Russia releases secret papers on Katyn (Polish) massacre signed by Stalin

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/f51295eb3db4.jpg[/atsimg]
German soldiers dig up a mass grave in Katyn forest, near Smolensk, in 1943. 22,000 Polish soldiers died in the Russian massacre

The release of File Number One appeared to be a further attempt by Russia to resolve bitter divisions with Poland over Katyn.

Secret documents detailing the Soviet leadership’s decision to murder 22,000 Polish officers at Katyn were released to the Russian public today on orders from President Medvedev. In an unprecedented step, the Russian State Archive published documents showing how Soviet leader Joseph Stalin approved the World War Two massacre proposed by his secret police henchman Lavrenty Beria. Other prominent members of the ruling Soviet Politburo also signed off on the slaughter.

A four-page document sent to Stalin by Beria, head of the NKVD, the predecessor to the KGB, 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.

More than 100 volumes of documents relating to a criminal investigation into the Katyn massacre remain classified, however, despite Polish requests for them to be released.

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk...=OTC-RSS&attr=797093

Very troubling to think this whole mess was even thought up, much less approved by Stalin-A President of a county! It just goes to show you how little the Russians thought of the Poles.

I was going to say Hats-Off to Russia but then I saw where they still have 100's of boxes of info not released-despite repeated Polish request. I wonder what those boxes hold?

And we think we have it bad now. What about those days and times? ATS would have been abuzz then-for sure. Enjoy

This is very important step in Russian-Polish relationship. Shame that another tragedy had to happen to finally force it through.
And as for Stalin (and Beria and others before them) - those guys were not lesser criminals then senior Nazi officials. They just divided people into "good/bad" groups differently, but they treated what they considered "bad" people just the same.
I just heard lately that in 1920s Soviet officials used chemical weapons on their own people, this is before Stalin or Beria. The whole system was evil. Stalin was just more capable and more deadly then others.

I wouldnt put stalin on the level with senior nazi officials. I would put him more on the level of Hitler himself, or higher. Hitler supposedly massacred 4-6 million people in his camps, jews, christians, homosexuals and african americans. The official estimation of Stalins massacres are closer to 30 million! One reason Hitler is demonized more is, I think, that he dragged the whole world into war, and that he was slaughtering other peoples citizens. Stalin was mostly slaughtering his own. Further, we are a country aligned with the jewish people, and so most of our media supports them. So naturally we make a larger thing of the jews slaughtered in germany...and pretty much cover up that massive numbers of others were slaughtered too, you never hear much of that. Stalin, many dont realize, had as most of his highest leadership, ashkenazi jews who came to power under the bolshevik revolution, an attempt by the minority of jewish russians to take power in the soviet union. And it was these very jewish leaders who enacted most of his massacres of his populace.... which makes for bad press, especially when we are trying to portray them as a victim race who deserves the ancient hebrew lands.

Let me post script this by adding that i have nothing against jews, just a desire to share history and add perspective. To any readers who take offense at my words i say "Namaste", and "Mitakuye Oyasin", sincerely.

reply to post by pexx421


Great posting.

Not much else to be said-from me anyway.

I learned A LOT today, due to some very nice and well informed ATS members.

Thank you