Problems of the Development of Local History Organizations in the USSR in the 1920s (on the example of the Kursk Society of Local Lore)

Abstract

Introduction. The local history movement in the USSR began to form organizationally after the end of the Civil War, in the first half of the 1920s. The personnel basis of the Society was made up of local historians of pre-revolutionary Russia who did not emigrate, figures of the Soviet authorities of the province, scientists, specialists in the field of culture. The tasks of the new organization were defined very broadly: the study and popularization of the geographical and climatic, economic, cultural, historical potential of the province, the protection of natural monuments and resources, etc. The methods of work were defined as traditional (publication of scientific works, popular scientific brochures, magazines; holding public lectures, debates, excursions, competitions and exhibitions), and innovative (identification and legal registration of protected areas, organization of botanical gardens, opening of new museums, expositions, creation of biological, meteorological stations, etc. The Kursk Society of Local Lore has covered all layers of society with its work, getting used to the active activity of interested specialists, which was already shown by the first congress of the Union. Methods. The solution of the research problems was provided by a set of interconnected theoretical (analysis of scientific literature, comparative analysis, comparison, generalization, systematization) and empirical (study and generalization of sources, hermeneutic) methods. Results. For the transition to the planned work of disparate groups of enthusiasts-local historians, it was decided to create a public organization, which was legally formalized in 1923. The Charter of the Company determined the areas of work, membership parameters, the amount of contributions, etc. Immediately after the registration, the Society launched an active work, which will be forcibly discontinued by 1937. Conclusion. The selfless work of the members of the Society of Local Lore led to an increase in the interest of the population in the historical and cultural potential of the Kursk province, the emergence of various voluntary societies at schools, libraries, museums that conduct active propaganda work.