Ending the famine 76. Decision of the Council of Labor and Defense of the ussr number 256/96ss

“Regarding lending of seed grain to Ukraine”.

Previous classification: TOP SECRET

Regarding Lending of Seed Grain to Ukraine

The Council of Labor and Defense decides:

As an exception, authorize the disbursement to the Soviet Socialist Republic of Ukraine of an interest-free loan of seed grain of barley in the amount of 1,350 thousand poods [22 thousand metric tons]; of which 750 thousand poods [12.2 thousand metric tons] from the centralized emergency resources [stored in] Ukraine; 350 thousand poods [5.7 thousand metric tons] from the emergency reserves of the Soviet of People’s Commissars [stored in] Central Chernozem Province of Russia, and 250 thousand poods [4 thousand tons] from the emergency reserves of the Soviet of People’s Commissars [stored] in Western Province of Russia.

Signed: Chairman of the Council of Labor and Defense – Vyacheslav Molotov (Skryabin)

Secretary of the Council of Labor and Defense – I. Miroshnikov.
Provided by the State Archive of the Russian Federation.

Fond R-5674, Record Series 9, File 21, Page 134.

77. Excerpt from the protocol number 72 of the meeting of Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist party of Ukraine “Regarding food assistance to the members of kolkhozes”.

Original document.

April 20th, 1932.
1. In relation to the joint statement of [several] Provinces and the Ukrainian Kolkhoz Centre regarding the need to extend food assistance to collective farmers who experience most severe need during the sowing campaign – distribute the following amounts of millet:

To Kiev Province of Ukraine – 500 metric tons

To Odessa Province of Ukraine – 500 metric tons

To Dnepropetrovsk Province of Ukraine – 400 metric tons

To Vinnitsa Province of Ukraine – 300 metric tons

To AMSSR [Autonomous Moldavian Socialist Republic,

To Kharkov Province of Ukraine – 200 metric tons.

2200 metric tons
3. Order the Provinces to take measures to assure expeditious hulling of millet distributed as food assistance into grouts.
Provided by the Russian State Archive of Socio-Political History.

Fond 17, Record Series 42, File 50, Page 54.

78. Decision of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist party (Bolsheviks) “Regarding the lending of seed grain to Central Chernozem Province[of the Russian Federation] and Kiev Province of Ukraine”.

Original document.

June 8th, 1932.
Distribute additionally as a seed loan, with return in kind in the autumn [of 1932]:

to Central Chernozem Province of Russia – 1500 metric tons of buckwheat (from the emergency reserves of Central Chernozem Province of Russia);

to Kiev Province of Ukraine – 1000 metric tons of buckwheat (also from the emergency reserves of Central Chernozem Province of Russia).
Provided by the Russian State Archive of Socio-Political History.Fond 17, Record Series162, File 12, Pages 171, 176, 178.

79. Memorandum of Iona Yakir, commander of the Ukrainian Military District to Kliment Voroshilov, People’s Commissar for Military and Naval Affairs, Chairman of the Revvoensovet [Revolutionary Military Council] of the USSR regarding measures taken to provide food assistance to starving families of Red Army personnel.

Original document.

July 1st, 1932.
Declassified

Previous classification: SECRET

...Based on complaints coming from Red Army personnel that their families are starving, [and] investigation of a part of these complaints in the areas of Army division formation in Ukraine, the following number of families needing immediate assistance has been recorded: a) for the 10 regular divisions – 2,624 families of Red Army personnel;

b) for the 11 territorial divisions – 4,875 families […]
Provided by the Russian State Military Archive.Fond 4, Record Series 14, File 527, Pages 96–97.

80. Decision of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist party (Bolsheviks)

“Regarding weed extirpation work in Ukraine”.

Hand out to Ukraine 400 thousand poods [6,5 million metric tons] of wheat for distribution during the weed extirpation season.

Signed: Secretary of the Central Committee – L. KAGANOVICH

a) from the wheat purchased in Persia [Iran] keep in the Middle Asia six thousand metric tons, ordering the Middle-Asian Bureau of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist party (Bolsheviks) to transport urgently to Kazakhstan additional six thousand tons of bread from neighboring districts.

b) transport from the emergency reserves of the Middle Volga Province of Russia two thousand tons of bread as food assistance for the Eastern Kazakhstan Province.

Provided by the Russian State Archive of Socio-Political History.

Fond 17, Record Series 162, File 13, Page 14.

82. Decision of the Soviet of People’s Commissars of the USSE “Regarding Centralized Supplying [withfood] of 70 thousand children in Kazakhstan”.

Original document.

August 20th, 1932.
DECLASSIFIED.

Previous classification: SECRET

BALLOT OF THE MEMBERS OF THE SNK [Soviet of People’s Commissars] OF THE USSR (Vote by circular letter)

Regarding Supplying in a Centralized Mode of 70,000 vagrant
children in Kazakhstan

Suggest to Narkomsnab [People’s Commissar for Supplies] of the USSR that additional 10,000 vagrant children in Kazakhstan be put on [food] supply in a centralized mode, thus increasing the total number of centrally supplied vagrant children in Kazakhstan to 70,000.

[On the bottom of the document – signatures of the Commissars, signifying assent (no dissent votes are entered on this document) and the date of granting of assent]
Provided by the Russian State Archive of the Economy.

Fond 8043, Record Series 11, File 61, Page 155.

83. Decision of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist party (Bolsheviks)

“Regarding grain procurement in Ukraine”.

On August 17th, 1932

47/4: On grain procurement in Ukraine

a) Adopt comrade Stalin’s proposal to reduce the grain procurement quotas for Ukraine by 40 million poods [652 thousand metric tons] as an exception for the especially hard-hit districts, with quotas for kolkhozes reduced by half and for the individual farmers reduced by one third.

b) Summon comrade St[anislaw] Kosior to Moscow at once.

c) Order comrades Kuybyshev, S[tanislaw] Kosior and Kaganovich determine which districts qualify for the reduction, avoiding any summary determinations [assuring each district is assessed individually].

comrades Kuybyshev, Kaganovich – paragraphs “a” and “c”,

comrade St. Kosior – paragraph “b”.
Provided by the Russian State Archive of Socio-Political History.

Fond 17, Record Series 162, File 13, Page 75, 76, 80.

84. Excerpt from the protocol number 101 of the meeting of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist party of Ukraine

“Regarding supply of bread”.

4. Transfer to Kharkov Province 300 metric tons and to Odessa Province of Ukraine 300 metric tons of flour from the USSR emergency funds for meals centers and discretionary uses.

5. Additionally transfer to Odessa Province of Ukraine 300 metric tons from the unused emergency reserves of Donbass [Donetzk Province of Ukraine] […]

6. Warn the provincial authorities that this giveaway of supplies exhausts all centralized bread reserves of Ukraine and that no additional assistance can possibly be extended in the remaining days of January.

Signed: Secretary of the Central committee of the Communist party(Bolsheviks)
of Ukraine M. KHATAEVICH
Provided by the Russian State Archive of Socio-Political History.

Fond 17, Record Series 42, File 80, Page 8.

85. Excerpt from the protocol number 130
of the meeting of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist party (Bolsheviks) regarding food assistance to workers of North Caucasus [Province of Russia], Dnepropetrovsk and Odessa Provinces [of Ukraine] that are employed by sovkhozes [state-owned farms], MTS [Equipment and Tractor Stations], MTM [Equipment and Tractor Service Centers] as well as the collective farm activists, regardless of membership in the Communist party.

Original document.

February 8th, 1933.
52/25 Issues, brought forth by Dnepropetrovsk Provincial Committee of the Communist party of Ukraine

Transfer 200 thousand poods [3.3 thousand metric tons] of rye to Dnepropetrovsk provincial committee of the Communist party of Ukraine and the provincial Executive Committee to be used for the purposes of food assistance to workers of sovkhozes [state-owned farms], MTS [Equipment and Tractor Stations], MTM [Equipment and Tractor Service Centers] as well as activists, regardless of membership in the Communist party, of kolkhozes that are experiencing food shortages.

53/26 Issues, brought forth by Odessa Provincial Committee of the Communist party of Ukraine

Transfer 200 thousand poods [3.3 thousand metric tons] of rye to Odessa provincial committee of the Communist party of Ukraine and the provincial Executive Committee to be used for the purposes of food assistance to workers of sovkhozes [state-owned farms], MTS [Equipment and Tractor Stations], MTM [Equipment and Tractor Service Centers] as well as activists, regardless of membership in the Communist party, of kolkhozes that are experiencing food shortages.

Copies sent: comprades Chernov, Veger (encrypted copy).

Official Seal of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist party (Bolsheviks)

Signed: Secretary of the Central Committee – Joseph Stalin [signature stamp]
Provided by the Russian State Archive of Socio-Political History.

Fond 17, Record Series 162, File 14, Pages 59, 60.

86. Decision Number 198/32 of the Soviet of People’s Commissars of the USSR “Regarding seed grain and food loans to North Caucasus Region [of the Russian Federation].

Original document.

February 13, 1933.
The Soviet of People’s Commissars decides:

1. Lend to North Caucasus Region of the Russian Federation for the purposes of seed grain assistance to distressed kolkhozes as well as sovkhozes [state-owned farms] [a total of] 14.2 million poods of grain [233 thousand metric tons]. Of this amount, 3 million poods [49 thousand metric tons] [of grain] in exchange for other produce.

... 4. In addition to the seed grain, distribute to North Caucasus Region 500 thousand poods [8.2 thousand metric tons] of oats as fodder assistance [for farm animals] as well as 250 thousand poods [4.1 thousand metric tons] of rye and 250 thousand poods of maize as food assistance to the population of the starving kolkhozes.
Provided by the State Archive of Russian Federation.

Fond 5446, Record Series 1v, File 468, Pages 52–53.

87. Decision of the Soviet of People’s Commissars of the USSR and the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist party (Bolsheviks) Number 240/42s “Regarding seed grain and food assistance to kolkhozes and sovkhozes [state-owned farms] of Ukraine”

Original document.

February 18th, 1933.
1. Establish the amount of seed grain to be lent to sovkhozes and kolkhozes of Ukraine as 20,300 thousand poods [332.5 thousand metric tons] (including the share of sovkhozes – 1,700 thousand poods [27.85 thousand metric tons]).

...5. To assure extension of food assistance to the malnourished in affected kolkhozes, and village activists, as well as workers of sovkhozes [state-owned farms], MTS [Equipment and Tractor Stations], MTM [Equipment and Tractor Service Stations], distribute 2,200 thousand poods [36 thousand metric tons] of grain (rye and wheat) – for the duration of spring field work […]

...In affected villages mandate the distribution of hot breakfasts in schools, with extension [of this service] to all children under school age who are malnourished […]

... Due to constant presence of attempts of our enemies to use these facts [as arguments] against creation of kolkhozes, Communist party committees on the district level must intensify systematic instructive work, uncovering the real reasons for cases of famine (mismanagement, work-dodging and a drop in labour discipline).
Provided by the Russian State Archive of Socio-Political History.

Fond 17, Record Series 42, File 82, Pages 82–83.

89. Decision by the Bureau of Kiev provincial committee of the Communist party (Bolsheviks) of Ukraine regarding medical services for the starving population.

Original document.

March 15th, 1933.
In spite of the fact that [food] assistance has been received, incidents of death by starvation continue to happen, as do isolated cases of cannibalism. This happens due to lack of responsibility shown by District [Communist] party committees, District Executive committees, village Soviets [local authority], chairmen of kolkhozes and leaders of task forces.

Provincial Communist party Committee and Executive Committee will hold secretaries of district party committees, chairmen of executive committees, chairmen of village Soviets, kolkhozes and public health departments personally responsible for prevailing over all such occurrences and request the complete mobilization of all forces and means, recruitment of medical personnel, organization […] of dedicated sanitary volunteer task forces […]

[…] extend emergency authority to public health departments.
Provided by the Russian State Archive of Socio-Political History.

Fond 17, Record Series 42, File 82, Pages 129–130.

90. Circular letter of the GPU [Main Political Directorate] of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic number 65/SPO “Regarding measures to counteract food shortages in certain districts”

Copy of a brochure.

March 19th, 1933.
As a result of sabotage that took place in the agricultural sector in Ukraine, activity of counter-revolutionary anti-Soviet and kulak [more prosperous peasants] elements that infiltrated kolkhozes – several villages and kolkhozes suffer from food shortages.

The Central committee of the [Communist] party passed a series of decisions regarding immediate food assistance to the needy. Extended assistance must, first and foremost, assure the success of sowing campaign in districts, villages and kolkhozes that suffer from food shortages and must be offered first to kolkhozes that had fulfilled their obligations to the State, as well as best workgroups, foremen and collective farmers who accumulated the most labour points.

For the immediate management of organization of assistance, distribution of food, provided by the government, determination of populations that need the assistance the most, as well as finding additional local food sources – district troikas [extrajudicial councils of three] are organized comprised of the secretary of the district Communist party committee, chairman of the district Executive committee, and head of the district department of the GPU [Main Political Directorate]. In villages the troikas are to include the chair of the village Soviet, the secretary of the local Communist group, and the head of one of the successful kolkhozes.

In order to assure that this assistance, set forth at the expense of cities, Red Army and industrial workers is duly used for its true purpose, truly is ‘productive’ – assured the [success of] the upcoming sowing campaign. – ORDER:

Through the apparatus of the militia [local police force] and GPU [secret police] maintain surveillance:

1. [To assure] that the funds set aside for [food] assistance are truly and exclusively used as intended and not diverted to other needs.

2. [That] food assistance, handed out from the State and local emergency reserves is distributed to the truly needy …

… and first to collective farmers with a large amount of labour points, foremen, tractor drivers, families of Red Army personnel (both members and non-members of kolkhozes).

3. [That] all assistance, including that to individual farmers is distributed only through kolkhozes and sovkhozes [state-owned farms].

4. [That] food assistance is handed out only to those individual farmers who expressed consent to become a member of a kolkhoz or who have signed contractual agreements with kolkhozes.

5. [That] all unengaged or parasitic elements – speculators, kulaks, unemployed persons who resist employment – are resettled to the Far North, via the Special Council [of extrajudicial punishment].

6. [That] on the regular basis the course of organization of food assistance in districts, village, kolkhozes is publicized: what kinds of assistance are provided, how the meal centres are organized for adults and children, what kinds of irregularities have been noted, etc.

7. [That] in order to prevent pilfering [of food], the composition of [all aid] organizations and their technical facilities, personnel of meal centres and children’s facilities is painstakingly scrutinized, to prevent penetration [of these organizations] by counter-revolutionary, anti-Soviet, kulak and criminal elements.

Every discovered member of the unreliable elements must be immediately removed; anyone guilty of pilfering, wasting and use for unauthorized purposes of this food assistance must be sentenced by the Troika of the GPU of Ukraine.

... All these plots of our class enemies must be fought decisively and toughly, each case must be investigated to uncover the organizers of this counter-revolutionary plotting. …

To accomplish this, uncover all elements agitating for revolts, counter-revolutionaries and kulaks who use food shortages for their own counter-revolutionary purposes – arrest [them] immediately, finish investigations in the shortest possible time and forward [the cases] to the Judicial Troika and Special Council [for extrajudicial punishment].

Heads of divisions of GPU must maintain harsh revolutionary order in affected districts, repressing anyone who would try to use these difficulties to attain counter-revolutionary goals.

1. I suggested to the heads of provincial offices [of the GPU] to inform, after thorough verification of data, only the 1st secretaries of the provincial [Communist] party committees and only verbally, so that our memoranda would not ‘migrate’ within the bureaucracy and could not be used as a source of various rumours. Also I suggested that these issues should not be included in the regular dispatches sent to the GPU of Ukraine, but rather communicated only to me and in restricted personal memoranda.

2. […] Suggested thorough verification of the sources of our information, taking under consideration …

… the ‘two-faced’ [‘moles’] as well as other counter-revolutionary elements and supporters of Petlyura [Ukrainian politician, 1879 – 1926] will try to feed disinformation to us.

... 4. Indicated that many district and provincial leaders, including secret police operatives, instead of fighting and resisting various provocations, commonly panic and repeat various defeatist rumours. Example of this is the “fact” that you asked about yesterday, relayed by the secretary of Kiev provincial committee, comrade Demchenko at the Politbureau meeting (with comrade Mikoyan in attendance), when comrade Demchenko asserted that yesterday a freight car full of corpses arrived to the railroad station of Darnitsa [slaughterhouse district near Kiev].

...Only on the second day, after we thoroughly investigated this “occurrence” and established that nothing of the sort took place, comrade Demchenko admitted that he was mislead by an employee of the apparatus of the [Kiev] provincial committee.

...The Central Committee [of the All-Union Communist party] possesses information that you forbade transfer of seed tubers of potatoes to Donbass [Donetzk Region of Ukraine].

...The Central Committee and the SNK [Soviet of People’s Commissars of the USSR] request that you rescind your objection and take all necessary measures to assure the speediest handing out and transfer of seed tubers.

... Inform us by telegraph about your progress.

Previous classification: ‘TZILKOM TAEMNO’ [Ukrainian: Top Secret]

SECRET FILE

[In Ukrainian] Excerpt from the protocol number 50 of the meeting of the Bureau of obkom [Provincial committee] on June 9th, 1933.

[In Russian] Regarding Handing out of Bread for Children’s Meal Centers

For the current month hand out 5000 poods [82 metric tons] of bread [acquired] at retail prices via Zagotzerno [Commercial Grain Procurement Board] to the Red Cross – 2500 poods [41 metric tons], Provincial public health department – 1000 poods [16 metric tons], Provincial public education department – 1500 poods [25 metric tons].

Zagotzerno mandated to provide bread without delay.

Secretary of the Provincial Communist party committee – R. BEGAILO

Previous classification: STRICT SECRET. To be returned in 48 hours

Copying is prohibited. (Decision of the Political Bureau Number 100 paragraph 5 on May 5th, 1927)
Sent to: [handwritten]: Molotov, Kaganovich, Chernov, Stalin.

ENCRYPTED COMMUNICATION

From: Dnepropetrovsk sent at 23:10 [11:10 pm] June 27th, 1933. Received at Central Committee for deciphering at 9:40 [09:40 am] June 28th, 1933. Incoming registry number: 985/III

[On the left margin in handwritten in pencil] Must give // Joseph Stalin

MOSCOW CENTRAL COMMMITTEE OF ALL-UNION COMMUNIST PARTY (BOLSHEVIKS) comrade STALIN

Rain, that continued persistently for the last 10 days, has severely delayed ripening of wheat and its harvesting.

Kolkhozes of several districts have either completely consumed, or are about to finish bread that has been handed out as food assistance; situation with food deteriorated badly, which is particularly dangerous in the last days before harvesting.

I request very strongly that additional 50 thousand poods [815 metric tons] of food loan were given to us.

[Signed] KHATAEVICH

Deciphered at 11:25 [am] June 28, 1933. Printed 6 copies by E. Ivanova [signature]

[Stamp applied]: Drafts and cipher text [original numerical communication] have been destroyed.

... To eliminate famine in Kasakh districts and kolkhozes, and improve the fitness of Kazakh economy, we believe that this year a substantial part of Kazakh kolkhozes must be completely freed [from obligations of grain procurement] and the remaining [kolkhozes] must get a reduction [of obligations].

Based on this, we request:

1. Postpone the return of the loaned seed grain [due in 1933] in the amount of 11.4 million poods [186.7 thousand metric tons] to 1934.

2. Reduce the mandatory amount of grain procurement from kolkhozes and individual farmers by 5 million poods [82 thousand metric tons] […]

... 3. Set the tractor usage fee at 2 million poods [32.8 thousand metric tons].

... We also ask that the total quota for grain [procurement] be set […] at 30.5 million poods [500 thousand metric tons].

... We believe that if those repayment postponements and quota reductions are not announced at once [this may] […] lead to pilfering of bread and a new wave of refugees from Kazakh agricultural households.

2. Count 6.4 million poods [105 thousand of metric tons], which is the total amount of seed grain loan extended by the state [USSR] to kolkhozes of Kazakhstan, as arrears to be repaid in kind from the 1934 harvest...

3. Warn comrade Mirzoyan, Secretary of Kazkraikom [Kazakhstan Provincial Party Committee] and comrade Isaev, Chairman of the Soviet of People’s Commissars of Kazakh Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic that the final quota for grain procurement and return of loaned seed grain established by this decision […] will not be amended and must be unquestionably fulfilled completely and within the determined time frame.
Provided by the Archive of the President of the Russian Federation.

Fond 3, Record Series 40, File 87, Page 123.

98. Decision of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist party (Bolsheviks) “Regarding food assistance to Kazakhstan”.

Original document.

November 28th, 1933.
On November 28th, 1933

92/73 – Regarding Food Assistance to Kazakhstan ([In reply to] Memorandum by comrades Mirzoyan and Isaev)

Hand out 1,000,000 poods of grain to Kazakhstan as food assistance.

Copies sent to: comrades Chernov, Zibrak, Kaganovich;
to Kazakh regional committee – encrypted
Provided by the Russian State Archive of Socio-Political History.

Fond 17, Record Series 162, File 15, Pages 142, 145, 148.

99. Excerpt from the protocol number 151 of the meeting of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist party (Bolsheviks) “Regarding purchase of workhorses for Ukraine”

Original document.

December 20th, 1933.
47/22 – Regarding Purchase of Workhorses for Ukraine

Permit, in the course of December, January and February purchasing of workhorses for Ukraine in the amount of 16,000 [heads], including the following allotments:

For Dnepropetrovsk Province – 6000 [heads] (from Western Province of Russia);

For Odessa Province – 5000 [heads] (from Belorussian Soviet Socialist Republic)

For Kharkov Province – 4000 [heads] (from Western Province of Russia)

For Donetzk Province – 1000 [heads] (from Western Province of Russia)