The Great Purge and Political Repression (1936–1938)

1. First Moscow Trial opens (Trial of Sixteen)

   Aug 19, 1936Labels: Trial of, Grigory Zinoviev, Lev Kamenev

   • Britannica
   • Moscow Trials

2. First Moscow Trial verdict and executions ordered

   Aug 24, 1936Labels: Trial of, Court Verdict

   • Britannica
   • Moscow Trials

3. Nikolai Yezhov appointed head of NKVD

   Sep 26, 1936Labels: Nikolai Yezhov, NKVD

   • Yezhov
   • Britannica

4. Stalin Constitution adopted amid mounting repression

   Dec 5, 1936Labels: 1936 Constitution, Soviet Government

   • 1936 Constitution
   • Britannica

5. Second Moscow Trial opens (Trial of Seventeen)

   Jan 23, 1937Labels: Trial of, Trotskyist Center

   • Moscow Trials
   • Britannica

6. Second Moscow Trial convictions finalized

   Jan 30, 1937Labels: Trial of, Convictions

   • Britannica
   • Moscow Trials

7. Red Army high command executed after secret trial

   Jun 12, 1937Labels: Tukhachevsky Case, Red Army

   • Military Case
   • June 1937

8. NKVD Order 00447 signed, launching mass operations

   Jul 30, 1937Labels: Order 00447, NKVD

   • USC Shoah
   • Order 00447

9. Mass operation under Order 00447 begins

   Aug 5, 1937Labels: Order 00447, Mass Operation

   • USC Shoah
   • Order 00447

10. NKVD Order 00485 initiates “Polish Operation”

    Aug 11, 1937Labels: Order 00485, Polish Operation

    • Order 00485
    • Polish Operation

11. NKVD Order 00486 targets families of the condemned

    Aug 15, 1937Labels: Order 00486, Collective Punishment

    • Order 00486
    • AREI Journal

12. Third Moscow Trial opens (Trial of Twenty-One)

    Mar 2, 1938Labels: Trial of, Bukharin

    • Britannica
    • Moscow Trials

13. Trial of Twenty-One sentences issued

    Mar 13, 1938Labels: Trial of, Sentences

    • Britannica
    • Moscow Trials

14. Beria brought to Moscow as Yezhov’s deputy

    Aug 1, 1938Labels: Lavrenty Beria, NKVD Deputy

    • Britannica
    • Beria

15. Order 00689 partially rolls back family arrests

    Oct 17, 1938Labels: Order 00689, NKVD

    • Order 00689
    • Family Members

16. Decree of 17 November 1938 ends mass NKVD operations

    Nov 17, 1938Labels: 17 November, Sovnarkom

    • Decree 1938
    • Great Purge

17. Yezhov removed as NKVD chief; Beria succeeds

    Nov 25, 1938Labels: Yezhov, Lavrenty Beria

    • Yezhov
    • Britannica