December 20 - The Cheka

This Day in History: 20 December 2019

 

20 December 1917

 

102 years ago, today, the Soviet Union's secret security force, the Cheka, was formed, after a decree by Lenin. Despite this, after the October Revolution in 1917 that resulted in the Bolsheviks gaining power, Lenin had stated that in a proletarian dictatorship, there would be no need for a police force. Nevertheless, the Cheka was established on this day, and even though the Bolshevik's purpose was to eliminate the Tsar and his regimes, the Cheka contained many elements of the Tsarist security system, the Okhrana. Feliks Dzerzhinsky was the Cheka's first head, and he had spent years in Tsarist prisons, therefore learning his tradecraft from the Okhrana.

 

It began quickly to send agents to gather intelligence and promote revolution, as it was initially focussed on internal opposition. By uncovering plots that may have been real or imaginary, it enabled the Bolshevik leaders to claim victory over counter-revolutionary enemies. This establishment of the Cheka caused the British intelligence organisations, such as the MI5, some concern, as they were worried about the risk of subversion in Britain, and their global threat. As a result, the MI1c was involved in counterintelligence and counter-espionage activities against the Bolsheviks. The Cheka is reported to have practised torture, with methods such as being skinned alive, crucified, or stoned to death, and women would sometimes be raped before being shot. They also sometimes imprisoned children between ages 8 to 13, and even executed them. The number of total executions carried out by the Cheka is estimated at about 250,000, with a possible 28,000 executions per year. The Cheka was then finally dissolved on 6 February 1922 but was replaced by the State Political Administration, also called the GPU, which was a forerunner of the KGB, and as was the Cheka.

 

Want to find out more about the Cheka? Click here for more details.

Or, want to find out more about the October Revolution? Clickhere for more details.

And, want to find out more about the State Political Administration? Clickhere for more details.