Obliskomzap (), short for Regional Executive Committee of the Soviets of Workers, Soldiers and Peasants Deputies of the Western Region and Front (), was an organ for Soviet power in the Western Region (from September 1918, the Western Commune) claiming governing authority in the Belarusian lands not under German or Austro-Hungarian occupation from late 1917 throughout 1918. It was to function as the highest body of legislative power, between the holding of congresses of soviets, in Vitebsk Governorate, Mogilev Governorate, Minsk Governorate, Vilna Governorate (except areas under German occupation) and Smolensk Governorate (the latter was included in April 1918). A Regional Council of People's Commissars was formed as the corresponding executive branch of government.
Formation of Obliskomzap
The formation of Obliskomzap was preceded by the Regional Congress of Soviets of Worker and Soldiers Deputies, the Second Congress of Soldier Deputies of the Armies of the Western Front and the Third Congress of Soviets of Peasant Deputies of Minsk and Vilna Governorates. These three platforms merged into one through the formation of Obliskomzap. The agreement was that Obliskomzap would consist of 100 representatives from the Front Committee of the Western Front, 35 representatives from the Executive Committee of the Regional Congress of Soviets of Workers and Soldiers Deputies, 35 representatives from the executive committee of the Regional Congress of Soviets of Peasants Deputies, 11 representatives from trade unions, 4 representatives from the Railway Workers Union and 2 representatives from the Post and Telecommunication Employees Union. There were however several vacant seats in the new governing body - at the formation of Obliskomzap the Regional Congress of Soviets had left 18 seats vacant to be able to accommodate new soviets in the future. Most of the trade unions affiliated with the Central Bureau of Trade Unions did not send any representatives to Obliskomzap, nor did the unions of railway workers and employees of the Libau–Romny Railway and the Aleksandrovskaya Railway or the Post and Telegraph Employees Union. Obliskomzap lacked representatives from the Vitebsk and Mogilev governorates.
At the time of its formation Obliskomzap consisted of 113 Bolsheviks, 24 Left Socialist-Revolutionaries, 6 Right Socialist-Revolutionaries, 4 Mensheviks, 3 Menshevik-Internationalists and 2 Poale-Zionists. Among the Bolsheviks, the vast majority (80 members) represented the Front Committee of the Western Front.
First plenary and election of the Obliskomzap Presidium
The first plenary of Obliskomzap was held in Minsk on November 26 (December 9), 1917. A five-member Presidium was elected, consisting of (chairman), (deputy chairman), P. I. Kozlov (deputy chairman), P. Osipov (secretary) and (secretary). The deputy chairman Kozlov belonged to the Left Socialist-Revolutionaries, the other four Presidium members were Bolsheviks. From January 17 (30), 1918 the chairmanship of the Presidium of Obliskomzap was taken over by Alexander Miasnikian.
Regional Council of People's Commissars
Fifteen departments were instituted, including the Departments for Military Affairs, Internal Affairs, Food, Nationalities, Land, Labour, Industry and Trade, Public Education, Justice, Railways, Public Charity and Post and Telegraphs. Each department was to be headed by a People's Commissar. A Regional Council of People's Commissars of the Western Region and Front was set up, modelled after the Council of People's Commissars of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic. The Regional Council of People's Commissars was chaired by Kārlis Landers, who was also in charge of Internal Affairs. Other People's Commissars named were Miasnikian (Military Affairs), (Food); Innokenty Fedenev (Finance), (Nationalities), Alibegov (Labour), N. M. Daineko (Land), Vasily Freiman (Industry) and (Education). Daineko represented the Left Socialist-Revolutionaries in the Regional Council of People's Commissars. Berson had been a member of the Minsk Branch Bureau of the Social Democracy of the Kingdom of Poland and Lithuania, but joined the Bolsheviks in October 1917. Other People's Commissars hailed from Bolshevik ranks. The posts for People's Commissars for the Postal and Railways departments were left vacant for their respective trade unions.