekas, as well as the institution of Extraordinary Commissions was considered. On January 20, 1919, VTsIK adopted a resolution prepared by VCheKa, On the abolition of Uyezd Extraordinary Commissions . On January 16

7007-577: The time of political competition between Bolsheviks and SRs (January 1918), Left SRs attempted to curb the rights of VCheKa and establish through the Narkomiust their control over its work. Having failed in attempts to subordinate the VCheKa to Narkomiust, the Left SRs tried to gain control of the Extraordinary Commission in a different way: they requested that the Central Committee of the party be granted

7098-622: The time of the 'cleansing'". In 1921, the Troops for the Internal Defense of the Republic (a branch of the Cheka) numbered at least 200,000. These troops policed labor camps , ran the Gulag system, conducted requisitions of food , and subjected political opponents to secret arrest, detention, torture and summary execution . They also put down rebellions and riots by workers or peasants, and mutinies in

7189-698: The transitional period towards independence that lasted until August 1991 in effect, Latvian border guard units were not yet restored. On 7 November 1991 the Presidium of the Supreme Council approved the "Regulations on the Order of Taking the Oath for Soldiers of the Republic of Latvia". On 11 November 1991 the first border guards of the restored Republic of Latvia took their oath in the Brothers' Cemetery of Riga . 13 December 1991

7280-435: The whole period go for a low of 50,000 to highs of 140,000 and 200,000 executed. Most estimations for the number of executions in total put the number at about 100,000. According to Vadim Erlikhman's investigation, the number of the Red Terror's victims is at least 1,200,000 people. According to Robert Conquest , a total of 140,000 people were shot in 1917–1922. Candidate of Historical Sciences Nikolay Zayats states that

7371-614: The winter-bound streets until they became living ice statues. Others beheaded their victims by twisting their necks until their heads could be torn off. The Cheka detachments stationed in Kiev would attach an iron tube to the torso of a bound victim and insert a rat in the tube closed off with wire netting, while the tube was held over a flame until the rat began gnawing through the victim's guts in an effort to escape. Women and children were also victims of Cheka terror. Women would sometimes be tortured and raped before being shot. Children between

7462-533: Was assigned to the Petrograd Military Revolutionary Committee (or PVRK). It represented a temporary body working under directives of the Council of People's Commissars (Sovnarkom) and Central Committee of RDSRP ( b ). The VRK created new bodies of government, organized food delivery to cities and the Army, requisitioned products from bourgeoisie , and sent its emissaries and agitators into provinces. One of its most important functions

7553-466: Was called a chekist (Russian: чеки́ст , romanized : chekíst , IPA: [t͡ɕɪˈkʲist] ). Also, the term chekist often referred to Soviet secret police throughout the Soviet period, despite official name changes over time. In The Gulag Archipelago , Alexander Solzhenitsyn recalls that zeks in the labor camps used old chekist as a mark of special esteem for particularly experienced camp administrators. The term

7644-674: Was created under the Omsk Soviet. Extraordinary commissions were also created in Penza , Perm , Novgorod , Cherepovets , Rostov , Taganrog . On March 18, VCheKa adopted a resolution, The Work of VCheKa on the All-Russian Scale , foreseeing the formation everywhere of Extraordinary Commissions after the same model, and sent a letter that called for the widespread establishment of the Cheka in combating counterrevolution, speculation, and sabotage. Establishment of provincial Extraordinary Commissions

7735-462: Was engaged in the investigation of most major political offenses (see: Bonch-Bruyevich Commission ). All results of its activities, VCheKa had either to transfer to the Investigatory Commission of Revtribunal, or to dismiss. The control of the commission's activity was provided by the People's Commissariat for Justice (Narkomjust, at that time headed by Isaac Steinberg ) and Internal Affairs (NKVD, at that time headed by Grigory Petrovsky ). Although

7826-404: Was in total chaos. At the direction of Lenin, the Cheka performed mass arrests, imprisonments, and executions of " enemies of the people ". In this, the Cheka said that they targeted "class enemies" such as the bourgeoisie , and members of the clergy . Within a month, the Cheka had extended its repression to all political opponents of the communist government, including anarchists and others on

7917-588: Was largely completed by August 1918. In the Soviet Republic, there were 38 gubernatorial Chekas (Gubcheks) by this time. On June 12, 1918, the All-Russian Conference of Cheka adopted the Basic Provisions on the Organization of Extraordinary Commissions . They set out to form Extraordinary Commissions not only at Oblast and Guberniya levels, but also at the large Uyezd Soviets. In August 1918, in

8008-493: Was passed under the jurisdiction of the railway section of VCheKa and local Cheka. In August 1918, railway sections were formed under the Gubcheks. Formally, they were part of the non-resident sections, but in fact constituted a separate division, largely autonomous in their activities. The gubernatorial and oblast-type Chekas retained in relation to the transportation sections only control and investigative functions. The beginning of

8099-534: Was the Tambov rebellion . Villages were bombarded to complete annihilation, as in the case of Tretyaki, Novokhopersk uyezd, Voronezh Governorate . As a result of this relentless violence, more than a few Chekists ended up with psychopathic disorders, which Nikolai Bukharin said were "an occupational hazard of the Chekist profession." Many hardened themselves to the executions by heavy drinking and drug use. Some developed

8190-584: Was the security of revolutionary order, and the fight against counterrevolutionary activity (see: Anti-Soviet agitation ). On December 1, 1917, the All-Russian Central Executive Committee (VTsIK or TsIK) reviewed a proposed reorganization of the VRK, and possible replacement of it. On December 5, the Petrograd VRK published an announcement of dissolution and transferred its functions to

8281-415: Was vividly described by the Red Army journal Krasnaya Gazeta : Without mercy, without sparing, we will kill our enemies in scores of hundreds. Let them be thousands, let them drown themselves in their own blood. For the blood of Lenin and Uritsky … let there be floods of blood of the bourgeoisie – more blood, as much as possible..." An early Bolshevik, Victor Serge described in his book Memoirs of

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