KGB no relation Antonina
Early life
Antonina Makarova was born in a small village in the Sychyovsky Uyezd of Smolensk Governorate. Her birth name was Antonina Panfilova. On her first day at school, Panfilova's name was written down as Makarova, from her father's first name, Makar. She was shy as child and had forgotten her last name. As an adult, Makarova studied in Moscow. When World War II started, she joined the Red Army and became a volunteer nurse. During her military service, Makarova also learned how to use a machine gun.Trial and execution
The KGB kept the case open for many years but could not find the whereabouts of the "right" Antonina Makarova. In 1976, a Soviet Army officer named Panfilov was registering some documents of his relatives in order to get a visa. He found out that everyone in his family had the last name Panfilov save one: a woman named Antonina Makarova (Ginsburg after marriage). She was later recognized by several witnesses who had known Makarova during the war. Knowing the risk of wrongfully slandering a war veteran and destroying their reputation, the KGB spent a year carefully observing Makarova. They brought people to Lepiel who knew and could identify the woman known as "Tonka the Machine-Gun Girl". They were former lovers and collaborators who had served time in Gulags. After the witnesses affirmed their suspicions, the KGB arrested Makarova.Makarova's husband was confused by her arrest, and insisted that the charges had to be a mistake. After investigators showed him that the evidence of her guilt was overwhelming, he went into a depression.Throughout her interrogation, Makarova remained calm, believing that due to the lapse of time, she would only serve a few years in prison. However, she was convicted of treason for her role in 168 executions and sentenced to death in November 1978. Makarova was executed by shooting on 11 August 1979. She was one of only three women legally executed by the Soviet Union after the death of Joseph Stalin, the others being Berta Borodkina for economic crimes and serial killer Tamara Ivanyutina.
no relation