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Kaganovich and Yezhov to Stalin

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By Kaganovich, Lazar Moiseevich Yezhov, Nikolai Ivanovich

The Stalin-Kaganovich Correspondence, 1931-36

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Document 136

Kaganovich and Yezhov to Stalin

20 August

F. 558, op. 11, d. 93, ll. 42–46. Original typescript. Signed by the authors.

[By cipher] Sochi. To Pauker. To Comrade Stalin. 1. During the morning and evening sessions the following were examined: Mrachkovsky, Yevdokimov, Dreitser, Reingold, Bakaev, and Pikel. 2. The most essential parts of their examinations were the following: a) Mrachkovsky confirmed in full the entire factual aspect of his statements from the pretrial investigation and clarified these statements. His testimony with regard to the role of Trotsky and Smirnov was especially convincing. This was the most important part of Mrachkovsky's testimony. b) Yevdokimov fully confirmed the statements from the pretrial investigation and added a number of important details. What was most convincing in his testimony were the details of Kirov's assassination on the direct instructions of Trotsky, Zinoviev, Kamenev, himself—Yevdokimov—and others. c) Dreitser confirmed all the statements from the pretrial investigation.

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He dwelt in particular on the roles of Trotsky, Smirnov, and Mrachkovsky. He gave very detailed testimony about them. He especially attacked Smirnov for the latter's attempt to play down his role in organizing the terror. d) Reingold confirmed in full the statements made during the pretrial investigation and clarified them in a number of places. The most essential parts of his testimony were: a detailed account of the two variants of the plan to seize power (double-dealing, terrorism, military plot); a detailed statement on communications with rightists and on the existence of terrorist groups among the rightists (Slepkov, Eismont), of which Rykov, Tomsky, and Bukharin were aware; a statement about the existence of a reserve center consisting of Radek, Sokolnikov, Serebriakov, and Piatakov; a statement about a plan to expunge the trail of the crime by destroying any Chekists who knew anything about the crime as well as their own terrorists; a statement about the theft of state funds for the needs of the organization with the aid of Arkus and Tumanov. e) Bakaev confirmed in full the statements from the pretrial investigation. He gave a very detailed and convincing account of Kirov's assassination and the preparation for Stalin's assassination in Moscow. He especially insisted that Trotsky, Zinoviev, Kamenev, and Yevdokimov were direct accomplices in this affair. While he minimized his own role somewhat, he was resentful that they had not told him everything earlier.

Item “e” has been checked off with a red pencil in the left margin.

f) Pikel confirmed in full the statements from the pretrial investigation. For the most part, he repeated Reingold's testimony. He gave particular attention to Bogdan's suicide, stating that, in effect, they had murdered Bogdan, that he had committed suicide at Bakaev's insistence. The day before Bogdan's suicide, Bakaev spent the entire night at his home and told him that either he had to commit suicide himself in the morning or they would destroy him themselves. Bogdan chose Bakaev's first suggestion. 3. We are taking special note of the behavior of the following defendants at the trial: a) Smirnov has taken the line that, while he was a member of the Trotskyite-Zinovievite center and knew about its terrorist principles, he did not himself participate in the organization's practical activities, did not participate in the preparation of acts of terrorism and did not share the principles of Trotsky-Sedov. The cross-examinations of all the defendants immediately and repeatedly exposed Smirnov's lies. Under pressure from the other defendants' testimonies, Smirnov was compelled at the evening session to admit a number of facts that incriminated him and he became less active.

A further phrase has been stricken: “on the whole, it must be said that his situation is more foolish.”

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b) Zinoviev, when questioned by the prosecutor on redirect examination about whether the facts set forth by the defendants were accurate, admitted to the overwhelming majority of them. He disputed minutiae, such as whether it was precisely those particular individuals or others who were present during the discussions of plans for terrorism, and so forth. His demeanor was more depressed than anyone else's. c) Kamenev, when questioned by the prosecutor on redirect examination about whether the facts disclosed by the defendants were accurate, confirmed the overwhelming majority of them. His demeanor was more provocative than Zinoviev's. He tried to show off.

A further phrase has been stricken: “portraying himself as a supreme leader.”

4. Several defendants, especially Reingold, spoke in detail about ties with rightists, referring by name to Rykov, Tomsky, Bukharin, and Uglanov. Reingold, specifically, testified that Rykov, Tomsky, and Bukharin knew about the existence of rightist terrorist groups. This made a particular impression on the foreign correspondents. All of the foreign correspondents dwelled specifically on this point in their dispatches, calling it especially sensational testimony. We believe that when the report on Reingold's testimony is published in our newspapers, the names of the rightists should not be deleted. 5. Many defendants identified the reserve center as consisting of Radek, Sokolnikov, Piatakov, and Serebriakov, identifying them as convinced supporters of the Trotskyite-Zinovievite bloc. All of the foreign correspondents in their dispatches pounced on this testimony as a sensation and are transmitting it to their press. We believe that

The sentence originally read: “We believe that it is impossible to conceal this testimony in our press.”

when the report is published in our press these names should not be deleted, either.

The draft of the letter also contained an item 6, which has not survived in full: “The trial has had a stunning impression on every foreign correspondent without exception. According to a report from Tal, Astakhov, and the Chekists, the foreign correspondents have no doubts about the guilt of all the defendants, and in particular Trotsky, Zinoviev, and Kamenev. They were particularly impressed by the redirect examination of Kamenev, Zinovie[v] [text breaks off]”

Yezhov. Kaganovich.

The text of the letter contains Kaganovich's corrections. A telegraph tape has been pasted to the end of the letter. It reads: “20 August 1936 2:50 A.M. Transm[itted] by Zakharova rec[eived] by Afonin.”

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