Deputy corps of district soviets of Leningrad during the Great Patriotic War: staff composition and activity

Abstract

The object of this research is the deputy corps of district soviets of Leningrad, while the subject is the quantitative and qualitative changes in its staff composition and activity of the deputies during the Great Patriotic War. Despite the fact that during the wartime, the responsibilities of local self-government were taken on by the executive committees of district soviets, the examination of everyday activity of the deputies is important for understanding the situation in the besieged society. The study relies on the record keeping and statistical materials from the funds of St. Petersburg State Central Archive, many of which have not been previously introduced to the scientific discourse; as well as published sources. For the first time in historiography, analysis is conducted on the staff composition of the deputy corps of district soviets and its changes during the wartime using the quantitative methods. It is established that majority of the deputies had poor economic and administrative experience, as they worked at production sites. After evacuation, conscription into the Red Army, work transfer to other regions, population losses, the number of people’s deputies has decreased by more than 2/3 by the end of the war. However, due to the shortage of qualified personnel, the process of nominating them for the senior positions in the executive branch ramped up. Using the historical-comparative and historical-chronological methods, the author determines the stages in the work of district soviets depending on the flip of events in the city: prior to the winter of 1941, the deputies took active part in the economic and political campaigns; in December 1941 – April 1942, their work virtually ceased; later, their main activity lied in single assignments of the district executive committees. The standing committees, in practice were mostly nominal.