032: Romanovsky. Romanovsky Albin Albinovich (1891-?). Prisoner's personal file
Albin Albinovich Romanovsky, born in 1891, was a Pole and a native of Zaleszczyki, a town on the Dniester River. At the time of his birth, the town was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. He completed his secondary education, worked in trade, and served as a reserve officer in the Polish Army. In 1939, he lived in Ostrog.*
He was arrested between October 12 and 15, 1939, at the Śniatyn station, accused of entering the border area without a pass with the intent to illegally cross the Soviet border and enter Romania. On October 20, 1939, the head of the Stanislaviv Main Directorate of the NKVD signed an arrest warrant. On December 9, the Stanislaviv Regional Prosecutor approved a resolution to send Romanovsky "to the Starobelsk camps of the Voroshilovgrad Region for detention on a general basis as an interned prisoner of war."
On April 21, 1941, the investigation file was sent for consideration to the Special Conference of the NKVD of the USSR.
After the outbreak of the Great Patriotic War, Romanovsky, along with other prisoners, was transported east and on July 20, 1941, was delivered to Prison No. 3 of the Novosibirsk Regional Directorate of the NKVD in Tomsk. On August 28, 1941, in accordance with the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of August 12, 1941, Romanovsky, as a Polish citizen, was amnestied and released from prison. His subsequent fate is not traceable from archival documents.
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* After World War I, both of these towns (Zaleshchyky and Ostrog) became part of the Polish Republic, so Romanovsky was a Polish citizen. After Soviet troops entered Western Ukraine in September 1939, the new Soviet-Romanian border in this region ran along the former Polish-Romanian border. Many Polish soldiers and civilians (especially merchants and officials) attempted to illegally cross this border to avoid arrest by the NKVD. The border zone of Sniatyn station in October-December 1939 abutted the Prut River, beyond which lay Romania.
Composition of documents:
- Cover of prisoner's personal file: Romanovsky Albin Albinovich. Started: 1939; Completed: 1941.
- Internal form of a prisoner's personal file (No date).
- Resolution on the selection of a preventive measure for Stanislavov, 1939.
- Registration and questionnaire card. Undated.
- Decree on sending to camps. Stanislavov, December 9–10, 1939.
- Fingerprint card. Kherson, March 10, 1940.
- Request for the release of an arrested person for interrogation. Nikolaev, March 28, 1941.
- Announcement of referral of the case to the Special Council. Nikolaev, April 21, 1941.
- Prisoner registration card. Kherson, unspecified.
- Map for transporting prisoners to the Tomsk prison. Document fragment. 1941.
- Polish citizenship card. Tomsk, August 28, 1941.
- A prison exit pass. Tomsk, August 28, 1941.
List of persons:
- Romanovsky Albin Albinovich is a defendant in the case.
- Klepov - Head of the GUTG NKVD Stanislavov, Captain of State Security, signed the Resolution;
- Khromykh, Operative Commissioner of the Main Directorate of the NKVD, an official, drafted the Resolution.
- Ch[indecipherable] - Acting military prosecutor, sanctioned the arrest.
- Doronin - Operative. Authorized representative of the NKVD ODTO Stanislavov, State Security Sergeant, drew up and signed the Decree on sending to the camps;
- Lavrishev - Senior Investigator of the NKVD ODTO Stanislavov, State Security Sergeant, signed the agreement to be sent to the camps;
- [inaudible] - The Prosecutor of the Stanislav region approved the Resolution.
- Nikitin - Chief(?) of the NKVD, St. Stanislavov, [inaudible] State Security, approved the Resolution.
- Pyatnitsky is the investigator to whom the arrested person is delivered.
- The head of the NKVD prison in Nikolaev, the official to whom the Message is addressed;
- Samoylenko - Head of the 2nd Department of the NKGB, sergeant of State Security, signed the Message;
- Gaponov, Operative Commissioner of the 2nd Department of the NKGB Directorate, signed the Message.
The file was discovered by chance in the damp basement of Pretrial Detention Center No. 1, some 80 years after its establishment. It is in poor condition, its pages eaten away by fungus and falling apart. Museum staff attempted to dry the documents and make copies.
Names (1)
Romanovsky Albin Albinovich, Фигурант дела / документа
A merchant, a reserve officer of the Polish army. Arrested in 1939. In August 1941 he was in Tomsk prison.
Albin Albinovich Romanovsky, born in 1891, was a Pole and a native of Zaleszczyki, a town on the Dniester River. At the time of his birth, the town was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. He completed his secondary education, worked in trade, and served as a reserve officer in the Polish Army. In 1939, he lived in Ostrog.*
He was arrested between October 12 and 15, 1939, at the Śniatyn station, accused of entering the border area without a pass with the intent to illegally cross the Soviet border and enter Romania. On October 20, 1939, the head of the Stanislaviv Main Directorate of the NKVD signed an arrest warrant. On December 9, the Stanislaviv Regional Prosecutor approved a resolution to send Romanovsky "to the Starobelsk camps of the Voroshilovgrad Region for detention on a general basis as an interned prisoner of war."
On April 21, 1941, the investigation file was sent for consideration to the Special Conference of the NKVD of the USSR.
After the outbreak of the Great Patriotic War, Romanovsky, along with other prisoners, was transported east and on July 20, 1941, was delivered to Prison No. 3 of the Novosibirsk Regional Directorate of the NKVD in Tomsk. On August 28, 1941, in accordance with the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of August 12, 1941, Romanovsky, as a Polish citizen, was amnestied and released from prison. His subsequent fate is not traceable from archival documents.
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* After World War I, both of these towns (Zaleshchyky and Ostrog) became part of the Polish Republic, so Romanovsky was a Polish citizen. After Soviet troops entered Western Ukraine in September 1939, the new Soviet-Romanian border in this region ran along the former Polish-Romanian border. Many Polish soldiers and civilians (especially merchants and officials) attempted to illegally cross this border to avoid arrest by the NKVD. The border zone of Sniatyn station in October-December 1939 abutted the Prut River, beyond which lay Romania.
The attached image is a modern map showing the route Romanovsky took from the city of Ostroh, through his hometown of Zalishchyky, to the Polish-Romanian border at Snyatyn station.
Source: Archival file of prisoner A.A. Romanovsky // Archive of the Memorial Museum "NKVD Investigative Prison"
Documents (12)
001. Cover of the prisoner's personal file: Romanovsky Albin Albinovich. Started: 1939; Completed: 1941
The cover of the prisoner's personal file indicating the last name, first name, patronymic, start and end dates of the file, archive number and service instructions.
Full transcript:
Secret
Prisoner's personal file
Romanovsky Albin Albinovich
Started October 20, 1939
Completed August 28, 1941
Arch. No. 290
List of persons in the document:
- Romanovsky Albin Albinovich, prisoner, defendant in the case.
A printed form filled out by hand.
002. Internal form of the prisoner's personal file (No date)
An internal case form containing information about the prisoner (last name, first name, patronymic, case number) and information about his/her place of arrival/location.
Full transcript:
Prison No.: [inaudible]; city of Stanislaviv; Arrival date: 21/10-39; Personal file No.: [empty].
Prison No.: 3; city of Tomsk, Novosibirsk Region; Arrival date: 20/VII-41; Personal file No.: 7045.
PERSONAL FILE No. 569 (number crossed out)
ON THE PRISONER
Last name Romanovsky
Name Albin Patronymic Albinovich
List of persons in the document:
- Romanovsky Albin Albinovich, prisoner, defendant in the case.
Source information:
A hand-filled typographic form. Notes: at the top, above the text—illegible; above the document title, in red pencil, diagonally: "Liberate / Tomsk" ; after the case number, on the right, in red pencil: "Prov"; on the left, under the name, in red pencil: "123(?)"; at the bottom, in the center: "С / подписка" (possibly meaning "Written off", the signature is similar to the signature of the secretary of prison No. 3. - E. B).
003. Resolution on the selection of a preventive measure for Stanislavov, 1939
A decision on the preventive measure against Romanovsky A.A., according to which detention in the prison of the city of Stanislaviv is chosen.
Full transcript:
Resolution
/on the selection of a preventive measure/
[inaudible] Stanislavov 1939 October 20th
[Op]er. The authorized representative of the State Duma of the Treasury (?) of the NKVD, Khromykh, on this day examined the material on the accusation against Romanovsky, born in 1891, native of Zamechin (?), merchant, officer of the Polish Army reserve [in] crimes provided for by Articles [empty] of the Criminal Code of the Ukrainian SSR
[unclear] that he arrived at the border [unclear] without a pass on 15/10-39
During his arrest, topographic maps were found on him, including two from the Romanian border [illegible] and other material evidence incriminating the latter in his intention to [illegible] border
FOUND
/ provide reasons for choosing a preventive measure /
Romanovsky may hide from the investigation and trial, and therefore, on the basis of the above and guided by Articles 148, 145 and [inaudible] of the Criminal Procedure Code of the Ukrainian SSR.
DECIDED
To select custody in the Stanislavov city prison as a preventive measure for the accused A.A. Romanovsky's attempts to evade trial and investigation .
This resolution shall be submitted to the Military Prosecutor.
Operative. Authorized. GDTG NKVD signature
[inaudible] CHIEF OF THE NKVD GDTG Stanislavov Captain of State Security / Klepov /
List of persons in the document:
- Romanovsky Albin Albinovich is a defendant in the case.
- Klepov - Chief of the State Treasury Department of the NKVD Stanislavov, Captain of State Security, signed the Resolution;
- Khromykh - Operative authorized by the State Duma of the NKVD, an official, drew up the Resolution.
- Ch[indecipherable] - Acting military prosecutor, sanctioned the arrest.
Source information:
A typewritten form, completed by hand. The document is in poor condition and legibility. Note: handwritten inscription at the top: " I authorize arrest / Acting Military Prosecutor / 26/X Signature [last name not provided]"
004. Registration and questionnaire card. Undated
A fragment of the registration and questionnaire card containing sections for information about the prisoner (date of transfer, place of birth, citizenship, education, specialty) and transfer notes.
Full transcript:
Form No. 5
REGISTRATION CARD No. [blank]
1. Last name:: Romanovsky
2. Name, patronymic: Albin Albinovich
[3. Year of birth]: 1891
4. Place of birth: Zaleshchyna(?)
5. Nationality: Polish.
6. Citizenship: USSR.
7. Social origin: peasant.
8. Image. Average.
9. Occupation: Merchant.
10. Merchant.
11. Place of residence before arrest: Osm [inaudible]
12. Place of service before arrest: Osm [inaudible]
13. Marital status: married.
14. [inaudible] where arrived: 22/XII-39
[other fields are not filled in]
List of persons in the document:
- Romanovsky Albin Albinovich, prisoner, defendant in the case.
Source information:
Printed form (Form No. 5), completed by hand. Condition and legibility: poor.
005. Decree on sending to camps. Stanislavov, December 9–10, 1939
Resolution on sending Albin Albinovich Romanovsky (born 1891, a Pole, reserve officer, major merchant), accused of attempting to illegally cross the border (Article 80 of the Criminal Code of the Ukrainian SSR), to the Starobelsk camps for detention as an interned prisoner of war.
Full transcript:
"I APPROVE"
[inaudible] NKVD St. Stanislavov [inaudible] State Security / NIKITIN / signature
[inaudible] December 1939.
AGREE: Prosecutor of the Stanislav region December 10, 1939 [inaudible]
RESOLUTION
City of Stanislavov, December 9, 1939, I, Operative Commissioner of the ODTO NKVD, city of Stanislavov, Sergeant of State Security DORONIN, having examined the investigative material on the charge of ROMANOVSKY Albin Albinovich, born in 1891, native of the city of Osrog (possibly the city of Ostrog, Ostrog district, Volyn province. - E.B. ), Polish by nationality, reserve officer, formerly of the Polish army, a large merchant by social origin, secondary education, the latter on 12/10-1939 arrived in the border zone of the station of Snyatin tried to illegally cross the Soviet border and go to Romania, i.e., in accordance with Article 80 of the Criminal Code of the Ukrainian SSR.
FOUND
ROMANOVSKY Albin Albinovich, reserve officer of the Polish army and a major merchant, who attempted to illegally cross the Soviet border. Guided by the directive of the Deputy People's Commissar of Internal Affairs of the USSR Comrade MERKULOV and the People's Commissar of Internal Affairs of the Ukrainian SSR Comrade SEROV DATED 4/X-39.
DECIDED
ROMANOVSKY Albin Albinovich is to be sent to the Starobelsk camps of the Voroshilovgrad region for detention on a general basis as an interned prisoner of war.
Opera. Complete ODTO NKVD Stanislavov
State Security Sergeant /DORONIN/ signature
AGREE: Senior Investigator of the NKVD ODTO Stanislavov
State Security Sergeant / LAVRUSHIN/* signature
* Most likely, the last name is Lavrishev: Lavrishev, Dmitry Petrovich, senior investigator of the investigative unit of the DTO NKVD of the Lviv railway, Sergeant of the State Security.
List of persons in the document:
- Romanovsky Albin Albinovich - prisoner, defendant in the case.
- Doronin - Operative. Authorized representative of the NKVD ODTO Stanislavov, State Security Sergeant, drafted and signed the Resolution;
- Lavrushin - Senior Investigator of the ODGO NKVD Stanislavov, State Security Sergeant, signed the consent.
- [inaudible] - The Prosecutor of the Stanislav region approved the Resolution.
- Merkulov – Deputy People's Commissar of Internal Affairs of the USSR, mentioned in the directive.
- Serov - People's Commissar of Internal Affairs of the Ukrainian SSR, mentioned in the directive.
- Nikitin - Chief(?) of the NKVD, St. Stanislavov, [inaudible] State Security, approved the Resolution.
Source information:
Typescript. Signatures are autographs. The document is in satisfactory condition.
The official seal is on the prosecutor's signature, the text is in two languages, and partially reads: "Prosecutor of the Stanislavovsky Region... of the Prosecutor's Office of the USSR...".
006. Fingerprint card. Kherson, March 10, 1940
A fragment of a fingerprint card containing fingerprints (right and left hands) and a control print, as well as information about the person involved (Romanovsky Albin Albinovich, born in 1891).
Full transcript:
Form No. 2
Gender: Male
Romanovsky Albin Albinovich
Year of birth: 1891
Place of birth : village Zalashchipy(?), Vilnius region.
[fingerprint card table]
Signature of the registered signature
[inaudible] March 10, 1940
[inaudible] city of Kherson, Mykolaiv region.
[unclear] photodactyloscope [unclear]
List of persons in the document:
- Romanovsky Albin Albinovich is a defendant in the case.
Source information:
A typographic form (Form No. 2), completed by hand, including fingerprints. The signatures are autographs. The document is in average condition.
007. Request for the release of an arrested person for interrogation. Nikolaev, March 28, 1941
A request sent to the Commandant of the Regional Directorate of the NKVD in Nikolaev to provide the arrested Albin Albinovich Romanovsky for interrogation on March 28, 1941.
Full transcript:
To the Commandant of the Regional Directorate of the NKVD of the city of Nikolaev
REQUIREMENT
[To] provide room 65 to Comrade Pyatnitsky for interrogation of the arrested Albin Albinovich Romanovsky at 10:30 p.m. on March 28, 1941 .
The arrested person must be transported in a strictly normal manner.
Head of the NKVD UGB Department
in Nikolaev region [empty]
signature [Pyatnitsky]
List of persons in the document:
- Romanovsky Albin Albinovich, arrested, defendant in the case.
- Pyatnitsky is the investigator to whom the arrested person is delivered.
Source information:
A typographic form, completed by hand. The document is in satisfactory condition and legibility. Signatures are autographs. Notes: in the upper left corner, diagonal ink inscription "...mendan... / signature / 28-III-1941" ; in the upper right corner: "13 I [illegible]".
008. Announcement of the referral of the case to the Special Council. Nikolaev, April 21, 1941
Notification to the Head of the Nikolaev NKVD prison that the investigation case against Albin Albinovich Romanovsky has been sent to the Special Council of the NKVD of the USSR for consideration, and that the arrested person is listed as belonging to the NKGB.
Full transcript:
TOP SECRET
TO THE CHIEF OF THE NKVD PRISON OF THE CITY OF MYKOLAIV
We inform you that the investigative case against Albin Albinovich Romanovsky, 1891, on 21/IV 1941, was sent for consideration to the Special Conference of the NKVD of the USSR, as reported to him.
Arrested Romanovsky A.A. is listed as being held in the 2nd department of the NKGB Directorate.
CHIEF OF THE 2ND DEPARTMENT OF THE NKGB STATE SECURITY SERGEANT signature (SAMOILENKO)
OPERATIVE COMMITTEE OF THE 2ND DEPARTMENT OF THE NKGB DEPARTMENT signature (GAPONOV)
List of persons in the document:
- Romanovsky Albin Albinovich, prisoner, defendant in the case.
- The head of the NKVD prison in Nikolaev, the official to whom the Message is addressed;
- Samoylenko - Head of the 2nd Department of the NKGB, sergeant of State Security, signed the Message;
- Gaponov, Operative Commissioner of the 2nd Department of the NKGB Directorate, signed the Message.
Source information:
A typewritten form, completed by hand. The signatures are autographs. The document is in satisfactory condition and legibility. Notes: at the top left of the page is a registration stamp for incoming documents: “Incoming No. 4109 / 17/V 194 1 / NKVD Prison, Nikolaev”; at the bottom right is printed information about the outgoing document, which is difficult to read: “ [illegible]0768 / [illegible] [April] 1941 / [illegible]”.
009. Prisoner registration card. Kherson, unspecified
A card containing the prisoner's registration data, including last name, first name, patronymic, occupation (merchant), education, place of birth and residence, as well as physical characteristics (height, hair color, eye color).
Full transcript:
Male gender
[Last name:] Romanovsky
[Name and patronymic:] Albin Albinovich
[Nickname:] No
[Social status:] Trader.
[Nationality:] Polish
[Occupation:] Salesperson
Education: 7 grades.
[Year of birth:] 1891.
Place of birth: village Zalegshchina(?) [inaudible] region.
Last place of residence: Ostrok [illegible] Voivodeship.
Passport...: [empty]
Height 164 cm. Hair color : Sidoy. Eye color: gray.
Distinguishing features: none
Signature registered signature
The map was drawn up by the signature
[Reverse side]
9/XII 1939 Interned [inaudible] in a labor camp
10/III 40 year The map was made by a photodactyloscope. signature
List of persons in the document:
- Romanovsky Albin Albinovich, prisoner, defendant in the case.
Source information:
A typographic form, completed by hand. The signatures are autographs. The document is in satisfactory condition. On the back is a stamp: "NKVD Prison, Kherson."
010. Map for transporting prisoners to the Tomsk prison. Document fragment. 1941
A fragment of a registration card with sections for prisoner information (year of birth, specialty, destination, reason for and length of sentence, distinguishing marks) and space for a photograph. Only a fragment of the page has been preserved.
Full transcript:
1. Year of birth: 1891
2. Occupation: merchant
3. Destination: City...: Tomsk
4. At whose disposal should... be...: Head of the Prison
5. Reason for sending...: [empty]
6. The last, convicted or exiled: [empty]
7. Which judicial body, when, under what article of the Criminal Code...: [empty]
8. Type of convoy...: [empty]
9. Distinguishing features of the convicted person: [empty]
10. Doctor's notes:
a) about the prisoner’s health condition: may follow
b) about passing sanitary treatment: passed sanitary treatment
c) on the sanitary well-being of the prison: there is no epidemiological report
[inaudible]
List of persons in the document:
- Romanovsky Albin Albinovich, prisoner, defendant in the case.
Source information:
A typographic form, completed by hand, fragment. In poor condition, part of the document is missing. The photograph attached to the form is missing.
Attached to the document is the final page of the prisoner's file, with a photograph pasted to it. The image has been lost.
011. Polish citizenship card. Tomsk, August 28, 1941
A certificate issued to Albin Albinovich Romanovsky, born in 1891, as a Polish citizen, amnestied by the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, granting the right to free movement within the territory of the USSR, except for the border strip.
Full transcript:
[Printing stamp top left, partially legible:]
USSR
People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs
NKVD Directorate for Novosibirsk Oblast
Prison No. 3
[inaudible] 1941
[inaudible]
IDENTIFICATION
The presenter of this is citizen Albin Albinovich Romanovsky, born in 1891 , a native of the town of Voleshchizna, Vilnius Voivodeship
[Based on the Decree] of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet, he was amnestied as a Polish citizen and has the right to free movement throughout the territory of the USSR, with the exception of the border strip, restricted areas, areas declared under special conditions, and restricted cities of the first and second categories.
With him are: No one
Citizen Albin Albinovich Romanovsky is heading to his chosen place of residence in the city of Tomsk, Novosibirsk Region.
The certificate is valid for three months and can be exchanged for a passport.
Certified by signature and seal.
Chief ____ [empty]
[Reverse side]
Certificate No. 71 received in person on 8/28 [41]
Signature
List of persons in the document:
- Romanovsky Albin Albinovich, prisoner, defendant in the case.
Source information:
A typographic form, filled out by hand. Romanovsky's signature is an autograph. The preservation is satisfactory.
012. A prison exit pass. Tomsk, August 28, 1941
Full transcript:
Form No. 3
PASS # 10121
Romanovsky
Albin
Albinovich
[28] August 1941
[inaudible] "45" min.
Head of the prison Signature
List of persons in the document:
- Romanovsky Albin Albinovich is a defendant in the case.
Source information:
Printed form No. 3, completed by hand. Signature is autographed. Condition and legibility are poor. The official seal is blurred and illegible.
