Security services of the NKVD-NKGB of Kabardino-Balkaria in the fight against German sabotage (1942-1944)

Abstract

The paper considers the most intense period of work of the People’s Commissariats of Internal Af-fairs and State Security (NKVD-NKGB) of Kabardino-Balkaria during the Great Patriotic War in their fight against Nazi German sabotage operations. It is shown that purposeful policy to destabi-lize the Soviet rear has overcome two stages. Security agencies had a hard time dealing with sabo-tage during the battle for the Caucasus between November 1943 and August 1944. Based on doc-umentary materials, the author reveals the course of work of the NKVD-NGKB bodies in the fight against enemy agents, contribution of individual employees and population to security, special oper-ations in the occupied area. The author concludes that, contrary to the statement of H. Himmler in 1944, sabotage in the Caucasus, including Kabardino-Balkaria, did not bring Berlin the expected results. The invisible front played an important role in maintaining stability of the Soviet rear and destroying Nazi Germany’s plans to create a “fifth column” in Kabardino-Balkaria.