Fate
yaKoV peVZner –
Japan specialist from the "shanGhai fiVe" it happens that in a person's life, the main component of his/her biography is a certain episode, which takes very little time. And then a person lives with memories of this important event, about that period of time that projected his/her biography for the rest of his/her life. And already, it seems, his/her life will not be marked by anything more vivid... In the biography of a native of Gomel, Yakov Aleksandrovich Pevzner (Khatskelevich), who was born in Gomel on January 15, 1914), there really was such a vivid episode that would be enough for several lives. Documentary sources testify about him rather succinctly: "In 1941 he was sent to China. Officially worked as director of the organization "Savexportkhleb". He was a member of the "Shanghai Five" of the Soviet intelligence officers. At the end of 1942, he was arrested by the Japanese gendarmerie. He went through prison and torture. He was exchanged and returned to the USSR..." For those who don't know, let us explain about the "Shanghai Five". In China, there was an extensive network of the Central Intelligence Directorate of the Armed Forces of the USSR. It wasn't created in one day. And with the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, of course, the Soviet Union was especially interested in the activities of the Japanese militarists who occupied the Chinese provinces, directly – Shanghai. But the Japanese did not sleep in a hat either, so to speak. As a result of a series of arrests, they inflicted significant damage on the Soviet military intelligence. Several Shanghai stations were destroyed. Including – the residency of the Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the Navy, headed by Yakov Pevzner. A total of 17 intelligence operatives were detained. But only five of them were citizens of the USSR. After interrogation and brutal torture, a Japanese military tribunal sentenced everyone to death. But only one Chinese man was shot as a representative of a country with which Japan was at war. The rest were replaced for a term of two to ten
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years in prison. And on February 23, 1945 (a symbolic date – the birthday of the Armed Forces of the USSR), negotiations were held between the USSR and Japan, as a result of which on March 7 the Soviet spies were exchanged for five Japanese citizens, arrested in the USSR. Returning to Moscow, Yakov Pevzner went to work at the Institute of World Economy and International Affairs. It is worth noting that even before the war, Jacob Pevsner entered the Institute of Philosophy, Literature and History. After the first semester, he transferred to the Japanese faculty of the Moscow Institute of Oriental Studies. He graduated from this institute, then graduated from the Institute of World Economy and World Politics. After defence of his thesis, our compatriot was awarded the title of candidate of economic sciences. By the way, the young man received his degree on the eve of the Great Patriotic War – June 11, 1941... In 1947 the institute was liquidated. Some of his employees (including Yakov Aleksandrovich) were transferred to the department of capitalist countries of the Institute of Economics of the USSR Academy of Sciences. Since 1956, our compatriot worked at the Institute of International Economics and International R el at i ons , w he re he manage d Japanese studies. In 1961 he defended his doctoral thesis and received the title of professor. He was the head of the group for the study of Japan, the head of the department of economics of Western Europe and Japan, and later headed the department of Japan. In 1977, Yakov Pevzner was awarded the title of laureate of the USSR State Prize. Was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor. The
