This is thy brother’s voice – Documentary and metadocumentary linguistic work with a folklore recording from the Nenets-Komi contact area

In this paper we analyse an epic song recorded in 1966 by the Hungarian-Australian Erik Vászolyi in Kolva in the Komi ASSR and discuss its background and wider historical context. We go through different ways how such materials can contribute to data driven and sociolinguistically oriented research, specifically in connection to contemporary documentary languistics, and point directions for further research.

BECOMING A SOVIET CITIZEN: LANGUAGE CHOICES IN N. F. TERENTYEV’S DIARY

The article based on the diary of the young writer N. F. Terentyev from Komi ASSR who wrote his records in the Komi language from 1936 to 1939 considers peculiarities of the “subjectivity” formation in the non-Russian language discursive space. The author hypothesizes that non-Russian people in the 1930s USSR acquiring new subjectivity, began not only to speak Bolshevik but also appropriated a more prestigious discourse in which the Russian language was endowed with revolutionary consolidating potential. The material of the diary reveals two levels of the formation of a Soviet citizen. As regards Terentyev, the first level is related to the local context: the diarist advocates the development of the countryside, collects folklore, adheres to the national literary tradition in terms of the description of the countryside life. The second level is connected with Terentyev’s desire to be involved in more significant events: he joins Komsomol, uses Marxist language in representation of the everyday life, actively participates in the translation of the texts written in the Russian language. The process of writing the diary reveals not only Terentyev’s aspiration to become a Komi writer but also his active civic engagement. Terentyev’s ambition was to become a Komi writer, a representative of the emergent national intelligentsia. Internalizing “cultural revolution discourse”, Terentyev defined Komi literature as backward which should be developed in order to keep up with the Russian literature. In this context, his personal development as a writer involved overcoming of not only personal backwardness (which he acknowledged) but also backwardness of his native culture.

The History of Creation of a Chemical Industry Power System in the Village of Vodnyi Promysel, Komi Autonomous Oblast (Zyryan) (Komi ASSR), in the 1930s

This article is devoted to the history of creation of a power system in the village of Vodnyi Promysel, Komi Autonomous Oblast (Zyryan) (since 1936, Komi ASSR), where a plant for radium extraction from mineral water operated in the GULAG system in the 1930s. The article depicts the conditions in which this power system emerged: severe climate, logistic difficulties with supplying the construction project, the use of worn equipment from other projects, and the use of convict specialists’ labor and knowledge. The contribution of M. D. Krasheninnikov, a repressed power engineer whose talents helped him become the plant’s chief engineer and recipient of the Stalin Prize, is reviewed in detail. The efforts of numerous workers and specialists resulted in the first major power system in the Russian North emerging in Vodnyi Promysel. This system allowed introducing new mineral extraction technologies and develop chemical industry in this region.

SOCIAL PORTRAIT OF THE HEADS OF PARTY AND STATE GOVERNING BODIES OF KOMI AUTONOMIC REGION - KOMI ASSR IN 1920-1930s

Based on the archival documents analysis, information about the heads of the highest region party-state bodies in the 1920-1930s was researched. To compile a social portrait, questionnaires and registration lists of delegates of Komi regional party conferences, in which political elite was involved, were used. These sources contain personal data on age, nationality, party experience, social status and education of Komi Regional Committee secretaries of the RCP(b)-AUCP(b) and of regional executive committee chairmen, which are accessible for the study. Some common and distinctive features in the senior management social portraits were revealed. Chairmen of the regional executive committee were indigenous nationality representatives, who mostly had a secondary education, but more than half of the regional committee secretaries didn’t have it and were Russian. Despite the fact that the regional party organization was dominated by local peasants, the party and state bodies’ leaders by their social status mainly related to workers and employees, as prescribed by the party directives. Party experience was considered when appointing to a senior position, which was more than ten years for region managers, and complied with the requirements. The absolute majority became communists in the period 1917-1920 at the age of about 24-25 years old, but began to head regional party-state bodies in middle age, having by this time party, life, professional experience.

Research of oil shale in the Komi ASSR during the Great Patriotic War: experience of the Professor D. N. Kursanov

The subject of this research is the historical role of Russian scientific community in studying the Arctic and Subarctic territories during the years of Great Patriotic War. The key goal consists in demonstrating the contribution of scholars to accumulation of scientific knowledge on the northern region in the context of solution of the priority government objective and establishment of scientific organizations on the European North of Russia in first half of the XX century. The main tasks of this research lie in reconstruction of the process of creation and activity of oil shale laboratory of the Base of Academy of Sciences of the Soviet Union on studying the North under the authority of Professor D. N. Kursanov, who dealt with the questions of utilization of solid fossil fuels of the Komi ASSR. This topic did not receive due coverage within the scientific literature. For solution of the set tasks, the author attracted the unpublished archival materials from the Archive of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Scientific Archive of the Federal Research Center “Komi Scientific Center of Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences” and National Archive of the Komi Republic; writings of the staff members of the indicated laboratory published based on the research results in 1940s, as well modern researchers of the depths of Russian North. The article explores the history of establishment of scientific department, development of scientific programs and plans, organization of interaction of academic community with the government and economic branches of the Komi ASSR. The main conclusions consists in the proof that the scientific-organizational activity of D. N. Kursanov led to conducting strategic research of defense designation on the problems of studying oil shale of the mineral deposit on Ayyva River, utilization of oil shale for motor fuel generation, and elaboration of new chemical products for defense industry. It is underlined that the high level of explorations and pilot surveys carried out by national scholars in these directions contributed to the development of new shale-chemical industrial sector of the country in the later years.

The teaching staff of secondary specialized educational institutions of the Komi ASSR in the 1950s–1980s: characteristics, dynamics of the number

Introduction. Since the early 1950s, for developing spheres of the country’s national economy there has been an active training of personnel, including those with secondary specialized education. One of the key aspects of the development of the system of vocational education is an increase in the number of teachers. The main indicators of the quality of teaching in educational institutions, and accordingly the quality of training, are the educational level and teachers’ work experience. Materials and Methods. The article shows the dynamics of the numbers and characteristics of the teaching staff of vocational educational institutions of Komi ASSR in the 1950s – 1980s, based on archival statistical data. The paper is based on the principles of scientific objectivity, historicism and authenticity. When working with sources the author used methods of statistical analysis and comparison. Results and Discussion. The data obtained as a result of the study are presented in tables form for better transparency. Conclusion. Analysis of the available data showed a positive trend both in the increase in the number of teaching staff in vocational educational institutions, and in the change in their main characteristics.

Research of Wood Chemistry in the Komi Republic during the Great Patriotic War

На основе архивных документов впервые реконструированы причины возникновения, результаты деятельности, штаты технологической лаборатории химии древесины Базы АН СССР по изучению Севера в г. Сыктывкар Коми АССР в 1941 г. Сотрудники лаборатории исследовали промышленные установки и условия переработки смоло-скипидарного сырья, которое в те годы считалось одним из источников получения камфоры, моторного топлива и смазочных масел, а также взрывчатых веществ. Показано, что центром исследований химической обработки древесины был Всесоюзный НИИ сульфатно-спиртовой и гидролизной промышленности в Ленинграде. В годы Великой Отечественной войны в Сыктывкаре оказались крупные ученые и специалисты, под руководством которых производилась важнейшие исследования оборонного характера. Установлено, что перед сотрудниками лаборатории химии древесины в Сыктывкаре в годы войны были поставлены задачи: выявить и охарактеризовать минеральное и растительное сырье, необходимое для нужд обороны страны; разработать методику получения моторного топлива и смазочных масел, изготовленных на местах из недефицитного сырья. В лаборатории производили важнейшие исследования оборонного характера, трудились крупные деятели науки и производства. Руководителями коллектива были эвакуированные в Сыктывкар будущий член-корреспондент АН СССР профессор Д.Н. Курсанов и лауреат Сталинской премии М.А. Грехнев, который доказал, что в Коми АССР целесообразнее использовать для получения терпентинового масла сосну. Сотрудники изучали технологический процесс получения смолы и скипидара. На основании этих научных выводов в республике было на период войны сохранено и получило дальнейшее развитие смоло-скипидарное производство. Основой для таких разработок была местная деревообрабатывающая промышленность. Показаны условия труда и быта сотрудников лаборатории в годы войны. Высказаны предположения о причинах закрытия лаборатории химии древесины в 1946 г. On the basis of archival documents causes of establishment, results of activities, staff of the technological laboratory of wood chemistry of the Base of the USSR Academy of Sciences for the Study of the North in Syktyvkar, Komi ASSR in 1941 are reconstructed for the first time. The staff of the laboratory investigated industrial facilities and conditions for processing resin and turpentine raw materials which at that time was considered one of sources for obtaining camphor, motor fuel and lubricating oils as well as explosive materials. The centre of investigations of chemical wood processing was All-Union Scientific Research Institute of sulphate-spirit and hydrolysis industry in Leningrad. During the Great Patriotic War prominent researchers and experts worked in Syktyvkar. Under their leadership the most important research of defensive nature was conducted. It was found that during the war before the staff of the laboratory of wood chemistry in Syktyvkar were set tasks to identify and characterize mineral and vegetable raw materials required for defense needs of the country, to develop a method of producing motor fuels and lubricating oils, made of local non-deficient raw materials. The laboratory produced the most important research of defensive nature, major figures of science and industry worked there. The leaders of the team were evacuated to Syktyvkar future corresponding member of the USSR Academy of Sciences professor D.N. Kursanov and Stalin Prize winner M.A.Grehnev who proved that in the Komi ASSR pine should be used for obtaining turpentine oil. The staff studied the technological process of producing resin and turpentine. On the basis of these scientific conclusions during the war resin and turpentine manufacture in the Republic was further developed. The basis for these developments was the local woodworking industry. The work and living conditions of the laboratory staff during the war are presented. Assumptions are made about the reasons for the closure of the laboratory of wood chemistry in 1946.