Religion and power in Yakutia: From the history of relations

In Yakutia, at the time of the establishment of the Soviet power, there were religious de--‐ nominations of different faiths, traditional for the whole empire. Majority of the population of the indigenous people of the region and of Slavic origin were Orthodox. According to the most re--‐ searchers, despite the fact that 99 % of indigenous people were considered orthodox, they were characterized by religious syncretism. In everyday life, they respect traditional rites and customs are closely associated with paganism, and Orthodox. Christian moral and ethical standards, ritual, religious holidays and symbols have become part of everyday life and culture of the indigenous people of the region [1, p. 291]. This is due to the fact that in the process of Christianization in Ya--‐ kutia, there was no opposition to the traditional beliefs orthodoxy. The clergy had no special per--‐ secution of shamans --‐ ministers pagan cult, which also did not resist baptism and continued their shamanistic practices. According to A. P. Nikolaev, "in the later stages of missionary work (late XIX --‐ early. Twentieth century). Views on shamanism among the clergy became an increasingly im--‐ portant role to play natural science goals, traceable in A. Argentov research, Benjamin I. and other prominent educators in the northeastern Russia, the Far East and Russian America, watched on shamans more in terms of the ethnographers "[2] . Invaluable contribution made by the mission--‐ aries of Russian Orthodox Church in the development of writing, education and other spheres of life of indigenous people. They were among the first researchers of language, material and spiritu--‐ al culture. Thus contributed to familiarizing Aboriginal values and achievements of Russian and through it to European culture [3, p. 5].

Furthermore, since the seventeenth century, in Yakutia appeared the representatives of other faiths, many of which were deportated by the tzars government for their religious beliefs, administrative and political reasons (Old Believers, Molokans, Hlisti, Skopzi). In the late nineteenth century. lived here for 3512 and 1476 Bashkirs Tatars, who were Muslims. As political exiles are known to have been sent to Catholics (mostly Poles) and Judaism (Jews). But representatives of these faiths were few and could not have a significant impact on the prevailing ethnoconfessional space and the preservation of national identity of indigenous people [4].

Analysis of the records and other sources, reflecting the policy of the Soviet government in relation to the religion and its acolytes, shows that in Yakutia, as well as across the country, during the research period, the work was carried out in two main directions. First, to eliminate religious organizations as a social institution was imposed steps of the administrative and judicial character --‐ depriving ministers of the religious electoral their rights, to ensure their administrative justice, as well as repressive measures, until the shooting. Second, the special attention was given to the ideological and political education of the population in order to ensure the monopoly position of the Marxist--‐Leninist ideology, including the materialist worldview, and thus, repression of religious beliefs. The Bolsheviks were well aware that a major obstacle to the introduction of mass con--‐ sciousness created by them "quasi--‐communist" is a religion, and a religious ritual.

During these years, the most effective weapon in the struggle against religion and its aco--‐ lytes had taken administrative measures. As is known, according to the ideology of the proletarian state, ministers of worship were considered "alien class elements" and "exploiters". Therefore, they, along with other categories of individuals, based on Art. 65 of the Constitution of the RSFSR in 1918 and the Regulations of the elections to the Soviets YASSR (1921, 1923. And subsequent) disfranchise2. This provision has been legislated in the first YASSR Constitution, adopted on 2 ses--‐ sion Yatsik IV convocation in September 1926 Under the Constitution, the electoral rights of all persons deprived of resorting to wage labor, private traders, employees and agents of the former police, the mentally ill, prisoners, "shamans and spiritual ministers of worship of all faiths "[5, p. 112--‐137].

Based on this, on the ground during the period of the preparatory reelection campaigns in the village councils or district authorized instructors compiled a list of the residents of the nasleg, having voting rights, and the list of persons deprived of them. These lists were approved by naslezhnii election commissions and were announced at naslezhnyh meetings. Thus, in the re--‐ election in 1926 were in three districts (Yakutskii, Vilyuiskiy, Olekminskiy) all were disenfranchised 3495 people, including members of religious cults 485. In 1928, the increase in the total number of disenfranchised until 6546, members of religious 582 people 3. And already in 1934 in Yakutia, in--‐ cluding the northern areas, significantly reduced the total number of disenfranchised people to 1760, and members of religious cults, which amounted to only 130 people. Such a significant re--‐ duction in the number of ministers of religion can be explained by the fact that they "voluntarily" abandon their practices, since, according to the constitution, the Soviet authorities allowed resto--‐ ration of "civil rights and related benefits" in the case of voluntary renunciation of his rank.

Analysis of available data shows that in Yakutia in droves to abandon religious activity began in the late 1920s --‐early 1930s. This was due primarily to land reform in 1929 and further collectivi--‐ zation. Pursuant to Art. 17 18 Instructions on indigenous land distribution in villages YASSR naslega and approved by the Presidium Yatsik in March 1929, the ministers of worship have the right to obtain a plot of land only with the permission of the district executive committees and higher au--‐ thorities. During the land reform in many places, including family members, who lost their land holdings. During these years against members of religious cults and persons deprived of their vot--‐ ing rights and other applied infringement of civil rights, which, in general, do not provide the Sovi--‐ et legislation. Such as eviction from naslega with confiscation of property, deprivation intake books, medical and legal assistance, human development, the imposition of taxes on an individual basis, the exclusion of children from schools and further education law, dismissal 4.

As it is known, the main supplier of information and performer punitive measures against the so--‐called "internal class enemies" was the NKVD. This, of course, concerned and members of religious cults. Unfortunately, we did not have the opportunity to work in the archives of the MGB of Sakha (Yakutia). However, a definite opinion about it can make a world based on the identified materials in the National Archives Branch of Sakha (Yakutia). For example, in December 1926, at the specific request of agitation and propaganda department of the Yakut Regional Committee of the CPSU (b) Chief of backroom YAOOOGPU Barkov (initials are not specified. --‐ NV) was compiled report on the status and activities of the clergy and faithful in the country. In this his report given thorough characterization of the existing religious movements and activities of the ministers of various cults. According to the report which the republic in 1926 functioned three religious organi--‐ zations --‐ Orthodox, Jewish and Muslim. The "orthodox union is the most powerful and, important--‐ ly, in the Diocese of Yakutsk missing church schism" (meaning renovation movement. --‐ NV), "Yakut archbishop ideological trend --‐" Old Church "(Tikhonov) ..." 5.

As for the Muslim clergy and organizations of Muslims, so these have been recorded. In Ya--‐ kutia,the location of Muslims is the most compact and representatives of the Tatar people were only in Yakutsk (up to 500 people) and Olekminsk (up to 450). Therefore, Muslim believers, further reported Barkov, gathered in prayer for "the house of prayer and uncertain in this case they have a Tartar, who knows how to read excerpts from the Koran wanted" 6 .

The Jewish community is registered as the "collective of believers" existed in Yakutsk. The Jewish community was led by elected Rabbi A. Strahd. In a report in 1926 stated that the younger Jewish population noticeably goes in a anothert direction, away from the goals and objectives of a given group of the religious Jews. This reflects the real situation of the time (the Union of Militant Atheists in 1930 led by the son of Rabbi M. Strahd). In addition, at the territory of Yakutia were registered other religious groups, such as "skopcheskaya" and Doukhobors, but there was no es--‐ sential information about their activities in the NKVD.

The most complete information was collected about the activities of shamans. In particular, it was said that they still enjoy a strong enough reputation and is widely practiced. An interesting fact is that by the NKVD was noted that "ulus population not less than in oyyuna believes in the God, servants of the orthodox religion" 7 .

As the archival materials show, the information department of the NKVD monthly or quar--‐ terly on the basis of information gathered from the entire republic and it was the so--‐called "politi--‐ cal state YASSR reviews". These reviews also provide detailed information reflecting the negative attitude of the workers, rural residents, and other sections of the population about the activities carried out by Soviet power --‐ collective farm construction, grain procurement campaign, levy, etc. These reports focused on the GPU moods ministers of worship and their relation to ongoing activi--‐ ties 8 .

As noted above, particularly vicious persecution of the religious cults saviours were subject--‐ ed to the late 1920s --‐ early 1930s. during the land reform and collectivization. In the whole coun--‐ try intensified the movement of militant atheists, who took the character of "anti--‐religious ex--‐ tremism." During these years, there were the mass closing of churches and destruction of religious buildings. The so--‐called unfolded. "Antibell campaign", seized bells and chimes denied. The semi--‐ naries, monasteries were closed. Virtually ceased output periodic religious publications, repres--‐ sions began against the ministers of worship. Massive closings of Orthodox churches were made in Yakutia. The last Nicholas church was closed in 1939 in Yakutsk. During the war it was reopened. ROC priests were arrested. The last Yakut Rabbi A. Strahd publicly renounced the dignity in 1930. According to incomplete statistics I. Yurganov bulk priests were arrested during this period, some of which were shot [6, p. 101--‐103].

Antireligious propaganda was an integral part of the ideological activities of the ruling party and was carried out under the direct supervision of the agitation and propaganda department (POA) Yakut Regional Committee of the RCP (b). Party organizations and agencies conducted it, but also state agencies and departments, public organizations. Yakut regional committee unfolded antireligious propaganda, based on the guidance of party congresses in the field of religion, reso--‐ lutions of the Central Committee of the RCP (b). The main forms of anti--‐religious propaganda were: first, printed and oral agitation, which should have been pursued through the newspaper "Kyym" and "Autonomous Yakutia", wall newspapers, special posters, etc., and secondly, in clubs, schools put dramatizations revealing "stupefaction of the masses" ministers of religion, and third--‐ ly, to organize politsudy over them, and fourthly, to conduct talks and lectures on natural science topics 9. Widely spread the reading of the lectures, presentations, rallies, parties to the anti--‐ religious themes, organization polit courts against the priests and shamans, performances propa--‐ ganda teams. Especially religious propaganda intensified during the onset of the orthodox reli--‐ gious holidays --‐ Christmas and Easter. At this time, almost all over the country were carried out (usually within a week or a month) anti Christmas, Easter campaign, then received the name of "Komsomol Christmas", "Komsomol Easter." In the organization and implementation of these campaigns involved APO Yakut regional committee of the RCP (b) and OK Komsomol, kultotdel YAOSPS, Regional Bureau of the Young Pioneers, NKPZ political education. Special commissions, which are engaged in preparatory work schedule were as guidelines for grassroots party and Kom--‐ somol organizations campaigning for the organization of visual anti--‐religious propaganda and agi--‐ tation, picking up the theme of the lectures, etc.

In the formulation of anti--‐religious propaganda focused on criticism of religious beliefs and promoting of scientific knowledge. As for the substantive level oral and printed propaganda cri--‐ tique of religion, in general, constructed on the basis of the scientific research at the time, they gave quite objective information about the origin of religion. However, the forms and methods of dealing with the cult wore deliberately rude, insulting, degrading feelings and dignity not only clergymen, but virtually the entire population of the believer, for which it was not just "opium and harmful relic of the past, the manifestation of darkness and ignorance", and was organic part of the spiritual culture.

The most preferred form of anti--‐religion was to organize various Trials. They were conducted either in the form of the theatrical performance with the participation of amateur artists, or with the help of existing religions or ministers have abandoned their activities. Here is one of many ex--‐ amples, in May 1924 in Yakutsk, as reported in the newspaper "Autonomous Yakutia", in the House of the Soviets with the participation of the Komsomol Yakut intellectuals were delivered pageant polit court over priest and shaman. The hall was crowded with spectators. "Accused", made up as a shaman and a priest, led under escort. Shaman was accused of "contact work with the priest ", fleecing the poor by all sorts of intimidation, a common sexually transmitted diseases. There were "witnesses" who testified that reveal "acts and bullying people", the priest and sham--‐ an. With accusatory speech "prosecutor", stating that "the ancient shamans are parasites of the Yakut people, exploiters and dangerous" to others. "Prosecutor" imprisoned proposed punish--‐ ment --‐execution. In this room applauded, expressing complete agreement with the proposed pen--‐ alty. The court, considering the "frank" recognition shaman gave him a sentence: "10 years of strict isolation," the priest --‐ "shot" 10.

In the late 1920s --‐ early 1930s, the forms and methods of anti--‐religious propaganda re--‐ mained unchanged, but they took the offensive and militant character. In the activities of the par--‐ ty, Komsomol and social organizations began to dominate brute Administration of the Civil War the destruction of religious objects, manifestations of vandalism, public humiliation of religious rites, forcible eviction of naslega etc. During such anti--‐religious campaigns in some places, as not--‐ ed in the report of political department NKPZ in 1927, "there were more masquerades" worn ob--‐ scene and immoral and, in general, recognized "adverse events", which many executives offered

"wage a brutal struggle" ¹¹ . Nevertheless, in 1929 in Yakutsk, for example, was held carnival pro--‐ cession during Easter. Plan for "Carnival" was developed the Commission of antireligious cam--‐ paign. Was attended by about 2,000 people --‐ schoolchildren on the stage II, secondary schools, the Soviet party schools... This is how the event is described in the paper "Autonomous Yakutia" "On the night of 4 to 5 May at half past ten city revived. All columns joined on October street, singing revolutionary songs, the band played from domzaka in the hands of the participants car--‐ ried banners and torches, among them immediately went convoy of tractors, and were made up as a shaman and several related --‐ Shennikov" artists . Column passed all existing churches in the city, which at that time held public worship and in every church attended by approximately " 50 people." Stopping at churches, carnival participants sang revolutionary songs and others, shouting slogans like "Down with the priests, shamans, rabbis," "Down with the icon", "There is no God", "Down with religion --‐ long live science" staged "to the sounds of massive dance lezginka". At mid--‐ night, the building has a column Yatsik where a rally was held, which was opened by Chairman of the City Council of the Union Comrade atheists Zenin. At 2h 30 min. held the second rally in front of the regional committee of the CPSU ( b). After which the participants went home " ¹².

During these years, anti--‐religious propaganda in Yakutia was closely associated with the ac--‐ tivities of the Yakut regional Union of Militant Atheists (the ISF), established in 1928. Actually, he was specially created, according to the head of the Central Committee of the ISF, "chief infidel" countries Em. Yaroslavsky, as an "instrument for the practical struggle against religion." SRB, like all mass association of those years, was not generated by the popular initiative, and was created by a special decision and SRB activity conducted under the direct supervision and constant control of the Communist Party. During the short period of the cell SRB were created almost in Yakutia and in 1930 their number has reached about 10,000 people. They were created by ulus, in schools, educational institutions, enterprises and institutions.

I will not dwell on the activities of SRB, will only mention, as in many activities during the pe--‐ riod of activity in the party, Komsomol and other public organizations, as well as the ISF had a number of well--‐known drawbacks: first, superficial, kampaneysky nature of the work, in conjunc--‐ tion with another religious holidays (Christmas, Easter). Secondly, for objective reasons, to anti--‐ religious propaganda involved enough competent lecturers. Naturally dominated the political and class orientation of the anti--‐religious campaigns in damage scientifically sound, painstaking advo--‐ cacy. This caused and undemocratic methods of dealing with religion, inhumane methods --‐ public councils, frequent violations of the ethical standards in the conduct of anti--‐religious activities. Es--‐ pecially socio--‐negative point in the process of eradicating religion is to contrast the younger gen--‐ eration older, engaging in massive anti--‐religious speeches youth and adolescents. This, undoubt--‐ edly played a negative role in the decay of a holistic spiritual and cultural experience.

We identified the archival documents, that show how difficult and slowly squeezed out of everyday life traditional religious world view. Physical destruction of the clergy, religious buildings withdrawal does not eliminate the need of people in religious belief. According to V. P. Zisser, conducted the research in the Upper Kolyma ulus in 1932, the indigenous population "repeatedly at the meetings we were asked questions such as: why have long ceased to supply them with icons and crosses? Or why the priest a long time did not come to baptize children, to marry the couple and read the burial of the dead? Towards us across Tunguses traveling to Nogaeva for "priest" who have learned that there is arrested priests and asked them to "give them the priest," promis--‐ ing to take care of him, not to run away. "According to other testimony in 1940, in the Mountain ulus in 1--‐Soviet Ataman naslega 50 farms in each house had 5--‐6 icons, even the deputy naslezh--‐ nogo Council Comrade. Danielskogo --‐ 17 icons. A Reshetnikov Stepan from Ust--‐Aldan ulus general--‐ ly built in his yard chapel and holds worship. Noted that the population regularly celebrates reli--‐ gious holidays (St. Nicholas Day, Christmas, Easter), in the construction of facilities for cattle nec--‐ essarily performed traditional ceremonies. Similar reports to the Regional Party Committee were also reported Nyurbinsky, Vilyui, Ordzhonikidzevskogo, Ust--‐Aldan, and other Kobjajsky uluses 13.

Thus, in spite of a deliberate policy of the Soviet government in relation to religion and its ministers, the majority in essence remained faithful. Of course, two decades of hard struggle grew violent young generation, who are trained and brought up on the basis of science and technology, in the spirit of uncompromising attitude to religion and to all kinds of prejudices and superstitions. And if they do not become militant atheists in any case they think indifferent about religion. Tradi--‐ tional religious world view at the external perception of the Soviet ideology, atheism remained conservative. At the level of everyday life continued to dominate, albeit in modified form, the tra--‐ ditional value system and related religious rites and customs.