The Winter War
Selected Civilian and Political Items
(1938-1940)

 

 

No discussion about a nations military can be complete without showing the civilian life of the time. This is because no military exists in a vacuum, it is a product of its times. This section will try to give the reader a glimpse of what life was like during the hard years before the Great Patriotic War. It will feature pictures, history, stories, and other facets of Soviet civilian life during the period between 1938 and 1940.

Back to
The Winter War Civil and Political
History Main Page

 

 

Five Ruble Note

All of the banknotes of this period featured martial themes.

In this 5 ruble note there is a depiction of a Soviet pilot and his aircraft.

 

 

 

Three Ruble Note

Another in the series of notes depicting the Soviet military, this 3 Ruble note features the infantry men of the Red Army.

 

 

One Ruble Note

Here is another banknote of the period.  It shows a man carrying a machine gun over his shoulder.

 

 

NKVD Execution Confirmation Reports

These are NKVD papers that document the execution of a Russian family of German ancestry on May 5, 1938.  The three unfortunate victims were: Rikhard Avgustovich Kraft and his two sons Victor Rikhardovich Kraft and Peter Rikhardovich Kraft.

One of the documents reads: "The Certificate. May 5,1938.  I am, the commandant NKVD LO [Leningrad Oblast] A. R. Polikarpov after order of NKVD LO [Leningrad Oblast] from May 4, 1938 No. 225685 the sentence to Peter Rikhardovich Kraft has been executed.  Above prisoner has been shot.  The commandant NKVD LO [Leningrad Oblast] Senior Lieutenant NKVD Polikarpov.  May 5,1938.  City of Leningrad.