MOSCOW DAILY PRESS REVIEW

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP65-00756R000500130045-4
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 5, 2001
• Sequence Number: 45
• Publication Date: January 13, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

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JOINT PRESS READING SERVICE
FOR REFERENCE ONLY -. NOT TO BE LUOTED
MOSCOW DAILY PRESS REVIEW
No. 1
SECTION B
Tuesday, January 13. 19,E
MAIN FEATURES
ARREST OF GROUP OF WRECKER-DOCTORS
FOUL SPIES AND MURDERERS DISGUISED AS PROFESSOR-
DOCTORS (Pravda)
DOMESTIC AFFAIRS
ALL PAPERS ARREST OF GROUP OF WRECKER-DOCTORS
o e time ago a terrorist group of doctors who
set themselves the aim of cutting short the lives of active
personages of the Soviet Union by means of wrecker medical
treatment was discovered by State Security organs,
Among the members of this terrorist group
were: Professor M, S, Vovsi, physician; Professor V. N. Vino
gradov, physician; Professor M.'B. Kogan, physician; Professor
B. B, Kogan, physician; Professor P. I. Egorov, physician; Prof. A.I.
Feldman, otolaryngologist; Professor Ya. G. Etinger, physician;
Professor A, M. Grinstein, neuropathologist; G. I. Maiorov,
physician.
It has been established by documentary evi
dence, investigations, the conclusions of medical experts and
the confessions of the men under arrest that the criminals,
being secret enemies of the people, carried out wrecker medical
treatment of sick persons and undermined their health.
Investigation has established that the
members of the terrorist group, taking advantage of their
position as doctors and abusing the confidence of their patients,
deliberately and criminally undermined the health of the latter,
intentionally disregarded the data of objective examination of
the sick persons, gave incorrect diagnoses, not in accordance
with the actual character of their diseases and then brought about
their death by incorrect treatment.
The criminals admi't,ted that, taking advantage
of the illness of Comrade A. A. Zhdanov, they incorrectly diagnosed
his illness, concealing the fact the he had an infarct of the
-myocardium, and prescribed a regime contra-indicated to this grave
disease and thereby caused the death of Comrade A. A. Zhdanov,
Investigation has established that the criminals also cut short
the life of Comrade A. S. Shcherbakov, incorrectly made use in his
treatment of very powerful medicines, prescribed a regime which
was fatal for him and thereby caused his death.
. The criminal-doctors attempted first and fore-
most to undermine the health of Soviet leading military cadres,
to make them unfit for their duties and to weaken the defence of
the country. They tried to put out of action Marshal A. M.
Vasilevsky, Marshal L. A. Govorov, Marshal I. S. Konev, General of Army
S. M. Shtemenko, Admiral G. I. Levchenko and others; however,arrest
frustrated their criminal plans and the criminals did not succeed
in achieving their purpose.
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SECTION B -2-
"'January` 12,-1953
ALL PAPERS"(Cont'd.) It has been established that all these
,..murderer-doctors, monsters of the
human race,, who trampled,,.Qn... the .sacred banner. of science and
profaned the honour of scientific workers, were paid agents
of foreign intelligence.
The majority of the members of the
terrorist group (M. S. Vovsi) B. B. Kogan, A. I. Feldman, A. M.
Grinstein, Ya. G. Etinger and others) were connected with the
international Jewish bourgeois-nationalist organisation "Joint-',
established by the American intelligence service, ostensibly
for rendering material a,ssistanc.e,. to Jews in other countries,.
In actual fact this organisation carries on under the leadership
of the American intelligence service wide espionage, terrorist
and other subversive activity in a number of countries,including
the Soviet Union. Vovsi..under.arrest,told.investigation
officers that he 'had received a directive ,on the destruction
of leading cadres of the USSR-' from the USA from the "I Joints'
organisation through a doctor in Moscow Shimeliovi`ch and the
well known Jewish bourgeois-nationalist Mikhoels.
Other members of the terrorist group
(V. N.?Vino.gradav, M. B. Kogan, P. I. Egorov) have long, been
agents of the British intelligence-service.
The investigation wit l be completed
in the ve-ry. near ,future.
(TASS)
(2/3 col,) (Full text) ALL PAPERS 13.1.53.
PRAVDA FOUL SPIES AND MURDERERS DISGUISED'
AS PZOFESSOR-DOCTORS
'FronPage Editorial)
There is published today a'TASS chronicle
on the arrest of a group of wrecker-doctors. This terrorist
group, which was' discovered some time, ago by State Security organs,
set itself the 'aini of cutting short the lives of active personages
of the.. Soviet Union by means of wrecker medical treatment.
Investigation has established that
the members of the terrorist group., taking advantage of their
position as doctors and abusing the confidence of their patients,
deliberately and criminally undermined their health, made in
correct diagnoses, and then caused the death of the sick persons
by incorrect treatment. Being concbaleed by the lofty and noble
calling of doctor - man of science - these monsters ? and 'murderers
trampled on the sacred banner-: of science. Entering, on the-path
of monstrous crimes,. they profaned the honour of scientists:
Victims of this band. of wild beasts in
human. form were Comrades h. A. Zhdanov and A. S. , Shcherbakov.
The criminals have admitted that, taking advantage of the illness
of Comrade Zhdanov, they intentionally concealed the fact that he
had .an infarct of the myocardium, prescribed a regime contra-
indicated to this grave disease and thereby caused the death of
Comrade Zhdanov. The murderer-doctors by the incorrect application
of very powerful medicines and by the establishment of a fatal
regime cut short the life.of.Comrade-Shcherbakov.and brought about
his death.
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SECTION B
- 3 -
J a n u a r y 13 ., 195?
PRAVDA (font' d.) First and foremost the criminals
endeavoured to undermine the health
of leading Soviet military cadres, to put them out of action
and thus to weaken the defence of the country. The arrest
of the criminals frustrated their criminal plans and prevented
them from achieving their monstrous aim.
`,Jhom did these degenerates serve?
,.Jho directed the criminal terrorist and wrecker activity of
these foul traitors to the Motherland? ''hat aim did they wish
to achieve as a result of the murder of active personages of the
Soviet state?
It has been established that all the
members of the terrorist group of doctors were in the service
of foreign intelligence, sold themselves to it body and soul,
and were its hired, paid agents.
The majority of the members of the
terrorist group - Vovsi, B. Kogan, Feldman, Grinstein, Stinger
and others - were bought by the American intelligence. They
were recruited by a branch of the American intelligence - the
international Jewish bourgeois-nationalist organisation "Joint'".
The foul aspect of this espionage Zionist organisation, which
conceals its base activity under the mask of charity, has been
entirely exposed.
Relying on a group of corrupt Jewish
bourgeois nationalists, professional spies and terrorists belong-
ing to ''Joint", on the instructions and under the direction of
American intelligence, developed their subversive activity also
on the territory of the Soviet Union. As the arrested Vovsi
testified in the course of investigation, he received a directive
''on the destruction of leading cadres of the USSR;' from the USA.
This directive was transmitted to him on behalf of the "Joint'
espionage-terrorist organisation by the doctor Shimeliovich and
the well known Jewish bourgeois-nationalist lVlikhoela.
The exposure of the gang of poisoner-
doctors is a blow at the international Jewish Zionist organisation.
Now all can see what sort of -benefactors!' and friends of peace"
are concealed beneath the "Joint' signboard.
Other members of the terrorist group
(Vinogradov, M. Kogan, Egorov), as has now been established,
have long been agents of the British. intelligence service, have
served it over a long period, carrying out its most criminal and
foul assignments.
The bosses of the USA and their British
F' junior partners" know that it is impossible for them to achieve
domination over other nations by peaceful means. Preparing
feverishly for a new world war, they are assidla.ously sending their
scouts to the rear of the USSR and the countries of people's
democracy, are trying to bring about what the Nazis failed to do -
to establish their subversive "fifth column" in the USSR. It is
sufficient to recall. the open and cynical allocation by the American
government of a hundred million dollars for subversive terrorist
and espionage activity,in the countries of the socialist camp, not
to mention that hundreds of millions of dollars, American and
British, are spent secretly for this purpose.
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SECTION B -4- January. 1 l
PR.'.VDA, (Cont'd.) Soviet people must not forget for a
moment .about the necessity of in-
creasing their vigilance in every way, of keeping a close watch
on all the machinations of the warmongers and their agents, of
untiringly strengthening the ,rmed Forces and the intelligence
organs of our state.
Comrade Stalin has frequently warned
us that our successes have also their dark side, that they en-
gender among many of our workers feelings of complacency and
self-satisfaction. Such feelings are still far from overcome.
There are not a few gullible people amongst us. It is pre-
cisely this gullibility amongst our people which constitutes
a favourable soil for criminal wrecking.
In the USSR socialist relations are
completely dominant. The Soviet people won a victory un-
precedented in history in the Great Patriotic :war. The heavy
consequences of war have been liquidated in an unprecedentedly
short period of time. have had successes on all sectors of
economic and cultural construction. From these facts some
people draw the conclusion that the danger of wrecking, diversions
and espionage has now been removed, that the bosses of the
capitalist world may abandon their attempts to carry on sub-
versive activity against the USSR.
But only right-wing opportunists,
people who uphold the anti-i,'larxist. point of view of the 4damping
down"f of the class struggle, can think and reason in this way.
They do not understand or cannot understand, that our successes
lead not to a damping down but to an intensification of the
struggle that the more successful our progress is, the more,
bitter will be the struggle of the enemies of the people, who
are doomed to destruction and who are brought to desperation.
Such is the teaching of the immortal
Lenin, such is.the teaching of Comrade Stalin.
In our revolution" Lenin states,
more than in any other, the law has been confirmed that the
force of revolution, the force of attack, energy,, resolution
and the triumph of its victory strengthen at the same time
the force of resistance on the part of the bourgeoisie".
Exposing the opportunist theory of
the 'j damping downP" of the class struggle in accord with our
successes, Comrade Stalin gave the warning:
''This is not only a rotten theory,
but it is a dangerous theory, for it lulls our people, leads
them into a trap, and gives a chance to the class enemy to recover
himself for struggle against the Soviet authority'.
In the USSR the exploiter classes have
long ago been smashed and liquidated, but survivals of bourgeois
ideology, survivals of private-ownership
p psychology and morality
have still been retained; we still have the bearers of bourgeois
views and bourgeois morals - livinTeo,le, covert enemies of our
people. It is precisely these covert enemies, supported by the
imperialist world, who will still go on wrecking.
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JOINT PRESS READING SERVICE
SECTION B
-5-
January 13j1B
PRAVDA .(Cont'd.) All this obligates Soviet people in
every way to. strengthen their
revolutionary vigilance, to keep a close watch on the machinations
of the enemy. The fact that a group of contemptible degenerates
from among `people of science" could function with impunity for
a considerable time is evidence that some of our Soviet organs
and their leading officials had lost their vigilance and had
become infected with gullibility.
The State Security organs did not uncov-
er in good time the wrecking, terrorist organisation among the
doctors. However,these organs should have been especially
vigilant, since there have already been examples in history
when foul murderers and traitors to the Motherland have functioned
disguised as doctors, such as the ~'?doctors,, Levin and Fletnev,
who on the instructions of the enemies of the Soviet Union
caused the death of the great Russian writer ... M. ;Gorky by means
of the deliberately wrong medical treatment, and the eminent
public figures of the Soviet state V. V. Kuibyshev and V. R.
Menzhinsky.
Nor have the executive officials of
the Ministry of Public Health of the USSR been equal to their
duties. They overlooked the wrecking terrorist activity of the
base degenerates who sold themselves to the enemies of the Soviet.
Union.
The exposure of the gang of poisoner-
doctors is a crushing blow at the American-British warmongers.
Their agents have been seized-and rendered harmless. The real
aspect of the slave-owner-cannibals from.the USA and Britain has
again been shown to the world.
The Soviet people with wrath and
indignation stigmatises the criminal band, of murderers and their
foreign masters. They will crush the despicable hirelings,
who sold themselves for dollars and pounds sterling, as some
loathsome reptile. As for the inspirers of these hireling-
murderers, they can be assured that retribution will not forget
them and will find a way to them in order to pronounce its
weighty judgement.
All this, of course, is true. But
it is also true that, apart from these enemies, we have still
another enemy - gullibility amongst our people. : It cannot be
doubted that while we still have gullibility, so.long there will
be wrecking. Consequently: in order to liquidate wrecking, it is
necessary to put an end to gullibility in our ranks.
(1.3/4 cols.) (Full text) PRAVDA 13.1.53
IZVESTIA SPIES AND MURDERERS inISGUISED !AS
'SCIENNTIST-DOCTOR S" ._. _..._. _-_~ ..~_.
Trr-6 t Page" di oria1)
Today there is published the T,1SS chronicle
on the discovery and arrest by state security organs of a terrorist
group of doctors, who set themselves the aim of cutting short the
lives of active personages of the Soviet Union by means of wrecker
medical treatment...
This discovery and capture red-handed of
spies and murderers, disguised as scientist-doctors, testify once
again how far the American-British imperialists have gone in their
malicious misanthropical activity, and expose with new force their
criminal plans to the whole world. The exposure of the band of
poisoner-doctors will deal a crushing blow to these criminal. plans.
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SECTION B -b-
January-11,_1252
IZV STI,"~ (Con.?.'d.) It is the patriotic duty of the Soviet
people never for a minute to forget
about the machinations of the warmongers and.their agents, un-
tiringly to increase their vigilance, in every way to strengthen
the armed Forces and the intelligence organs of our state...
'Xter the defeat and liquidation' of
the remnants of the exploiter classes in our country the inter-
national bourgeoisie lost its whole support within the Soviet
Union for its struggle against the Soviet state. Nevertheless,
it endeavours to use for its purposes the survivals of capitalism
in the minds of Soviet people. i'lgents of the foreign intel-
ligence services assiduously seek for weak and vulnerable places
among certain unstable elements of our intelligentsia, who have
been infected by the ulcers of obsequiousness towards everything
foreign, the ulcers of cosmopolitanism and bourgeois nationalism.
It is preci,^el y these people, being the bearers of bourgeois
ideology, of private-oWncrship morals, being the covert enemies
of our people, who become'the tool of for.ign intelligence services,
who engage in wrecking and who will go on wrecking.
To forget about this means to be
criminally gullible, it means leaving a loophole for the foul
machinations of the imperialists. The wrecker-doctors were able
to function over a considerable period with impunity precisely
because some of our Soviet organs and their executive officials
lost their vigilance and were infected with gullibility. S o long
as there is gullibility amongst us, so long there will be wrecking.
In order to liquidate wrecking, it is necessary resolutely to
put an end to gullibility, complacency and the blunting of vigilance.
The State Security organs must be
especially vigilant. However, these organs did not promptly dis-
cover the terrorist organisation of wrecker-doctors, although in
the recent past there have been cases when enemies of the people
have done their work disguised as doctors, such as t}-,.e "doctors,'
Levin and Fletnev, I who, by means of intentionally incorrect medical
treatment caused the deaths of the great Russian writer A. iv!. Gorky,
and the eminent personages of the Soviet state V. V. Kuibyshev and
V. R. M'Ienzhinsky. Officials of the Ministry of Public H:alth of
the USSR overlooked the wrecking, terrorist activity of the hire-
lings of imperialist intelligence services..
','~fith wrath and indignation Soviet people
stigmatise the crimes of the poisoner-monsters, who, concealing
themselves behind the lofty and noble calling of doctor, trampled
on the sacred banner of science and profaned the honour of scientists.
Like some loathsome reptile the Soviet people will crush the foul
traitors to the Motherland, the despicable hirelings of foreign
intelligence services, who sold themselves for dollars and pounds
sterling! 1Iith wrath and indignation our people also stigmatises
the foreign masters of the criminal band of murderers -- American-
British imperialists. Let them know and remember that the stern
arm of just retribution will reach them also!
(1.3/4 cols.) (Condensed text) IV;STIt; 13.1.53
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JOINT PRESS READING SERVICE
SECTION B -?-- January
TRUD xi D; SPIG~'LBLL B1.ND OF SFI S ~I D !tURDER ' a
_..._.....~.. CaLt~G H T LD- ~1NDLD -"_ ._...._.~........._,.... .._..... .
Front Pa editorial)
.,.Damnation and shame to the foul
degenerates and murderers: Soviet Justice will crush like a
poisonous reptile the criminal band whi.ch.sold itself for dollars
and pounds sterling. Nor will the American-British inspirers
of the murderers and wreckers escape retribution. The time will
come when they too will have to answer for all the crimes which
they have committed.
The exposure of the wrecker gang of
spies and traitors reveals once again the.whole loathsome cannibal
aspect of the imperialists of the USA and Britain. There is no
crime to which the imperialist beasts of prey would not descend.
In our day the subversive activity of the US monopolists and
their British partners has become especially unbridled. and un-
ceremonious. Matters have gone so far that special appropriations
are even provided for in-the budgets of bourgeois states for
subversive terrorist and espionage activity in the countries of
the socialist camp...
Vigilance, vigilance and once again
revolutionary vigilance - that is the main conclusion which, all
our workers, big and small, are bound.to draw...
It is necessary to remember constantly
that imperialist reaction does not grudge efforts and funds in
order to find cadres for its intelligence within our country.
In its frenzied hatred of the pe:o.ples of the socialist camp and
first and foremost for our country the bourgeoisie is endeavouring
to use for its own purposes the covert enemies of the people,
the bearers of-bourgeois ideology, of private-ownership psychology,
of nationalism...
(li cols.) (Condensed text) TRUD 13.1.53
KO 'iSC OL P .'~VDt SPI.~3 3 "1I\D MURD RLRS OUGHT RED-H:.ND. D
.Front-Psge.,EditorialT
...The exposure of the gang of poison,~r-
doctors is a crushing blow at,th: Lmcrican-British warmongers.
Their foul agents have been Caught red-handed. The real bestial
aspect of the A'american-British imperialists has been presented
again to the whole world.
The Soviet people, :soviet youths and
girls, filled with wrath and indignation, demand the stern punish-
ment of the foul murderers, who hid behind the mask of doctors
in order to perform their base work. The Soviet people is firmly
convinced that those also, who inspired and directed these de-
enerates will not escape their retribution,
1.2/3 cofs.) (Condensed text) KO:P~L.i0MOIL FR:;VDA 13.1.53
LIT .R.'-,R.Y G ZETTE SPIES ND UR r;=L R3 EXPOSED
w opt Page Editorial-_~--~_
...The exposure of a group of murderer-
doctors and spies, who carried on their black work, taking advantage
of their knowledge and our'trust, again and again raises the question
of vigilance...
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SECTION B -$- January 13.0-1923
LITERARY GAZETTE (Cont'd.) Vigilance and once again vigilance;
That is what Soviet people must set
against all the machinations of the warmongers and their agents.
These agents are sent _to us from abroad, 'from the capitalist
states, or they are recruited by the foreign intelligence services
among the dregs of our society. The facts show that they can
only function where there is a criminal slackening of vigilance,
where complacency, self-satisfaction and gullibility are to be
found
In existing conditions, when there have
long been no antagonistic classes in our country, when our people
is consolidated and united., it is gullibility which provides
a favourable soil for the subversive work of the enemy. There
are people amongst us who think that the grandiose successes of
Communist construction can of themselves eliminate all possibilities
for diversions, espionage and wrecking. In the Soviet Union,
so they say, enemies cannot take a step.
People who think in this way are making
an unforgiv able mistake.
Comrade Stalin teaches us that while the
capitalist encirclement exists, there will exist amongst us wreckers,
spies diversionists and murderers, sent to our rear by the
intelligence services-of foreign states. This was said in 1937.
All Soviet people must remember this today.,
It is because.of an.imbecile disease -
casualness''and gullibility, the lose of vigilance by some of our
Soviet organ's'- that a gang of murderer-doctors, paid agents of
foreign intelligence services,. was. able to function-for several
years with impunity.
Now an end has been put to their crimes.
The Soviet hero-people will crush the miserable gang 'of despicable
traitors to the-Motherland like P altry insects, They will have
the same fate which has befallen all traitors to the Motherland.
Thus it has been. . Thus .it wi..l be.. "If the enemy does not
surrender, he is destroyed" (A,: M. Gorky),
(1 col.) (Condensed text) LITER HY G:'-ZETTE 13.1.53
(Similar front page editorials appear also in the other newspapers).
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