About the book: 1948 / N. Sinevirsky - pseudonym, real name of the author - Mondich Mikhail Dmitrievich (1923–1968), a Soviet officer who fled to West Germany shortly after the victorious 1945. SMERSH (short for “Death to Spies!” - the name of a number of counterintelligence organizations independent from each other in the Soviet Union during the Second World War. Main Directorate of Counterintelligence "SMERSH" in the People's Commissariat of Defense (NKO) SSS - military counterintelligence, head - Viktor Abakumov. Subordinated directly to the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Joseph Stalin. Counterintelligence Department "SMERSH" of the People's Commissariat of the Navy, head - Lieutenant General of the Coastal Service P. Gladkov. Reported to the People's Commissar of the Fleet N. G. Kuznetsov. Counterintelligence Department "SMERSH" of the People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs, head - S. Yukhimovich Subordinate to People's Commissar Lavrentiy Beria.