‘‘The Fewer Wise Spiritual Men There Are, the More Advantageous It Would Be for Us’’. Documents of the Secret-Operational Department of the GPU Relating to the Work on the Schism of the Russian Church in 1922
The publication introduces into scientific circulation the three documents marked “top secret”, which were written by prominent GPU employees responsible for the fight against religion and, mainly, the Russian Orthodox Church. Two circular post-telegrams signed by G. G. Yagoda, T. P. Samsonov, and T. D. Deribas, sent in 1922 to the local gubotdels of the GPU, and the annual report of E. A. Tuchkov, Head of the 6-th («Church») Department of the Secret Department of the Secret Operations Directorate of the GPU, vividly illustrate the methods of planting the Renovationist schism in the dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Church in the first six months since its emergence, as well as the transition to the next stage of work on «demoralisation of churchmen» - splitting the Renovationists into the left and the extreme left. The documents show special role of the GPU in all these events and bring new and expressive touches to the picture of the Bolshevik government’s struggle against the Russian Orthodox Church in 1922.