Purge (34 page)

She could see Pasha and Lavrenti’s boots through the doorway.

Were the boys already on their way here—the ones who sang the songs? Did they already know that Aliide was alone now?

Aino’s boys could get her some gasoline. She would give them all the liquor in the cabinet and anything else they wanted in the house. Let them take it all.

She put her notebook of recipes in the envelope with the letter.

She would send the letter tomorrow, then get the gasoline and douse the house with it. After that, she would have to tear up the floorboards in the little room—it would be hard, but she could do it. Then she would lie down beside Hans. In her own house, beside her own Hans. She might get it done before the boys came, or did they plan to do tonight whatever it was they planned to do?

When I was in the woods, I met a man there. It was Liide’s husband’s brother—Martin’s brother. He was all mixed up. A Communist. I strangled him.

He'd said he had been in New York with Hans Pöögelmann. They organized the Communists there and published the
New World
newspaper. They were those kind of men. It was a little bit difficult to make sense of his stories; his head whipped around so much that he just stammered, and sometimes he just stopped talking completely, with the spit flying. At first I thought he was some kind of wild animal scrambling past my dugout. Of course he didn’t know about my dugout. His foot went through my trip wire—that’s how I knew something was there. I didn’t go after him right away. I waited until night came and then went to see if there were any tracks. He’d been eating blueberries from nearby—not the way an animal eats at all. That’s how I knew it must have been a person. But he was able to keep so quiet that I didn’t see anything until he had me by the legs. He was an animal—he had those animal eyes—but not much strength, and I quickly pinned him, sat on his chest, and asked him who he was. He howled at first, and I had to hold his mouth shut, but then he calmed down. I had a little bit of rope with me, and I tied his hands just to be safe. He didn’t have any weapons—that was the first thing I checked. I managed to make out that his name was Konstantin Truu. I asked if he was related to Martin Truu. He was. I didn’t say anything about how that meant we were related, because I would never acknowledge a Commie relative. I just said that Martin Truu was known in the village, and Konstantin was delighted—or maybe he was afraid; it was hard to tell from his behavior. He got very worked up, anyway. He started talking about a great misunderstanding that Stalin should be informed of. I sort of suspected that his stutter was a put-on. You see all kinds of people you shouldn’t trust running around in the woods. He asked for help, asked for some food. He was probably one of those city sissies who can’t survive in the woods. The NKVD sends out all kinds to hunt for us Estonian boys. But I heard his story to the end. I thought I might find out something about Liide’s husband. Maybe this Konstantin was actually an agent, and he just went berserk out in the forest. Maybe some kernel of truth would slip out of his mouth.

He had come back from America with Pöögelmann and gone to Russia to work for the Soviets. Then he came back to Estonia with some friend, and his friend was shot at the border, but Konstantin made it to Tallinn. He messed around with the Communists there, but then they wanted to send him to Siberia. So he ran away and came to the forest. He didn’t know what year it was—he just wanted to get a message to Stalin about this misunderstanding that had to be corrected. Then I strangled him. He had seen me alive when I was supposed to be dead.

I searched his pockets. There were letters in them. Letters Martin sent to him when he was in New York. I took them with me and read them. I planned to give them to Liide, but I didn’t do it. There’s no point in making her any more afraid than she already is. I hid them here under the floorboards in the same place that I keep this journal. It wouldn’t be good if anyone found them. Letters like that can get you sent to Siberia, even if they were sent in the thirties. I wonder what Martin had to do to avoid being sent there. Does he even know that his brother came back to Estonia?

Hans Pekk, son of Eerik, Estonian peasant

Ext. No. 2
Activity report on underground operative TRUU, Martin, son of Albert, Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic. TRUU, Martin, son of Albert, born 1910 in Narva, Estonia, university student. Underground since 1944. TRUU, Konstantin, son of Albert, born 1899 in Narva, Estonia, university student. Location unknown.

Agent “Crow” infiltrated the criminal underground spy organization known as Future, and learned that criminal Martin TRUU was in hiding in the home of citizen Milja MÄGISTE. According to information provided by Agent “Crow,” the underground spy ring was in constant contact with foreign intelligence agencies. Criminal Martin TRUU’s brother,

Konstantin TRUU, has been to New York, and it is suspected that Martin TRUU may still have contacts there. Konstantin TRUU’s present location is unknown. While in New York, he was active in the expatriate Estonian Communists and edited the
New World
newspaper, a suspect publication.

The arrest of criminal Martin TRUU with the help of Agent “Crow” is recommended. Martin TRUU is considered eligible for rehabilitation, provided he will consent to collaborate.

Ext. No. 2
Activity report on the suitability of TRUU, Martin, for recruitment as an agent in the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic.

We have investigated Martin TRUU’s interests regarding his brother, Konstantin TRUU, presumed to be living in the United States.

We have also investigated Martin TRUU’s reliability, with the assistance of Agents “Paul” and “Hammer.” Martin TRUU has not yet exhibited any interest in traveling abroad or any anti-Soviet opinions. In order to determine whether Martin TRUU has interests in establishing criminal ties abroad or is indeed already an American intelligence agent, the following operations were undertaken:

We arranged to have Agents “Paul” and “Hammer” establish an acquaintance with Martin TRUU. Agent “Paul” told TRUU he was going to Moscow to see his sister. Agent “Paul” also said that his sister was working in the Swedish embassy in Moscow. TRUU showed no interest whatsoever in this visit. We also actually sent Agent “Paul” to Moscow, and when he returned, he met Martin TRUU again and told him about the visit in detail. TRUU still showed no interest in what Agent “Paul” had to tell him. The mission of Agent “Paul” was to make it clear that he maintained active contact with his sister, and through particular details to make it clear to Martin TRUU that it would be possible to make illegal connections abroad through her. TRUU didn’t take the bait.

Agent “Paul” also succeeded in being left alone in Martin TRUU’s apartment, but he found no transmitters or microfilm devices there. He also found no letters from TRUU’s brother, although there was a blotter on the table with the initials
A. V.,
which could refer to Astra Vari, the sister of Konstantin TRUU’s deceased wife, who lives in America.

More investigation is required to determine whether the subject has any ambitions to collect classified information for a foreign power. If this is the case, he will be fed “classified” disinformation.

The subject is secretly worried about having a brother living abroad and claims that his brother has died, although there is evidence he maintains a correspondence with him. This illegal connection makes Martin TRUU an unreliable subject, but recruitment and rehabilitation are nevertheless recommended. Because of his long ties to criminal activity, he has an abundance of information valuable for identification purposes.

Additional investigation is required to determine if he uses his correspondence to make illegal contacts.

More investigation is also needed concerning whether Martin TRUU is seeking contacts with sailors traveling abroad, through which he would be able to send illegal letters to his brother. Agent “Hammer” is recommended for this operation because of his confidential relations with Martin TRUU.

Ext. No. 2
Report on investigation of anti-Soviet criminal activities in the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic.

Because a large number of anti-Soviet criminals under investigation have fled the country, they are being monitored with the assistance of covert postal surveillance. Without this assistance we would not be as effective as is necessary. Investigation of anti-Soviet criminal activity is complicated by the fact that the criminals in question operate through correspondence to multiple addresses, possibly to protect their relatives living in the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic. Letters are then forwarded from these false addresses to the criminals’ relatives. Some of the criminals in question maintain direct contact with their relatives, without intermediaries, but have sent their letters under their wives’ names.

These circumstances have led us to develop new methods, with which we have determined the family relationships and other close ties of numerous anti-Soviet criminals. Through operations executed in cooperation with postal surveillance, we have also determined the maiden names of the wives of anti-Soviet criminals, as well as their nicknames and terms of endearment.

Although we have obtained encouraging results, the investigation of anti-Soviet criminals is still seriously lacking. Identification of those criminals who, according to our information, are living in the Soviet Union but about whom there is no further information has been particularly slow.

It is necessary to constantly and actively collect identification information.

Agent “X” has proven adequate in operations relating to the United States, because he has an abundance of important information for identifying expatriate anti-Soviets connected to his brother, Konstantin TRUU.

Because criminals under investigation may be hiding in places where employment control is weak, we have infiltrated a number of agents into large construction areas and metalworking centers. It would be best to send Agent “X” to Victory Kolkhoz, since according to our information several anti-Soviets who have returned from America to the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic are attempting to hide there.

Ext. No. 2
Progress report on the investigation of anti-Soviet criminal activities in the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic.

Agent “X” has not made any progress in tracking returnees from America. Instead, he has succeeded in forming a very close relationship with an individual who should be recruited if at all possible. The individual’s younger cousin is in Sweden and apparently is attempting to obtain anti-Soviet materials from the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic for publication.

Ext. No. 2
Report on the investigation of underground nationalist activities in the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic.

The more active tasks in liquidating bandit-related operations in Haapsalu and surrounding areas in Läänemaa, Western Estonia, will be delegated to Agent “X.” Nationalist bandits have initiated activities in his area, and we hope to create a network of agents in order to apprehend them. Agent “X” has assured us that if there were criminals in the area who were returnees from America, he would have already identified them. He assumes they have changed their location. For this reason, his talents shall be put to better use in the mission to liquidate nationalist bandits.

Ext. No. 2
Overview of activities in the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic.

We have directed the main emphasis of our activities toward improving collaboration with working agents and building tools for supplementing our agent apparatus through new recruits. The intent is to recruit individuals who know the locals well and have the potential to identify those who are willing to inform. Agents who are familiar with the area can also potentially inform us immediately of any individuals new to the area who may pose a danger.

As a result of strengthened agents’ work, we have begun receiving more evidence concerning suspicious individuals in the area. Over the past month we have received more than a dozen such indications, in the past year more than sixty.

In addition to returned expatriates, individuals who have relatives or other close contacts abroad, and individuals who have been previously accused of antirevolutionary activities are particularly willing to provide information, according to the analysis of our operatives. It is also wise to be on the lookout for young people from politically unreliable groups.

Of the anti-Soviets identified, six have been arrested—four of them were underground, and two were armed. One was killed in connection with Cheka military activities.

In one year’s time, Soviet citizens have provided 120 statements, nine of which were anonymous. The statements were of the following kind: statements concerning individuals hostile to or suspicious of the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic, statements concerning the opinions of hostile elements and in hostile areas, and statements concerning anti-Soviet criminals in hiding.

All statements were carefully examined and investigated. Methods for investigation of facts disclosed in the statements were developed rapidly to prevent those individuals from betraying their homeland.

Ext. No. 2
Report on the statement of KOSE, Eha, daughter of Matti.

KOSE, Eha, daughter of Matti. Born 1918. Estonian. Resident of Haapsalu.

On March 1 we received a statement from citizen Eha KOSE, daughter of Matti.

In her statement she asserted that her former fiancé, Hans PEKK, son of Eerik, was active in the Omakaitse self-defense league and had exhibited anti-Soviet opinions during the German occupation. Since the dissolution of their engagement, Eha KOSE has only met her former fiancé once, at which time he expressed anti-Soviet opinions to her. Among other things, Hans PEKK implied that the only things being built in Siberia were prisons. Eha KOSE and Hans PEKK broke off contact upon his engagement to Ingel TAMM, daughter of Richard. Hans PEKK subsequently married Ingel TAMM and was reported dead in 1945.