Everyday labour life in occupied Belarus in 1941–1944 (on the basis of the German trophy documents)

Abstract

Everyday work of Belarusian citizens during the German occupation is explored on the basis of German trophy documents. The article is based on the materials of the Fund 378 of the National Archives of the Republic of Belarus. The documents give an idea of many aspects of occupational life through the prism of the activities of one institution – the Main Railway Directorate «Minsk» and shed light on many «white spots» of the everyday work of the population of Belarus. The presented study aims, first of all, to introduce into scientific circulation a significant set of factual material on the problem of everyday work and the use of local people labour by the occupation authorities. That shows the problem from a new perspective and creates factual basis for further conceptual study of the issue. The German occupation authorities gave exceptional importance to the issue of gaining the support of the population of Belarus. With this purpose, they developed directive documents, analyzed the mood and labour potential of local workers. Using the method of «carrots and sticks», the railway management in occupied Belarus understood that it depended on the local population, therefore, in addition to repressive methods and the organization of the control system, the issues of providing products and creating social guarantees were raised. The wage premiums, bonuses, rewards, delivery of products and delicacies, charity and assistance to the families of employees were supposed to increase productivity and stimulate the work of local railway workers. However, the occupation authorities regularly noted a low desire to work and the escape of local workers to the partisans. The introduction to the scientific turnover of the information of the unique documents of Main Railway Directorate «Minsk» can not only significantly extend the factual basis of the research of the period of German occupation of Belarus, but also pose a number of theoretical questions. New documentary sources make it possible to add to the currently existing assessment of the use of labour by the local population solely as betrayal or forced slave labor. Using new sources and modern methodological approaches, the survival strategies of ordinary people under occupation should be analyzed. Information sources of the сollection of documents of the Main Railway Directorate «Minsk» raise questions about the conditions of survival of local workers at other enterprises, in other fields of labour and regions of the occupied territory of Belarus.