Newsgroup: it.cultura.storia.militare
Titolo: SMERSH ( Death to spies)

Mi rivolgo soprattutto alle enciclopedie viventi del ng (alla Amedeo
Matteucci...) : esistono su internet o in forma cartacea dei libri,
delle pubblicazioni sulle missioni svolte da questa organizzazione
militare di contro spionaggio sovietica nella II GM?
bye
Sergio
cosa era lo SMERSH
The term SMERSH comes from the Russian words "smert' shpionam" or "Death
to Spies!". SMERSH was Soviet military counter-intelligence during the
later part of WWII. It was officially completely separate from the
security organs; the NKVD and the NKGB. SMERSH was a department of the
Soviet General Staff. There were actually two SMERSH organizations, one
in the army General Staff and a smaller one in the Naval General Staff.
SMERSH was created in 1943 and took over from the Special Sections
(osobye otdely or OOs) of the 3rd Directorate (Military
Counter-Intelligence) of the NKVD GUGB. It lasted until 1946 when it was
incorporated into the 3rd Directorate (Military Counter-Intelligence) of
the newly formed MGB. Many MGB-OO personnel and units continued to refer
to themselves as SMERSH long after 1946, even on official letterhead and
stamps. There are even examples of KGB-OO units calling themselves
SMERSH in the mid-1950s. After all, the name applied equally well to the
reconstituted OOs!
Almost all SMERSH personnel, including its commander Lieutenant-General
Viktor Semenovich ABAKUMOV, came from the 3rd Directorate of the
NKVD-GUGB. Likewise, the majority of SMERSH personnel were transferred
to the 3rd Directorate of the MGB in 1946. Thus, SMERSH was directly
related to the Soviet state security organs. However, SMERSH was
administratively separate from state security organs during its short
existence. It reported to military authorities, and ultimately to
Generalissimo STALIN. The subordination of military counter-intelligence
duties under the control of the military in early 1943 can be viewed as
a reward for the military's successes, especially in the Stalingrad
Offensive Operation. The transfer of SMERSH to the MGB in 1946 can be
seen as a sign of the times - a warning that state security matters were
back to their pre-war norm.
SMERSH was responsible for uncovering spies, saboteurs, and subversives
in the military, for ensuring the protection of military factories,
military goods and shipments, for interviewing and screening all
liberated Soviet POWs and any Soviet citizens liberated by the Red Army,
and for weeding out all Nazis, German spies, and collaborators in areas
"liberated", or occupied, by the Red Army. They were responsible for
finding and eliminating opposition to the Red Army or Soviet rules in
areas of military operations. They carried out many special tasks for
the Red Army and Soviet leadership. For example, it was SMERSH personnel
who searched HITLER's bunker and examined the famous Nazi corpses. They
performed the autopsies, combed the area, interviewed witnesses, etc.
(Incidentaly the conclusions of the SMERSH investigation, that HITLER
was murdered by his henchmen with the use of cyanide, is now accepted as
the most likely story of the final days of the Reich. The later NKVD
investigation, which gave the world the "proof" that HITLER had shot
himself, is now known to be full of flaws and forensic errors.) Many
doctors, pathologists, historians, and scientists worked under SMERSH.
SMERSH also led the Soviet groups which idenitified, dismantled, and
transported to the Soviet Union German factories, indutries, and art
treasures.
SMERSH, the NKVD, and the NKGB worked closely together to perform
military counter-intelligence functions during this period. SMERSH was
in charge of work in all areas under military jurisdiction, generally
area from the front lines back to the rear of Soviet Frontal zones. The
NKVD/NKGB was responsible for all actions behind that. In many cases
SMERSH, NKVD, NKGB personnel, actions, and jurisdiction is hard to
distinguish. In occupied East Europe SMERSH was the legal military
counter-intelligence entity as it was an arm of an occupying military
force. NKVD/NKGB personnel were relegated to "advisor" roles.
SMERSH became famous, or infamous, in the west for its actions in
occupied East Europe. (SMERSH continued to exist long after the war as a
sinister foreign intelligence service in Ian Fleming's world of James
Bond!) SMERSH's hunt to find Nazis and Nazi collborators, to acquire
German materials and valuable, and to receive Soviet POWs and
repatriated citizens brought it into frequent contact with western
military and civilian government leaders and the survining officials of
East Europe.
SMERSH headquarters in occupied Germany were in Magdeburg. In addition
to the Soviet General Staff there were SMERSH units in Fronts (led by
Lieutenant-Generals or Major-Generals), in Armies (led by Colonels), in
Corps (led by Lieutenant-Colonels), and in Divisions (led by Majors).
Individual SMERSH personnel were often stationed at unit headquarters
below Divisional level. There were SMERSH platoons to carry out SMERSH
activities and SMERSH worked very closely with, and often had
operational control over (in the later war period), Red Army
reconnaissance units.
There were no official distinct SMERSH uniforms, badges, or insignia!
They wore uniforms of General Staff personnel or of the units they were
attached to. Thus, they generally wore uniforms of rifle troops (the
same as worn by administrative personnel) except when attached to
specific specialist units (air force, armour or artillery divisions,
etc.). In reality the only known SMERSH collectibles are SMERSH related
documents: SMERSH IDs, award documents with a SMERSH unit given as the
awarding unit, or other such papers.
-- 
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militare di contro spionaggio sovietica nella II GM?
[CUTTONE]
Mi dispiace non poterti aiutare, ma questo post è realmente super, non
avevo mai sentito qualcosa del genere... bravo!
giacinto

 >militare di contro spionaggio sovietica nella II GM?
La SMERSH viene citata in parecchi romanzi del mitico Yan Fleming ed è la
sezione de KGB contro cui si trova a dover lavorare un certo James Bond (nei
film invece divenne una società segreta di terroristi nota come
SPECTRE....).
Fleming lavorò per l' MI6 durante la seconda guerra mondiale ed è possibile
che l'abbia sentita nominare lì, ma c'è da sottolineare che egli non fu mai
un opertivo, bensì un analista, per cui potrebbe essere rimasto vittima di
qualche fenomeno di "ingigantimento" della realtà; altro non so.

 SPECTRE....).
Non è proprio così... Nei primi romanzi gli antagonisti di Bond
lavoravano come free lance per lo SMERSH: sicuramente in bieco Le
Chiffre in Casino Royal.
Anche in From Russia with Love entra in gioco lo SMERSH, nonostante la
trama sia così complicata che non si capisce se lo spionaggio russo
era vittima o complice della SPECTRE. A un certo punto della carriera,
Fleming insistette su questa organizzazione e sul perfido Blofeld che
la dirigeva, perché la risposta del pubblico era stata entusiastica:
meglio un genio del crimine (come quello di certi fumetti) che, pur
sconfitto, riappare sempre più minaccioso, che i soliti russi
tontoloni che si sa già che le prendono sempre...
Io credevo che lo SMERSH fosse un'invenzione di Fleming, come la
SPECTRE, e Sergio mi ha infilzato come un tordo su ICS :-))
A mia discolpa posso dire che una sigla così (smert' shpionam) sapeva
proprio di invenzione di un romanziere! Ma è il modo di denominare
un'onesta organizzazione di spioni e tagliagole ??? :-P
saluti
--
Piero F.
P.S. però. ora che ci penso: se Mussolini poteva inventarsi un'OVRA,
perché i russi non avrebbero dovuto inventare uno SMERSH? <g>

 
Sotto il profilo dell'inventiva e dello stile, con "Dalla Russia con amore" 
Fleming aveva dato il meglio delle sue possibilità, al punto di far 
precedere il libro da una nota atta a puntualizzare il realismo della 
storia: - "Non è molto importante saperlo, ma la maggior parte dei 
retroscena di questa storia sono esatti; la Smersh, contrazione di Smiert 
Spionam - Morte alle spie -, esiste veramente ed è ancora oggi la Sezione 
più segreta del governo sovietico. Al principio del 1956, quando questo 
libro fu scritto, le forze effettive della Smersh, in patria e all'estero, 
ammontavano circa a quarantamila uomini. Il capo dell'organizzazione era il 
generale Grubozaboyschikiv; nel libro lo descrivo come era in effetti" 
????
-- 
Winter.
Tessera #9 comitato anti-pennivendoli

 ????
ne ha fatte di vittime questo Fleming :)


Sergio,
quello che hai riportato sull'argomento è più o meno quasi tutto quello che
c'è da sapere sull'argomento.
In occidente questa organizzazione ha avuto una fama particolarmente
sinistra (e perdurante) soprattutto per Fleming e a Solzenycin.
Personalmente non sono a conoscenza di libri o siti specificatamente
"dedicati".
Un paio di annotazioni sull'articolo da te riportato: nonostante sia visto
spesso, scrivere SMERSH con tutte maiuscole è sbagliato in quanto essendo
una parola composta dalle iniziali di due altre parole non è una sigla ed
andrebbe scritta con al più la sola iniziale maiuscola. C'è da dire che era
abbastanza comune nell'URSS (soprattutto negli anni '30 e '40) creare
neologismi combinando le lettere iniziali di più parole. Chi su questo forum
non ha mai sentito i termini::
Kolchoz - kollektivnoe chozjajstvo
Agitprop - agitacija i propaganda
Donbass - doneckij bassejn
(il che, incidentalmente, chiarisce come l'espressione "bacino del Donbass",
come capita di leggere da qualche parte, è sbagliata.)
oppure
Komsomol - Kommunisticeskij sojuz molodezi (unione comunista della gioventù)
Gensek - general'nyj sekretar (segretario generale)
Diamat - dialekticeskij materializm (materialismo dialettico)
Per non parlare dei termini militari... prima del ripristino delle "vecchie"
denominazioni, quasi tutti i gradi militari erano indicati da abbreviazioni
di questo tipo.
Quindi anche "Smert' spionam" si inserisce in questo ricco filone.
Vero anche che l'unica possibilità di riconoscimento dei membri dello Smers
fosse costituita dai documenti di identificazione (un esempio è
visualizzabile sul seguente link)
http://www.agentura.ru/culture007/history/ww2/ussr/counter/smersh_1.jpg
Saluti,
A.

 avevo mai sentito qualcosa del genere... bravo!
sempre sul tema missioni di spionaggio ecc ho trovato questo articolo. 
Iron Cross of Third Reich for KGB
To support Soviet soldiers in Stalingrad Battle, KGB workers of the city
of Gorky asked Germans for clothes and shoes and built aircraft of wood
February 2, Russia celebrated 60th anniversary of Stalingrad Battle. The
decisive factor of Soviet Army’s victory in the greatest battle of 20th
century was literally impossible virtue of Soviet soldiers. In the
meanwhile, there was one more important factor – intellectual
superiority. KGB workers (Russian: Chekists from abbreviation ChK –
Extraordinary Commission, previous title of KGB) made special
contribution to this victory. Here is the story of KGB workers of the
city of Gorky (now Nizhny Novgorod) and a Soviet prisoner of war, real
patriot, who succeeded in confusing supreme commandment of Hitler army
and helped to win a victory.
Fascist Agents in the city of Arzamas 
At night on 15th to 16th September, 1942, in Arzamas Region, a group of
fascist agents was thrown with parachutes. All of them, except one (who
was later found and executed) gave themselves up to Arzamas Region
Office of State Security. All of them appeared to be Soviet soldiers who
were taken prisoner in Germany and got to Warsaw spy school. Their task
was to report to fascists through portable radio transmitter the data
about Soviet defence factories, dislocation of military and civil
aircraft, about work of railway and water transport, and about spirits
of the population. State security bodies received much useful
information from the detained. Though, the main story started later,
when the “spies” received a task from the Centre…
Gorky KGB and Third Reich: Intellectual Play 
In several days, Chekists talked to one of the “spies.” Semen Karabanov
said that he agreed to cooperation with Germans, hoping that German
intelligence would send him to Soviet rear and he would give himself up
to be any way useful in fight with the enemy. In the spy school, Semen
made his best to please the administration. At the same time, he
inclined several agents to give themselves up when they get to Soviet
rear. The information was confirmed by four colleagues of Semen.
“In 6 days after his landing, Karabanov connected through portable radio
transmitter with Warsaw spy centre and told to Germans, what Soviet KGB
workers asked him,” remembered later KGB colonel Konstantin Gryznov, who
died several years ago. Karabanov’s radiograms coordinated with the
Centre had to misinfom Germans.
“Of course, we understood that Germans would check up Semen and his
information,” – colonel Gryznov told. – “Warsaw spy school was very
interested in Gorky airdromes. And Karabanov reported them, that there
was a civil airdrome 10 km southward from the city. In fact, that was a
small and unimportant airdrome in Scherbinki settlement.”
Karabanov also reported about a military airdrome with fighters
north-east from the city of Gorky. Though, before, within only a couple
of days, this wooden airdrome was built…
In several days, fascist aircraft twice flew over the “airdrome,” while
in two weeks, Semen Karabanov was thanked by spy school commandment
through portable radio transmitter. A year later, while attacking the
city of Gorky, Germans threw several dozens of bombs on the “airdrome.”
Special Task of the Centre 
The operation Radio Play became more and more large-scale. Reporting of
the next “secret” was the task of the Soviet Army General Staff. In
October, November, and December of 1942, Semen Karabanov reported
Germans about a large-scale transference of echelons with tanks, cannons
and other kind of arms to Moscow direction. While in fact the equipment
was transported to Stalingrad. Hitler Commandment believed in Soviet
Army preparing for an attack in the West Front. The same piece of
information was later reported by another agent, who also worked for
Soviet Army.
In January, Krabanov was reported to have been awarded by German
government with Iron Cross. It was a very honorable award. Germans
seemed to be glad with their success. While Stalingrad Battle became the
greatest event of World War II. Since that time, it was obvious that
Germany was losing the war.
New Play: “Dull Telephone” 
The operation Radio Play was too successful to finish it. Moscow worked
out one more plan: to make Germans to sent an assistant to Karabanov, to
capture him and to know more about Germans’ plans. Germans trusted
Semen.
Since February 1943, Karabanov started to report to Warsaw spy school
that he needed money, new clothes and shoes, otherwise he would have to
seek a job to keep on working with portable radio transmitter. The
school was silent too long. Then a radiogram arrived, advising to hold
out anyway, though to avoid applying for work. Nothing about an
assistant. Semen started to insist. No reaction. Then the decision was
found, and a very easy one. Since March 1943, the connection between
Karabanov and German intelligence centre started to get out of order,
for KGB specialists worked a bit with the portable radio transmitter
accumulators. Semen could still hear Germans very well and reported them
that he could not hear them. Finally, the intelligence centre reported
him about an aircraft being prepared to transport a messenger with money
and feeding for portable radio transmitter. By this time, Karabanov’s
transmitter stopped working at all.
The messenger had to check up Karabanov, before coming to him. The house
of Semen was equipped in a special way, therefore, when drawer was
opened in Karabanov’s house, two Chekists in the next house could hear a
bell. This was the sign that the visitor was in the house. At the same
time, the police was searching for the messenger.
Several months passed. The messenger did not come. In the meanwhile,
Germany started to suffer defeats.
Unindentified Flying Fellow 
At night to June 27, 1943, over territory of the region, a German
Heinkel aircraft was noticed. In one and a half hour, a parachute jumper
was thrown from the aircraft. Though, he was not captured. In the
meanwhile, Karabanov was applying for work, keeping all the KGB
instructions.
In two weeks, the hostess of the flat Semen was renting called to KGB
and reported about some Kuzma who had come and brought a package from
relatives. This was a signal, that some unknown person had come to Semen
when he was not at home. The unknown man met with a military in the
street, and they went away together. It looked like Germans sent two
agents, though it was too strange.
Chekists could not inform Karabanov, for he was in a farm, where he
worked, while the messenger could have already reached the farm. So,
Chekists could have hope only for Semen. However, the scene of the
meeting was rehearsed several times.
Two German Agents Met in Volga Quay 
Girls who worked together with Semen in the farm said to the unknown man
Semen usually mushroomed during the pause. Initially, Agent Dergun
really wanted to check up Semen, though when he say him, he had already
no doubts as to his colleague and immediately reported about the aim of
the visit, 90 thousands Soviet rubles, and four anode batteries he had
in a suitcase buried in the forest. He also told to Semen that he was
not alone.
Semen did not show he was nervous. He bought a bottle of vodka and some
food and proposed to drink together. Soon, the three of them came to
Semen’s flat, where they were met by a special group of KGB.
The secret of the third agent was shockingly simple, which probably well
illustrates how complicated the war situation was. Agent Rodin who was
sent to Yaroslavl Region had failed his operation and wanted to escape
both from Soviet and German intelligence. While Dergun simply met him in
quay of Volga River, in the city of Gorky. Ironically, here, his fate
found him.
The Play Finished: Awards and Executions 
The beginning of the captivity was similar for the tree of them, while
the end was different. Dergun and Rodin were sentenced to death, while
Semen Karabanov was awarded with Great Patriotic War Order of First
Degree and soon met with his family. His real name was long kept secret
by KGB and only recently reported by Nizhny Novgorod Office of Federal
Security Service. Semen spent his childhood in the school for homeless
children described by Anton Makarenko in his “Pedagogic Poem.” In the
book, his name is Kalabalin.
While the suitcase was found by a villager, who spent the money. Though,
after so many years he was not executed.
----------------------------------------------------------
Ciao
Sergio


of Gorky asked Germans for clothes and shoes and built aircraft of wood
Anche questo č interessante, anche se meno inusuale.. perň la storia
che un doppiogiochista riceva una delle piů alte onorificenze del
nemico per i "servigi" prestati rasenta il comico.
Ecco perché i nazisti hanno perso la guerra [g]
ciao
giacinto


Kim Philby è stato decorato non solo dal Governo di Sua Maestà ma anche dal
generale Franco prima di ricevere l'ordine della Bandiera Rossa.
Comunque non mi viene in mente nessun doppiogiochista vero che abbia
ricevuto decorazioni da ambo le parti.
ciao
Amedeo