Novocherkassk Massacre (1962)

The Novocherkassk Massacre was a massacre committed against nonviolent protesters and striking workers on the 2nd of June, 1962 in the city of Novocherkassk in the USSR by the Red Army and KGB. 26 people were killed by soldiers and more than 200 were arrested, as well as 7 who were sentenced to death. The massacre was not discussed in the media and kept as a state secret until 1992. The massacre is commemorated each year on the anniversary of the murders by group of survived participants of the protests.

Background

Discontent began with the increase of prices for consumer goods, shortages and poor working conditions. Production quotas were increased but wages were not, leading to anger. Workers at a traincar factory marched across the city, infront of the police station and city hall. Strikers carried potraits of Lenin and red flags, and were harassed by soldiers. Although tanks were sent in to crush, the local commander refused to fire on the strikers. Strikes were harassd by soldiers and soon attacked the police station, demanding better working conditions, the army soon shot into the crowd, killing dozens and soon a week-long curfew was imposed. Orders to kill were approved by Khrushchev himself.

Aftermath

Following the incident, the Soviet government directed extra food supplies to the region and began an investigation. Additional arrests of workers followed, as did courts martial of military officials involved. The whole story was censored by Soviet media and never allowed to any other mass media and remained an official secret until 1992, year after fall of the Soviet Union, when the remains of 20 bodies were recovered and identified in 1992 and buried in the cemetery of Novoshakhtinsk.

References

Wikipedia - Novocherkassk massacre