The "Unknown" Lenin From Lenin, Vladimir. "Letter from Lenin." As reproduced in Revelations from the Russian Archives, ed. Diane Koenker and Ronald Bachman (Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress, 1997), 12.

Send to Penza
To Comrades Kuraev,
Bosh, Minkinn, and
other Penza Communists

Comrades! The revolt by the five kulak volost's must be suppressed without mercy. The interest of the entire revolution demands this, because we have now before us our final decisive battle "with the kulaks." We need to set an example.

1) You need to hang (hang without fail, so that the public sees) at least 100 notorious kulaks, the rich, and the bloodsuckers.

2) Publish their names.

3) Take away all of their grain.

4) Execute the hostages–in accordance with yesterday's telegram.

This needs to be accomplished in such a way that people for hundreds of miles around will see, tremble, know, and scream out: let's choke and strangle those blood-sucking kulaks.

Telegraph us acknowledging receipt and execution of this.

Yours, Lenin

P.S. Use your toughest people for this.