THE LABOR OF SOVIET GERMANS DEPORTED TO NOVOSIBIRSK OBLAST DURING THE GREAT PATRIOTIC WAR AND POSTWAR PERIOD

Abstract

This article examines the daily lives of Soviet Germans mobilized for labor duty in Novosibirsk and Novosibirsk Oblast during the Great Patriotic War. Despite their special status as a restricted population group subjected to forced labor, Russian Germans contributed to the collective Victory alongside other Soviet citizens. The study explores several key themes: the reception and resettlement of Germans deported from central USSR regions, living conditions of German families in Novosibirsk, and their participation in industrial and agricultural labor. Particular attention is given to the formation of German labor settlements within the city and their everyday existence. Beyond archival documents, the research incorporates photographic materials that help reconstruct fragments of German community life. Many descendants of these deportees continue to live compactly in Novosibirsk's left bank districts. Recognizing the importance of preserving historical memory, young Russian Germans are currently compiling materials from global sources to create a Memorial Book documenting their community's history in Novosibirsk Oblast. The article introduces previously understudied archival sources, personal recollections, and materials from special settler files into scholarly discourse