# 1937 mass execution of Belarusians

In October 1937, there was a mass extermination of Belarusian writers, artists and statespeople by the Soviet Union occupying authorities. This event marked the peak of the Great Purge and repressions of Belarusians in the Soviet-controlled area of eastern Belarus.
More than 100 notable persons were executed, most of them on the night of 29–30 October 1937. Their innocence was later admitted by the Soviet Union after Joseph Stalin's death.
It is known in Belarus as the Night of the Murdered Poets, or the Night of the Executed Poets (Ноч расстраляных паэтаў).

## History

On 7 September 1937 Joseph Stalin signed a list of persons to be judged by a Soviet Military commission. The list was also signed by Vyacheslav Molotov, Lazar Kaganovich, Klim Voroshilov and Nikolay Yezhov. There were trials related to persons from the Belarusian SSR and these were given in a different list dated 15 September 1937 and signed by Stalin, Molotov and the senior state security official Vladimir Tsesarsky. The list of people from the Belarusian SSR sentenced to be executed included 103 persons, and six more persons who were sentenced to ten or more years in concentration camps.
The initial list was extended by the NKVD of the Belarusian SSR. People added to the list by the NKVD of Belarus are marked with an asterisk (*) in the list below. The executions took place in the Minsk internal NKVD prison (known as the Amerikanka). Journalist Leanid Marakoŭ alleged that between 3 March 1937 and 22 May 1938, over 100,000 people fell victims of repressions by the Soviet authorities.

## List of executed persons

* Barys Abuchoŭ
* Mikałaj Arabej, head of primary education department of the Communist Party of Byelorussia
* Navum Aronaŭ
* Ihnat Afanaśjeŭ, lecturer and pedagogue
* Anatol Aŭhusсinovič, head of construction department at the Soviet of People's Commissars (government) of Belarus
* Siamion Babkoŭ
* Hieorhi Barzunoŭ
* Vadzim Baškievič, senior official at the People's Commissariate for Education
* Sałamon Bejlin
* Abram Biełacarkoŭski
* Jakaŭ Branštejn, literary critic
* Ivan Burdyka, government official
* Viktar Vajnoŭ, journalist
* Alaksandar Varončanka, people's commissar (minister) for education of Belarus
* Stanisłaŭ Varšaŭski
* Ryhor Vasiljeŭ-Vaščylin
* Anatol Volny, artist
* Moŭša-Nochim Habajeŭ
* Apanas Habrusioŭ
* Płaton Hałavač, writer
* Anton Hejštern
* Josif Heršon, deputy education minister of Belarus
* Jakaŭ Hinzburh
* Abram Hosin
* Kanstancin Hurski
* Nochman Hurevič
* Mikałaj Dzieniskievič, senior Communist Party official
* Mikałaj Dźmitraŭ
* Anani Dziakaŭ, president of the Belarusian State University in 1934-1935
* Abram Drakachrust
* Aleś Dudar, poet
* Chackiel Duniec, critic and writer
* Hirš Jelanson
* Mikałaj Jermakoŭ
* Ivan Žyvucki, teacher
* Navum Zamalin, junior professor at Vitsebsk Veterinarian Institute
* Michaś Zarecki, writer
* Alaksandar Ziankovič
* Alaksandar Ivanoŭ
* Prochar Ispraŭnikaŭ, agriculture journalist from Vitsebsk
* Zachar Kavaloŭ, statesman, Communist Party official
* Vasil Kaval, writer
* Zachar Kavalčuk, Labour Union leader
* Mikałaj Kandrašuk, senior official at the People's Commisariate for Light Industry of Belarus
* Sałamon Kantar
* Michaił Kapitanaki
* Jazep Karanieŭski, statesman, pedagogue
* Ivan Karpienka, veterinarian
* Hierasim Kačanaŭ
* Viktar Klanicki
* Todar Klaštorny, poet
* Josif Kudzielka, head of copyright department at the Union of Writers of Belarus
* Moyshe Kulbak, Yiddish language writer
* Alaksiej Kučynski, statesman, pedagogue, journalist
* Michaił Łabadajeŭ, Communist Party official
* Leanard Łaškievič, senior agriculture official
* Alaksandar Levin, literature critic
* Sałamon Levin, literature critic
* Pinia Lejbin
* Chaim Lajbovič
* Maksim Laŭkoŭ, justice minister of Belarus
* Siamion Lichtenštejn
* Mikita Łukašonak
* Jurka Lavonny, poet
* Sałamon Lampiert, student
* Elizar Maziel, veterinarian, scientist
* Leŭ Majsiejeŭ, Communist Party of Byelorussia official
* Barys Małaŭ, senior official at the People's Commisariate of Trade
* Valery Marakoŭ, poet
* Sciapan Marhiełaŭ, geography scientist
* Michaił Marholin
* Barys Marjanaŭ, Communist Party of Byelorussia official
* Pavał Masleńnikaŭ
* Andrej Mielik-Šachnazaraŭ
* Abram Mirlin
* Mikalai Misnikou
* Dziamyan Mikhaylau, advisor at the government of Belarus
* Mikałaj Michiejeŭ
* Siarhiej Mićkoŭ, factory director, ministry official
* Siarhiej Murzo, poet
* Pavał Muchin, veterinarian
* Jakaŭ Navachrest
* Ivan Nieściarovič
* Ivan Padsiavałaŭ
* Ivan Papłyka
* Michaił Pasmarnik
* Vasil Pietrušenia, transport and utilities adviser at the government of Belarus
* Ziama Pivavaraŭ, poet
* Michaił Pitomcaŭ
* Apałon Pratapopaŭ
* Ryhor Pratasienia, agriculture chemistry scientist
* Izrail Purys
* Alaksandar Puciłoŭski
* Ivan Pucincaŭ
* Kuźma Piatrašyn
* Janka Niomanski, writer, social activist
* Aron-Lejb Razumoŭski
* Michaił Rydzieŭski, university professor
* Alaksandar Samachvałaŭ
* Jakaŭ Sandamirski, university professor
* Oskar Saprycki, government official
* Ivan Sarokaš
* Jakaŭ Spiektar, government official
* Vasil Starynski
* Vasil Stašeŭski, writer
* Hieorhi Strele, sovkhoz director
* Mikałaj Suroŭcaŭ
* Dźmitry Siałoŭ, official at the education ministry
* Pancialej Siardziuk, biologist
* Miron Tanienbaum
* Julij Taŭbin, poet
* Ivan Trocki
* Ela Trumpacki
* Andrej Turłaj, People's Commissar for sovkhozy of Belarus
* Jaŭhien Uśpienski, physicist
* Ryhor Fałkin
* Aba Finkielštajn
* Jaŭsiej Fłombaŭm
* Isak Frydman, government official
* Dźmitry Charłac
* Izi Charyk, poet
* Piatro Chatuloŭ, literature critic
* Alaksandar Čarnuševič, education minister
* Mikałaj Čarniak
* Michaś Čarot, poet
* Kanstancin Čačura
* Makar Šałaj, literature critic
* Judal Šapira
* Pavał Šastakoŭ, journalist
* Aran Judelson, Yiddish language poet
* Jakaŭ Julkin
* Viktar Jarkin, official at the Dniapro-Dzvina river steamboats navigation in Homel