501 Spiritual Christians Persecuted in 1940s
Эта статья была опубликована в 1940-ых годах в русскоязычной ежедневной газете «Новая Заря», Сан-Франциско. Эта статья заархивированана среди Бумаг Лоукашкина, страница 8 (коробка 13, папка 2, статья 7), Хувэр Иститут, Стэнфорд Калифорния. Статья не содержит даты и номера газетной страницы.

Районный центер — Целина — находится приблизительно 80 миль к юго-востоку от Ростова-на-Дону. В 1926 годах, тысячи духовние крестианы были переселены в Целинскии район из Карской области, «Сальский степпе», когда Карс отдали Турции. Они переселились в приблизительно 34 деревни, многие, из которых были называны по именам деревень, которые они оставили. На сегоднешний день много деревень покинуты или переименованы. Более чем тысяча Молокан всё ещё живут там.
CLICK for VILLAGES
См. подробные карты этих деревень по-русски, или по-английски. Также см.: "Урегулирования Доухобор в Ростове, Россия" (основание страницы).
 This article may have been published 9 April 1939 in the Russian-language daily newspaper "Novaya Zarya" (New Dawn), San Francisco. It is archived among the Loukashkin Papers, page 4 (box 13, folder 2, item 7), Hoover Institution, Stanford CA, with no date or page shown. [Complete citation later.]
 
The regional city of Tselina (Russian: "virgin soil") is about 80 miles south-east of Rostov-on-Don, the capital of Rostov province [oblast]. In the 1920s, thousands of Spiritual Christians were moved to this Tselina region, the "Sal'skii steppe", from Kars oblast when Kars was given back to Turkey after 40 years of Russian occupation. The arriving Spiritual Christians about 50 villages on the treeless Sal'sk steppe (prairie), many retaining names of their former villages. Many villages are now abandoned or renamed. Over a thousand still live there, and there are several congregations, some with women presbyters. In the 1990s, over a 100 Molokan and Dukhizhiznik refugees from Armenia repatriated (became Russian citizens) and were assigned to the towns of Sal'sk and Krasnoie Znamia (map left).



See detailed maps of these villages in Russian, or in English. Also see: "Doukhobor, Molokan, and Prygun Settlements in Rostov Province, Russia, 1921-Present" by Jonathan Kalmakoff, Doukhobor Genealogy Website.

Гонения на духовние крестианы молокан и духоборов в СССР

Persecutions of Spiritual Christians Molokans and Doukhobors in the USSR
Одним из проживающих в Сан Франциско молокан получено письмо из СССР, в котором описываются преследования, предпринятые там против духовных крестианых молоканских и духоборческих общин.
 One of the Molokans living in San Francisco received a letter from the USSR in which persecutions committed there against the Spiritual Christians Molokan and Dukhobor communities are described.
Приводим наиболее интересные выдержки из этого письма:
 We show the most interesting excerpts from this letter:
«...В молоканских и духоборческих общинах произошли великия события, т. е. [то есть] на эти общны были высланы карательные отряды в количестве одного полка кавалерии и одной батареи за то, что эти общины подали в ЦИК [Центральный Исполнительный Комитет] заявление с ходатайством о разрешении на выезд их заграницу, и эти отряды произвели следующия операции:
 "... Big events occurred in the Molokan and Dukhobor communities, in that a large retaliatory group consisting of a cavalry regiment and a battalion of soldiers were sent there because these communities had submitted a petition to the CEC [Central Electoral Committee] for exit visas to be allowed to go abroad,* and these retaliatory [military] groups completed the following [military] operations:

* At the same time, Maksimisty, Sionisty, Noviye Israeli and zealous Pryguny in the U.S.A. wanted to return to Kars, Turkey, near Mt. Ararat.
Первым долгом они прибыли в общину Веригина, где у них был главный штаб, и с общины Веригина они начали действовать, т. е. «забирать головку», — как нам говорят, — и 10-го февраля они набросились на Веригину, молоканскую Петровку и на духоборческую Петровку, а, 11-го февраля часть из них осталась доканчивать операции в этих общинах, а часть на Привольную, где им не удалось сделать ничего, потому что весь народ сголпился и схватились рука за руку. 11-го февраля их было всего только около 100 человек, а на другой день, т. е. 12-го Февраля, к ним добавилось ещё человек 50 конницы и эта вся сила была в пьяном виде.
 "First of all they arrived at the community of Verigino where they set up  headquarters, and from the community of Verigino they started to operate, i.e. 'to take away a head', so to speak. On February 10 they attacked Verigino, Molokan-Petrovka and Dukhobor-Petrovka. On February 11, part of them stayed to finish military operations in these communities, and part went on to Privol'noe where they could not do anything because all the people there formed a big tight group by holding hands. On February 11, there were only about 100 soldiers and on the next day, February 12, an additional 50 cavalry soldiers were added, but this force was all drunk.
Наши собрались c Прилесной и Раздольной и хотели их уговорить, но они вместо уговора набросились на эту толпу, пешие и верховые, и начали давить и бить до безсознания прикладами и шашками.
 "Our people from Prilesnoe and Razdol'noe gathered together and wanted to persuade them, but instead of making an arrangement, the soldiers on foot and horse, attacked this crowd and started to push and beat them up to unconsciousness with gun butts and cavalry swords.
В результате получилось то, что 501 человек, которых они смяли и избили, были забраны и увезены в Целену [Целину], из которых 15 человек отпущены, а остальных увезли, неизвестно куда. Судьба их неизвестна.
 "This resulted in 501 people who were injured and beaten, and taken away and transported to Tselina from whom 15 persons have been released, and it is not known to where the others were taken away. Their fate is unknown.
Из приволенских забраны были следующия братая: Я.Ф. Данилов, А.И. Лоскутов, П.А. Бучнев, Д.А. Бучнев, три брата Богдановых, А.Г. Бучнев, П.Н. Коробов, Г.Н. Коробов, Ф.П. Коробов, В.П. Коробов, Г.П. Лоскутов, В.И. Лоскутов, и его дочь Маруся, В.З. Коновалов, Т.А. Лоскутов, Т.В. Коновалов, И.С. Сысоев, Ф.Т. Лоскутов, Е.М. Лоскутова, В.Г. Метелкин, Я.В. Каныгин и человек 5 тавричан а остальные из Прилесной и Раздольной.
 "From Privol'noe the following brothers were taken away: J.F. Danilov, A.I. Loskutov, P.A. Buchnev, D.A. Buchnev, three Bogdanov brothers, A.G. Buchnev, P.N. Korobov, G.N. Korobov, F.P. Korobov, V.P. Korobov, G.P. Loskutov, V.I. Loskutov and his daughter Marusia, V.Z. Konovalov, T.A. Loskutov, T.V. Konovalov, I.S. Sysoyev, F.T. Loskutov, E.M. Loskutova, V.G. Metelkin, J.V. Kanygin and 5 people from Tavria and others from Prilesnoe and Razdol'noe.
Из общины Привольной набросились на Прилесную, Родионовку, Сысоевку, Раздольную, Владыкарс, Михайлово, а  другая на духоборческйя обшины, и точно неизвестно, сколько жителей было увезено.
 "From the Privol'noe community they attacked Prilesnoe, Rodionovka, Sysoevka [not shown on maps], Razdol'noe, Vladykars, Mihailova, and others in the Dukhobor community, and it is not known precisely how many residents were taken away.
В общем после этих событий картина  получилась печальная. Эти общины стали, как после великаго разгрома, и весь народ, который остался в общинах, прячется в сугробах, и, благодаря сильнаго бурана, многим удалось бежать в степь и там спасаться.
 "In general, after these events, the picture turned out sad. These communities became like after a great devastation. All the people who remained in the communities hid in the snowdrifts, and thanks to a blizzard [snow storm] many managed to run in to the steppe [prairie] to hide in safety.
Буран был настолько силен, что за 10 сажен ничего не было видно.
"The blizzard was so strong that for 70 feet nothing was visible .
После этого разгрома едут представители по разгромленным общинам и требуют от населения протокольных постановлений одобрением всех мероприятий советской власти. Но все обшины еще твёрже, вместо одобрений, стали выносить протесты и в категорической форме требовать разрешения на выезд заграницу. Ещё добавить надо, что Д.Я.Ф. и Б.Д.П. были избиты до безчувствия и пролежали в безсознательном состоянии около 12 часов.
 "After the attacks, the Soviet representatives went through the devastated communities and demanded that the people approve all these actions and  legal decisions of the Soviet government. But instead of an approval, all the communities protested even firmer and absolutely demanded permission for departure abroad. In addition, D.Ia.F. [?Danilov] and B.D.P. were beaten up unconscious and have remained in a coma-like condition for about 12 hours.
В духоборческой Петровке заставили население на коленях стоять в снегу два часа, а, когда приказали встать, многие не могли, т. к. [так как] замёрзли.
 "In Dukhobor-Petrovka the population was forced to stay on their knees in snow for two hours, and when they were ordered to get up, many could not because they were frozen.
В Петровке забрали отца и мать, а мальчик, 10 лет, бросился прятаться и до сих пор его нет. Предполагают, что он где-нибудь замёрз.
 "In Petrovka a father and mother were taken away, and their 10-year old boy rushed to hide and still has not been found. It's assumed that he is frozen somewhere.
Из Целины в последний момент отпустили следующих братьев: Г.П. Лоскутова, Т.Л. Лоскутова, Ф.Т. Лоскутова, В.П. Коробова, Т.В. Коновалова, В.Г. Метелкина и В. Рязанонова. Это — приволенеские, а остальные из других обшин.»
 "At the last moment in Tselina the following brothers were released: G.P. Loskutov, T.L. Loskutov, F.T. Loskutov, V.P. Korobov, T.V. Konovalov, V.G. Metelkin and V. Riazanonov. They are from Priovol'noe and the rest are from other communities."

Much more detail appears in :
Sanborn, Joshua A.  Non-violent protest and the Russian state: The Doukhobors in 1895 and 1937, in The Doukhobor Centenary in Canada: A Multi-Disciplinary Perspective on their Unity and Diversity, 2000, pages 83-102. — In 1937 Doukhobors in eastern Rostov oblast protested against military service, schooling, and collectivization. Details on pages 92-99 in "The Doukhobors and the state in 1930s."
On May 10, Nancy (Bataiff) Passarelli responds:

"I also agree that this event took place in the early 1930s.  My great uncle was beaten and taken away to Siberia after helping my grandmother and her family return to the US.  His name was Jacov Danilov and he died in Siberia.  I have letters from his granddaughter and daughter telling us of this event.  They were living in Rostov at the time and I think the village they lived in was called Kalifornia (the place they returned to Russia from). [Kalifonia, not yet on the maps, was inhabited by Molokans who returned to rejoin their families in Tselinskii raion. Some stayed in Russia, while others who still had American passports went back, most to San Francisco.]

"Our family name is Bataiff and we are very interested in our family history.  My grandmother was Alice (Danilov) Bataiff and she was married to Joseph Andrew Bataiff.  They came to the US in 1906 from Selim, Kars.  They returned to Russia in 1924(?) and was able to return to the US in 1928(?).  My grandmother’s brother Jacov Danilov wrote letters to the US to help them return and prove they had their children in the US.  After he did this he was considered a traitor and beaten and taken to Siberia.

"My Aunt Mary (Bataiff) Bogdanoff wrote about their return to Russia and the papers are supposed to be in the Stanford Archives, but I have been unable to locate them.  If you know anything or can help me locate any information, I would appreciate it very much."
 [If you know anything more about this horrific attack, please reply.]

Doukhobor historian, Koozma Tarasoff responds that this event may have happened 10 years earlier, in the 1930s:

"... Thank you for sharing the interesting news article on the Doukhobors in the 1940s. I have never come across this particular event in other sources. Hence, I cannot comment on its authenticity.

"I know that during 1930s Soviet collectivization, there were many cases of local officials abusing their own, and then sending them off to exile in Siberia. But in the 1940s, this was during the war and post-war era when Russian survival was at stake, and collectivization had long passed. I have not heard of many locals seeking to emigrate abroad at that very critical time in the 1940s. For me, the report needs more validity before it can be taken as trustworthy. ..."

"By 1925 about 4000 Doukhobors resided in the Rostovskaya Oblast. Today I would estimate there are around 6000 Doukhobors."

Read more about Koozma and his latest book with a CD: Spirit Wrestlers: Doukhobor Pioneers' Strategies for Living .
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