Prisoners of War in Russia during World War I: Daily Life (on Materials of Tobolsk Province)

Abstract

The features of daily life of prisoners of war during the First World War are studied. In her research the author uses a representative source base of both published and unpublished materials from the funds of the State Archive of Tobolsk. It is reported that one of the places of prisoners of war was the Omsk military district and the Tobolsk province that was part of it. Information is given that prisoners of war were in the territory of the region from 1914 to 1918. They were compactly arranged in almost all the provincial centres, and were dispersed in small villages. Features of extreme daily life in which displaced persons lived in Western Siberia during the First World War are revealed. The analysis of archival documents and periodicals that have preserved information about the daily life of foreigners in captivity is made. Features of placement and maintenance of prisoners of war in the region in the specified period are characterized. It is reported about the difficulties of the organizational plan on the poor living conditions of the displaced persons. In particular, the assessment of the organization of medical and sanitary-hygienic service of prisoners is given. It is emphasized that in the analyzed period the question of bringing prisoners of war to the fulfillment of labour duties was relevant.