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BERIA, LAVRENTY PAVLOVICH

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BERIA, LAVRENTY PAVLOVICH
(1899 - 1953) Russian politician, the dreaded head of Stalin's security agency, the NKVD, who oversaw the Great Purge of 1934-38 and ordered the deaths of thousands. Unable to resist the power of his position, Beria sought to succeed Stalin and was in turn tried and executed himself. Rare T.L.S. on NKVD letterhead market "TOP SECRET", 1p. legal folio, Moscow, Feb. 3, 1940 in which Beria reports to Minister of Defense KLIMENT Y. VOROSHILOZ (1881-1969) on the ongoing war with Finland. Beria reports on his organization of anti-aircraft forces protecting the Kirovc railway, in response to an order sent down by the Central Committee on the previous Dec. 31st. Beria states that the 2nd Division forces guarding the railroad installations is to be reinforced, and has ordered that three anti-aircraft and seven machine gun companies are to be transferred to key positions of the railway. Very light dampstain at left, away from text, nicely signed in pencil at bottom, also initialed by Voroshilov in blue pencil at top. of fifteen Russian staff cars had been attacked by Finns with machine guns and rocket launchers. he notes that no guards had been posted for the convoy, and that the first car had been destroyed whereafter the Finns fled. Boldly signed in pencil at conclusion, with Voroshilov's initials at top and much underlining of text. File holes at left, else fine.