Soviet Autobiographies In Personnel Files

[Guest Rick Research]

Soviet officers had to sign, seal, and date curriculum vitae constantly, which minions of State Security then sifted for "gotcha moments" to either arrest a category of Usual Suspects, or to trip up spies and other Enemies Of The People. The result, for decades, was a laughable All Lines Must Be Completed rote formula in which persons not even born had to swear and avow that they had never served in the White forces during the Civil War, and so on. But these questions were deadly serious, and not funny at all.

I have a variety of these from the "brown bags full" days 10 years ago, but this is the best example since it was neatly typed and the paper is not bad. I will fill in the most interesting bits later-- I have translated all this, but it takes me forever beteween typing and RE-typing my typos out, so bear with me.

Meet Major General Vladimir Vladimirovich Kolechitsky, in a photo attested by the Cadres Department of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the USSR on 19 July 1961. Pay particular attention not to his Bruce Willis with white hair looks, but to his ribbons-- and lack of other badges. We will return to that by Page 5.

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Page 1 begins with the statement of his names, and that he was born 16 March 1911 in Simferopol, a Russian. But it then moves right on into detailed FAMILY information, because guilt by association was often employed in fixing categories for arrest quotas. Unmarried only child orphans apparently the only persons immune to the THREAT having a family entailed.

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WIFE: Lidiya Viktorovna Plotnikova was born in Moscow in 1922, Russian, and not a Party member. She had studied at the Moscow Geological Institute, but served 1942-45 as a Junior Sergeant of Signals in the 61st Army, 1st White Russian Front, receiving "state awards." At the time (1954) of THIS autobiography, she was a housewife, living with the then-Colonel and their duaghter Natal'ya (born Moscow 1946) at Sivtsev Vrazhek, House 29, Apartent 74, Moscow.

HIS PARENTS: mom Anna Markovna (born in Kazan 1880, died in Moscow 1945) was a formidable woman indeed, having served as a nurse during the wars of 1904-05, 1914-18, and 1941-45, receiving "state awards."

dad Vladimir Nikolaevich, born in Smolensk 1880, surveyor, never served in any military, divorced from mother in 1918 and lived alone... "Died in the 1930s-- further details unknown to me." Rather a bland evasion of the fact that his father was one of millions slaughtered in Stalin's insane purges... but better to move along quickly in case any fatal consequences still adhere....

BROTHER Nikolai Vladimirovich born in Vitebsk 1909, member of the CPSU. Before WW2...

[Guest Rick Research]

Page two continues with his brother: driver in the city of Berdyansk. Betweeen 1941-45 Senior Technical Lieutenant of armor and received state awards. Now (1954) working as a mines driver in Moskovsky coal region, city of Donsky. And adds his

SISTER Nadezhda Vladimirovna Rozov, born in Lublin 1912, again female non-Party (so much for Women's Rights!) was a technical constructor at the Dinamo Factory "in the name of Kirov" in Moscow before the war. Nurse during the war at Evacuation Hospital 3650 (no mention of :state awards"). Currently engineer constructor of "NII at p/ya 1546" which from Gerd's antiaircraft researched group appears to be a military designation of that branch. NO mention of the spouse Rozov!!!

before moving on to his

IN-LAWS

Mom, Susanna Vasilievna, born 1898 Kalinin. Russian, non-Party. Before October Revolution a machinist. From 1936-53, Secreteary to the Deputy Minister of Education for Cadres. Pensioned June 1953.

Dad, Viktor Lukich Plotnikov, born in Moscow 1894. Russian as usual, non-Party. Before the October Revolution a student. Old Army 1916-18 (this was NOT the lethal resum? flaw one might suppose, since "everybody belonged"), and Red Army 1918-24 in "medium command staff" (i.e. as an NCO). From 1925-28 worked at the People's Commissariat of Somethingorother (Narkomzev), then died in 1929.

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because if ANYBODY was "guilty"-- EVERYBODY was "guilty."

v) neither his parents and relatives nor his wife's had had their voting rights revoked

g) neither his family nor hers had ever crossed the Soviet borders

d) neither his family nor hers had or were serving in the armed forces of allied countries nor the White Army

ye) he himself worked at the 5th Lithography "Mosoblipoligraf" in Moscow from 1929 to 1932 until called up for his mandatory Red Army service. After that,

"...from 1936 to 1939 worked in the NKVD system."

Oh yes, euphemisms abound.

[Guest Rick Research]

Page 3 works through early employment, education, and the mindless disclaimers of participation in the October Revolution and involvement with White or foreign forces during the Civil War.

Rather surprisingly-- and perhaps with a bit of backbone in memory of those two murdered fathers-- Kolechitsky actually dares to point out that in 1917 he was "6 years old."

In light of his evasive slide past of 1936-39 serving in the "NKVD system," his exact role here as a "group director" at Moscow Film Studios 1936-39 does make one wonder, doesn't it?

His Party background is also listed, with section k) listing the rote counter-revolutionary, Trotskyite et cetera factions he did NOT belong to or support.

Here we also see that he entered the "army" in 1932

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But then, it was NOT the "army." He served in the 173rd Rifles Regiment of the OGPU from 1932-35. With his "system" labors, that is seven years in "the Organs" to use the gruesomely familiar Soviet term for State Security--and nary a peep about duties or rank ("deputy platoon commander"...) attained, is there? Some lines can only be read... between.

One wonders if perhaps he arrested his own father... or his future father in law.

You will note here that he states he graduated from the Frunze Military Academy in 1950. "Character Evaluations" accompanying this paperwork confirm that he was attending that staff school-- but notice that he is NOT wearing the graduates' badge in his 1961 file photo.

[Guest Rick Research]

Page 4 presents Great Patriotic War service and the usual lines-must-be-filled-in disclaimers

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As mentioned, I will return and fill all this data in, just "skimming" the most salient points here before my typing fingers wear out.

July to September 1941: NKVD Exterminator Battalion in Kiev neighborhood section, city of Moscow.

September to December 1941 commander of "Sprayer" (??? ) platoon, 5th Rifles Regiment, 4th Rifles Division, Moscow Military District

December 1941 to March 1942 platoon commander and assistant submachine gun company commander, 659th Rifles Regiment, 155th Rifles Division on the Kalinin Front

March to June 1942 at 290th Evacuation Hospital in Moscow (wounded-- note no wound stripes in 1961 photo)

June to August 1942 student of "KUKS" (???) on Western Front (why is my skin crawling?)

August 1942 to February 1943 Staff commander of "SB" (this could be either Sappers Battalion or Rifles Battalion) of 277th (Rifles Brigade?), 9th Guards Rifles Corps and Staff Commander of the Independent Ski Battalion of 51st Ski (Brigade?) of 61st Army, Western Front

February to June 1943 at 61st Army's Hospital 3841 (wounded again-- no wound stripes in photo)

June 1943 to August 1945 assistant commander of operations department and senior deputy commander for "experimental war studies" (remember our Comrade's ... background... and IMAGINE... ) on Staff of 61st Armt, Western Front

August 1945 to January 1946 senior assistant commander of operational readiness department "for experimental war studies" on staff of the Don Military District.

January 1946 to November 1952 on the General Staff of the Soviet Army (SURE-- you saw that coming from his service qualifications, didn't you? Riiiiiight!) as an editorial specialist on the staff of the magazine "Military Thought." Operations and tactics... riiiiiiiiiiiight.

to be continued

[Guest Rick Research]

Last page, continuing dsiclaimers, and listing awards--

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His ORB, OPW1, two Red Stars, and MMM match up: though he has omitted a Valor Medal in the photo. The second ORB there would have come in 1955 for long service. His Defense of Moscow and jubilees also match, including the Moscow 1947-- but note that he is NOT wearing clai,ed Berlin and Warsaw Medals.

Promoted to Colonel 16 June 1951, and a second year student at the Vosroshilov General Staff Academy (again, note NO Academy badges in 1961 photo)

Signed, sealed, and delivered 22 February 1954.

Curious, is it not, that OGPU/NKVD "organ" and erstwhile newsreel functionary Kolechitsky, expert on "experimental war studies"

was fast-tracked-- assistant company commander to full colonel within 9 years, having been no higher than a platoon commander in his previous 8 years "military" service-- to (sometime between 1954-1961) Major General?

But don't expect ANSWERS from an Autobiography!

Still, wouldn't it be nice to get THESE copied when we have research done on awards? There is-- gaps, omissions, evasions to the contrary, a LIFE in these parts of the personnel files.

[Wild Card]

Rick

Absolutely fantastic! Thank you for sharing this work with us-

Best wishes,

Wild Card