07-29-2003, 07:56 AM
GLOSSARY & DEFINITIONS
(Copyright: Shawn M. Caza, June 1998)
Cheka: The "Vserossiiskaya Chrezvychainaya Komissiya po Borbe s Kontrrevolyutsiei i Sabotazhem" (All-Russian Extraordinary Commission for Combatting Counter-Revolution and Sabotage). The first Soviet state security agency the Cheka was formed on 20 December 1917. It was also known as the Vecheka. It was transformed into the GPU in February 1922. Soviet state security personnel were referred to as Chekists throughout the Soviet period and the term is still found in use in Russia today.
GPU: The "Gosudarstvennoi Politicheskoi Upravlenie" (State Political Directorate) was formed from the Cheka in 1922. Its name reflects the slight diminuition in the power and scope of the state security organs that occurred during period of New Economic Policy (N.E.P.). State control was loosened over many social and economic aspects of life. However, control remained as strong as ever over all political affairs. With the formation of the USSR in 1923 the GPU was transformed into the OGPU.
GRU: The "Glavnoye Razvedyvatel'noye Upravlenie" (Chief Intelligence Directorate) was the branch of the General Staff of the Soviet Armed Forces that was responsible for military intelligence. The Soviet word razvedyvatel'noye has a wider meaning than the english word intelligence and includes the active collection and analysis of information through all available sources. Reconnaissance is thus included in this definition. The GRU ran its own agent networks abroad and had officers in foreign embassies and missions. Soviet military Spetsnaz (special forces troops from spetsialnaya naznacheniya or special designation) were also part of the GRU. The GRU continues to exist, with little change, in the Russian General Staff.
GUGB: See the NKVD below.
KGB: The "Komitet Gosudarstvennoi Bezopasnosti" (Committee of State Security) was formed in March 1954 after the breakup of the "monster" MVD. It lasted until December 1991. See the KGB Organization & Symbols page for more details.
MGB: The "Ministerstvo Gosudarstvennoi Bezopasnosti" (Ministry of State Security) was formed from the NKGB in 1946. It lasted until Beria's creation of the "monster" MVD in March 1953. It, along with the NKGB, is perhaps the least known and understood of all Soviet state security organs.
MVD: The "Ministrestvo Vnutrennykh Del" (Ministry of Internal Affairs) was formed in 1946 when the NKVD was renamed. It controlled internal security functions such as policing, guarding state facilities, guarding prisons, fire fighting, etc. It did not control state security functions except for the brief period between March 1953 and March 1954 when Beria merged the MVD and MGB into a "monster" MVD. After the creation of the KGB the MVD reverted to controlling all non-state security internal affairs and existed throughout the Soviet era. Between 1960 and 1968 it was renamed the MOOP (Ministry for the Maintenance of Public Order).
NKGB: The "Narodnii Kommissariat Gosudarstvennoi Bezopasnosti" (People's Commissariat of State Security) existed for two brief periods 1941-1941 and 1943-1946. It was formed when the GUGB (of the NKVD) was spun off as a separate People's Commissariat. The NKGB was remerged into the NKVD (as the GUGB again) when the outbreak of the war demanded a tight centralization of security and internal affiars. The NKGB was reformed in early 1943 after the victory at Stalingrad made it clear that the USSR was out of immediate danger. In 1946 the NKGB was transformed into the MGB. It, along with the MGB, is perhaps the least known and understood of all Soviet state security organs.
NKVD: The "Narodnii Kommissariat Vnutrennykh Del" (People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs) was created in early 1918 to handle policing and internal affairs. However, it did not obtain state security functions until it took over the OGPU in July 1934. State security functions were then handled by the NKVD's GUGB ("Glavnoe Upravlenie Gosudarstvennoe Bezopasnosti" or Main Directorate of State Security). In 1946, when all Soviet People's Commisariats became Ministries, the NKVD was transformed into the MVD.
GPU: "Obed'enniy Gosudarstvennoi Politicheskii Upravlennie" (Combined State Political Directorate). The OGPU was formed from the GPU in 1923. With the creation of the USSR a unified organization was required to exercise control over state security throughout the new union. It was incorporated into the NKVD in July 1934.
SMERSH: From "Smert' Shpionam" or "Death to Spies". Military counter-intelligence service from 1943-1946. SMERSH was controlled by the People's Commissariat of Defence, the NKO and not by the NKVD or NKGB. However, most SMERSH personnel came from the 3rd Directorate of the NKVD GUGB from which SMERSH was created. Likewise, most SMERSH personnel transfered to the 3rd Directorate of the MGB when it was created from SMERSH in 1946
Vecheka: See Cheka above.
Shawn
(Copyright: Shawn M. Caza, June 1998)
Cheka: The "Vserossiiskaya Chrezvychainaya Komissiya po Borbe s Kontrrevolyutsiei i Sabotazhem" (All-Russian Extraordinary Commission for Combatting Counter-Revolution and Sabotage). The first Soviet state security agency the Cheka was formed on 20 December 1917. It was also known as the Vecheka. It was transformed into the GPU in February 1922. Soviet state security personnel were referred to as Chekists throughout the Soviet period and the term is still found in use in Russia today.
GPU: The "Gosudarstvennoi Politicheskoi Upravlenie" (State Political Directorate) was formed from the Cheka in 1922. Its name reflects the slight diminuition in the power and scope of the state security organs that occurred during period of New Economic Policy (N.E.P.). State control was loosened over many social and economic aspects of life. However, control remained as strong as ever over all political affairs. With the formation of the USSR in 1923 the GPU was transformed into the OGPU.
GRU: The "Glavnoye Razvedyvatel'noye Upravlenie" (Chief Intelligence Directorate) was the branch of the General Staff of the Soviet Armed Forces that was responsible for military intelligence. The Soviet word razvedyvatel'noye has a wider meaning than the english word intelligence and includes the active collection and analysis of information through all available sources. Reconnaissance is thus included in this definition. The GRU ran its own agent networks abroad and had officers in foreign embassies and missions. Soviet military Spetsnaz (special forces troops from spetsialnaya naznacheniya or special designation) were also part of the GRU. The GRU continues to exist, with little change, in the Russian General Staff.
GUGB: See the NKVD below.
KGB: The "Komitet Gosudarstvennoi Bezopasnosti" (Committee of State Security) was formed in March 1954 after the breakup of the "monster" MVD. It lasted until December 1991. See the KGB Organization & Symbols page for more details.
MGB: The "Ministerstvo Gosudarstvennoi Bezopasnosti" (Ministry of State Security) was formed from the NKGB in 1946. It lasted until Beria's creation of the "monster" MVD in March 1953. It, along with the NKGB, is perhaps the least known and understood of all Soviet state security organs.
MVD: The "Ministrestvo Vnutrennykh Del" (Ministry of Internal Affairs) was formed in 1946 when the NKVD was renamed. It controlled internal security functions such as policing, guarding state facilities, guarding prisons, fire fighting, etc. It did not control state security functions except for the brief period between March 1953 and March 1954 when Beria merged the MVD and MGB into a "monster" MVD. After the creation of the KGB the MVD reverted to controlling all non-state security internal affairs and existed throughout the Soviet era. Between 1960 and 1968 it was renamed the MOOP (Ministry for the Maintenance of Public Order).
NKGB: The "Narodnii Kommissariat Gosudarstvennoi Bezopasnosti" (People's Commissariat of State Security) existed for two brief periods 1941-1941 and 1943-1946. It was formed when the GUGB (of the NKVD) was spun off as a separate People's Commissariat. The NKGB was remerged into the NKVD (as the GUGB again) when the outbreak of the war demanded a tight centralization of security and internal affiars. The NKGB was reformed in early 1943 after the victory at Stalingrad made it clear that the USSR was out of immediate danger. In 1946 the NKGB was transformed into the MGB. It, along with the MGB, is perhaps the least known and understood of all Soviet state security organs.
NKVD: The "Narodnii Kommissariat Vnutrennykh Del" (People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs) was created in early 1918 to handle policing and internal affairs. However, it did not obtain state security functions until it took over the OGPU in July 1934. State security functions were then handled by the NKVD's GUGB ("Glavnoe Upravlenie Gosudarstvennoe Bezopasnosti" or Main Directorate of State Security). In 1946, when all Soviet People's Commisariats became Ministries, the NKVD was transformed into the MVD.
GPU: "Obed'enniy Gosudarstvennoi Politicheskii Upravlennie" (Combined State Political Directorate). The OGPU was formed from the GPU in 1923. With the creation of the USSR a unified organization was required to exercise control over state security throughout the new union. It was incorporated into the NKVD in July 1934.
SMERSH: From "Smert' Shpionam" or "Death to Spies". Military counter-intelligence service from 1943-1946. SMERSH was controlled by the People's Commissariat of Defence, the NKO and not by the NKVD or NKGB. However, most SMERSH personnel came from the 3rd Directorate of the NKVD GUGB from which SMERSH was created. Likewise, most SMERSH personnel transfered to the 3rd Directorate of the MGB when it was created from SMERSH in 1946
Vecheka: See Cheka above.
Shawn
