State concern for the demobilized servicemen of the USSR Armed Forces as reflected in the documents of the State Archives of the Astrakhan region (July 1945–1946)

Abstract

The article analyzes the documents on the servicemen of the USSR Armed Forces demobilized after the end of the Great Patriotic War, which are kept in the funds of the State Archives of the Astrakhan region. The documents contain the information about the soldiers discharged in July 1945–1946 to the reserve in the Astrakhan region in the first-third order, who were the most numerous among the six waves of the demobilized. The papers encompass the information about the activities of the authorities in the reception and accommodation of the arriving soldiers, the assistance in finding employment and other support. The records show the dynamics of the number of the demobilized in 1944–1946, reveal their contribution to the migration process and to the provision of the Astrakhan region with labour resources. As far as their form is concerned, the documents represent the correspondence between the party representatives and the state authorities, the meetings’ minutes, resolutions, reports, and also the statistical information, certificates and analytical notes. Their analysis makes it possible to reconstruct the return and transition to peaceful life of the demobilized servicemen. The identified documents are being introduced into scientific circulation for the first time and will stimulate further research on the topic of the former war participants in the Astrakhan region. To date, that issue has never been investigated.