GB

Common abbreviation of the Russian term “gosudarstvennaja bezopasnost’” (state security), designating a) the general notion of state security, b) government security agencies, and c) the ranks of government security officers from 1935 to 1945. These ranks were introduced in November 1935 for the officers of the GUGB NKVD and differed from those in the army. For example, “Senior Lieutenant GB” was equivalent to an army “Major”, “Captain GB,” to Colonel, and “Major GB,” to Combrig, etc.