The Revived from Oblivion: Struggling for Historical Memory of the 110th Kalmyk Cavalry Division. Part 2

Introduction. The article aims to analyze the historiography and history of the 110th Kalmyk Cavalry Division, the only ethnic military unit (largely staffed by Kalmyks) that fought at the front during the Great Patriotic War. While the division is worthy of memory and respect for its contribution to the battle against the enemy, its history was surrounded with defamatory myths that have nothing in common with real events. Granted the disappearance of most of the Division’s documents handed over to the archives, it has taken several decades to objectively study its history. Materials and methods. Besides the historical-genetic method, which was the principal one for the present research, historical-systemic and historical-comparative methods were used. The sources were books and articles, office documentation and correspondence from various archival repositories, personal correspondence and memoirs of the veterans of the 110th Kalmyk Cavalry Division, as well as of the researchers of its history. Results. The article is a consistent examination of the historiography of the subject; this may be divided into five stages designated in the article as i) a period of silence and lies (1943–1957), ii) a period of ‘sporadic’ searches (1957–1967), iii) a period of active scientific work (1967–1977), iv) a period of indifference (1977–2011), and v) a period of new scholarly interest in the subject (2011–present). The Kalmyk Cavalry Division has long been an object of defamatory insinuations and calumny when it was accused of ”unreliability”, denounced as ”a gang” or even as German collaborators; these had clearly political implications. Meanwhile, the study of the history of the Division was seriously complicated by the loss of most of its documents although after its disbandment these were handed over according to the inventory along with the banners. Also, this interfered with the process of preserving the historical memory of the only ethnic formation that fought against the enemy during the Great Patriotic War. Hence, the difficulty that the scholars in the field have had to overcome was immense. The second part of the article describes the forth and fifth stages. Conclusions. The historiography associated with the studies of the history of the Kalmyk Cavalry Division may be described as a difficult and winding path, with periods of both indifference and activation that had to be overcome. However, in the course of a long struggle, justice was restored, and the historical memory of the Kalmyk Division was returned to the people.

1. OBD Memorial Open Access Online Database.

2. OBD Podvig Naroda Open Access Online Database.

3. Alekseeva P. E., Bayanova A. T., Zayarny S. A., Lantsanova L. Yu. (comps.) Soldiers of the Victory. Vol. II: 110th Separate Kalmyk Cavalry Division. List of Names. 2nd ed., rev. and suppl. Elista: Kalmyk Humanities Research Institute (RAS), 2015. 373 p. (In Russ.)

4. Alekseeva P. E., Lantsanova L. Yu. (comps.) Soldiers of the Victory. Vol. II: 110th Separate Kalmyk Cavalry Division. List of Names. Elista: Kalmykia Book Publ., 2007. 272 p. (In Russ.)

5. Bimbaev M. T. My Military Life. Elista: Kalmykia Book Publ., 1983. 156 p. (In Russ.)

6. Nimeeva N. S., Mandzhieva L. V. Kalmykia in the Great Patriotic War of 1941–1945: A Retrospective Bibliographic Guide. Elista: Dzhangar, 2010. 800 p. (In Russ.)

7. Opalev A. V. et al. The Great Patriotic War of 1941–1945. In 12 vols. Vol. 6: Secret War. Intelligence and Counterintelligence during the Great Patriotic War. S. Smirnov et al. (eds.). Moscow: Kuchkovo Pole, 2013. 864 p. (In Russ.)

8. Zagorulko M. M. (ed.) The Battle of Stalingrad, July 1942 – February 1943: Encyclopedia. 5th ed., rev. and suppl. Volgograd: Izdatel, 2012. 800 p. (In Russ.)

9. Zhuravlev S. V. et al. The Great Patriotic War of 1941–1945. In 12 vols. Vol. 10: Government, Society and War. Yu. Petrov et al. (eds.). Moscow: Kuchkovo Pole, 2014. 864 p. (In Russ.)

10. Agarkov B. And battle thundered. Sovetskaya Kalmykiya. 1982, July 16. No. 137. (In Russ.)

11. Agarkov B. Flames over the Don. Sovetskaya Kalmykiya. 1984, November 27. No. 228. (In Russ.)

12. Bimbaev M. Combat path of division. Khalmg ünn. 1986, May 9. No. 95. (In Kalm.)

13. Bimbaev M. Defending Don land. Khalmg ünn. 1987, July 17. No. 139. (In Kalm.)

14. Bykov M. A bow to Russia’s soldier. Primorskie izvestiya. 1992, May 9. No. 54. (In Russ.)

15. Bykov M. Comrade, friend, commander. Primorskie izvestiya. 1994, September 6. No. 72. (In Russ.)

16. Bykov M. Meeting with past. Primorskie izvestiya. 1995, March 21. No. 33. (In Russ.)

17. Ilishkin N. About friends, comrades. Sovetskaya Kalmykiya. 1987, December 29. (In Russ.)

18. Ilishkin N. Name never to be forgotten. Khalmg ünn. 1980, May 9. No. 93. (In Kalm.)

19. Ilishkin N. Teacher’s path of valor. Khalmg ünn. 1981, December 16. No. 240. (In Kalm.)

20. Ilishkin N. That can never be forgotten: Celebrating 40th anniversary of 110th Cavalry Division’s baptism by fire. Sovetskaya Kalmykiya. 1982, July 17. No. 138. (In Russ.)

21. Ippolitova N. In the Don and Volga. Khalmg ünn. 1998, May 13. No. 84. (In Russ.)

22. Kichikov M. Hot days of July 1942: Celebrating 50th anniversary of 110th Division’s battles on the Don. Izvestiya Kalmykii. 1992, July 22. No. 134. (In Russ.)

23. Alekseeva P. E. 110th Cavalry Division: Historical sources reviewed. In: The Great Patriotic War. Events, Personalities, Chronicles. Elista: Dzhangar, 2001. Pp. 225–233. (In Russ.)

24. Alekseeva P. E. 110th Cavalry Division: Historical Sources Reviewed. Album. Elista: Dzhangar, 2002. 11 p. (In Russ.)

25. Belousov S. S. Defensive battles in the Lower Don, spring and autumn of 1942: Memoirs by soldiers of the 110th Kalmyk Cavalry Division. In: Great Patriotic War in Russia’s Social Historical Memory. Conference proceedings (Rostov-on-Don, Taganrog; April 28–29, 2010). Rostov-on-Don: Southern Scientific Center (RAS), 2010. Pp. 225–231. (In Russ.)

26. Guchinova E.-B. Kalmuk Road: History, Culture and Identity in the U.S. Kalmyk Community. St. Petersburg: Aletheia, 2004. 328 p. (In Russ.)

27. Ilishkin N. U., Oglaev Yu. O. Motherland Remembers. Elista: Kalmykia Book Publ., 1988. 220 p. (In Russ.)

28. Khomutnikov Kh. P. 110th Kalmyk Cavalry Division: Provocations, falsifications, and lies. Magna adsurgit: historia studiorum. 2016. No. 2. Pp. 47–61. (In Russ.)

29. Khomutnikov Kh. P. A Prominent Son of the Kalmyk People. Elista: Gerel, 2012. 24 p. (In Russ.)

30. Khomutnikov Kh. P. Life and Fate in the Years of Repression. Elista: Dzhangar, 2013. 108 p. (In Russ.)

31. Khomutnikov Kh. P. They Were Fighting for Motherland. Elista: Dzhangar, 2016. 144 p. (In Russ.)

32. Ochirov U. B. Efficiency of ethnic cavalry divisions during the Great Patriotic War: Myths and realities. Magna adsurgit: historia studiorum. 2016. No. 2. Pp. 8–23. (In Russ.)

33. Ochirov U. B. Investigating Kalmykia’s history during the Russian Civil and Great Patriotic Wars: The impact of P. E. Alekseeva. Mongolian Studies. 2019. No. 16. Pp. 23–47. (In Russ.) DOI: 10.22162/2500-1523-2019-1-23-47

34. Ochirov U. B. Soldiers of the 110th Kalmyk Cavalry Division in Shirokovsky forced labor camp: A statistical study. Magna adsurgit: historia studiorum. 2019. No. 1. Pp. 23–35. (In Russ.)

35. Ochirov U. B. Swindler in fight: N. L. Ivanov’s military biography. History: Facts and Symbols. 2018. No. 4 (17). Pp. 120–130. (In Russ.)

36. Ochirov U. B. The formation of 110th and 111th Kalmyk Cavalry divisions: Documents of the Kalmyk ASSR Council of People’s Commissars reviewed. Bulletin of the Kalmyk Scientific Center of the RAS. 2017. No. 1 (1). Pp. 24–82. (In Russ.)

37. Ochirov U. B. The Formation of the 110th and 111th Kalmyk Cavalry Divisions in 1941–1942: Difficulties and results. The New Historical Bulletin. 2017. No. 4 (54). Pp. 55–70. (In Russ.)

38. Ochirov U. B., Zayarny S. A. They Stayed Faithful to the Oath: The Formation and Campaign Record of the 110th Kalmyk Cavalry Division. Vol. I. Elista: Kalmyk Scientific Center (RAS), 2018. 528 p. (In Russ.)

39. Ochirov U. B., Zayarny S. A. They Stayed Faithful to the Oath: The Formation and Campaign Record of the 110th Kalmyk Cavalry Division. Vol. II. Elista: Kalmyk Scientific Center (RAS), 2018. 524 p. (In Russ.)

40. Shantaev B. A. Formation of the 110th Kalmyk Cavalry Division revisited: An insight into historical materials from Kalmykia’s National Archive. Magna adsurgit: historia studiorum. 2016. No. 2. Pp. 70–87. (In Russ.)

41. Zayarny S. A. 110th Kalmyk Cavalry Division: New data about battles on the Don. Magna adsurgit: historia studiorum. 2016. No. 2. Pp. 24–46. (In Russ.)

42. Zayarny S. A., Ochirov U. B. 110th Kalmyk Cavalry Division: Actions in the Nogay Steppe, September 1942. In: The Caucasus World. Education, Language, Literature, History and Religion. Jubilee conference proceedings (Grozny; September 25–26, 2018). Makhachkala: Alef, 2018. pp. 163–172. (In Russ.)

43. Zayarny S. A., Ochirov U. B. 110th Kalmyk Cavalry Division: Tactical withdrawal after battles on the Don, July 1942. Magna adsurgit: historia studiorum. 2017. No. 1. Pp. 111–120. (In Russ.)

44. Zayarny S. A., Ochirov U. B. 110th Kalmyk Cavalry Division: Tactical withdrawal of key units from the Manych to the Terek. August 1942. Magna adsurgit: historia studiorum. 2018. No. 2. Pp. 99–132. (In Russ.)

45. Zayarny S. A., Ochirov U. B. 292nd Cavalry Regiment: Battles near Maykop, August 1942. Magna adsurgit: historia studiorum. 2018. No. 1. Pp. 111–137. (In Russ.) DOI: 10.22162/2541-9749-2018-5-1-111-137

46. Zayarny S. A., Ochirov U. B. Panzergrenadier Division Großdeutschland against 110th Kalmyk Cavalry Division. Magna adsurgit: historia studiorum. 2017. No. 2. Pp. 38–68. (In Russ.) DOI: 10.22162/2541-9749-2017-4-2-38-68

47. Zayarny S. A., Ochirov U. B. The ‘runaway’ 110th Kalmyk Cavalry Division: The reality of the war and historical myth. The New Historical Bulletin. 2018. No. 4 (58). Pp. 34–62. (In Russ.)

48. Zayarny S. A., Ochirov U. B. The 110th Separate Kalmyk Cavalry Division in the defensive battles for Don River crossings and its role in the rescue of some Sothern Front units in the summer of 1942. Bulletin of the Kalmyk Institute for Humanities of the RAS (Oriental Studies). 2017. No. 6. Pp. 41–59. (In Russ.) DOI: 10.22162/2075-7794-2017-34-6-43-61