Relations between prisoners of war of the Central countries and the population of Ukraine during the first world war

Abstract

Background: The article examines the relationship between the prisoners of war of the Central countries and the civilian population of Ukraine during the First World War, their integration into a new socio-cultural space. 

Methodology: A set of general scientific and special historical methods was used, including historiographical analysis and analysis of periodicals of the time.

Results: The article analyses the dynamics of relations between prisoners of war of the Central countries and the local population of Ukrainian provinces during the First World War. The Russian authorities attempted to control their communication, but these efforts were undermined by frequent interactions between POWs and locals, including shared religious practices, economic transactions, and romantic relationships that led to marriages and the birth of children.

Conclusions: The attitudes of local residents of Ukrainian provinces towards foreign prisoners of war were thus ambivalent. During the period under study, there was a combination of sympathy and disgust for the prisoners, which mainly depended on their nationality, as a result of the Russian Empire's policy. Reports of conflicts related to refusal to work and its conditions highlighted the problems of integrating prisoner of war labour into society, which exacerbated social tensions as resources were limited and competition for jobs increased. These issues were addressed with varying degrees of effectiveness, leading to disobedience and reduced discipline among prisoners of war. As the end of the war approached, there was a further weakening of control over prisoners, which contributed to the growth of interaction between prisoners of war and the civilian population.

Keywords: World War I, prisoners of war, Russian Empire, national policy, relations with the local population, Ukrainian provinces, Central countries.