Johann (Johannes) Adamovich Mahmastal ( 1891 , Narva - February 2 (?) 1942 , s. Bagaryak , Chelyabinsk region ) - Soviet diplomatic courier , in 1926, together with T. I. Nette , repelled an armed attack on the territory of Latvia in the line of duty .
| Johann (Johannes) Adamovich Mahmastal | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Date of Birth | 1891 |
| Place of Birth | Narva , St. Petersburg Province , Russian Empire |
| Date of death | 2.02.1942 (50 years) |
| Place of death | Bagaryak , Chelyabinsk region , RSFSR , USSR |
| Citizenship |  the USSR |
| Nationality |  Russian empire |
| Occupation | diplomatic courier |
| Awards and prizes |
|
Biography
Estonian by nationality, participant in the Great October Socialist Revolution and the Civil War . After the war - an employee of the Cheka . Since 1923 - employee of the USSR People's Commissariat for Foreign Affairs : diplomatic courier, after the incident of 1926 - deputy head of the diplomatic couriers department, head of the embassy in Turkey . In 1937 he was arrested , in 1939 - released and rehabilitated . Since 1940 - on a disability pension. During World War II, he was evacuated to the Chelyabinsk region , where he died in the village of Bagaryak, Bagaryak district of the Chelyabinsk region . He was buried at Bagaryaksky rural cemetery [1] .
Assault on diplomats Nette and Mahmastal
On February 5, 1926, on the Moscow-Riga train on the line between the Ikskul and Kurtenhoff ( Salaspils ) stations, unidentified armed with revolvers demanded that the guide show the coupe of diplomatic couriers and attacked the Soviet sales representative L.F. Pechersky (1885-1938). Theodor Nette and Johann Mahmastal heard a noise, prepared weapons, but did not manage to close the compartment door. The attackers found them and opened fire. In a shootout, Nette was wounded in the head and died on the spot, Mahmastal was wounded in the stomach and arm, two attackers were wounded (they were soon found dead), at least one more disappeared. The diplomatic post remained intact. The wounded Mahmastal remained in the compartment and guarded the pockets , not letting anyone in. In Riga, he refused to transfer the goods to unfamiliar workers of the USSR embassy and waited for the employee whom he knew in person. Only after this Mahmastal was taken to the hospital. The killed bandits identified the citizens of Lithuania as brothers Gavrilovich. The investigation conducted by the Latvian authorities did not give other results.
Rewards and Perpetuation
After the incident of 1926, Mahmastal, like Nette, was awarded the Order of the Red Banner . At present, the Johann Mahmastal timber carrier of the Peacock Vinogradov type built in 1990 is being operated in the Northern Shipping Company (the Theodor Nette timber carrier was built in the same series) [2] [3] . In the village of Bagaryak, in addition to the marble obelisk on the grave, in 1989, a monument was erected near the local school.
See also
- Red diplomatic couriers (film)
Notes
- ↑ Tomb of the diplomatic courier I.A. Makhmastal. The village of Bagaryak. Chelyabinsk region
- ↑ Northern Shipping Company. Vessels of the type "Peacock Vinogradov"
- ↑ Kozhin E. “Johann Mahmastal”, a participant in winter cabotage . // Seaman of the North, No. 16 (8491), April 30, 2008.
Literature
- Maisky I.M.Duty and courage. Stories about diplomatic couriers. - M.: Politizdat, 1988, ISBN: 5-250-00052-5
Links
- Operation Mahmastal (inaccessible link)
- Boris SOPELNYAK. We walk through revolving barking ...
- Bagaryak (inaccessible link)
- Sergey Turchenko. The two deaths of Theodore Nette