MoscowMike
New member
I've been reading 'WWII Behind Closed Doors', a book which will goes into detail about the cynical decisions made by the Allied leaders and Hitler before and during WWII. Lots of fascinating information, but a gun related point is provided by a Russian general about the executions of Polish officers in 1940 by the NKVD, generally known as the Katyn Forest Massacre (pp 56-57).
He says that one group of several thousand were shot in the back of the head, one at a time, in the Kalinin prison. They found that they could only 'process' about 250 per night, and had problems because they were wearing out their pistols. The general said they switched to Walthers because they were better than the standard Red Army issue pistols, presumably Tokarev and Nagants, but they still became worn with so much use and had to provide suitcases of replacements for the executioner.
Setting aside the whole disgusting execution issue, it seems odd that they would be wearing out pistols. Even if they only had one firing maybe 300 shots per night that doesn't seem like substantial use.
I suppose they could have been badly maintained or worn out already. The author is reporting on a BBC interview with NKVD General Dmitry Tokarev who ran the operation, so he may be misunderstanding what was said, but the image of suitcases of replacement pistols is pretty specific - and very sad.
He says that one group of several thousand were shot in the back of the head, one at a time, in the Kalinin prison. They found that they could only 'process' about 250 per night, and had problems because they were wearing out their pistols. The general said they switched to Walthers because they were better than the standard Red Army issue pistols, presumably Tokarev and Nagants, but they still became worn with so much use and had to provide suitcases of replacements for the executioner.
Setting aside the whole disgusting execution issue, it seems odd that they would be wearing out pistols. Even if they only had one firing maybe 300 shots per night that doesn't seem like substantial use.
I suppose they could have been badly maintained or worn out already. The author is reporting on a BBC interview with NKVD General Dmitry Tokarev who ran the operation, so he may be misunderstanding what was said, but the image of suitcases of replacement pistols is pretty specific - and very sad.