Kalybekova M.Ch.
Institute of Magistracy and Doctoral (PhD) of
Abay, Kazakhstan
Labor mobilization of special settlers in
THE GREAT PATRIOTIC WAR
The theme of camp
economy is one of taboo problems. For long decades, the history of creation and
activities of the Labor Army and the specific contribution of its members to
increase the military power of Soviet Union remained impersonal. This theme has
been considered only in the general context of the history of rear units and
labor heroism of the people for the Victory, dissolving into the general
concept "labor front." Deliberately the brinks were blurred and sink:
who, when and under what legal status was involved to work in Labor Army, also
as the scope and results of operations of employees. But over time the concept
of "Labor Army" had disappeared from using, because it was considered
that during the war heroically labored all people, from young to old ones. Especially
the difficult trials endured to the special settlers, who in war were
considered by the state as the cheapest labor. They formed the backbone of the
mobilized to the "labor army." Labor army was fanatic invention of
the Peoples Commissariat of Internal Affairs (PCIA), who allowed to double the
free labor camp by prisoners, innocent, but relegated to the status of
prisoners and detainees. Special settlers were sent to the most labor areas,
primarily in the construction of major objects of defense such as railroads,
mines and enterprises. By the resolution ¹ 492 Council of People's
Commissars of USSR dated the 26th September, 1942 "About the
allocation of labor power of work on oil pipeline construction… and
construction of Kazahstanneftekombinat", 2350 working persons (including
evacuees) was drawn, in Order of Labor Service. Given the special position of
the stress with the loading of coal in Karaganda region, were also mobilized
1,000 people. From the man "unfit to serve in the Red Army, but suitable
to physical work (including at least 30%) were involved in underground work in
mines, for working at enterprises and People’s Commissariat of Non- Ferrous
Metals(PCNFM) and People’s Commissariat of Construction (PCC) of by order ¹ 512-98s Council of People's
Commissars CEB [1]. Also, 2250 men were mobilized for work on power plants and
construction sites of People Commissariat, 1000 men to trust of
"Pribalhashstroy" for work on the construction of the Balkhash
copper-smelting plant, 1,800 men for work in factories and construction sites [2]. In 1934 the
People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs (PCIA) was founded, to the structure
of which passed General Directorate of Corrective Labor Camps, Labor
settlements and places of detention. By 1941, the last identified a number of
divisions, at first glance quite civil with acronyms General Directorate of the
railway construction camps and General Directorate of Camps highway and road
construction, etc. To the content of the General Directorate of Corrective
Labor Camps, Labor settlements and places of detention were included
specialized management such as: industrial and special construction (aluminum,
paper, cement factories, defense facilities, etc.), mining industry, fuel
industry management, etc. [3]. General
Directorate of Corrective Labor Camps, Labor settlements and places of
detention remained punitive power authority, at the same time taking on the
functions of farm and economic departments. By the beginning of the Great
Patriotic War General Directorate of Corrective Labor Camps, Labor settlements
and places of detention became the largest industrial and construction office
and during the war on its construction sites and industrial facilities the
prisoners and the work mobilized people were working. During the war, by the
special resolution of the Soviet government, troops from the special settlers
and a local population were mobilized to work in industry and major
construction projects. In
the first years the main large group of mobilized contented the Germans, the
male part of which is fully recruited into the labor army. Soon, as the
archival documents was affirmed in, due to labor shortages started to recruit
women. According to these documents: «mobilized to the labor front, all
physically fit to work" the Germans and the German women ", provided
food and warm clothes for 10 days" [4]. In 1943-1944 with the arrival of
the special settlers to Kazakhstan from the North Caucasus labor reserve has
been increased. Work mobilized
people located in designated "zones" with fences, with armed guards
and manned gates. They were ruled by commandant of the Directorate of
Corrective Labor Camps, Labor settlements and places of detention. In
the prewar and war periods policy of the Soviet state has tightened and has
been directed to "physical labor of camp power can be max used in any
industry" [5]. The Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the
USSR dated 5th of June,1939 is evidenced "About the camps of
the Directorate of Corrective Labor Camps, Labor settlements and places of
detention of USSR", which informs
that, first of all, should abandon of the system of parole of camp contingent
and that the convicted person serving a sentence in the Directorate of
Corrective Labor Camps, Labor settlements and places of detention, must serve
the sentence of punishment in full, also should offer to organs of the Court
and to the Prosecutor's Office to stop investigating cases directed to parole
from camps, and Directorate of Corrective Labor Camps, Labor settlements and
places of detention had to stop the practice of offsets one working day for
two. To raise the incentive to increase productivity, for individual producers,
giving high rates of labor productivity were established "cash bonuses,
expanded camp regime with the general improvement of their domestic
situation" [5, L.5]. And refer to individual prisoners, giving high rates
of labor during prolonged residence time in the camps, were allowed parole, but
only by the decision of the Board of the Directorate of Corrective Labor Camps,
Labor settlements and places of detention and on the Soviet special meeting by
request of the camp commander and chief of the political camps. As for the
shirkers, conscientious objectors to work and disorganizers of production were
applied to severe coercion: double camp mode, lock-up, the worst material
conditions of life and other disciplinary measures. To the most malignant
disorganizers of camp life and production were used more severe judicial
punishment, and in some cases, it was the death penalty. In Decree notes that
providing labor camp with food and clothing for using the max physical ability
of people for any production [5, L.6]. To the end of 1942 in Kazakhstan was
more than 30 commissariats and series of Soviet institution (district council,
rural councils, People's Court and newspapers), where were employed on the
works of 60 293 persons (men - 27 820, women - 28 398, and adolescents from 14
to 16 years - 4075) [6]. In addition
to these Commissariats at the end of 1943 there was added another organization
- Defense building, which included: Tagillag, Altaylag, Karagandaugol,
Kuzbassugol, Bogoslavlag, Glavneft station Bokan and other defense organizations,
where were involved 15 767 people. So,
from 145 329 special settlers in total 76 060 men worked in the Commissariat,
who with all the workers of the enterprises participate equally in the
employment rise of the masses. During the
Great Patriotic War, its extraordinary value acquired training of qualified
workers for industry and transportation. From the first days of war the state
labor reserves were a form of replenishment of the working class, in this
system was carried out extensive training of qualified personnel for key
industries, transport and construction. The mobilization of young people to the
Schools of factory training, to craft and railway schools were conducted in the
same way as the mobilization to labor army - on the basis of government
documents. For example, the Resolution ¹ 27s of the CPC and the Communist Party
(b) of the Kazakh SSR dated 27th of February, 1943 "About the
next calling of young people to schools of factory training, craft and railway
schools (factory trained), which informed:" To require the Office of the
Republican of labor force to send 12,700 people from city, from collective and
youth from other farm, for learning in schools of factory training, craft and
railway schools to the March 1943 year
"[7]. In
schools of factory training young males aged 15-17 and females aged 16-18
years, and to craft and railway schools encourages a male aged 14-15 and women
15-16 years were encouraged. Along with the local residents were called
children of the special settlers. Order
of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of USSR ¹ 0205 dated 11th July,
1946 informed about dismissal of the camps Interior civilian workers, including
the special settlers. By this order, were canceled the formerly established
procedure for sending the Germans and other nationalities after completion of
their punishment to a column operating a labor camp of MIA. Now, after the
completion of punishment by prisoners (citizens of the USSR) they were directed
for living: a) Germans were sent to the place of settlement of this
nationality, specified in the special directive of the General Directorate of
Corrective Labor Camps, Labor settlements and places of detention and the
Ministry of Internal Affairs CAP of USSR; b)
The Finns, Romanians, Italians, Hungarians and Bulgarians were sent to the
places their families residence, with strict adherence of security limitations; c) Kalmyk,
Chechen, Ingush, Karachay, Balkar, Crimean Tatars, Crimean Bulgarians, Greeks and
Armenians were sent to the area, provided in special directive of the General
Directorate of Corrective Labor Camps, Labor settlements and places of
detention and chipboard Interior of the USSR. So,
the special settlers were remained disadvantaged category of the population
until the middle of 50s. They made up the main labor force. An organized
enrolment of employees among the special settlers carried out to the coal and
mining industries, construction and agriculture, to the development of virgin
and fallow lands.