Administration and Custody - Buchenwald Memorial

Blue and red officer's cap Cap of a NKVD captain. In front is a red star with sickle and mutton. — 1/2

Cap of an NKVD captain as worn around 1945, 2019. Photo: Claus Bach.

©Buchenwald Memorial

Photo of an olive green uniform jacket of an employee of the NKVD in the rank of captain. On both shoulders are blue-yellow epaulettes. The uniform has golden buttons. — 2/2

Uniform jacket of an employee of the NKVD with the rank of captain, around 1945. Uniform items of this kind were worn by members of the Operative Group of the Soviet camp administration in Buchenwald, 2019. Photo: Claus Bach.

©Buchenwald Memorial

The administration of the camp was the responsibility of the NKVD/MVD. The first commander was captain Fyodor J. Matuskov. Major Konstantin P. Andrejev was put in charge in 1947. Members of the secret services (operative groups) were responsible for interrogations. Units of the Red Army, the Ministry of Interior (NKVD/MVD), and the secret state police (NKGB/MGB) guarded the camp.

The Soviets had to deal with constant staffing problems. Many positions were left unfilled. The actual administration and guard details consisted of less than 200 people. Serving in a guard detail was not very lucrative and required living in the casern and being subject to the repressive actions of the camp leaders. There was barely any contact between the internees and the guards. The Soviet leadership used German inmates to administer the camp internally.