REPATRIATION OF CAPTURED RUSSIANS FROM THE WAREHOUSE OF THE FORMER TSARIST ARMY FROM THE TERRITORY OF GERMANY AND AUSTRIA-HUNGARY, 1918–1921 (in coverage of modern Russian historiography)
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17721/1728-2640.2024.158.1
Keywords:
Russian historiography, captured Russians, repatriation, Bolshevik diplomacy, Germany, Austria-HungaryAbstract
Introduction. The article analyzes the most significant historiographic work of Russian historians, who focused their efforts on the study of the process of repatriation of captured Russians from the territories of Germany and Austria-Hungary (and those newly established within its former borders of independent states) after the end of the First World War.
Methods. Several general scientific and special historical methods were applied, in particular, historiographical analysis of the published works of Russian historians, the method of content analysis and military anthropology.
The results. It was established that at its first stage (November 1918 – January 1919) the repatriation of captured Russians took place quite spontaneously, as a result of which the repatriates were forced to overcome extraordinary difficulties during their move home. The research material collected in the works of Russian historians convincingly shows that the repatriates in the vast majority of cases were left to their own devices by the Bolshevik authorities, and moreover, the latter tried to play the captives «card» to destabilize the newly established European states. The second stage of repatriation (summer 1920 – early 1921) was carried out in an organized manner, which the Bolsheviks owed to the Soviet diplomat V.L.Kopp. This time, Moscow did not spare its own resources to take out the maximum number of captured Russians, hoping in this way to normalize its relations with Germany.
Conclusions. Russian historiography in the vast majority of works quite objectively covers the contemporary situation with the repatriation of captured Russians, but this assessment does not apply to those publications that talk about captured Ukrainians, because in covering stories about the national separation of the latter, Russian researchers use frankly anti-Ukrainian propaganda clichés.
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