After the 1936 Constitution's enactment and the Kirov Decree, Stalin still thought that enemies threatened the Soviet Union. The first major show trials for Kirov's murder, nearly two years after his death, were the Moscow trials. These were used as propaganda to show citizens the consequences of engaging in counterrevolutionary activities.
"The Show Trials were [for] those who had agreed to plead publicly."-Adam Hochschild, author, journalist, and lecturer |
"Stalin doesn't have to cut heads off. They fly off by themselves like dandelions," commented poet Osip Mandelstam (1891–1938) , referring to the multitude of forced and willful confessions during the Show Trials. Mandelstam later "died of starvation while being transported to a prison camp in 1938" for counterrevolutionary activity. Source: Life in Communist Russia, 2001 |
1st Trial
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"The whole of this trial is nonsense. People have been shot. I'm going to be shot now, but none of us, except Nikolaev [Kirov's murderer], is guilty of anything," said a defendant.
"There was no material evidence brought against them and no defense...During their confessions, they implicated others."
-Allen Wood, author |
On August 19-24, 1936, Zinoviev, Kamenev, and 14 other leaders were, all but Nikolaev, wrongly tried and shot for Kirov's murder.
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Citizens, influenced by propaganda, approved of the prosecution of the accused and thanked their "infallible" leader Stalin.
2nd Trial
"Bear in mind that if you [the accused] make a mistake in court we [the NKVD] shan't just shoot, we shall torture you, we shall tear you limb from limb." -NKVD Agent
During this trial, the defendants- accused for connections with Soviet enemies- occasionally responded to questions that had yet to be asked, implying that their confessions were scripted.
"Still, on the whole, the 2nd Moscow Trial must be counted a success. All of the defendants were found guilty as charged and sentenced to death." -Joseph Stalin
3rd Trial
"The trial of the 21 is also very important to me on the international front. The world will be watching. I want no hesitations, no embarrassments." -Joseph Stalin
During the last trial, Nikolai Krestinksy, a defendant, made conflicting confessions. Evidence suggested he was tortured into a false confession. This was a violation of Article 130 on behalf of the NKVD. |
Click picture for Krestinsky's second pleas
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