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On this day - 23 January

Historical items of interest as featured in the papers of the day.

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The Great Purge

Sunday Express 23/01/1937

On January 23rd 1937 the second large trial of the great purge took place. In this trial, 17 individuals were tried. 13 of them were executed and the other 4 were sent to labour camps were they swiftly lost their lives.

The great purge was the name given to a political purge across the Soviet Union, pushed by Stalin in an attempt to consolidate his control over the Communist power. Estimates for those executed are as high as 1.2 million.

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