12-24-2003, 08:47 AM
Dave,
Thanks for sharing the letter. Another genuine hero of the war!
A few quick points though. The letter is not really about him becoming a commissar as he already was one in effect. He had already been a company politruk (December 41 to April 42) and before that a "volunteer political instructor" - in other words a member of the party cell in his unit.
I would argue that most commisar and politruks did not gain their positions due to age. Instead they usually entered directly as such. They were almost always party functionaries prior to joining/being drafted. They in fact remained part of the party through GLAVPU - the chief directorate of political work which was part of the military but under CPSU control.
Many were older as it was one way they could be drafted or volunteer.
Shawn
Thanks for sharing the letter. Another genuine hero of the war!
A few quick points though. The letter is not really about him becoming a commissar as he already was one in effect. He had already been a company politruk (December 41 to April 42) and before that a "volunteer political instructor" - in other words a member of the party cell in his unit.
I would argue that most commisar and politruks did not gain their positions due to age. Instead they usually entered directly as such. They were almost always party functionaries prior to joining/being drafted. They in fact remained part of the party through GLAVPU - the chief directorate of political work which was part of the military but under CPSU control.
Many were older as it was one way they could be drafted or volunteer.
Shawn
