Regional features of birth and mortality rate in the Volga-Vyatka, Middle Volga and Orenburg regions during the famine of 1932–1933

Abstract

The paper analyzes the vital statistics of the 19321933 famine in the Volga-Vyatka, Middle Volga and Orenburg regions (Gorkovsky and the Middle Volga Krais with national autonomous areas and the Tatar ASSR within the 1933 borders). It has been established that a high level of vital statistics registration occurred in most studied regions, high underestimating occurred in the rural areas of the Middle Volga Krai and Mordovia especially. High underestimating mortality among non-local residents and unidentified residents has not been established. Birth and mortality rate of non-local residents and unidentified residents were registered by local statistical service structures and were included in regional statistical reports, but their presence in central statistical reports has not been established. A high percentage of dead migrants in the towns has been shown, it refutes the opinion of administrative migration limit during the famine. It has been established that mortality in the town population was not lower and even exceeded rural mortality in some cases. It refutes the opinion that peasantry suffered from the famine most of all. The author proves that there was no sociocide or ethnocide (genocide) in the studied regions during the 19321933 famine. The high population loss in the Low Volga region was compensated by natural population increase in the Volga-Vyatka and Middle Volga regions. The mortality as well as birth rate varied dramatically within different administrative borders, indicating specific local conditions (local government response, natural and climate conditions, etc.), that invalidate hypothesis of authorities-made famine. The mortality peaks in 19321933 may indicate not only the famine, but seasonal epidemics as well and require additional research. The author has established that it is necessary to consider regional climatic conditions when analyzing vital statistics during the 19321933 famine. The entire number of deaths excess during the 19321933 famine totaled up to 324 000 in the Volga-Vyatka, Volga (excluding the Kalmyk Autonomous Oblast in 1933) regions and 48 000 deaths excess in the Gorkovsky and Middle Volga Krais, and Tatar ASSR in 1934. The total demographic losses due to a decreased birth rate in the Volga-Vyatka, Volga (excluding Kalmyk Autonomous Oblast in 1933) and Orenburg Regions in 19321934 came to 306 000 people.