Remains of Victims of Stalin’s Great Purge Identified

SZCZECIN, POLAND—Science in Poland reports that geneticists analyzing samples taken from 27 sets of human remains recovered from a mass grave near a monastery in Batumi, Georgia, have identified three victims of Stalin’s Great Purge of 1937. Well-preserved DNA samples from the remains were compared to DNA samples collected from surviving family members. “Collecting genetic material from the possible families of victims was a huge challenge for our colleagues in Georgia,” explained team member Andrzej Ossowski of Pomeranian Medical University. “We would often deal with multi-generation families and it was necessary to consult on from whom to sample the material.” The team members will continue to attempt to identify the remains, he added. At least 750,000 people were executed during Stalin’s campaign to solidify his power in the Soviet Union. To read about DNA analysis of remains from a mass grave in southern Poland dating to some 5,000 years ago, go to "We Are Family."