People's Commissariat for State Security (USSR)

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The People's Commissariat for State Security (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, and then renamed into the Ministry for State Security, or MGB.

Contents

0.1 Separate administration
0.2 NKGB tasks
0.3 1941 organization
0.4 Changes 1941/1943
0.5 1943 organization
0.6 From commissariats to ministries
0.7 References

1 See also

Separate administration

On February 3 1941 Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, to improve functions of soviet security organs, decide to remove from existing People's Commisariat for Internal Affairs (well known as- NKVD) structure, it biggest and strongest part which was the Main Directorate of State Security (or GUGB), and transform it to separate administration, that was called People's Commissariat for State Security or NKGB.

NKGB tasks

Base on NKVD and NKGB directive number 782/B265M from March 1 1941, the NKGB tasks were as fallow -

Conduct of intelligence work abroad.

Battle with espionage, sabotage and terrorist acts organized by foreign Special Services on USSR territory.

Penetration and liquidation of anti-Soviet party’s and counter-revolutionary organizations.

Oversight on ideology of soviet society

Protection of high party and government officials

1941 organization

The head of NKGB as a People's Commissar of State Security was: born in 1895 Vsevolod Nikolayevich Merkulov. His first deputy was Ivan Serov then Commissar 3rd rank of State Security, and two other deputies were - Bogdan Kobulov and Mikhail Gribov.

Changes 1941/1943

Soviet security organization return to former state already in July the same year (1941), after German invasion. NKGB was return to NKVD as GUGB. Again in 1943, Main Directorate of State Security (or GUGB), was transform it to separate administration NKGB.
Causes these frequent reorganizations have not been explained. American intelligence analyst and author on secret service topic John Dziak in his 1988 book: Chekisty: A History of the KGB, writes -

These particular organizational changes were never explained to the end, prehaps they had something to do with soviet occupation of Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, eastern Poland, part of Romania (Bessarabia and northern Bukovina), and its nations. Suddenly the number of apprehensions, deportations, executions and Gulags has grown, that required reorganization of structures and boost of man power in security administration.
(...) Shock caused after German aggression and fast progress of their army, has driven soviet government to organize security organs under one command.
(...) Soviet victory in Stalingrad have made prospect of recovery war losses, that was the reason for secondary separation of soviet security forces.

It is possible to explain these changes with opinion that Joseph Stalin, who was sick about his total power and personal safety, that he did not want to leave so powerful institution as NKVD, in hands of one man, in fear that one day he will turn against him.

1943 organization

From commissariats to ministries

In 1946, another changes have followed in whole soviet security and intelligence apparatus. Existing People's Commissariats have been renamed on ministries, People's Commisariat for Internal Affairs (or NKVD) was renamed to Ministry of Internal Affairs (Ministerstvo Vnutrennikh Del) or MVD, and the People's Commissariat for State Security was renamed to Ministry for State Security (Ministerstvo Gosudarstvennoi Bezopasnosti) or MGB.

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)

John J. Dziak - A History of the KGB, Lexington Books

Norman Polmar, Thomas B Allen - Spy Book: The Encyclopedia of Espionage 1997