Upon Krivitsky 's return , Reiss composed a letter to the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union , addressed to Stalin and dated July 17 , 1937 . He returned the Order of the Red Banner with his letter , stating that to wear the medal " simultaneously with the hangmen of the best representatives of the Russian worker " was beneath his dignity . He went on to condemn the excesses of Stalin 's purges and the actions of Soviet state security services . He also declared " I am joining Trotsky and the Fourth International " . While criticizing Stalin and Yezhov , Reiss promised not to reveal any state security secrets
purges
Great Purge
Ignace Reiss