Vol 46, No 2 (2024)
HISTORIOGRAPHY, SOURCE STUDIES, METHODS OF HISTORICAL RESEARCH
NIKOLAY GOLOVIN ON RUSSIA’S PARTICIPATION IN THE FIRST WORLD WAR: ORIGINS OF THE INSTITUTIONAL APPROACH
Abstract
The article analyzes the views of the Russian military emigrant Nikolay Nikolaevich Golovin on Rus-sia’s participation in the First World War. The analysis tool is the institutional theory, which involves identifying therelationship between the most important public spheres: political, military, economic, and social institutions reflected inhis works, and allows us to evaluate their influence on the nature of the military struggle against the bloc of the CentralPowers. The purpose of the work is to find an answer to the question of how, from Golovin’s point of view, the institu-tions of the Russian Empire in the early XX century determined the possibilities of its military confrontation with itsopponents during the First World War. The author characterizes the main theoretical principles through which the viewsof the Russian military leader were constituted, and demonstrates the influence of domestic military thought, Germanmilitary theory and the sociological ideas of Pitirim Alexandrovich Sorokin on their formation. Characterizing Golo-vin’s evaluations of the aforementioned institutions, the researcher emphasizes the military theorist and practitioner’sdeep understanding of their general inconsistency with the qualitatively new conditions of waging a war which the en-tire country was drawn into. As a result, the author comes to the conclusion that the situation with state, military, social,and economic institutions on the eve of the world conflict described by the former general of the Russian Imperial Armywas a serious obstacle to achieving strategic success in the war. This was due to the fact that the system rooted in thepast forms and, accordingly, functioning well during the previous wars, was completely inconsistent with a new type of war involving an armed people. This logic led the former general to recognize the unresolved contradiction between the old forms of state and a new large-scale type of armed conflict, which eventually caused the revolution.
Proceedings of Petrozavodsk State University. 2024;46(2):8-17
8-17
RUSSIAN HISTORY
COOPERATIVE MOVEMENT IN KOSTROMA PROVINCE DURING WORLD WAR I
Abstract
Cooperative organizations played a significant role in Russian society during the First World War, en-compassing various aspects ranging from economic to cultural and educational domains. These cooperatives playeda crucial role in facilitating the country’s transition into the war era and mitigating the impact of the crisis resultingfrom external factors. By addressing the soaring cost of food and facilitating the production of goods for both the armyand the local population, cooperatives made these essential resources more accessible to the general public. Hence, thisstudy aims to analyze the activities of credit, consumer, and production cooperatives specifically within the KostromaProvince throughout the First World War. It explores the primary operational avenues pursued by cooperative organi-zations in the province and illuminates the challenges they encountered. This analysis enables an understanding of thecooperatives’ precise contributions to both the frontline and the civilian population during this turbulent period in thecountry’s history. It is crucial to note that this topic has not been extensively researched within historiography, thus highlighting the article’s scientific novelty. The problem-chronological and historical-system methods were employed to examine the genesis of the state and development of cooperation during the First World War.
Proceedings of Petrozavodsk State University. 2024;46(2):18-24
18-24
PARTICIPATION OF COOPERATIVE ORGANIZATIONS IN CINEFICATION OF KARELIA IN THE 1920S
Abstract
The article highlights the role of cooperative unions in the cinefication of the region in the 1920s, andexamines the place of consumer cooperatives in this process. The relevance of the topic is determined by the lack ofstudies on this issue. The scientific novelty of the article lies in the fact that the participation of cooperative associationsin organizing film shows in the cities and villages of Karelia in the 1920s is considered for the first time. The purposeand objectives of the publication are to consider the work of cooperative organizations in Karelia to “promote” cinemato grassroots consumer societies in the 1920s, to identify the state of the local cooperative cinema network, to outlinethe main indicators of its development during the first five-year plan, to determine the working conditions of projec-tionists in rural areas, and to highlight issues of training for the cooperative cinema network. Based on archival docu-ments, the study revealed that in the first half of the 1920s, in order to serve rural areas, the leadership of the People’sCommissariat for Education of Karelia sought to increase the number of film exhibitions through financial assistancefrom cooperatives. The board of the Karelo-Prionezhsky Union of Consumer Cooperation (Karonegsoyuz) expressedinterest in purchasing mobile cinema installations. The concentration of funds allocated for cultural work by grassrootsconsumer societies contributed to the purchase of new film projectors, which made it possible to hold film shows onthe periphery of the Karonegsoyuz. Cooperative unions took part in film services for peasants, fishermen, and loggers.Films about cooperation contributed to the indoctrination of cooperative ideas. Projectionists from the Karonegsoyuztook an active part in cooperative agitation and propaganda. The significance of the film work of the cooperative unions of Karelia lies in the fact that it contributed to raising people’s awareness about various cultural innovations and the mere concept of cinema, a great technical invention of the time, and encouraged their interest in cinema as an art form
Proceedings of Petrozavodsk State University. 2024;46(2):25-37
25-37
SUMA PARISH SCHOOL AND ITS ROLE IN EDUCATING THE KOLA DEANERY CLERICS IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF THE XIX CENTURY
Abstract
This article presents the first-of-its-kind analysis of the Suma Parish School, which was established inSumsky Posad village in the Kemsky Uyezd of the Arkhangelsk Province during the ecclesiastical school reform ini-tiated by Alexander I. It assesses the role played by this institution in educating clerics from the parishes in the KolaDeanery. The primary sources for this study were the documents from the National Archives of the Republic of Karelia,specifically, decrees issued by the Arkhangelsk Ecclesiastical Consistory and the official correspondence exchangedbetween the caretaker of the Suma Parish School and the rector of the Arkhangelsk Uyezd School. The national reg-ulations for organizing the educational process, formulated by a special Synod commission, were adjusted to suit thecircumstances of the sparsely populated northern province. Notably, the Suma school provided primary theologicaleducation to the children of clerics both from the Kem and Kola uyezds, as the intended educational institution in Kolacity was not opened due to the limited number of local parishes. Since the Suma school existed only for a short periodfrom 1809 to 1814, it was unable to fully address the pressing issue of training literate clergy for rural parishes in theKola Deanery. Nevertheless, the knowledge acquired at this school enabled its students to assume clerical positions.Eventually, the institution was closed due to a decline in student enrollment. Through the case study of the Suma school, this article sheds light on the prevailing challenges in primary theological education within the Arkhangelsk Diocese during the first quarter of the XIX century.
Proceedings of Petrozavodsk State University. 2024;46(2):38-44
38-44
TRAINING SYSTEM FOR TOURISM PERSONELL IN KARELIA OF THE 1980s
Abstract
Recently, the examination of the history of Soviet tourism has gained more significance and relevancedue to the necessity of involving young people and providing tourism with qualified professionals. During the Sovietera, all republics within the Soviet Union had an ongoing program for training public personnel in amateur tourism,such as hiking leaders, tourism instructors, and sports referees. This article presents, for the first time, an analysis of thedocuments from the Karelian Regional Council on Tourism and Excursions, with the objective of studying the trainingsystem for tourism personnel in Karelia between 1981 and 1986. The research materials used in this study comprise ad-ministrative documentation and organizational records obtained from the local tourism management authority, as wellas oral history materials personally collected by the author. The study demonstrates that the public activity of touristclubs played a crucial role in the development of amateur tourism, and the management of state-sponsored tourism was a unique system of collaboration between the government and the public, which significantly contributed to the overall development of amateur tourism.
Proceedings of Petrozavodsk State University. 2024;46(2):45-51
45-51
STAFFING OF SOVIET JUSTICE AUTHORITIES IN THE KOLA NORTH DURING THE 1920S (ANALYZING THE MATERIALS FROM THE MURMANSK REGION)
Abstract
The formation and personnel composition of Soviet justice authorities in the Kola North have receivedlimited attention in the existing scientific literature. Nonetheless, understanding these aspects is important for further re-search. This article examines the personnel situation that emerged during the establishment of Soviet justice institutes inthe Kola North in the 1920s, utilizing fragmentary archival material from the State Archives of the Murmansk Region.Specifically, it examines the composition of the initial Soviet local justice authorities, such as the Murmansk DistrictBureau of Justice, Arkhangelsk Provincial Department of Justice, Murmansk Provincial Department of Justice, and thecourts. It also investigates the level of competence and education of the staff, as well as the challenges that hinderedtheir professional activities. The article concludes by reflecting on the influence of the region’s challenging social andgeopolitical circumstances during the studied period, which resulted in the hiring of personnel lacking proper educa-tion, relevant qualifications, and work experience in specialized institutions. Additionally, it addresses the challenges of adapting specialists sent from other regions. Notably, the process of staffing the justice agencies of the Kola North with specialized professionals and establishing local training initiatives only began to take shape in the 1930s.
Proceedings of Petrozavodsk State University. 2024;46(2):52-63
52-63
VII INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH AND PRACTICAL CONFERENCE “PETROZAVODSK – THE CITY OF MILITARY GLORY: THE REGIONAL DIMENSION OF RUSSIA’S MILITARY HISTORY”
A LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF SOVIET COUNTERINTELLIGENCE: THE FATE OF SPY VASILY KIRILLOV
Abstract
This article provides an analysis on the life and experiences of Vasily Ageevich Kirillov, a behind-the-front-line intelligence officer stationed on the Karelian Front during World War II. The research is based on archival documents obtained from the Archive of the Directorate of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation for the Republic of Karelia. These documents, some of which were declassified and introduced into scholarly circulation in2023, serve as the primary sources for this study. The article discusses various forms and techniques used in Kirillov’straining by the Soviet military counterintelligence, as well as his deployment behind enemy lines. A significant focus isplaced on evaluating the effectiveness of Kirillov’s intelligence activities in hostile territories. The article acknowledgesthe challenges and intricacies faced by intelligence officers during the positional war between the USSR and Finlandfrom 1941 to 1944. Furthermore, this research investigates the circumstances surrounding Kirillov’s conviction in 1944 and subsequent exoneration in 1960. By shedding light on this historical event, the study contributes to the existing Russian historiography concerning the domestic intelligence services during the Great Patriotic Wa
Proceedings of Petrozavodsk State University. 2024;46(2):64-80
64-80
STATE SECURITY BODIES IN THE ORGANIZATION OF LOCAL AIR DEFENSE IN KARELIA DURING 1930–1942
Abstract
The contemporary landscape underscores the continued relevance of studying the historical experiencein effectively organizing local air defense for the civilian population. However, there is a lack of literature dedicated tothe history of air defense in border Karelia. The aim of the study is to analyze the role of state security bodies in estab-lishing air defense in Karelia before and during the early years of the Great Patriotic War. Using documents from centraland regional archives of the Russian Federation, the study examines the development of local air defense in the borderRepublic’s territory and the influence of state security bodies on its formation. The study concludes that the experiencegained from the initial testing of the local air defense system during the Russo-Finnish war, combined with the slow de-velopment of the system and the increasing threat of war, led to its transfer from implicit to explicit subordination underthe state security bodies. The People’s Commissariat for Internal Affairs (NKVD) played a crucial role in expanding theair defense network in Karelia from 1940 to early 1941, despite insufficient training of its formations in practical skills.Nevertheless, when the Great Patriotic War began, the local air defense formations actively participated in defending the country. Moving forward, the state security agencies supervised the relocation, reorganization, and adaptation of the local air defense system in Karelia to the conditions of war.
Proceedings of Petrozavodsk State University. 2024;46(2):81-86
81-86
THE ARTILLERY OF GENERAL TSVETAYEV’S SOUTHERN GROUP IN THE DEFENSE OF OLONETS
Abstract
This article examines the confrontation between Soviet and Finnish artillery in the Olonets direction inthe summer of 1941, based on previously undisclosed Russian and Finnish archival documents. By analyzing these events, which are not widely known in modern historiography, the study reveals the crucial role played by artillery in the defense of Olonets and uncovers the dynamics of artillery groups’ saturation and maneuvering on both sides. Despite the significant artillery and tank superiority of the VI Finnish Army Corps over the Southern Group of the7th Army (a military formation of the Red Army led by Lieutenant General V. D. Tsvetaev) the latter’s strength wasnearly nullified upon the arrival of an incomplete artillery regiment of the 3rd Leningrad People’s Militia Division.Although the militia’s outdated and limited ammunition guns were operated by inexperienced calculations, they suc-cessfully resisted the numerically superior Finnish artillery group. These actions enabled the Red Army’s sailors, mo-torized riflemen, and volunteers to hold off the Finnish troops in the Eastern Ladoga region for 42 days. However, dueto the Soviet command’s underestimation of the role of artillery in the Olonets direction, the artillery group was notreinforced. Consequently, on 4 September 1941, the Finns, with overwhelming artillery superiority, broke through the defense of the Red Army and reached the Svir River, posing a threat of a second blockade of Leningrad. This study expanded the existing list of reasons for the Red Army’s defeat in the Olonets direction.
Proceedings of Petrozavodsk State University. 2024;46(2):87-95
87-95
THE WINTER WAR IN THE FRENCH PRESS
Abstract
In the 1930s, Finland was not a subject of great interest for French readers. The sharp rise in publicationsfocused on the country was due to the Soviet-Finnish territorial conflict during the autumn and winter of 1939–1940, commonly referred to as the Winter War, though in France the war was not commonly referred to as such until the 1950s. Nevertheless, since October 1939, Finnish relations with the USSR were consistently covered in French periodicals. This article, based on sources from the National Library of France’s electronic resource Retro-news.fr, aims toexamine the main trends in French press coverage of the Soviet-Finnish conflict. Two diagrams in the paper illustratethe varying frequency of mentions of key geographical locations and individuals related to events in Northern Europe inboth Parisian and regional periodicals. The article analyzes the methods and approaches used in reporting the differentstages of the conflict, the positions of the opposing sides, and the international perception of political statements andevents. Despite France being engaged in war with Nazi Germany at the time of the Winter War (though not occupied by German forces yet), and its mass media remaining diverse and politically free, the French periodicals displayed a unanimous pro-Finnish and anti-Soviet stance when assessing the Soviet-Finnish conflict.
Proceedings of Petrozavodsk State University. 2024;46(2):96-104
96-104
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE KANDALAKSHA AREA IN OPERATIONAL AND TACTICAL MILITARY PLANNING PRIOR TO THE RUSSO-FINNISH WAR
Abstract
The paper aims to highlight the significance of the Kandalaksha direction in military planning during the latterhalf of the 1930s, specifically in the northern battlefields. By examining available sources on Soviet military planning andmaterials from the 54th Infantry Division stored in the State Archives of the Murmansk region, this study traces the changesin perspectives regarding the importance of the Kandalaksha direction at the tactical and operational-tactical levels between1936 and 1939. The analysis revealed conflicting aspects of operational-tactical planning, stemming from the challenge ofselecting priority directions for military operations with limited military resources. Furthermore, the article examines the im-pact of the military command’s views on the Kandalaksha direction during 1936-1939 on the subsequent military and politicaldevelopments spanning from 1936 to 1941. During this period, the Kandalaksha direction gained strategic importance due toits unique geographical position and the establishment of railway and motor roads leading to the Soviet-Finnish border. Nota-bly, military planning in the Kandalaksha direction during this period can be characterized as lacking a systematic approach.Initially, the Kandalaksha direction was not specifically chosen by the military command as the priority direction of military operations, but gradually they realized that it should assume an important role in military operations in northern Karelia and the Arctic. Consequently, the study concluded that further in-depth research into military planning in the North is necessary.
Proceedings of Petrozavodsk State University. 2024;46(2):105-111
105-111
Reviews
112-113
114-115