“Burtsev is keeping the Red Army guard battalion in a constant state of fear. He’s introduced beatings for drunkenness and disciplinary infractions. But at the same time, Burtsev is oppressing anyone who comes near him — the gangsters, the counter-revs, the domestic criminals, the former socialists, whom he can’t stand with an especially vengeful hatred.”
It turned out that the situation with Mezernitskii was even useful for Burtsev. He was the one in charge of interrogations, so his own dark deeds could remain in the shadows. For example, it was our Mstislav who beat out Shlabukovskii’s teeth.
Eichmanis saved Shlabukovskii, but overall didn’t get in Burtsev’s way. And basically, there was no reason to — the guards stopped r****g the girls in the women’s barracks, the Chekists stopped th
