Evacuation of orphanages and boarding schools during the Great Patriotic War to the Kazakh SSR

Abstract

The article studies the issues of evacuation of the USSR children to Kazakhstan from occupied and potentially dangerous territories. Based on archival data, the authors study the organization of children's transportation, the conditions under which children arrived in the rear regions, medical care on the way and upon arrival, and the placement of children's institutions (orphanages and boarding schools) in the existing orphanages of the republic. Of particular interest are the materials related to children's living in orphanages and boarding schools by regions. The problems encountered by children who arrived from more than 20 republics and regions of the Soviet Union related to material and domestic difficulties are studied. Resolutions, government and party orders to improve the quality of life of evacuated children are studied. The actions of local executive authorities to solve the problems of accommodation, uniforms, medical care, education, training and most importantly nutrition of evacuated Soviet children are examined as well. Using the example of orphanages and boarding schools in some regions of Kazakhstan, the authors give a clear picture of what the living conditions of the arrived children's groups were originally. When writing the article, the authors refer to the following archives: Central State Archive of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Archive of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, State Archive of Karaganda region, State Archive of the Russian Federation. Some documents used in the article are recently declassified.