1918. Red Terror Decree

95 years ago, on September 5, 1918, the Council of People's Commissars issued a decree on red terror. It said that "it is necessary to provide the Soviet Republic from class enemies by isolating them in concentration camps" and that "all persons touching the White Guard organizations, conspiracies and rebellions are subject to execution."

The decree authorized the capture of hostages from representatives of the property classes, which were supposed to be shot in the case of terrorist attacks against representatives of the Covetic authorities. In Petrograd, more than 800 people were shot for a month, in Kronstadt - all 500 prisoners of a local prison, and in Nizhny Novgorod - 46 in one day.