It turns out that the whole story with the mysterious death of a group of tourists in February 1959 may have completely different reasons. Today, only a few versions have survived. The first (in my opinion the most faithful) is the participation of local hunters in their deaths, who could thus punish tourists for disturbing the peace of their religious buildings. The second version is less well known. She is associated with, possible, illegal gold miners. Who might not like the attention of tourists, so they liquidated them for this. The third version is associated with personal conflict within the group. The reason is varied. From jealousy to banal envy. All other versions can no longer be considered. Or is it not so simple?
I will not discard any of these versions. At the same time, I will try to put forward a new version. And also substantiate it as much as possible with evidence.
In 2014, the newspaper "Komsomolskaya Pravda" Moldova, published its own investigation of this confusing story. According to the journalists, someone gave them typewritten copies of documents from the archives of the KGB of the USSR for 1958, 59. All documents were associated with the Dyatlov group. It was not possible to establish their authenticity. However, these are most likely real documents. Genuine. In all documents there are reports from KGB informants. References, results of searches, inspections of the scene. As well as orders and instructions for search groups. I will try to talk about them very briefly.
All testimony begins with the interrogation of a soldier convicted in 1944. He surrendered to the Germans in 1942. Joined the punitive battalion of the SS division. He took part in raids on partisans. For all this he received his 15 years in the camps. Served his sentence in Ivdellag. On January 30, 1959, he applied to the 3rd department of the 12th camp. He was taken to Ivdel to testify. According to him, on January 25, 1959, in the village of Vizhay, he met a middle-aged man, with whom he fled from the Germans in August 1944. He was also a Wehrmacht soldier. Therefore, together they broke through the front line, so that they would finally get lost there. He did not know his name, but he remembered his appearance well. This person was part of a group of tourists. The district KGB department quickly "figured out" him. It was Semyon Zolotarev.
The following documents contain instructions. It says that earlier a group of saboteurs from among the former employees of the ROA and SS was eliminated in this area. That a new group of saboteurs would act as tourists, or search groups. That it includes people with sports training. As well as having experience of service in the ranks of the sabotage units of the Red Army. In addition, these people were trained in a saboteur school in Germany. Since it is said that one of these people was a physical education teacher, we can say for sure that this is all about Semyon Zolotarev.
Further, the documents have a slightly different subject. They show that a search was carried out in Semyon Zolotarev's apartment. Found a photo of Semyon in Wehrmacht uniform (sergeant major). Shop from a German pistol. Gold ring made in Germany. Three thousand rubles. A dozen letters. USSR awards and order. Next comes the report of the informant that she saw Zolotarev meeting with another man. According to her, they talked about how one of them served the Germans. Unfortunately, Zolotarev's interlocutor was not questioned, as he was injured after this meeting. Several documents on the group itself. But they found nothing interesting there. Except for a fragment of Zina Kolmogorova's letter to Igor Dyatlov. There she asks him to talk to her. The letter was found in an old house, in the place of their last "civilized" camp. Now my conclusions: I do not think that Zolotarev was a traitor. Most likely it was one of his assignments. He infiltrated the Abwehr intelligence school in order to identify agents. When the mission came to an end, he crossed the front line. Why do I think so? There is a very important moment in his military biography. Mysterious biography of Semyon Zolotarev. Natalia and Nikolai Varsegovs "Komsomolskaya Pravda": "Battalion 1570 was formed as part of the 24th Sapper Brigade of the 8th Sapper Army only on April 1, 1942. In the questionnaire, Semyon writes that he has been serving in it since October 1941. It turns out that for half a year (!) Semyon serves in a battalion that simply does not exist! Battalion 1570 suffered a sad fate. During the protracted battles near Kharkov in the summer of 1942, it was practically destroyed by the Germans. 291 people are listed as missing”. The same applies to the rest of Zolotarev's duty stations. I think,that Zolotarev was sent to the Germans back in 1941. And only in August 1944 he moved back. All other facts of his biography, awards and orders were given to him according to another "legend". The most important part of it remained a secret. In Vizhay he was really identified by the person with whom he crossed the front line. Since he promptly told everything, in early February a special KGB unit followed the group. Most likely they were dressed as Mansi hunters. The reason is trivial. The fact is that in these parts there was already a group of German saboteurs. All references to her are in the story about Operation Ulm. Here is the link to the material: "Operation Ulm, or German saboteurs in Tagil."The most important part of it remained a secret. In Vizhay he was really identified by the person with whom he crossed the front line. Since he promptly told everything, in early February a special KGB unit followed the group. Most likely they were dressed as Mansi hunters. The reason is trivial. The fact is that in these parts there was already a group of German saboteurs. All references to her are in the story about Operation Ulm. Here is the link to the material: "Operation Ulm, or German saboteurs in Tagil."The most important part of it remained a secret. In Vizhay he was really identified by the person with whom he crossed the front line. Since he promptly told everything, in early February a special KGB unit followed the group. Most likely they were dressed as Mansi hunters. The reason is trivial. The fact is that in these parts there was already a group of German saboteurs. All references to her are in the story about Operation Ulm. Here is the link to the material: "Operation Ulm, or German saboteurs in Tagil."All references to her are in the story about Operation Ulm. Here is the link to the material: "Operation Ulm, or German saboteurs in Tagil."All references to her are in the story about Operation Ulm. Here is a link to the material: "Operation Ulm, or German saboteurs in Tagil"
It is logical to imagine that having received information that a possible German saboteur is walking with Igor Dyatlov's group, as well as two nuclear engineers, the KGB began to act instantly. There was no particular time to check. Therefore, Dyatlov's group was simply beaten with rifle butts on the slope of a snow-covered mountain. All other actions were taken to remove suspicion from themselves. Apparently, later the Chekists realized that there was no saboteur there. This is how a legend appeared about a certain group of illegal scouts that killed tourists. Then the documents were finally destroyed, except for these mysterious copies. True, the ski tracks on the mountainside were not completely removed. They are on the photographs of the search works. Thus, it is understandable why this story has such secrecy. Addition. I found a very interesting find on this site russia-paranormal.org. It turns out in the German archive there is information about a prisoner of war sergeant named Alexander Zolotarev. Was released from captivity. On the forum of woodpeckers, this information was simply hesitated. But none of these sectarians noticed that the name of that Zolotarev was Alexander. Our Zolotarev was called that way everywhere. He did not like his real name Semyon. If this is true, then Zolotarev was in German captivity. Where, apparently, I got to study at the Abwehr intelligence school. Most likely on the instructions of the command of the Red Army.then Zolotarev was in German captivity. Where, apparently, I got to study at the Abwehr intelligence school. Most likely on the instructions of the command of the Red Army.then Zolotarev was in German captivity. Where, apparently, I got to study at the Abwehr intelligence school. Most likely on the instructions of the command of the Red Army.
Attention! In my work, I used materials that I found in the public domain. Articles from the publication "Komsomolskaya Pravda" Moldova for 2014. Works of the journalists of the edition Nikolai and Natalia Varsegovs, Moscow. Some of the photos I found on the site taina.li, as well as on the site "Russia is paranormal". Photos of the Dyatlov group and the search work of the spring of 1959 season, taken from open (hence from unauthorized) sources. All conclusions and substantiations of my version are my copyright and the fruit of my, personal, research on this topic.
Promotional video:
Semyon Zolotarev in 1950.
Lists of prisoners of war Soviet soldiers 26 in the list Alexander (Semyon) Zolotarev.
Perhaps this is a war photograph of Semyon Zolotarev.
A military school that Semyon Zolotarev graduated from.
Zolotarev's registration card (edition Komsomolskaya Pravda).
Semyon Zolotarev on the last trip.
Semyon Zolotarev before the war.
An abandoned house in the place of the last civilized camp of the Dyatlov group.
Footprints and skis at the site of the death of the Dyatlov group.
Traces in the place of death of tourists.
Archive documents:
Mine detectors were used to search for Dyatlov's group. Looking for mines ?!
Zolotarev Semyon's questionnaire.
Protocol of the search in the house of Zolotarev.
A denunciation by an informant about a meeting between Zolotarev and those who saw him at the Germans.
Kolevatov's sister announced the search for her brother. Panic arose, as they thought that he wanted to flee to the United States.
Document.
Report on KGB agents.
About sick Yudin.
Report on the route of a group of tourists.
About the scandal during the search for Dyatlov's group.
Inspection of the tent of the deceased group.
This is an order for the bounty hunters to find the still alive group of Igor Dyatlov.
Report of the former traitor to Zolotarev.
1570 battalion was destroyed during the fighting.
The combat path of Zolotarev. There are very big mistakes here.
Zolotarev's award list.
Top part of Zolotarev's premium sheet.
Report of the foreman on the Dyatlov group.
Valentin Degterev. Internet journalist. Specialization in the genre of searching for various artifacts
