스탈린 대테러와 ‘인민의 적’의 자녀들

This essay aims to understand the life of children of enemies of the people who were repressed by the Soviet authorities during the Stalin’s Great Terror including ‘the mass operations.’ On August 15,1937, the NKVD issued operational order no. 00486 which decided the fate of families of enemies of the people. According to the decree,their wives should be arrested immediately and their children taken to orphanages in principle. Some of the children above 15 years of age were to be sent to other places to be placed in jobs or to study.
Children who were sent to the orphanages were first taken to a transitional center, called ‘the child reception-distribution point.’ When children arrived at an orphanage, the authorities often gave them a new name in order to change their identity to a Soviet-type citizen.
The collective life in the orphanage was harsh. Children were obliged to study and to be engaged in hard labor under surveillance of the orphanage staff. The authorities wanted to reeducate them through school classes and regular labor. Living conditions at children’s home were substandard with lack of food, basic necessities and insanitary housing.
Children who were fortunate to stay home made every attempt to survive. Most relatives and acquaintances refused to take care of the children who had lost their parents. So they were forced to be ‘homeless’ in the street or to wander among relatives’ houses.
However, some people were courageous enough to help the children.
Particularly their grandmothers and teachers of their school run the risk of being arrested to rescue them.