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It is often claimed that a 'majority' of commissars (or such nebulous adjectives interchangeable as 'prominent official', 'leader', 'member', 'high-ranking') were Jewish, or that the majority of those carrying out repressions were Jewish. This claim is verifiably false. | It is often claimed that a 'majority' of commissars (or such nebulous adjectives interchangeable as 'prominent official', 'leader', 'member', 'high-ranking') were Jewish, or that the majority of those carrying out repressions were Jewish. This claim is verifiably false. | ||
In the early period 1917-1922, only a slight presence of Jews is detected among the Cheka. In 1918, only 4.3% of Cheka commissars were Jewish. | In the early period 1917-1922, only a slight presence of Jews is detected among the Cheka. In 1918, only 4.3% of Cheka commissars were Jewish. Strikingly however, 54.3% were Latvian, an even numerically inferior minority group of less than 1% of the whole population (compared to the Jews 4%). From 1918 to 1920, only four Jews ever served in the collegium (the highest governing body) of the Cheka out of a total of 58.<ref>[https://mischrev.substack.com/p/judeo-bolshevism]</ref> | ||
After 1923, the Cheka was transformed into the OGPU, and the operations of the new organisation required literate and educated people to fulfil its purpose. Despite the fact that 70% of the Jewish population was literate compared to only 40% of Russians, Jews still only made up 15% of the OGPU leadership at this time. By the mid 1930's, the percentage of Jews began to peak due to the shortage of educated peoples from the Baltics, who were now | After 1923, the Cheka was transformed into the OGPU, and the operations of the new organisation required literate and educated people to fulfil its purpose. Despite the fact that 70% of the Jewish population was literate compared to only 40% of Russians, Jews still only made up 15% of the OGPU leadership at this time. By the mid 1930's, the percentage of Jews began to peak due to the shortage of educated peoples from the Baltics, who were now outside the territory of the USSR due to the [[Brest-Litovsk Treaty]] (whose overrepresentation is already mentioned). | ||
It is also insinuated that F. E. 'Iron Felix' Dzerzhinsky, head of the Cheka, was a Jew on account of his speaking Yiddish, his Jewish wife and a shaky fable alleging faked nobility. | It is also insinuated that F. E. 'Iron Felix' Dzerzhinsky, head of the Cheka, was a Jew on account of his speaking Yiddish, his Jewish wife and a shaky fable alleging faked nobility. | ||
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First, Dzerzhinsky was noted for being a polyglot early on in his youth. In line with other nobles, Dzerzhinsky spoke French, Polish, German, Yiddish (n.b. mutually intelligible with German), Latin, Greek and Russian (there are documents from his education that attest to this). <ref>[https://www.mk.ru/editions/daily/article/2002/11/21/130978-palach-korolevstva-lyubvi.html]</ref> | First, Dzerzhinsky was noted for being a polyglot early on in his youth. In line with other nobles, Dzerzhinsky spoke French, Polish, German, Yiddish (n.b. mutually intelligible with German), Latin, Greek and Russian (there are documents from his education that attest to this). <ref>[https://www.mk.ru/editions/daily/article/2002/11/21/130978-palach-korolevstva-lyubvi.html]</ref> | ||
Next, consider that in the 1914 Russian Empire census, Jews were the second most urbanised population. The largest [[urbanite]] population were Russian at 8.8 million, followed by | Next, consider that in the 1914 Russian Empire census, Jews were the second most urbanised population. The largest [[urbanite]] population by far were Russian at 8.8 million, followed by Jewish at 2.5 million, then Polish at 1.45 million, then Ukrainians at 1.25 million (the numbers then taper off significantly).<ref> [https://www.demoscope.ru/weekly/ssp/rus_lan_97.php]</ref> So it is not particularly unlikely that he happened to find a Jewish spouse and could speak her language. | ||
Lastly, on the allegation that Dzerzhinsky was not truly a noble, the fable goes like this: his father decided to falsify nobility to conceal the fact that he was Jewish. <ref>[https://www.deathofcommunism.com/felix-dzerzhinsky/]</ref> How and why his father decided to conceal his Jewishness nobody knows. Notwithstanding the | Lastly, on the allegation that Dzerzhinsky was not truly a noble, the fable goes like this: his father decided to falsify nobility to conceal the fact that he was Jewish. <ref>[https://www.deathofcommunism.com/felix-dzerzhinsky/]</ref> How and why his father decided to conceal his Jewishness in an area specifically set out for the Jews to live in the Russian Empire(so called 'Pales of Settlement') nobody knows. Notwithstanding the illogical nature of the story, it can be easily debunked by consulting the contemporary government documents themselves that show him and his father as Catholic nobles. <ref>[http://uni-persona.srcc.msu.ru/students/stud_1840-1901/cards33.html]</ref> | ||
====Myth: | ====Myth: The 'Jewish' Soviet Ruling Elite==== | ||
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====Fact: Jewish Overrepresentation Due to Socio-Cultural Factors, Quickly Normalised==== | ====Fact: Jewish Overrepresentation Due to Socio-Cultural Factors, Quickly Normalised==== | ||
Instead of constructing a grand 'Jewish Bolshevik' conspiracy, it is more likely that Jewish overrepresentation was the culmination of various sociological and practical considerations. | Instead of constructing a grand 'Jewish Bolshevik' conspiracy, it is more likely that Jewish overrepresentation was the culmination of various sociological and practical considerations. | ||