The Engineering and Technical Intellectuals of Ukraine in Conditions of the “Great Terror ”(the Example of the Konstantinovskyis Family)

Olena Gecha

doi:10.35433/history.11197

Abstract

The purpose of the proposed article is to investigate the fate of representatives of engineering and technical intelligentsia of Ukraine in the conditions of Stalin's through the lens of personal experience of the Konstantinovskys family representatives. The anthropologization of history is gaining in popularity, that allows us to explore certain periods and phenomena through the personal experience of direct participants and eyewitnesses. The methods of everyday life in the context of the person`s (family members`) personal experiences study in extreme conditions is used in research. Other methods include using memoirs of family members as a historical source of oral memoirs. Consideration of personal traumatic experience as a microhistorical plot, allows us to extrapolate it to the specifics of the macrohistorical level of the period.The article analyzes the historiography of the problem of mass repression, which in general is significant. The novelty of the proposed material is to focus on representatives of one Jewish family of engineers Konstantinovsky. The character of the Great Terror and its consequences for Ukraine is being explored everywhere through the optics of the fate of a particular Jewish family of civil engineers.Tens of thousands of Ukrainian residents, including Jews, have been repressed on charges of involvement in non-existent anti-Soviet counter-revolutionary organizations. Among the standard allegations against engineering, including Jews, were espionage in favor of England, France, Poland and other countries. Representatives of the Konstantinovsky family have been charged with cooperating with Polish intelligence and agents from Java (Indonesia). Particularly aggravating factor for Gregory and Herman Konstantinovsky was their non-partisanship. For example, representatives of this family can follow the tried and true simplified mechanism of repression.Studying archival documents, memoirs provides insight into the fabrication of political affairs, the forms and methods of Soviet special services, and public sentiment. Much of the engineering and technical intelligentsia in fact was completely isolated. However, not only J. Stalin and his entourage are responsible for the number of casualties, but also thousands of “snitches” whose activity was “stimulated” by the atmosphere of fear and “war on all against all” as an integral part of the totalitarian political regime.

Highlights

In the 30th years of the XX century. in the Soviet Union, the establishment of a total political regime continued that was accompanied by an increase in the activities of the repressive and punitive apparatus
Stalin and his entourage are responsible for the number of casualties, and thousands of “snitches” whose activity was “stimulated” by the atmosphere of fear and “war on all against all” as an integral part of the totalitarian political regime
The Stalinist regime encouraged total surveillance, defamation, and the spread of anonymous accusations that became commonplace in life

Summary

Introduction

In the 30th years of the XX century. in the Soviet Union, the establishment of a total political regime continued that was accompanied by an increase in the activities of the repressive and punitive apparatus. In the Soviet Union, the establishment of a total political regime continued that was accompanied by an increase in the activities of the repressive and punitive apparatus. In 1932, a policy of "indigenization" collapsed, symbolizing the end of the "flames" of Stalin's power with regions and national groups. A new concept of "enemy of the people" appeared in the socio-political vocabulary and life. The Stalinist regime encouraged total surveillance, defamation, and the spread of anonymous accusations that became commonplace in life. The search of the "enemies of the people" and "pests" was conducted among the intelligentsia and in all sectors of the economy. Under the particular watchful eye of special services, in the conditions of realization of Stalin's industrial "breakthrough", there was an engineering and technical intelligentsia

Objectives

Conclusion