People's Commissariat for State Security

The People's Commissariat for State Security (Russian: Народный комиссариат государственной безопасности) or NKGB, was the name of the Soviet secret police, intelligence and counter-intelligence force that existed from February 3, 1941 to July 20, 1941, and again from 1943 to 1946, before finally being renamed the Ministry for State Security (today's MGB).

Separate administration

On February 3, 1941, the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet separated the large Main Directorate of State Security (or GUGB) section from the People's Commisariat for Internal Affairs (or NKVD), while upgrading it to a People's Commissariat in its own right. This was in order to improve the functions of Soviet security organs. The new administration was called the People's Commissariat for State Security (or NKGB).

NKGB tasking

Based on NKVD and NKGB directive number 782/B265M, from March 1, 1941, the NKGB tasks were:

• Conducting intelligence activities abroad;
• Battling espionage (on both fronts: counter and offensive);
• Battling sabotage and terrorist acts organized by foreign Special Services on USSR territory;
• The penetration, and liquidation, of anti-Soviet parties and counter-revolutionary organizations;
• Overseeing ideology in Soviet society;
• The protection of high party and government officials.

February 1941 organization

The first head of NKGB was Vsevolod Nikolayevich Merkulov who became People's Commissar of State Security. His first deputy was Ivan Serov, a former Commissar 3rd rank of State Security, and two deputies, Bogdan Kobulov and Mikhail Gribov.

People's Commissar of State Security Vsevolod Merkulov

First Deputy: Ivan Serov

Deputy: Bogdan Kobulov

NKGB Office: V. Golovanov

Deputy: Mikhail Gribov

First Directorate (Foreign Intelligence – INU) Pavel Fitin

Department One (Government Protection) Nikolai Vlasik

Second Directorate (Counter-Intelligence – KRU) Pyotr Fedotov

Department Two (Statistics and Archives – USO) Leonid Bashtakov

Third Directorate (Secret Political – SPU) Solomon Milshtein

Department Three (Operative) Dmitry Shadrin

Investigative Service Lev Vlodymyrsky

Department Four (Technical and Operational) Evgeny Lapishin

Directorate of Kremlin Commander Nikolai Spyrydonov

Department Five (Codes and Ciphers)

Department of Staff Mikhail Gribov

Department for Administration Economy and Finance (AChFO)

Changes 1941/1943

The Soviet security organizations were merged in July 1941, after the Axis invasion, with the NKGB returned to NKVD as GUGB. During 1943 the Main Directorate of State Security (or GUGB) once again became a separate administration, NKGB. These organizational changes were never explained. According to historian, John Chekisty, they may have had something to do with the Soviet occupations of Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, eastern Poland, part of Romania (Bessarabia and northern Bukovina). Also, the numbers of apprehensions, deportations, executions and establishments of Gulags had quickly grown, which required a reorganization of structures and a boost of man power in the security administration. Other reasons Chekisty states are: the shock caused by the German aggression and the fast progress of their army; and when the Soviet victory in Stalingrad had made prospects of the recovery of previous war losses more likely.

1943 organization

People's Commissar of State Security and his deputies Vsevolod Merkulov

NKGB Office: V. Golovanov

First Directorate (Foreign Intelligence – INU) Pavel Fitin

Sixth Directorate (Government Protection) Nikolai Vlasik

Second Directorate (Counter-Intelligence – KRU) Pyotr Fedotov

Directorate of Kremlin Commander Nikolai Spyrydonov

Third Directorate (Transport) Solomon Milshtein

Investigative Service Lev Vlodymyrsky

Fourth Directorate (Sabotage Behind Enemy Lines) Pavel Sudoplatov

Department for Administration Economy and Finance (AChFO)

Fifth Department (Codes and Ciphers) Ivan Schevielev

Department of Staff

Department A (Statistics and Archive) Arkady Gercovsky

Department B (Technical and Operational) Evgeny Lapishin

Department W (Censure)

From commissariats to ministries

In 1946, other changes followed. Existing People's Commissariats were renamed "ministries." People's Commisariat for Internal Affairs (or NKVD) was renamed Ministry of Internal Affairs (Ministerstvo Vnutrennikh Del) or MVD, and the People's Commissariat for State Security was renamed Ministry for State Security (Ministerstvo Gosudarstvennoi Bezopasnosti) or MGB.

See also

• Chronology of Soviet secret police agencies
• Eastern Bloc politics

References

• Piotr Kołakowski - NKWD i GRU na ziemiach Polskich 1939-1945 - (Kulisy wywiadu i kontrwywiadu) - Dom wydawniczy Bellona Warszawa 2002 - (NKVD and GRU on Polish soil 1939-1945 [Intelligence counter-intelligence series] Warsaw, 2002)
• Norman Polmar, Thomas B Allen - Spy Book: The Encyclopedia of Espionage 1997