 DATE: The movie covers the years 1939 to Stalins death in 1953.  However, it constantly refers to the KGB, an organization that did  not come into existence until 1954. Until then the USSR security  service was known by a variety of names, most notably the NKVD  (Narodny Komisariat Vnutrennykh Del or Peoples Commissariat of  Internal Affairs) between 1934 and 1943. It is this organization  that Ivan would have joined in 1939. However, the sign on the NKVD  headquarters in the film does read "NKVD" not "KGB". This refers  only to foreign versions of movie, because in russian version names  are correct. "NKVD" is used in early scenes and "MGB" in 50s.