Food Supply of Partisan Formations of Belarus During the Nazi Occupation (Based on the Materials of the Vitebsk Region)

Abstract

During the Great Patriotic War, a massive and well-organized partisan movement developed on the territory of the BSSR. In the conditions of struggle behind enemy lines, the material and technical (including food) support for “forest soldiers” was of crucial importance for its quantitative and qualitative growth. The initial policy of the Soviet government to maximize the self-sufficiency of partisan detachments at the expense of trophies and food captured from the enemy was ineffective. With the creation of the Belarusian headquarters of the partisan movement, as well as with the organization of partisan airfields and sites, the supply of food (primarily salt and tobacco) became regular. The main source of food for the “forest soldiers” were products obtained during procurement and economic operations from the civilian population. Because of the “food issue.” the attitude of the local population to the partisans was not always positive. There were cases of abuses by the partisan leadership during procurement operations, as well as cases of looting. The leading partisan and party bodies actively fought against offenses among the partisans, but it was not possible to completely eradicate this phenomenon. At the same time, in some cases partisans themselves distributed food and livestock to the civilian population. In some detachments and brigades, small enterprises were organized that produced food products (creameries, small slaughterhouses, bakeries, etc.). In general, during the occupation, the partisans managed to solve the issue of food supply to one degree or another, which had a positive impact on the dynamics of growth in the number of “forest soldiers” and on the combat and moral qualities of the personnel.