Recruitment of personnel of state security bodies in Ukraine during the domination of the totalitarian regime (1929-1953)

Abstract

The article deals with the historical and legal analysis of the main ways of replenishing the personnel of the state security bodies of the USSR during the domination of the totalitarian regime.
 It was established that the formation of personnel of state security bodies was carried out in several ways. The first of these was the direct appointment ("mobilization") of representatives of the "party-Komsomol asset", as a rule, without their training and special training for positions in state security bodies.
 The second method of staffing state security agencies during this period was to select persons who met the requirements and enroll them in training at special departmental institutions.
 In the USSR, the Kyiv (since 1938 - Kharkiv) intercity school and the Kharkov School of Foreign Intelligence of the NKVD of the USSR operated at different times. At the end of the war and in the postwar period, the Kharkov interdistrict school of the KGB-MGB was restored and the Lviv interdistrict school of the MGB was established.
 The candidates were thoroughly studied for their political allegiance to the ruling regime and underwent special screening. It provided for the study of a person, their relationships and surroundings at birth, study, residence, work, background checks, etc.
 Regardless of the method of recruitment, future employees of national security agencies had to meet certain requirements. To be members, candidates for membership of the CPSU (b), or members of the WCCM, carefully scrutinized for their political views and for which there were no material. Other requirements varied depending on which units the person was intended to direct - military service at the NSCA, age, relevant education, secondary or higher, health status that met the needs of future service, etc.
 Since the second half of the 1930s, the emphasis on the requirements for candidates who were directly enrolled in the NKVD bodies shifted towards the mandatory political commitment of the regime. This practice continued also in wartime and postwar times.