Russia releases secret papers on Katyn massacre signed by Stalin

The Russian State Archive published secret documents detailing the Soviet leadership's decision to murder 22,000 Polish officers at Katyn and the following government cover-up. The files show how Soviet leader Joseph Stalin approved the World War II massacre proposed by Lavrenty Beria, head of the NKVD. A 4-page document sent to Stalin by Beria, sets out his proposal to "quickly examine the use of the highest means of punishment – death by shooting". Stalin's signature and a red "top secret" stamp are visible on the front page. For 50 years the Kremlin claimed that the Katyn massacre was a Nazi atrocity.

Russia releases secret papers on Katyn massacre signed by Stalin - Times Online

 

So, we can start a War Crimes trial and sentence the guilty in absentia, then?

"I avoid the expression 'Allies', for the Russians are a dirty lot of murdering thieves themselves and double-crossers of the deepest dye. It is good to see the two biggest cut-throats in Europe, Hitler and Stalin, going for each other."
(Diary entry for June 29th 1941, Lt Gen. Sir Henry Pownall, Vice Chief of the Imperial General Staff.)

 

At least it brings out an answer to the question of who commited the massacre.

 

Here is another link to the same story from the AP.

MOSCOW (AP) -- Russia's state archives posted documents on the Internet for the first time Wednesday about the Soviet Union's World War II massacre of more than 20,000 Polish officers and other prominent citizens.

The step was a gesture to Poland in a case that looms large in Polish history and has soured relations between the two countries for decades.

See:

News from The Associated Press

 

Interesting that everybody who was leading the USSR was aware....

"Mr Artizov said that notes on envelopes containing the documents made clear that every Soviet leader after Stalin had read the file and was familiar with what happened. He added: “The envelopes were then sealed again and placed on the archive shelves.”

 

Oh please! This is old news already. Pres. Gorbatchev and later Yeltsin in the past had already acknowledged Soviet responsibility on the matter. The Polish President who died a couple of weeks ago crashed on his way to a 2nd ceremony commemorating the 70 anniversary. PM Putin and Pres, Tusk had already been on the anniversary. Read some newspapers

Vladimir Putin and Donald Tusk attend Katyn massacre memorial - Telegraph

What you're seeing is another gesture on the part of the Russian authorities to mend fences with their neighbours, not an out of the blue revelation.

 

Look who´s back!

 

We just had to dangle the correct carrot to get him back

 

For those interested, I have already translated some of the Katyn documents that were released last year, if i remember correctly.

 

There is also this document from Russia's Chief Military Prosecutor's Office to the Russian human right's group - Memorial - about the Katyn case

 

"6127 deserters"? Desertion from whom? How would Soviet authorities know who these men were without consulting the Poles? How could they tell whether these people were simply seperated from their parent units without Polish help to finger the guilty?

"465 Former landowners, factory owners and officials."? This looks like the label of "Kulak" has been bandied about by jealous Polish helpers; information,for the use of, the NKVD 'organs'. One wonders exactly what these "enemies of the people" were considered to have perpetrated.

A line above tucked away in Report No.13, (March 1940), gives the game away...."These files represent niether an operational interest nor a historical significance for the Soviet authorities and they hardly constitute a valid interest for our Polish friends."


It seems there is more to this than meets the eye. Polish duplicity must count for something as far as responsability goes.

Again, one wonders exactly what and/or who 'helped' the NKVD to point fingers in rounding up these 'suspects', never mind the decision to execute without trial.

Who exactly were "our Polish friends"?

 

I have also read that the Germans and the USSR exchanged knowledge in 1939 after the victorious war on the "suspicious" persons in the Polish area who obviously were taken to prison etc...

 

I may have been harsh on Russians in the past about Katyn, and I retract it publically now, in the light of evidence presented. It's fairly obvious that Moscow had plenty of assistance in this massacre, from sections of the conquered people that are shadowy.

Maybe death bed confessions might solve this little mystery from the period. I certainly don't expect antbody to point fingers at this late stage of the proceedings.

 

The Finnish officers were expected there next... I understand fully....

 

Not absolutely sure because of the different language but I think the map included shows the different places where the Polish officers etc were murdered.

Also as mentioned above as well:

Katyn Victims Near Kharkov Covered with Lime

'In a woods, some 100 metres from the Kharkov-Belgorod road, within a 50-metre radius, earth has collapsed in many places. The holes are rectangles 3 by 6 metres. One has been dug up. Human bones and skulls can be seen. Some of the bones are scattered on the ground. Remnants of foreign-made military footwear can also be found,' Gen Col Vitaliy Nikitchenko, head of the Committee of State Security of the Ukrainian Soviet Republic wrote on 7 June 1969 to then KGB-head Yuri Andropov and to Petro Shelest, leader of the Communist Party of Ukraine.