People's Commissar

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A People's Commissar ( Russian народный комиссар / narodny commissioner , short narkom ) was a person who acted as minister in revolutionary Russia , Ukraine and then in the USSR from 1917 to 1946 . In Soviet Russia, the People's Commissars together formed the Council of People's Commissars , which represented the government. The term minister was rejected by the Bolsheviks as bourgeois because it was associated with parliamentary democracies or monarchieswas connected. Nevertheless, Stalin later renamed the Council of People's Commissars of the Soviet Union in 1946 as the Council of Ministers of the USSR . The term goes back to the idea of Leon Trotsky .

People's Commissariat

The People's Commissariats (Russian Народный комиссариат; transcription : Narodny komissariat; usually abbreviated: наркомат; transcription: Narkomat) were the central organs of state management for the individual areas of state management for the individual areas of state management for the various areas of state management in Soviet Russia since 1917 and the later Soviet Union from 1922 to 1946 individual branches of the economy. In fact, they had the function of ministries ; in 1946 they were renamed ministries.

Such people's commissariats existed both at the highest level, where they were responsible for the entire Soviet Union, and at the level of the individual Soviet republics .

The People's Commissariats were created in October 1917 at the 2nd Congress of Soviets , on the basis of the ministries and main administrations of the Provisional Government that had existed until then .

With the " Decree on the Creation of the Council of People's Commissars " of November 8, 1917 (October 27), the following people's commissariats were created (at that time only for Russia - later RSFSR and the Soviet Union):

  1. People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs (Russian: Народный комиссариат по внутренним делам; or: Hародный комиссариат внутренних дел; Нарденних дел; Нарденним дел; Нарденним;
  2. People's Commissariat for Agriculture (Russian: Народный комиссариат земледелия; Наркомзем; НКЗ or НКЗем; transcription: NKS or NKSem),
  3. People's Commissariat for Labor (Russian: Народный комиссариат труда; Наркомтруд),
  4. People's Commissariat for Military and Marine Affairs (Russian: Народный комиссариат по военным и морским делам; or: Народный комиссариат военных ириарк военных ироркимкориат военных ирорким ирорким военных;
  5. People's Commissariat for Trade and Industry (Russian: Народный комиссариат по делам торговли и промышленности),
  6. People's Commissariat for Education (Russian: Народный комиссариат просвещения; or: Народный комиссариат по просвещению; Наркомпрос; НП; Nаркомпрос), НП;
  7. People's Commissariat for Finance (Russian: Народный комиссариат финансов; Наркомфин; НКФ; transcription: NKF),
  8. People's Commissariat for Foreign Affairs (Russian: Народный комиссариат по иностранным делам; or: Hародный комиссариат инностранных дел;), Нарканных дел;
  9. People's Commissariat for Justice (also: People's Commissariat for Justice; Russian Народный комиссариат юстиции; Наркомюст; НКЮ; transcription: NKJu),
  10. People's Commissariat for Food (Russian: Народный комиссариат по делам продовольствия; literally: food affairs; or: Народный комиссариат продоволь ;правио)
  11. People's Commissariat for Post and Telegraphs (Russian: Народный комиссариат почт и телеграфов; or: Народный комиссариат почтый и ктелегральп и телеграфа; Нарчтып и телеграфа;
  12. People's Commissariat for Nationality Issues (Russian: Народный комиссариат по делам национальностей; Наркомнац),
  13. People's Commissariat for Railway Affairs (russ. Народный комиссариат по железнодорожным делам).

Later, by decree of December 15, 1917 (December 2), the Supreme Council for the National Economy (Russian: Высший совет народного хозяйства, abbreviation: ВСНХ; transcription: WZIK) was created. The Supreme Council for the National Economy had the rights of a People's Commissariat and was treated equally.

The RSFSR constitution , passed in 1918, retained the system of people's commissariats that had already been introduced. At that time there were 18 People's Commissariats (including the Supreme Council for Economics ).

After the establishment of the Soviet Union in 1922, significant changes were made to the People's Commissariats. The People's Commissariats of the Council of People's Commissars of the Soviet Union were divided into All-Soviet People's Commissariates (Union People's Commissariate ; Russian Общесоюзные наркоматы) and United People's Commissariats (Russian объединёынные наркомаматы). The All-Soviet People's Commissariats exercised their power through their plenipotentiaries, while the United People 's Commissariats exercised their power through the subordinate People's Commissariats of the individual Soviet republics . For example, the People's Commissariat for Finance of the individual Soviet republics were subordinate to the United People's Commissariat for Finance of the Soviet Union.

The five Union People's Commissariats were responsible for managing the most important state functions:

  • Military and navy ,
  • Foreign affairs (People's Commissariat for Foreign Affairs; Russian Народный комиссариат иностранных дел; Наркоминдел; НКИД; transcription: NKID),
  • Foreign Trade (People's Commissariat for Foreign Trade; Russian Hародный комиссариат внешней торговли; Наркомвнешторг; НКВТ; Transcription: NKWT),
  • Connecting routes (People's Commissariat for Transport; Russian Hародный комиссариат путей сообщения; НКПС; transcription: NKPS; literally: People's Commissariat for connecting routes),
  • Post and Telegraph.

Furthermore, there were five United People's Commissariats for important state tasks , which coordinated the work of the People's Commissariats of the individual Soviet republics:

This organizational structure of the People's Commissariats was also confirmed by the first Soviet constitution , which was passed on January 31, 1924 and which separated the administration of the Soviet Union from the administration of the individual Soviet republics.

The individual Soviet republics each passed constitutions in which the formation of five United People's Commissariats was decided at the level of the respective Soviet republic. They bore the same name as the United People's Commissariats at the levels of the entire Soviet Union.

At the same time, six Republic People's Commissariats (Russian республиканский наркомат) were formed in each Soviet republic , which remained under the sole direction of the Soviet republic and existed only at the level of the Soviet republics. These republic people's commissariats were responsible in particular for areas in which there were specific national differences between the Soviet republics:

  • Interior,
  • Justice,
  • Popular education,
  • Healthcare (Russian: Hародный комиссариат здравоохранения; Наркомздрав),
  • Agriculture,
  • Social security.

The Supreme Council for the National Economy was divided into three People's Commissariats in 1932:

  • People's Commissariat for Heavy Industry (Russian: Народный комиссариат тяжёлой промышленности; Наркомтяжпром; НКТП; transcription; NKTP),
  • People's Commissariat for Light Industry (Russian: Народный комиссариат лёгкой промышленности; Наркомлегпром or НКлегпром; НКЛП: transcription: NKLP),
  • People's Commissariat for Forestry (Russian: Народный комиссариат лесной промышленности; Наркомлеспром or Наркомлес; НКЛес; transcription: NKLes).

With the adoption of the Constitution of the USSR in 1936 , the United People's Commissariats were transformed into Union-Republic People's Commissariats (Russian Союзно-республиканские наркоматы). Since then there have been 8 Union People's Commissariats and 10 Union-Republic People's Commissariats . In the Soviet Republics and Autonomous Republics (ASSR) were the same unions Republic commissariats formed and Republiksvorlkskommissariate .

From 1936 to 1939, the number of People's Commissariats responsible for certain branches of the economy was increased from six to 24.

For example there was this:

  • People's Commissariat for the Navy (Russian: Hародный комиссариат Военно-Морсково Флота; НКВМФ; transcription: NKWMF);
  • People's Commissariat for State Security (Russian: Hародный комиссариат государственной безопасност; НКГБ; Transcription: NKGB) - formerly a main department in the People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs (NKVD);
  • People's Commissariat for Defense (Russian: Hародный комиссариат обороны; НКО; transcription: NKO);
  • People's Commissariat for Defense Industry (Russian: Hародный комиссариат оборонной промышленности СССР; НКОП; transcription: NKOP);
  • People's Commissariat for Communication (Russian: Народный комиссариат связи СССР);
  • People's Commissariat for Internal Trade (Russian: Народный комиссариат внутренней торговли СССР; Наркомвнуторг);
  • People's Commissariat for Trade (Russian: Народный комиссариат (по делам) торговли; Наркомторг);
  • People's Commissariat for Water Transports (Russian: Народный комиссариат водного транспорта СССР; Наркомвод; НКВод; transcription: NKWod);
  • People's Commissariat for Mechanical Engineering (Russian: Народный комиссариат машиностроения; Наркоммаш);
  • People's Commissariat for River Shipping (Russian: Народный комиссариат речного флота; Наркомречфлот; literally: People's Commissariat for the River Fleet);
  • People's Commissariat for the Sovkhozs (Russian Народный комиссариат совхозов СССР; Наркомсовхозов) - see also: Sowchos ;
  • People's Commissariat for Black Metallurgy (Russian: Народный комиссариат черной металлургии СССР; Наркомчермет; НКЧМ; transcription: NKTschM) - (Note: Black metallurgy concerns iron and steel )
  • People's Commissariat for Colored Metallurgy (Russian: Народный комиссариат цветной металлургии СССР; Наркцветмет; НКЦМ; transcription: NKZM)
  • People's Commissariat for the Aviation Industry (Russian: Народный комиссириат авиационной промышленности; НКАП; transcription: NKAP);
  • People's Commissariat for Ammunition (Russian: Народный комиссариат боеприпасов; НКБ; Transcription: NKB);
  • People's Commissariat for Armament (Russian Народный комиссариат вооружений; НКВ; transcription: NKW);
  • People's Commissariat for Military Affairs (Russian: Народный комиссариат во военным делам; Наркомвоен);
  • People's Commissariat for the Construction of Military and Navy Enterprises (Russian: Народный комиссариат строительства военных и военно-морских предприятий; NKSWВMPM;
  • People's Commissariat for Shipbuilding (Russian: Народный комиссариат судостроительной промышленности; НКСП; Transcription: NKSP);
  • People's Commissariat for the Construction of Plants in the Fuel Industry (Russian: Народный комиссариат по строительству предприятий топливной промышленности; НKSPСПТПенности:;
  • People's Commissariat for the Fuel Industry (Russian: Народный комиссариат топливной промышленности);
  • People's Commissariat for the Coal Industry (Russian: Народный комиссариат угольной промышленности; НКУП; transcription: NKUP);
  • People's Commissariat for the Food Industry (Russian: Народный комиссариат пищевой промышленности; Наркомпищепром);
  • People's Commissariat for Transport (Russian: Народный комиссариат связи; Наркомсвязь);
  • People's Commissariat for Supply (Russian: Народный комиссариат снабжения; Наркомснаб, НКСнаб; transcription: NKSnab);
  • People's Commissariat for the Oil Industry (Russian: Народный комиссариат нефтяной промышленности) founded in 1939;
  • People's Commissariat for Machine Tools (Russian: Народный Комиссариат Станкостроения);

From 1939 there were the following Union-Republic People's Commissariats :

  • People's Commissariat for the Textile Industry (Russian: Народный комиссариат текстильной промышленности);
  • People's Commissariat for the Building Materials Industry (Russian: Народный комиссариат промышленности строительных материалов);
  • People's Commissariat for the Fishing Industry (also: People's Commissariat for Fish Industry; russ. Народный комиссариат рыбной промышленности);
  • People's Commissariat for the Meat and Dairy Industry (Russian: Народный комиссариат мясной и молочной промышленности).

Also from 1939 there were the following Union People's Commissariats :

  • People's Commissariat for the Aviation Industry (Russian: Народный комиссариат Авиационной промышленности);
  • People's Commissariat for Shipbuilding (Russian: Народный комиссариат Судостроительной промышленности);
  • People's Commissariat for Ammunition (Russian: Народный комиссариат Боеприпасов);
  • People's Commissariat for Armament (Russian Народный комиссариат Вооружения);
  • People's Commissariat for the Fuel Industry (Russian: Народный комиссариат Топливной промышленности);
  • People's Commissariat for Power Plants and the Electrical Industry (russ. Народный комиссариат Электростанций и Электропромышленности);
  • People's Commissariat for Black Metallurgy (Russian: Народный комиссариат Черной металлургии);
  • People's Commissariat for Colored Metallurgy (Russian: Народный комиссариат Цветной металлургии);
  • People's Commissariat for the Chemical Industry (Russian: Народный комиссариат Химической промышленности);
  • People's Commissariat for Heavy Engineering (Russian: Народный комиссариат Тяжелого машиностроения);
  • People's Commissariat for Medium-sized Mechanical Engineering (Russian: Народный комиссариат Среднего машиностроения);
  • People's Commissariat for General Mechanical Engineering (Russian: Народный комиссариат Общего машиностроения);
  • People's Commissariat for the Naval Fleet (Russian Народный комиссариат Морского флота);
  • People's Commissariat for the River Fleet (Russian Народный комиссариат Речного флота).

After the beginning of the Second World War , the People's Commissariat for the Tank Industry (Russian: Народный комиссариат танковой промышленности) was created in 1941 .

By law of March 15, 1946, the People's Commissariats were converted into ministries, the Council of People's Commissars of the Soviet Union into the Council of Ministers of the USSR , and the Councils of People's Commissars of the individual Soviet and Autonomous Republics also into Councils of Ministers.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Law of May 31, 1939 amending Articles 22, 23, 77, 78 and 83 of the Constitution of the Soviet Union (Russian)