Already in the autumn of 1939 – almost a year before the occupation – the Soviet deputy head of state security, general Ivan Serov, had signed the order about mass deportations from the Baltic states. According to this order, no 001223 from October 11, 1939, a number of alleged anti Soviet elements were to be sent to Soviet camps. Among the groups especially mentioned were members of all non Communist parties (from the right to the Social Democrats and the Free Socialists) and persons expelled from Communist organisations, police officers, military and members of the Home Guard, higher government officials and diplomats, judges and prosecutors, merchants and owners of big houses and hotels, people who were employed in subsidiaries to foreign companies and other persons with extensive foreign contacts (including esperantists, philatelists and Red Cross members), clergymen and people with relatives who had escaped to the West.

During these 24 hours, 9 250 persons were deported from Estonia alone, 15 081 from Latvia and around 13 600 from Lithuania (2). Around 38 000 persons were thus deported within 24 hours only.

http://www.rel.ee/eng/communism_crimes.htm




Ivan Aleksandrovich Serov Profession: Government Official. Sex: Male. Birth Date: 29 September 1905. Nationality: Russian. Date of Death: 01 July 1990. Comments: First Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs. Chaired KGB 1954-1958.

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