Era of Prophylaxis: KGB Practices in Work with Religious Organizations during the Khrushchev period (Based on Leningrad Materials)

The article is devoted to the analysis of the participation of state security agencies in the anti-religious campaign of the “Khrushchev period”. The main emphasis is placed on 1959—1964, the time when new approaches to this issue were being formed in the KGB. In the first part, the author focused on the struggle of the KGB against illegal, i.e. not passed state registration, religious movements. The second part is devoted to the eradication of any uncontrolled trend within official religions, as well as the participation of security officers in anti-religious propaganda. The author paid the main attention to the application of a new method of combating dissent — the so-called “prophylaxis”. The main sources for the study were reports on the work done by the KGB Leningrad Department to the leading party bodies, as well as articles published in specialized journals. The author makes a number of conclusions about the degree of effectiveness of the KGB work with believing citizens and the reasons of such a great interest in the religious life of citizens.

Keywords

anti-religious propaganda, KGB, prevention, believers, crackdown on dissent, Leningrad, Khrushchev's Thaw

Received

29.05.2022

Publication date

31.08.2022

Number of characters

33318

Cite

GOST	Boldovskiy K. “Era of Prophylaxis”: KGB Practices in Work with Religious Organizations during the “Khrushchev period” (Based on Leningrad Materials) // ISTORIYA – 2022. – V. 13. – Issue 6 (116) [Electronic resource]. URL: https://history.jes.su/S207987840021689-6-1 (circulation date: 29.04.2025). DOI: 10.18254/S207987840021689-6
MLA	Boldovskiy, Kirill "“Era of Prophylaxis”: KGB Practices in Work with Religious Organizations during the “Khrushchev period” (Based on Leningrad Materials)." ISTORIYA 13.6 (116) (2022) DOI: 10.18254/S207987840021689-6
APA	Boldovskiy K. (2022). “Era of Prophylaxis”: KGB Practices in Work with Religious Organizations during the “Khrushchev period” (Based on Leningrad Materials). ISTORIYA 13(6 (116)) DOI: 10.18254/S207987840021689-6

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