Between the Rear and the Front. Smolensk Railway Workers, Home Front Workers of the Great Patriotic War

Abstract

he present article is devoted to Smolensk railwaymen’s career ladder in the 1941–1945s, their involvement in the evacuation, partisian struggle, fighting and restoration of the national economy. In addition, we consider the practice of award-
 ing railway workers with medals «For Valorous Labor in the Great Patriotic War, 1941–1945».
 The author of the article has set a goal to reconstruct the history of Smolensk railwaymen’s participation in the war on the basis of regional documents and to analyse their recognition as home front workers. The source database includes documents of the State Archive of Smolensk Oblast (funds of the Smolensk Regional Executive Committee and the Western Railway); documents of the Central Archive of the Ministry of Defense and the State Archive of the Russian Federation, that are published in the electronic database «Feat of the People»; materials of the history of railways in the Smolensk region during the war. The author has studied a large array of documents on awarding medals; service documents; correspondence on awarding issues.
 The article analyzes the railway workers’ military and labor path during the war, as well as awarding them with medals.
 The study demonstrates the role of Smolensk railway workers in achieving Victory and restoring the national economy. Moreover, the author has studied the circle of railway workers who were recognized as home front workers after the war
 and were awarded with medals. The author believes that railway workers are the most prominent category of home front workers in the Smolensk region. They largely contributed to the success
 of military operations and the restoration of the national economy in the region. It is concluded that the majority of railway workers who worked in the frontline areas were awarded with two main war medals, which is a unique case for a specific Soviet industry.