Between 1937 and 1938 suffered the Soviet Union from what is now known as the Great Purge or Yezhivshchina (name after the head of the NKVD Yezhov) and which was in fact a hunt for suspected opponents of Stalin. Perhaps it may be compared with happened in the USA between 1948 and 1957 with senator Joseph McCarthy as the foreman for the Second Red Scare (fear for the communism) . For the navy was the Great Purge disastrous as eight of the nine admirals were removed. The regime suspected the navy for abusing their opportunities abroad.
The De Sumatra Post dated 10 February 1937 published an item dated Moscow 3 February reporting that vice admiral Haller (1) the former commander of the Baltic Fleet was promoted as deputy supreme commander of the Soviet Fleet. Vice admiral Sivkoff (2) was appointed in his place. Admiral Ludri (3) was appointed as director of the Navy Academy.
The edition 1 September 1938 published an item dated London 31 August referring to the correspondent of the British newspaper Times at Riga who reported that the Russian minister of navy for the first time admitted that some months some of the most important Russian admirals and naval experts were executed. Official tidings reported that the GPO (4) executed admiral Orloff (5) supreme commander of the navy and who represented the Soviet Union during the British coronation celebrations. De Dutch newspaper De Tijd dated 5 October 1937 reported that Orlow was dismissed as supreme commander of the fleet and replaced by admiral Viktorow (6). According to rumours was this replacement caused by the so-called Great Purge.
The newspaper De Tijd dated 1 February 1937 published an item dated Warsaw 1 February referring to the Krakowski Illustrowany Kurjer reporting that at Leningrad Sof [?}was arrested. Sof was the former commander of the Soviet Baltic Fleet. It was believed that he was arrested caused by the preparations for a third political process at Moscow.
The newspaper Bataviaasch nieuwsblad dated 21 May 1938 reported that the second mine boat flotilla of the Black Sea Fleet could not join the latest exercises. The reason was that just before the departure several officers and deputy commanding officers of the flotilla were arrested by the GPO.
Notes
1. Galler (17/29 November 1883-12 July 1950) commanded the Baltic Fleet in 1932-1937, replaced between 10 July and 15 August 1937 temporarily Orlov as commander-in-chief of the Soviet Navy, 1938 chief of the naval staff, 1940 as deputy commissar especially responsible for the naval shipbuilding, since 1947 head of the naval academy until his arrest a year later and he died in the prison. He was rehabilitated in 1953.
2. Aleksandr Kuzmitch Sivkov, commander of the Baltic Fleet for a short period, namely between 25 January and 15 August 1937.
3. Ivan Martynovich Ludri (1895 Livonia nowadays Viljandi Raion, Estonia)-26 November 1937), director in 1937.
4. The GUGB or Main Directorate of State Security, the Soviet secret police active between July 1934 and April 1943.
5. Vladimir Mitrofanovich Orlov between 11 June 1931 and 15 August 1937 and who succeeded Romuald Adamovich Muklevich as commander-in-chief. Between 10 July and 15 August 1937 was Orlov temporarily replaced by Lev Mikhailovich Galler and afterwards by Mikhail Vladimirovich Viktorov until 30 December that year. Orlov and Viktorov were both Fleet Flag-officers of the 1st Rank and Galler of the 2nd rank. People’s Army Commissar 1st Rank Pyotr Alexandrovich Smirnov replaced on 30 December Viktorov as head of the Soviet Navy. Orlov (15 July 1895-28 July 1938) was arrested on 10 July 1937 and after he was sentenced on 28 July a year later. In 1956 rehabilitated. Commander of the Black Sea Fleet 1926-1930 and in 1937 also deputy minister of navy.
6. Mikhail Vladimirovich Viktorv (24 December 1893 Yaroslavl-1 August 1938). Arrested at the end of 1937, executed a year later and in 1956 rehabilitated. Commander of the Baltic Fleet between 1936 and 1932 and of the Pacific Fleet since 1932.
The De Sumatra Post dated 10 February 1937 published an item dated Moscow 3 February reporting that vice admiral Haller (1) the former commander of the Baltic Fleet was promoted as deputy supreme commander of the Soviet Fleet. Vice admiral Sivkoff (2) was appointed in his place. Admiral Ludri (3) was appointed as director of the Navy Academy.
The edition 1 September 1938 published an item dated London 31 August referring to the correspondent of the British newspaper Times at Riga who reported that the Russian minister of navy for the first time admitted that some months some of the most important Russian admirals and naval experts were executed. Official tidings reported that the GPO (4) executed admiral Orloff (5) supreme commander of the navy and who represented the Soviet Union during the British coronation celebrations. De Dutch newspaper De Tijd dated 5 October 1937 reported that Orlow was dismissed as supreme commander of the fleet and replaced by admiral Viktorow (6). According to rumours was this replacement caused by the so-called Great Purge.
The newspaper De Tijd dated 1 February 1937 published an item dated Warsaw 1 February referring to the Krakowski Illustrowany Kurjer reporting that at Leningrad Sof [?}was arrested. Sof was the former commander of the Soviet Baltic Fleet. It was believed that he was arrested caused by the preparations for a third political process at Moscow.
The newspaper Bataviaasch nieuwsblad dated 21 May 1938 reported that the second mine boat flotilla of the Black Sea Fleet could not join the latest exercises. The reason was that just before the departure several officers and deputy commanding officers of the flotilla were arrested by the GPO.
Notes
1. Galler (17/29 November 1883-12 July 1950) commanded the Baltic Fleet in 1932-1937, replaced between 10 July and 15 August 1937 temporarily Orlov as commander-in-chief of the Soviet Navy, 1938 chief of the naval staff, 1940 as deputy commissar especially responsible for the naval shipbuilding, since 1947 head of the naval academy until his arrest a year later and he died in the prison. He was rehabilitated in 1953.
2. Aleksandr Kuzmitch Sivkov, commander of the Baltic Fleet for a short period, namely between 25 January and 15 August 1937.
3. Ivan Martynovich Ludri (1895 Livonia nowadays Viljandi Raion, Estonia)-26 November 1937), director in 1937.
4. The GUGB or Main Directorate of State Security, the Soviet secret police active between July 1934 and April 1943.
5. Vladimir Mitrofanovich Orlov between 11 June 1931 and 15 August 1937 and who succeeded Romuald Adamovich Muklevich as commander-in-chief. Between 10 July and 15 August 1937 was Orlov temporarily replaced by Lev Mikhailovich Galler and afterwards by Mikhail Vladimirovich Viktorov until 30 December that year. Orlov and Viktorov were both Fleet Flag-officers of the 1st Rank and Galler of the 2nd rank. People’s Army Commissar 1st Rank Pyotr Alexandrovich Smirnov replaced on 30 December Viktorov as head of the Soviet Navy. Orlov (15 July 1895-28 July 1938) was arrested on 10 July 1937 and after he was sentenced on 28 July a year later. In 1956 rehabilitated. Commander of the Black Sea Fleet 1926-1930 and in 1937 also deputy minister of navy.
6. Mikhail Vladimirovich Viktorv (24 December 1893 Yaroslavl-1 August 1938). Arrested at the end of 1937, executed a year later and in 1956 rehabilitated. Commander of the Baltic Fleet between 1936 and 1932 and of the Pacific Fleet since 1932.
