1937 mass execution of Belarusians
Soviet mass execution in Belarus
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In October 1937, there was a mass extermination of Belarusian writers, artists and statespeople by the Soviet Union occupying authorities. This event marked the peak of the Great Purge and repressions of Belarusians in the Soviet-controlled area of eastern Belarus.

More than 100 notable persons were executed, most of them starting on 29 October 1937 and continuing into the next morning. Their innocence was later admitted by the Soviet Union after Joseph Stalin's death.[citation needed]
It is known in Belarus as the Night of the Murdered Poets, or the Night of the Executed Poets (ÐÐ¾Ñ ÑаÑÑÑÑалÑнÑÑ Ð¿Ð°ÑÑаÑ).[1]
History
On 7 September 1937 Joseph Stalin signed a list of persons to be judged by a Soviet Military commission. The list was also signed by Vyacheslav Molotov, Lazar Kaganovich, Klim Voroshilov and Nikolay Yezhov. There were trials related to persons from the Belarusian SSR and these were given in a different list dated 15 September 1937 and signed by Stalin, Molotov and the senior state security official Vladimir Tsesarsky. The list of people from the Belarusian SSR sentenced to be executed included 103 persons, and six more persons who were sentenced to ten or more years in concentration camps.
The initial list was extended by the NKVD of the Belarusian SSR. People added to the list by the NKVD of Belarus are marked with an asterisk (*) in the list below. The executions took place in the Minsk internal NKVD prison (known as the Amerikanka). Journalist Leanid MarakoÅ alleged that between 3 March 1937 and 22 May 1938, over 100,000 people fell victims of repressions by the Soviet authorities.
List of executed persons
- Barys AbuchoÅ
- MikaÅaj Arabej, head of primary education department of the Communist Party of Byelorussia
- Navum AronaÅ
- Ihnat AfanaÅjeÅ, lecturer and pedagogue
- Anatol AÅhusÑinoviÄ, head of construction department at the Soviet of People's Commissars (government) of Belarus
- Siamion BabkoÅ
- Hieorhi BarzunoÅ
- Vadzim BaÅ¡kieviÄ, senior official at the People's Commissariate for Education
- SaÅamon Bejlin
- Abram BieÅacarkoÅski
- JakaŠBranštejn, literary critic
- Ivan Burdyka, government official
- Viktar VajnoÅ, journalist
- Alaksandar VaronÄanka, people's commissar (minister) for education of Belarus
- StanisÅaÅ VarÅ¡aÅski
- Ryhor VasiljeÅ-VaÅ¡Äylin
- Anatol Volny, artist
- MoÅÅ¡a-Nochim HabajeÅ
- Apanas HabrusioÅ
- PÅaton HaÅavaÄ, writer
- Anton Hejštern
- Josif Heršon, deputy education minister of Belarus
- JakaÅ Hinzburh
- Abram Hosin
- Kanstancin Hurski
- Nochman HureviÄ
- MikaÅaj DzieniskieviÄ, senior Communist Party official
- MikaÅaj DźmitraÅ
- Anani DziakaÅ, president of the Belarusian State University in 1934-1935
- Abram Drakachrust
- AleÅ Dudar, poet
- Chackiel Duniec, critic and writer
- Hirš Jelanson
- MikaÅaj JermakoÅ
- Ivan Žyvucki, teacher
- Navum Zamalin, junior professor at Vitsebsk Veterinarian Institute
- MichaÅ Zarecki, writer
- Alaksandar ZiankoviÄ
- Alaksandar IvanoÅ
- Prochar IspraÅnikaÅ, agriculture journalist from Vitsebsk
- Zachar KavaloÅ, statesman, Communist Party official
- Vasil Kaval, writer
- Zachar KavalÄuk, Labour Union leader
- MikaÅaj KandraÅ¡uk, senior official at the People's Commisariate for Light Industry of Belarus
- SaÅamon Kantar
- MichaiÅ Kapitanaki
- Jazep KaranieÅski, statesman, pedagogue
- Ivan Karpienka, veterinarian
- Hierasim KaÄanaÅ
- Viktar Klanicki
- Todar Klaštorny, poet
- Josif Kudzielka, head of copyright department at the Union of Writers of Belarus
- Moyshe Kulbak, Yiddish language writer
- Alaksiej KuÄynski, statesman, pedagogue, journalist
- MichaiÅ ÅabadajeÅ, Communist Party official
- Leanard ÅaÅ¡kieviÄ, senior agriculture official
- Alaksandar Levin, literature critic
- SaÅamon Levin, literature critic
- Pinia Lejbin
- Chaim LajboviÄ
- Maksim LaÅkoÅ, justice minister of Belarus
- Siamion Lichtenštejn
- Mikita ÅukaÅ¡onak
- Jurka Lavonny, poet
- SaÅamon Lampiert, student
- Elizar Maziel, veterinarian, scientist
- LeÅ MajsiejeÅ, Communist Party of Byelorussia official
- Barys MaÅaÅ, senior official at the People's Commisariate of Trade
- Valery MarakoÅ, poet
- Sciapan MarhieÅaÅ, geography scientist
- MichaiÅ Marholin
- Barys MarjanaÅ, Communist Party of Byelorussia official
- PavaÅ MasleÅnikaÅ
- Andrej Mielik-Å achnazaraÅ
- Abram Mirlin
- Mikalai Misnikou
- Dziamyan Mikhaylau, advisor at the government of Belarus
- MikaÅaj MichiejeÅ
- Siarhiej MiÄkoÅ, factory director, ministry official
- Siarhiej Murzo, poet
- PavaÅ Muchin, veterinarian
- JakaÅ Navachrest
- Ivan NieÅciaroviÄ
- Ivan PadsiavaÅaÅ
- Ivan PapÅyka
- MichaiÅ Pasmarnik
- Vasil Pietrušenia, transport and utilities adviser at the government of Belarus
- Ziama PivavaraÅ, poet
- MichaiÅ PitomcaÅ
- ApaÅon PratapopaÅ
- Ryhor Pratasienia, agriculture chemistry scientist
- Izrail Purys
- Alaksandar PuciÅoÅski
- Ivan PucincaÅ
- Kuźma Piatrašyn
- Janka Niomanski, writer, social activist
- Aron-Lejb RazumoÅski
- MichaiÅ RydzieÅski, university professor
- Alaksandar SamachvaÅaÅ
- JakaÅ Sandamirski, university professor
- Oskar Saprycki, government official
- Ivan Sarokaš
- JakaÅ Spiektar, government official
- Vasil Starynski
- Vasil StaÅ¡eÅski, writer
- Hieorhi Strele, sovkhoz director
- MikaÅaj SuroÅcaÅ
- Dźmitry SiaÅoÅ, official at the education ministry
- Pancialej Siardziuk, biologist
- Miron Tanienbaum
- Julij TaÅbin, poet
- Ivan Trocki
- Ela Trumpacki
- Andrej TurÅaj, People's Commissar for sovkhozy of Belarus
- JaÅhien UÅpienski, physicist
- Ryhor FaÅkin
- Aba Finkielštajn
- JaÅsiej FÅombaÅm
- Isak Frydman, government official
- Dźmitry CharÅac
- Izi Charyk, poet
- Piatro ChatuloÅ, literature critic
- Alaksandar ÄarnuÅ¡eviÄ, education minister
- MikaÅaj Äarniak
- MichaÅ Äarot, poet
- Kanstancin ÄaÄura
- Makar Å aÅaj, literature critic
- Judal Å apira
- PavaÅ Å astakoÅ, journalist
- Aran Judelson, Yiddish language poet
- JakaÅ Julkin
- Viktar Jarkin, official at the Dniapro-Dzvina river steamboats navigation in Homel