Vol. 3 No. 1 (2025)

Private archives and personal correspondence are an important historical source. On the eve of the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory, the author revisits documents from her family archive. The author’s family has its own hero — Leonid Vladimirovich Izvolensky, who fought in the war from 1941 to 1945 and finished it with the rank of Guards Senior Lieutenant. He was awarded two Orders of the Red Star, the Order of the Patriotic War 2nd Class, and medals for “The Liberation of Warsaw,” “The Capture of Berlin,” “The Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War of 1941—1945,” and “For Courage.” He wrote about his exploits in letters to his parents only once, and even then, not until August 1945. In his letters home, the soldier was concerned about his parents’ health and that of his sick sister, their food supply, living conditions, and so on. Life during the war was full of hardships and struggles, both at the front and on the home front. The people’s spirit of mutual support and solidarity gave them the strength to defeat fascism and preserve the relationships they had built. Letters as a historical source open up new topics for researchers of the Great Patriotic War — topics related to wartime daily life not only on the front lines but also on the home front, in every household, in every family

The article examines archival documents prepared by the NKVDNKGB of the USSR for local Soviet and party authorities to inform them on pressing issues during wartime (1941—1945). The author analyzes a series of special reports and memoranda compiled by Western Siberian security officers during the Great Patriotic War, reflecting various aspects of life and activities in the rear, such as public sentiment, fulfillment of timber procurement plans, and violations in the operations of state organizations. The reports also focused on the commissioning of evacuated defense plants, fulfillment of various production plans, and the fight against espionage, banditry, desertion, and other issues. The analysis of these documents leads to the conclusion that they provide a reliable and comprehensive reflection of the events, as the intelligence-derived data underwent multiple verifications and assessments before the final version of each document was prepared

The article examines the work of mass media in the country's rear areas. The territorial scope of the study is limited to Novosibirsk Oblast, which by the beginning of the war had become one of the largest raw material and industrial centers, and during the war years served as a relocation site for numerous industrial enterprises, material assets, and populations evacuated from western regions. The chronological framework covers the first month of the war (from June 23 to July 23, 1941). Using the regional newspaper “Soviet Siberia” (Novosibirsk) as an example, the article analyzes the activities of mass media during the initial period of the Great Patriotic War. Daily print publications became the primary means of disseminating information to the population and served as tools for agitation and propaganda. Other information sources were limited by wartime requirements concerning radio equipment usage and broadcasting schedules. Daily periodicals allowed for repeated access at readers' convenience. The outbreak of hostilities necessitated certain adjustments in periodical publications, including changes in content presentation and layout. The article examines modifications in the design, structure, and content of newspapers published during this period. The study concludes that there were two distinct stages in the newspaper's adaptation to wartime conditions. During the first stage (until June 15), the emphasis was on agitation and propaganda, characterized by the publication of historical materials and an increase in propaganda illustrations designed to foster confidence in an inevitable and imminent victory. This approach aligned with pre-war sentiments prevalent in the USSR. Subsequently, as enemy forces advanced deeper into the country, both the population and mass media adapted to wartime realities. The regional newspaper shifted its focus to topics such as economic development, increased military and agricultural production, and civil defense tasks, resulting in changes to layout and content presentation style

The article examines the initiatives of Siberian peoples during the Great Patriotic War. The entire population of the multiethnic Soviet state rose to defend the Motherland. Representatives of various nationalities, without waiting for mobilization, voluntarily submitted applications to join the Red Army. Based on an analysis of historical facts and ongoing efforts, the article argues that the patriotic movement to support the front became a nationwide cause. The slogan “Everything for the Front! Everything for Victory!” embodied the will of the Soviet people. The article describes popular initiatives in the region within the context of the struggle against fascism, including the organization of front-line work shifts and brigades, as well as the multi-machine operator movement. Collective farmers and state farm workers in Siberia's ethnic regions supplied the front and rear with food and raw materials, including products from traditional industries such as hunting and fishing. From the very beginning of the war, the movement to create and replenish the defense fund was universal. The article notes that the enemy's hopes — along with those of the few adherents of nationalist antagonism — were completely dashed. The sole nationalist, anti-Soviet uprising in Yakutia is described, emphasizing that the people did not support and condemned the adventurists. The fraternal unity of the USSR's peoples became one of the decisive factors in the victory over the German fascist invaders

The article analyzes the staffing levels of medical personnel (doctors, nurses, paramedics) in children's medical institutions (hospitals, outpatient clinics, medical districts) in urban and rural areas of Kuzbass during the Great Patriotic War and the postwar period. It examines attempts by local authorities and healthcare administrations to address the shortage of qualified medical staff. The study characterizes the prevalence of childhood diseases (particularly infectious ones) and associated mortality rates against the backdrop of a challenging epidemiological situation in the Kuzbass region, as well as the state of medical care for children, including minors in social and educational institutions. The author concludes that during the war years and the following decade, high childhood morbidity rates required consistent and decisive measures from party organizations, local authorities, and healthcare institutions to protect children's health. These efforts eventually led to reduced morbidity and mortality rates. By the late 1950s, many infectious diseases had been eradicated, and a comprehensive system for prevention, early detection, and diagnosis of childhood illnesses had been developed. However, the pediatrician shortage in Kuzbass persisted until the end of the 1950s due to the outflow of medical professionals to other regions. Local medical schools were unable to fully meet the region's demand for doctors. The article is based on documentary materials from the archives of Kemerovo Oblast

This article examines the work of orphanage staff in Novosibirsk during the Great Patriotic War (1941—1945), addressing a significant gap in historical scholarship regarding the contribution of childcare professionals in maintaining children's institutions in rear areas during and after the war. The study analyzes key aspects of staff activities, highlighting the unique challenges of their work and assessing their role in addressing wartime orphanhood and child welfare issues. The research explores organizational challenges, solutions to social and domestic problems, and the crucial role of orphanage staff in rehabilitating war-affected children. The mass evacuation of children from frontline areas to Novosibirsk, including many orphans, necessitated the rapid establishment of new orphanages. Staff faced the monumental task of building these institutions from the ground up: assembling teams, creating organizational structures, and securing basic necessities like food, clothing, and hygiene supplies. These efforts occurred amid severe shortages of qualified personnel, requiring staff to possess multidisciplinary expertise in pedagogy, medicine, and psychology to care for traumatized children needing special attention. Novosibirsk's wartime orphanage workers formed a diverse group whose collective dedication enabled the care and education of children under extreme conditions. Their professionalism and tireless efforts allowed for the rapid expansion of institutional networks that accommodated thousands of evacuated children, establishing foundations for their postwar upbringing. This historical investigation provides valuable insights into regional social history and the broader experience of childhood in the USSR. The findings significantly enhance our understanding of social work development in Novosibirsk and its critical role in protecting children during national crises

This article examines the organizational process of establishing the Department of Correctional Labor Colonies under the NKVD Administration for Kemerovo Region during wartime. It highlights the management's efforts to address related challenges: staffing provision, creating adequate detention conditions for special contingents (including housing, food supply, medical care), and utilizing prisoner labor. The study identifies primary causes of prisoner mortality: critically low food rations, intermittent food supply to certain camp units, and harsh labor conditions. It emphasizes the shortage of qualified personnel to maintain proper living, medical, and other conditions for special contingents, as well as the training of prisoners for industrial tasks. The research underscores the significance of agricultural land leasing and transferring special contingents to state farms for improving food supply to camp units and rehabilitating weakened prisoners. Efforts to enhance prisoners' living conditions are noted, including provisions of bedding and clothing supplies. Particular attention is given to utilizing special contingents as workforce for regional economic development. The study analyzes productivity enhancement methods, including inter-brigade and inter-camp competitions, where victory resulted in improved sanitary conditions or relaxed regimes for prisoners

During the Great Patriotic War, changes in natural and mechanical population movement were primarily driven by extreme wartime conditions and demands. While these issues have been repeatedly addressed in historiography, the regional aspect remains understudied. In this context, examining these processes in Kursk Region which found itself at the epicenter of the war, experiencing large-scale battles, enemy occupation, and other hardships is particularly significant. Moreover, the main burdens of the war fell on the collective farm population. An analysis of archival documents reveals the following: First, the birth rate dropped by more than threefold, falling significantly below mortality rates. Second, the number of working-age men drastically declined. Third, villages became predominantly "child and adolescent" communities, with over half of their population under eighteen years old. Additionally, the war accelerated the depeasantization of collective farm villages, as young people were pulled away from agricultural production and redirected to industrial work. Thus, the Great Patriotic War fundamentally altered the gender and age composition of Kursk's collective farm villages and hastened the transition of the regional and national economy from agrarian-industrial to industrial-agrarian

Soviet (Russian) Germans became the largest ethnic group forcibly relocated at the beginning of the Great Patriotic War from their settlements in the European part of the USSR (including the Volga region) to remote areas of the country (Siberia, Kazakhstan, etc.). Once free citizens, they were transformed into “special settlers,” a status that remained until 1955—1956. This article examines the fate of Russian Germans through the lens of Friedrich Friedrichovich Freiman's family. The research draws primarily on materials from family archives and regional archives of Kemerovo Oblast. These documents contain information that supplements known historical facts about German special settlers with important details, making the study of the Freiman family history particularly relevant. Personalized sources provide researchers with rich opportunities to explore various aspects of the life of the German population deported during the Great Patriotic War. The author notes that despite enduring severe hardships, some Germans maintained their resilience and love for their homeland, working heroically in the Siberian hinterland throughout the war and postwar years. Stories of individual families like the Freimans collectively form the history of an entire nation and its people. In conclusion, the author emphasizes the importance of carefully preserving family memories for future generations

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