Nationalities Policy in the Context of the War of 1941-1945: the Letters of Citizens to Public Authorities, the Search for Solutions to Problems

Abstract

The article deals with the letters of deportee ethnicities’ representatives to senior public authorities, which are considered as sources for the nationalities policy of the USSR during the War of 1941-1945. They represent the environment of those times and the urge of ethnic groups to develop ethic identity and return to their native place of residence. The discharge of civic duties was seen by everyone as showing personal interest and anxiety regarding their ethnicity, and expressing sympathy regarding the shared tragic experience. Many letters sent to government institution and directly to J. Stalin, L. Beria and others during the 1940s were charged with these particular concerns. Brief analysis of the contents and subject matter of the special settlers’ letters shows that their rich material expresses people’s concern about their difficult situation under the supervision of ‘spetskomandatura’ (special labour brigade). The priority issues of many letters were the interests of the state, its preservation and economic development. The authors paid interest to future organization of life after their release from special settlements, improvement of life conditions in state national autonomies, establishment of public authorities and parties, and youth associations. They were concerned about the improvement of education system, including in national languages, as well as the consolidation and reunification of special settlements’ families separated due to a variety of reasons. Of special interest is the level of interrelations and interperception between the ethnic groups who went through forced deportation. By communicating in the challenging conditions of special settlements they learned more about themselves in terms of culture, customs, traditions, and production skills. Without any doubt, this was beneficial for the ethnicities, making the society morally wealthier and more consolidated.