Idel Jakobson
Encyclopedia
Idel Jakobson was an Jewish Estonian NKVD
investigator. According to the materials of Kaitsepolitsei, Jakobson took part in sentencing around 1,200 people to death and persecuting at least 1,800 people.
Jakobson was at first a citizen of Latvia
, but moved to Estonia
in 1930s. He participated in the activities of the Jewish cultural society Licht
. In 1931 he was arrested in Tallinn
, being accused of subversive activities directed against the Republic of Estonia. In 1938, together with a number of other communists, he was granted amnesty
and deported to Latvia. He returned to Estonia after the June 1940 communist coup and became an investigator of the NKVD, since September 1941 leading the investigations' department of the NKVD of the Estonian SSR. Idel Jakobson was notorious for his sadistic methods (beatings, other methods of torture
) during interrogation
s.
.
Jakobson fled Estonia in July, 1941, and worked as a chief investigator in Russia
and Ukraine
. His 'investigations' were carried out in the framework of the so-called 'Vyshinsky doctrine', in effect presumption of guilt: without any trial, he arranged death sentence to 621 people. Most of his victims were ethnic Estonians
, including well-known politicians like Ado Birk and Jaan Hünerson. He returned to Estonia in 1944, working as the head of investigation department until 1950. He was expelled from CPSU in 1953 for having visited a private Jewish canteen and concealing that fact.
In 1990s, an investigation on I. Jakobson's activities during his NKVD 'career' was launched, but the case never reached the court, as Jakobson died.
NKVD
The People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs was the public and secret police organization of the Soviet Union that directly executed the rule of power of the Soviets, including political repression, during the era of Joseph Stalin....
investigator. According to the materials of Kaitsepolitsei, Jakobson took part in sentencing around 1,200 people to death and persecuting at least 1,800 people.
Jakobson was at first a citizen of Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
, but moved to Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
in 1930s. He participated in the activities of the Jewish cultural society Licht
Licht
Licht , subtitled "The Seven Days of the Week," is a cycle of seven operas composed by Karlheinz Stockhausen between 1977 and 2003. In total, the cycle contains over 29 hours of music.-Origin:...
. In 1931 he was arrested in Tallinn
Tallinn
Tallinn is the capital and largest city of Estonia. It occupies an area of with a population of 414,940. It is situated on the northern coast of the country, on the banks of the Gulf of Finland, south of Helsinki, east of Stockholm and west of Saint Petersburg. Tallinn's Old Town is in the list...
, being accused of subversive activities directed against the Republic of Estonia. In 1938, together with a number of other communists, he was granted amnesty
Amnesty
Amnesty is a legislative or executive act by which a state restores those who may have been guilty of an offense against it to the positions of innocent people, without changing the laws defining the offense. It includes more than pardon, in as much as it obliterates all legal remembrance of the...
and deported to Latvia. He returned to Estonia after the June 1940 communist coup and became an investigator of the NKVD, since September 1941 leading the investigations' department of the NKVD of the Estonian SSR. Idel Jakobson was notorious for his sadistic methods (beatings, other methods of torture
Torture
Torture is the act of inflicting severe pain as a means of punishment, revenge, forcing information or a confession, or simply as an act of cruelty. Throughout history, torture has often been used as a method of political re-education, interrogation, punishment, and coercion...
) during interrogation
Interrogation
Interrogation is interviewing as commonly employed by officers of the police, military, and Intelligence agencies with the goal of extracting a confession or obtaining information. Subjects of interrogation are often the suspects, victims, or witnesses of a crime...
s.
.
Jakobson fled Estonia in July, 1941, and worked as a chief investigator in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
. His 'investigations' were carried out in the framework of the so-called 'Vyshinsky doctrine', in effect presumption of guilt: without any trial, he arranged death sentence to 621 people. Most of his victims were ethnic Estonians
Estonians
Estonians are a Finnic people closely related to the Finns and inhabiting, primarily, the country of Estonia. They speak a Finnic language known as Estonian...
, including well-known politicians like Ado Birk and Jaan Hünerson. He returned to Estonia in 1944, working as the head of investigation department until 1950. He was expelled from CPSU in 1953 for having visited a private Jewish canteen and concealing that fact.
In 1990s, an investigation on I. Jakobson's activities during his NKVD 'career' was launched, but the case never reached the court, as Jakobson died.