LABOR CONTRIBUTION OF DEPORTED SOVIET GERMANS TO VICTORY IN THE GREAT PATRIOTIC WAR: THE STORY OF FRIEDRICH FRIEDRICHOVICH FREIMAN'S FAMILY

Abstract

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