Secret Stationary Of Rostov Regional CPSU.

[Art]

This was given to me by a friend whose wife worked in the KPCC in Rostov-on-Don. Essentially they are blank stationary for secret orders of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union ( Rostov-on-Don Region ).

I obtained them in 1994. They are roughly same size as regular office stationary. I have 5 sheets, slightly different variations on each but essentially the same. I never understood how secret they were until the person who gave them to me sent the following letter along with the sheets..this person's English was a little rough in spots, but much better than my Russian :) so in it's entirety with grammar and spelling untouched:

"Hi Art,

I decided to send you the papers by usual way: without a receipt and in a small envelope. This would spoil a little them but gives much chances to reach you.
Since you are interested in knowing what you've got and it seems the previous letter was lost, I repeat some points. This are sheets on which orders of the top authority of Rostov region were written ( region is 4 mln of citizens is more than Switzerland I guess ). I am not quite sure they put seals on since such a paper itself was above the law. If Rector of Rostov University receive such a paper (without seal) in which it was said that Rostov University must send 2000 students and professors to pick up the harvest to a "solhoz" for free he sent! It was a crime if not than he would be removed from his position. They need no any symbols like stars etc..Not to obey was a crime more hard than to steel or to rape. Even the form of it was a top secret. I never saw before such papers. So...Since they are similar I describe them all together. Since I am quite sure you don't know Russian, I translate some..

"Workers of all countries, unite"
"COMMUNIST PARTY OF SOVIET UNION"
"ROSTOV REGIONAL COMMITTEE"
"index, number of record date" "Secretly"
"DECREE
OF BUREAU OF ROSTOV-ON-DON OBKOM CPSU"
OF_______198 RECORD N"


Maybe of interest, is the back side.

"ORDER OF USE OF DECREES OF PARTY COMMITTEE. A PERSON CAN'T GIVE OR SHOW THIS TO OTHER PERSONS WHO ARE NOT INVOLVED INTO FULFILMENT OF THE DECREE DIRECTLY. THE DECREE MUST BE KEPT IN A METALLIC SAFE. TO DO COPIES, TO DO WRITTEN EXTRACTS FROM IT, AND TO REFER TO THIS IN OPEN PRESS (NEWSPAPERS) OR DOCUMENTS OF SOVIET, TRADE UNION, KOMSOMOL OR ADMINISTRATIVE GOVERNMENT BODIES IS FORBIDDEN.
(FROM INSTRUCTION ON USE OF SECRET DOCUMENTS IN UKCP OF REPUBLICS, KRAJCOMS AND OBKOMS)."

I hope you understand this instruction was the top secret too. These are in special archives. Enjoy these they are from a part of government that did not want to leave traces.

[Tal Inbar]

Just imagine this kind of document, but with the letterhead of the central comeetee of the party in Moscow, or the KGB HQ.

It remind me an internal joke in the cabinet war rooms in London - the secrateries typed a humurous letter and the title said : "MOST SECRET - TO BE BURN BEFORE READING! ";)