How Soviet people lived in the occupied territories during the Great Patriotic War

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

Residents of the Baltic states, Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus had to actually live in another country after their territory was captured by the Nazi army. Already in July 1941, a decree was signed, which refers to the creation of the Reichkommissariats Ostland (center of Riga) and Ukraine (center of Rivne). The European part of Russia was to form the Reichkommissariat of Muscovy. More than 70 million citizens remained in the occupied territories, their life from that moment began to resemble existence between a rock and a hard place …

The occupiers did not seek to destroy the inhabitants and their settlements, on the contrary, Hitler pointed out that it was necessary to preserve the existing agriculture and industry and, if possible, residents as a cheap labor force. The occupied territories were supposed to serve as a raw material and food base for the Nazis, besides, the existing farms and enterprises were of economic interest. But this does not mean at all that the life of the Soviet people was simple, the fascism, which they hated so much, burst into their lives, homes and families, not only took men: fathers and sons, but knocked on every door. They needed to learn to live and survive in new realities, while trying to maintain their own pride and an honest name.

Ensuring order and discipline

The Germans were well aware that the conquest of a territory does not at all mean obedience from the inhabitants of these territories. They were ready for all sorts of sabotage and sabotage, but for their part they also took various measures to ensure order and discipline. The orders of the German military commanders stated that obedience must be achieved through intimidation and not be afraid to resort to the most extreme and cruel measures, if necessary, then demand reinforcements. As restrictive measures, the Nazis introduced: • strict registration of the local population, all residents had to register with the police; • it was not allowed to leave the place of permanent residence without special permission; • strictly observe all decrees and resolutions of the German side; • any violation could entail hanging or being shot;

However, these restrictions did not describe all the prohibitions that were imposed on local residents. For example, anyone who dared to approach the well from which the Germans drank water could be shot. The order was given to shoot the disguised soldiers, who supposedly can be recognized by their specific short haircut. Without warning, they shot at anyone who went to the front line, for suspicion of espionage or partisanship - execution.

Despite the fact that the Germans did not seek to destroy the population right here and now, there was a systematic work to reduce it. Pregnant women (provided that they were not pregnant with Germans) were led to abortions, and contraceptives were widely distributed. This was part of a plan to genocide the population. However, shooting, in the opinion of the Germans, was much easier and more effective. The liquidation of villages, whose inhabitants turned out to be unnecessary, for example, there was no farm or factory nearby, or this territory was not of interest to the Germans, were carried out everywhere. The sick, the elderly and other disabled people were shot regularly. The civilian population was paid with their lives for the deaths of German soldiers and their military failures. So, retreating, the Germans poisoned the inhabitants of the Belarusian village, in Minsk itself they poisoned one and a half thousand old people and children in two days. After a German officer and several soldiers were killed in Taganrog, 300 people were taken out of the plant and shot. Another 150 were shot for the fact that the telephone line stopped working.

Destruction strategy

Of the 70 million people remaining in the occupation territories, one in five did not live up to May 1945. However, the Germans had much more far-reaching plans from the entire USSR, they planned to leave no more than 30 million inhabitants. Leaving only the young and healthy, able to work fruitfully, the soldiers of the Third Reich planned to switch completely to providing food from the Union, so that it would be more convenient to deal with the Soviet army. By 1942, according to the plan of the Nazis, the army had to completely switch to "self-sufficiency", because Germany could not independently feed its army.

In conditions of limited nutrition, the most unprotected and hated by the fascists classes of the population were destroyed. Soviet prisoners of war received practically no food and died of hunger and disease. Jews were forbidden to buy dairy products, meat and vegetables. The situation was no better for those who were evacuated on the first line, almost immediately behind the front line. Such displaced persons were settled in the houses of local residents, schools, camps, sheds and other buildings.

In the occupied territories in 1941 the school year did not begin, the Germans did not expect that their victory was still so far away, but in the fall of 1942 a decree was already issued, according to which children from 8 to 12 years old had to go to school. The main goal of the educational institution was to improve discipline, or rather, obedience. Hitler was convinced that it was enough for the Russians to be able to read and write, but it was not necessary to think and invent, there were Aryans for that. Portraits of Stalin were removed from the walls of schools (they were replaced with images of the Fuhrer), children were taught songs and poems about "German eagles", before which they should bow their heads. Older children studied anti-Semitism, schoolchildren had to edit Soviet textbooks themselves, from which they studied, removing too patriotic passages from there.

Commandments of the conduct of Germans in the East of Bakke

German soldiers sent to the East were offered works that consisted of recommendations and included a description of the local population for a more productive interaction with them. So, the German soldier was recommended to talk less with the Russians, since the latter have a "tendency to philosophize," and do more, since Russians, feminine and sentimental by nature, need order brought from outside. The main installation, which supposedly voices the thought of the peoples living on the territory of the USSR: "Our country is great and beautiful, but there is no order in it, come and own us." The German soldiers were taught that the people they were planning to conquer wanted it themselves, that they would perceive the Germans as those who would give them order. You just need to let them understand it. That is why the German soldiers were forbidden to show weakness or doubt, they had to do everything decisively, leaving no time and reason for reflection. Only then could the Russians be subdued.

By the way, the German invaders were advised to behave in the occupation territory in accordance with local traditions and customs, forgetting everything German. Resilience and decisiveness were called the main character traits that the Russians will not be able to break. In addition, it was recommended not to enter into any relationship with Russian girls in order to preserve their own authority and involvement in the great nation in their eyes. The intelligentsia, who were credited with cunning and shrewdness, should be especially wary. The soldiers were warned, warning that the country they were about to enslave had always been a country of bribery and denunciations. They are advised not to arrange showdowns and investigations, to remember that they are not judges, and to stop bribery themselves and remain incorruptible. The Russians are called in the commandments a religious people and, since the fascists do not propagate any new religion for them, it is worth reckoning with their piety, but not getting into squabbles and not trying to solve near-religious issues. The Germans were sure that the Russian people had experienced poverty and hunger for centuries, and therefore they were accustomed to him, therefore one should not feel too much sympathy.

Occupational life

Be that as it may, but people needed to learn to live in new realities. Most worked up to 14 hours a day, eating a bowl of lean soup and 150-250 grams of bread a day. Moreover, the cost of such a dinner was deducted from wages. Children and other dependent family members were not given rations. Ordinary workers received 200-400 rubles a month, specialists about 800. But this was a meager amount, because a liter of milk cost 40 rubles, a dozen eggs - 150, a pood of flour could be bought for 1000, or even more expensive, the same amount of potatoes for 500 The villagers, of course, found it easier at the expense of their personal economy. But here, too, in order to take possession of the harvest, the Germans ordered to work collectively, their proxies were appointed everywhere. In addition, men aged 16-55 and women aged 16-45 were recruited to be sent to work in Germany. The mobilized person was entitled to a one-time payment of 250 rubles and a monthly allowance of 800 rubles in the next three months.

Prostitution as a way to survive

Meticulous Germans tried to organize everything, so even a list of prostitutes was created who provided services to German soldiers for money. They had to check regularly with a doctor and even post his report on their door. A female servant of an ancient profession was punished with the death penalty for infecting a German soldier with a venereal disease. But gonorrhea and gonorrhea are far from the worst that could await Wehrmacht soldiers on a love bed, a partisan bullet is much more dangerous. Often, partisans used this method to get themselves weapons. Soviet historical sources testify to the violent format of the work of such brothels. After all, prostitution does not fit in any way with the image of a Soviet woman, even if under war conditions. In addition, this legend was supported by the women themselves, who claimed that they had to enter into relationships with German officers and soldiers in order to avoid punishment from the Soviet justice system. However, the overwhelming majority of women used this method as a way to earn money and the only way to survive, besides, nothing prevented the German, who liked her, to have a relationship with her and without any brothel houses, lists of prostitutes and visits to the doctor.

Considering that there were very few men in the occupation territories, most of the burdens fell on the shoulders of women and old people. Often they, adapting to new living conditions, became traitors in the Soviet sense, but they also had something to hate their own homeland. How did Soviet women traitors live during the war, and how their fate developed, because some of them migrated to Germany, while others were shot decades after the end of the war.