What is the meaning of заградслужбой?

[redoctober]

Hi everyone,

Can anyone help with the the meaning of the word "заградслужбой" i've come across in a Red Star citation?

Context is: "Товариш Лыско, являсь командиром взвода ООНКВД систематический посылался с бойцами в части дивизии на самые ответственные участки боев где успешно организовывал и руководил заградслужбой, борясь паникерами и трусами.

 

Which is roughly, "Comrade Lysko, as Commander of a platoon of the Special Section of the NKVD was systematically sent with the fighters of the Division's units to the most critical areas of the battle, where he successfully organized and led ZAGRADSLUZHBOJ, combating the panic-mongers and cowards."

 

I have a suspicion this was a "not one step back" kinda job, but i'm unsure of what phrase to use, as the literal translation seems off...

[SovPha]

Hi Redoctober,

The meaning of the word is Barrier troops. I have attached some useful information below.

https://stalinism.ru/stalin-i-armiya/stalin-i-armiyazagraditelnyie-otryadyi-vyimyisel-i-realnost.html

https://nornegest.livejournal.com/470387.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barrier_troops

P.S. Would be great to see the Red Star.

Best regards,
SovPha

[redoctober]

Thanks SovPha  

 

2 of his other citations aren't on Podvig (likely due to the NKVD/Smersh nature) but i have contact digging in the archives for more info on him.

 

I'll create a thread when i hear back from them

 

[SovPha]

Your welcome .

SMERSH/NKVD and Partisan archives will be closed for a while. The Belorussian government opened recently a database for Belorussian partisans?.

P.S. Putin announced, that this year a new website with never seen photographs, videos and information will be released. 

[Ferdinand]

Smersh citations are often not on Podvig Naroda, but most of them are stored in the Central Archives and therefore they are not that difficult to locate. The NKVD archives, as you say, are a whole other story...

Заградслужба is an abbreviation of заградительная служба, but the more commonly used term is заградотряд / заградительный отряд. It's also frequently translated as 'blocking unit'.

[redoctober]

Thanks Auke

 

I guess we'll just have to wait and see what comes back from the archives.

In 1942 he's shown as NKVD:

оперуполномоченный ОО НКВД 256 стрелковой дивизии

in 1944, it says SMERSH:

оперуполномоченный ОКР СМЕРШ 256 стрелковой дивизии

later in 1944 it says SMERSH again:

ст. оперуполномоченный (?) ОКР СМЕРШ 256 стрелковой дивизии

Then I have his officers id from 1967 where he worked for the KGB in Poltava...

 

Seemed like an interesting guy, hope i can find out more