Recruitment of KGB Agents in the Roman Catholic and Lutheran Churches of the Latvian SSR (Overview and Examples)

The presented article reviews the tasks and methods of recruiting KGB agents among the clergy and laity of the Roman Catholic and Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Latvian SSR from 1944 to 1991. The primary sources of the author’s research are the documents from the archive of the KGB of the LSSR, which have become available for scientific research since December 2018 by the Law of the Republic of Latvia “On the preservation, use of documents of the former State Security Committee and establishing the fact of cooperation of persons with the KGB”. The most significant is the alphabetic file of active agents and the electronic database of operational data “Delta Latvia”. Besides, documents from archives of the Commissar of the Council for Religious Affairs and the Council on Religious Affairs under the Council of Ministers of the USSR in the LSSR, the criminal cases of some convicted priests, stored in the State Archives of Latvia and the author’s interviews with some former KGB agents are used. The review also considers examples that characterise the recruitment methods and the agency’s tasks.

Keywords

KGB, History of Latvia, agents, clergy, Evangelical Lutheran Church, Roman Catholic Church

Received

11.07.2022

Publication date

31.08.2022

Number of characters

42809

Cite

GOST	Krumina-Konkova S. Recruitment of KGB Agents in the Roman Catholic and Lutheran Churches of the Latvian SSR (Overview and Examples) // ISTORIYA – 2022. – V. 13. – Issue 6 (116) [Electronic resource]. URL: https://history.jes.su/S207987840021873-9-1 (circulation date: 26.07.2024). DOI: 10.18254/S207987840021873-9
MLA	Krumina-Konkova, Solveiga "Recruitment of KGB Agents in the Roman Catholic and Lutheran Churches of the Latvian SSR (Overview and Examples)." ISTORIYA 13.6 (116) (2022) DOI: 10.18254/S207987840021873-9
APA	Krumina-Konkova S. (2022). Recruitment of KGB Agents in the Roman Catholic and Lutheran Churches of the Latvian SSR (Overview and Examples). ISTORIYA 13(6 (116)) DOI: 10.18254/S207987840021873-9

100 rub.

When subscribing to an article or issue, the user can download PDF, evaluate the publication or contact the author. Need to register.

Number of purchasers: 0, views: 116

Readers community rating: votes 0

1. Goeckel R. F. Soviet Religious Policy in Estonia and Latvia. Playing Harmony in the Singing Revolution. Bloomington (IN): Indiana University Press, 2018.

2. Krumina-Konkova S., Misane A. Religions in Latvia. Latvia and Latvians. Collection of scholarly articles. Vol.1. Riga: LZA, 2018.

3. O’Salivan D. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier… Priest // Hoover Institution. No.1, January 23, 2012 [Ehlektronnyj resurs]. URL: http://www.hoover.org/research/tinker-tailor-soldier-priest

4. Rozentāls L. Izdzīvošana. Sinodālais pārvaldes princips Latvijas Evaņģēliski luteriskajā baznīcā 1948—1984. gadā. Rīga: LU Akadēmiskais apgāds, 2017.

5. Streikus A. Lithuanian Catholic Clergy and the KGB // Religion, State & Society. 2006. Vol. 34. No. 1. P. 63—70.

6. Talonen J. Church under the pressure of Stalinism. The development of the status and activities of Soviet Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church during 1944—1950 // Studia historica septentrionalia, 25. Rovaniemi: Pohjois-Soumen Historiallinen Yhdistys, 1977.

7. Trūps-Trops H. Latvijas Romas katoļu baznīca komunisma gados, 1940—1990. Rīga: Rīgas metropolijas kūrijas izdevums, 1992.

8. Vollnhals S. Die Kirchenpolitik von SED und Staatssicherheit: eine Zwischenbilanz. // Analysen und Dokumente, Band 7. Ch. Links Verlag, 1996.