There were many boxes that were pried open, and the soldiers effortlessly took out the light machine guns in parts, and then Grishenko assembled a bunch of parts into a good gun in front of everyone.
When the large 75-round drum was inserted into the chamber of the gun and the bipod was stretched out, the graceful feeling of the firearm went straight to Beria's head. Everyone who smelled it was surprised by its beauty.
Is there any doubt? A beautiful gun with excellent performance!
Beria felt very comfortable. He tried to carry the squad machine gun and was once again surprised by its weight.
"Very light! This is the real light machine gun."
Seeing that his boss was very satisfied, Grishenko did not forget to praise his general again: "General Berekov proposed a concept of a firearm family. Do you want to understand it intuitively?"
"Oh? Gun family? This term was mentioned in the report."
Grishenko didn't waste any time. A large 75-round bullet was inserted directly into the barrel of the assault rifle, and he proudly displayed: "Look, the rifle has become a light machine gun! Most of the parts of the two weapons are completely
The same thing, the bullets used are exactly the same, and the difference in weight is very small."
"I understand, you don't need to teach me this." Beria said seriously, suppressing Grishenko's excitement.
Who doesn't like the feeling of majesty? As the important position of NKVD, Beria must establish absolute authority over his subordinates.
Now the situation is changing. The former deputy Merkulov serves as the director of the most important Security Service, which is the most important department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. If anyone can replace him, it is this Merkulov.
People's hearts can change. Beria actually knew that the foundation of his authority was not stable. If he didn't operate it well, he might end up like his predecessor Yezhov.
How to continue to stabilize the position, first use majesty to intimidate all subordinates, use a little cruel means, or use good means.
"What two excellent firearms!" Beria said deliberately; "Second Lieutenant Grishenko, you said too many words, which are just some remarks. Can you be responsible for your remarks?"
"I...I can!"
"Very good. Next, we need some actual operations to prove the effectiveness of these firearms."
Beria turned around and explained his bold idea to his subordinate Merkulov: "I hate those experts, they are always too rigorous in their work. In my opinion, whether the firearms are easy to use, we pulled out a few death row prisoners from the prisoners.
Shoot them all. After we examine the bodies, all the problems will be solved."
Merkulov knew that Beria mentioned the two German spies because he wanted to use the new gun to complete the execution.
I have no objection to simply executing the death row prisoner Merkulov. However, Beria's decision is obviously to use the prisoners as guinea pigs. Even if no country will protect the human rights of spies, not everyone feels that the prisoners are used as guinea pigs.
Very appropriate.
"What do you think?" Beria asked loudly.
"What a good decision. Should we execute those two spies?"
"Yes. The state has given us the power to execute spies. As for how to execute them, the method is up to me. I am a merciful person. This time, every prisoner will be beaten to pulp by these new guns."
Kindness? Is this called kindness?!
Merkulov felt that the word "mercy" coming from Beria's mouth was really dark humor. But if you think about it, if you were shot to death randomly, the death process would be very short.
Prisons in the Soviet Union prepared a variety of punishments for those "anti-Soviet elements" and "Trotskyists". Which kind of punishment did not make the prisoners cry like ghosts?
No matter what, after two days, the spies who have lost their use value will be killed with one shot. Now they are used as experimental subjects, which can be regarded as "making the best use of everything".
Speaking of prisons in the Soviet Union, the most famous is the Gulag.
For ordinary people, the Gulag has always been a mysterious existence. What exactly is it? Where is the geographical location of the prison? How many prisoners are there? Who are the prisoners?
Many situations were secrets of the Soviet Union until Solzhenitsyn, who had been in prison there, was released and a masterpiece "The Gulag Archipelago" was made public, causing an uproar and uproar around the world.
The book specifically describes the Solovetsky Islands, which is also the Soviet Union's closest prison to the Arctic Circle. It has an extreme geographical climate. Leaving the archipelago and entering the mainland, it is an extremely vast no-man's land.
The harsh environment basically cuts off the prisoners' escape routes. What's more, under such high pressure, those who successfully escape will also end up with the result that "everyone can find them and punish them."
By 1942, the Soviet Union's troop mobilization was approaching its limit, and the authorities even envisaged a new round of large-scale recruitment of female soldiers. Even under such circumstances, there were prisons, labor camps and various prisons with a population of up to three million in various places.
political prisoners and their families.
The German army and the army of the slave countries wanted to destroy the Soviet Union, and although these detainees did not necessarily support the German army's policies, on the issue of whether to support the Soviet Union, they would inevitably end up with the invaders by different routes.
Most of them were required to work without pay and were essentially slaves. Only when the Soviet Union really reached its conscription limit in the summer of 1943, did the recruitment of soldiers from prisoners officially begin.
The Gulag is synonymous with an administrative department, and its subordinates are various special prisons and labor camps in the Soviet Union.
There is a special prison that is extremely important. It is very close to the Kremlin and Red Square. It is just east of the Lubyanka Office Building. It is composed of some buildings with huge high walls. It is extremely tightly managed and of great significance.
Lefortovo prison.
Moscow has experienced many bombings. This prison is actually stronger than the Kremlin. It is a real fortress! Although it is located in the center of Moscow, ordinary people cannot get close to it. They are even inexplicably afraid of it. The architecture
Hence the name "Lefortovo Maze".
This prison was built as early as the Tsarist era, and the Tsar used it as a special prison for convicted junior officers serving sentences.
The newly born Soviet Russia took over this prison, and a large number of nobles, White Army officers, rich peasants, and other characters that the Soviet Union could not tolerate were imprisoned in it. During the civil war, both Lenin and Trotsky supported
From today's perspective, the physical annihilation of anti-Soviet elements is so cruel that it is difficult to see directly.
But in that era, the descendants of serfs who had been enslaved by the feudal nobles for hundreds of years finally used the harshest means to avenge the hundreds of years of suffering.
There is a church in the prison, which was originally established by the tsar for prisoners to repent and pray.
The newly born Soviet Russia did not recognize any gods, church properties were used as military pay, and empty rooms became execution grounds.
Today, the church is no longer that sacred place, but has simply become a place of execution for prisoners.
"Let's go! Go to the underground highway!"
Beria gave an order, and a dozen soldiers followed closely carrying a box. Under the supervision of Security Bureau Director Merkulov, the group took the elevator and arrived at the bottom floor of the office building.
This is a long tunnel, which is five meters wide and four meters high. It was excavated secretly more than ten years ago.
At that time, the workers always thought they were digging part of the Moscow Metro. Later, this section of the road was closed and became an important underground passage connecting the Lubyanka office building to the prison not far away.
This underground tunnel is not ordinary. It is not only a special passage, but also an air raid shelter and warehouse during critical periods.
The Germans don't know this, and even most Moscow citizens don't think of it. There is a secret underground transportation line under the huge city. Even though the subway line is already very large and secretive, other lanes are only known to a few people and are also hidden.
Strictly confidential.
The secret alleyways under the Lubyanka can also be connected to the Kremlin, and the roads continue to extend and can be directly connected to Stalin's villa in the suburbs.
Therefore, another function of this underground transportation line is to enable high-level Soviet personnel to evacuate quickly during critical periods.
The wooden box contained several prototype guns and some bullets, and the box was loaded into a car.
Beria did not intend to carry out the experiment in a big way. As long as he could prove that the prototype gun was a weapon for executing death row prisoners, its performance would be enough to satisfy him.
Cars and jeeps formed a secret underground convoy. After traveling only more than a thousand meters, everyone arrived directly below Lefortovo Prison.
"Everyone get out of the car and follow me!"
Beria was already familiar with the job. When he was just the director of the Security Bureau, he oversaw the execution of a large number of executions by the guards in this prison.
Or he had seen too many people die, and Beria's spirit had long been numb. So when he learned that Yezhov had been executed and that he had taken over the position left by him, Beria was neither excited nor worried. He was still as diligent as ever.
He worked diligently and ruthlessly carried out all orders issued by Stalin.
The soldier carried the box and walked into the elevator. Beria looked serious at this moment. He looked ahead and witnessed the elevator rising.
The group of people quickly arrived at the surface from thirty meters underground. They were greeted by the main persons in charge of the prison. They welcomed their superiors' arrival with an extremely humble attitude.
"Sergey!" Beria asked without any surprise, "You didn't beat those two bastards to death, did you?"
"No. As per your order, they have been taken out of the cells."
"Very good. Where is he now?"
The person in charge signaled to his men, and after a while, two unlucky guys with no complete clothes were picked out and violently thrown to the ground like dead dogs, right in Beria's footsteps.
Beria, on the other hand, treated these two dying German spies like scum.
The person in charge continued: "Stupid enemies think that they can sneak into our great capital by cultivating a few guys who can speak Russian. They think that we nkvd are fools..."
"Shut up!" Beria abruptly interrupted the person in charge, "The death penalty will be carried out in advance. Now, your people take these two bastards away."
"Is it that room?"
"Yes. Remember to hang these two people up."
Sergey, the chief warden and the highest person in charge of the prison, is also a member of the Security Bureau of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
But in front of the People's Commissar of Internal Affairs and the Director of Security, they are real juniors.
The daily pressure on the jailers is difficult to release. When the air raid occurred at the beginning of the month, the jailers were also in danger. Everything was caused by the evil invaders. Now that two German spies have been captured, why not wait for an opportunity to vent like crazy?
The spy was whipped violently with a hemp rope dipped in water, and even after fully confessing, the corporal torture continued.
The two spies were in a daze and on the verge of a mental breakdown. They knew their end was coming, and instead felt a sense of relief. However, they no longer had the energy to speak, and they could only groan meaninglessly when they were dragged into the execution ground.
When Beria saw the spies again, the two had been handcuffed and hung on the gray wall.
"Haha, God does not exist. Hateful guys, this used to be a church. Try praying and see if God will save you?" The warden said this deliberately in front of Beria. In fact, he was showing off to the chief.
Your own masterpiece.
Beria doesn't care about this. No one knows what happens after death. Maybe there is really a heaven? Maybe there is nothing, just like no one understands the situation before he was born.
"Let's start now!" Beria said to Grishenko. "You have sufficient experience in shooting new guns, and you will be the executioner."
"I?!"
At this moment, Grishenko was really hesitant. He was no stranger to this former prison. It was also here that he executed a death row prisoner for the first time as an executioner. At that time, because he was very decisive and as calm as a machine, he got the result at that time.
attention from superiors.
After all, the vast majority of new recruits yell and wet their pants when they first enter the battlefield, and there are very few people who ruthlessly use themselves as weapons.
Beria and his predecessors knew the nature of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which required ruthless people in the organization and who had to execute orders without hesitation.
But this time, Grishenko unexpectedly hesitated.
Beria was keenly aware of this: "What? Are you a little scared? You haven't killed anyone for a long time. Have you forgotten who you were?"
"No! Comrade NKVD!" Grishenko stood at attention and shouted.
"Then hurry up! Shoot! Prove it to Comrade Dzerzhinsky and prove yourself. Remember, you are a talent trained by the Ministry of Internal Affairs. We don't need indecisive people."
Grishenko calmed down. To be honest, the last time he participated in an execution was three years ago. Due to his decisive performance, he was promoted after several actions and no longer performed the lowest-level task of handling death row prisoners.
To be honest, limited to this era, the staff in several special prisons under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Internal Affairs rarely treated prisoners as "individuals". The abuse of these "anti-Soviet elements" and "Trotskyists" was not only
It was legal, and it was actually supported by public opinion. Of course, it was impossible for various newspapers at the time to report on the conditions inside the prison, and millions of Moscow citizens knew nothing about the inside conditions of Lefortovo Prison.
Grishenko quickly loaded the assault rifle, and in a half-kneeling position, he aimed the gun at a spy.
"Shoot!" Beria commanded without turning his eyes, and a series of gunshots rang out.