One Shot Illusion
By Juris Eckstein
In the light of this February day, in one instant before Maria Karlovna have killed a shot in a nape, she has seen huge black trench, half filled with human bodies, some men and women besides of her at edge of the trench, falling in it and already laying there to put them down for the bodies, and herself- among these men and women. There was her turn now. It could seem, that she stands on proscenium; the orchestra pit blackens before her, the stage behind. Her enter now was. It was impossible to play it, but she already was finally approved on this role - a role of Latvian woman that should be shot in the light of this February day.
In that day sixty-five years ago 229 Latvians were shot on firing range of NKVD (the precursor of the KGB) at Butova on Feb, 3.1938. Actually, Latvians were shot as large compact groups also in other days of that year. For example, 74 Latvian names can be found out in lists of executed in Butova for February 28 of the thirty-eighth.
There is no final figure for today, how many human beings at all is dug in trenches of Butova, by some estimations this number can exceed seventy thousand.
According to annually updating reports of “Butova’ firing range”, 20 765 representatives of 70 various nations were deleted by NKVD’ butchers, or chekists, since Aug.7, 1937 till Oct.19, 1938 at this place situated near Moscow. By the investigations of this Moscow issue authors, 1 142 people of this number were perished as they were Latvians, each sixth woman bring into being under the fire of NKVD’ troops was a Latvian here. Also more than 300 Latvians were shot then within another possessions of Stalin’ secret police at Moscow. According to the records of 1933, the number of Latvians then living in Moscow did not exceed half-percent of populations of the city.
Nevertheless, exactly the day on Feb. 3 will forever remain in account of Stalin’ terror as “Latvians’ day”. Even if no more reasons than all of Latvian theatre troupe of Moscow, Skatuve, was shot in Butova in this day.
The theatre was established in 1919, as Osvalds Glaznieks, student and associate to legendary Moscow actor and art director Yevgeniy Vachtangov, had created it. One of three Latvian theatres, acted in former USSR in 20-30 years of XX century as well as one of three national theatres of Moscow then, Skatuve – which means “stage” in Latvian - made considerable success at Moscow audience. What about Latvian community of Moscow, these just stand in awe of the actors of the theatre on Strastnoy Boulevard, 6.
The Latvians, more than 150 years living in Moscow, became relatively multiple after large waves of migration in 1915-1916. World War I made the government of Russia to relocate the works from front line Riga as well as another industrial Baltic cities to central Russia. Expert laborers of these plants leaved Latvia for Russian inside cities of Moscow, Nizhniy Novgorod, Tver, Smolensk and others.
Some part of migrants came back to Latvia at the early 20s however many Latvians were employed, or got married here; they did reside at Moscow. Moscow of that time, rich of its cultural traditions, the capital of vanguard and cosmopolitism, charmed Latvian artists and writers, architects and actors.
Some dozen of amateurs of Skatuve’ in the early 20s turn out to be the professional theatre up to the middle of 30th. Here, its studio, where young Glaznieks’ beginners studied the scenic art all over the mornings then entered in show at nights. There were 88 plays of Skatuve for the period of eighteen years of its existence.
In the middle of 30s theatre’ directors got a star of European cinema Maria Leiko for the troupe. Filmed by Fridrich Murnau as well as Berlin viewers at Max Reinhardt’ theatre had applauded her playing Latvian actress casually appearing in Moscow in 1935 has contracted to stay here, interested by idea new to her to play in Skatuve. She then did not know yet how much will pay for this interest.
The arrests of Latvians have accepted total spirit in the fall 1937. According to confession of one NKVD’ ex-officer, published by “Butova’ fire range”, “the mass arrests of so called ‘Latvian organization’ members have turned to literary stalk for ethnic Latvians and justifiable homicide of the grown part of male Latvian population in Moscow, as reached up to looking for Latvians in police registers “. The main task of secret service departments became search of the Latvian names in house registers in day time; black prison-cars, or “black ravens” combed through the city, carrying these names owners out at night. Prisoners, Latvian families members, were faced to the choice of two “basic” accusations under shadows of ravens’ night flights: or belonging to “counterrevolutionary nationalistic nazi Latvian organization”, or “ espionage for the benefit of Latvia “. Actually a choice was not, as both statements meant the death sentence. So their real “guiltiness” was just belonging to Latvian family’ names.
Indeed the battle with “the Latvian organization” started with the confidential instruction to NKVD, sign by Stalin on December 3 1937, licensed worldwide terror concerning about 150 000 Latvians living then in the Soviet Union. The practice will be continued after Soviet occupation of Latvia in 1940, when hundreds of thousands of names of Latvians more will be add to this listing.
