From 1930 onwards; the Soviet Communist Party and police officials feared the social disorder caused by the upheavals of forced collectivization of peasants and the resulting famine of 1932-1933; as well as the massive and uncontrolled migration of millions of peasants into cities.

This fear resulted in a series of purges between about 1930 and 1939; costing the lives of hundreds of thousands of people. Pictures From History