Before diving into this difficult topic for any resident of the post-Soviet space, it is necessary to at least roughly determine the KGB - who they are, what they did and where they came from. The thing is that today there are too many rumors, legends and tales connected with this word, and in view of recent events, the topic of state counter-revolutionaries is gaining popularity again.
So, speaking aloof, the Chekists are employees of the Cheka (Extraordinary Commission), the department that has been responsible for state security since December 1917. After this, the structure was repeatedly transformed and renamed. Many are inclined to attribute to the KGB officers of the NKVD, the NKGB and even employees of the modern Ministry of Internal Affairs in Russia. Moreover, it is found that workers of similar structures in the countries of the former USSR are ranked among them, as, for example, the KNB in Kazakhstan.
Historical reference
If we talk about the Chekists only as employees of the corresponding department, then the following is known about their history. The Cheka survived from December 7, 1917 to February 6, 1922. The ideological inspirer of the commission was Lenin himself, and initially the main building of the Cheka was in Petrograd (now the Museum of the Political Police of Russia is located there).
The department itself consisted of about 13 departments. Some opened after 1918 and in the 1920th (foreign department). The number of employees also varied. Initially, the entire apparatus consisted of 40 employees, and after 1918 there were already 120 of them.
Speaking about the history of this phenomenon, it is necessary to touch upon the question of who the KGB officers are. This definition is probably the bloodiest shade in the history of this department and movement. During the Great Patriotic War, there were special units that not so much fought with the enemy, as they kept order in the camp of their own troops. They were noted for their cruel attitude to everyone who had at least somehow crossed with them. Many compare them with robbers. There were rumors that they intimidated the civilian population and robbed them .. But at the same time, many admit that thanks to them, other soldiers were afraid to think of desertion or betrayal, because the fear of them was stronger than the fear of death. However, not everything is so simple, and not all fairy tales about the KGB should be trusted, since for some time among historians there was a fashion for scary stories about the bloody Soviet regime.
Field of activity of the Cheka
So, security officers - who are they, what exactly did they do? Judging by the name of the departments, the Cheka employees were responsible for a variety of issues. Starting with the fight against counterrevolutionaries (initially their main task) and corruption and ending with the unit for opposing the activities of the church. Moreover, since 1921, it was this state organization that dealt with issues of street children. That is, the scope, and therefore the authority, among the employees of the Cheka was incredibly wide.
The historical track of the Cheka. How is it interpreted today?
But how are they perceived today? Chekists - who are they? Sadists, fanatics, ideologies reveling in power, or the people who maintained order in the country? They reckon many bloody horrors of that time. They were feared, but this does not mean that the department was not effective.
Crimes in office are, if you will, the definition of corruption of the time. So, at that time the attitude towards corrupt officials in power and trade was harsh, but effective, as opposed to today's “soft” legislation. When condemned thieves who have stolen even budget money go out and continue their chic life, this is wrong. And all because it is difficult to track capital, there are many ways to hide assets. And our departments, as it sometimes seems, are not in a hurry to unravel the thieves' tangle, or simply cannot, by virtue of legislation.
And precisely the fact that even the rich and influential were called to account thanks to the Chekists in many respects served as the formation of a kind of nostalgic halo around this organization.
No matter how you relate to these people, you should understand that the lion's share of responsibility lies not with the one who executed the strict order, but with the one who gave it. And the heads of this department themselves suffered an unenviable fate. When Stalin came to power, many, even those who held senior positions, were shot. The ideology and order of that time rested precisely on fear, and fear, as you know, always requires its own bloody tribute.
Modern security officers - who are they?
In the wake of corruption and ever new revolutions and coups d'etat, people began to miss in strict order and revise their attitude to the KGB. Moreover, many are talking about the revival of this movement. So, who are the Chekists nowadays? Western media are talking about a new form: cyber security officers. That is, according to foreign journalists, there are specially trained people who not only delete objectionable information on the Web, but also conduct campaigning activities, stifle freedom of speech and revolutionary moods in the bud. Block access for free-thinking people and remove their materials.
Of course, according to many foreign experts and revolutionary-minded residents of Russia, their influence is not limited to this, but it is worth noting that they give a very vague answer to the question of what modern Chekists are - who are they. They indicate only that most employees of law enforcement and internal departments fit this definition. Then it is sad that, having adopted the counter-revolutionary moods of their historical inspirers, modern persecutors are still so sluggishly fighting corruption and smuggling.