Creation of Komi Autonomy as a result of the national policy of the Bolsheviks

Basic aspects of history of creation of the Komi Autonomy are considered. It is noted that in the beginning of 20th century the territory of modern Republic of Komi was divided between four provinces, but Ust-Sysolsk was perceived as the informal centre of the Komi land. It is elucidated that in 1918 Komi politician D. Ya. Popov suggested to proclaim Komi Autonomy, and this idea was carried out in 1921 when the Komi Autonomous Region was formed. It is shown that D. A. Batiev made the major contribution to this process. It is noted that the majority of Komi politicians supported the creation of autonomous republic, but the Komi Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic was formed only in 1936. It is revealed that the territory of the Komi Autonomy was repeatedly changed.

Italian military internees in Stalag-352 Nazi camp in Masjukowshchyna (1943–1944)

The article analyses the Belarusian and foreign historiography of the problem of finding Italian internees in Masjukowshchyna in 1943–1944. The authors introduce new information into scientific circulation, relying on the personal archive of E. Bordignon, whose own grandfather was in Stalag-352 as a prisoner. The living conditions of the Italian prisoners of war are considered, as well as information about their further fate on the example of Domenico Arzani.

Local Soviet nomenclature of the BSSR of late Stalinism (1945–1953)

The article examines the process of restoration and development of the nomenclature mechanism of personnel policy in the BSSR in the first post-war decade, which received the name «late Stalinism» in modern historiography. The main attention is paid to the leading employees of local government bodies – the executive committees of the Soviets of Working People’s Deputies. The article describes the main trends in the transformation of the organisation of nomenclature practice – centralisation and decentralisation. The main hierarchical levels of nomenclatures are highlighted (from the Central Committee of the all-Union Communist Party(b) – the CPSU to the district and city committees of the CP(b)B – CPB), their specific content is shown in the time dynamics. It is noted that the existing hierarchy of nomenclature positions in many respects more accurately than their official administrative status determined the real position of an employee in the structure of power and management. Initially the high level of renewal of the composition of the chairmen of local executive committees was replaced in the early 1950s by its relative stabilisation. They tried to appoint Communists with pre-war experience who had already been tested in various leadership positions to senior positions in the local structures of the state administration apparatus. The level of education played a role only at the district and city levels of the local administrative hierarchy, for its highest level – the chairmen of regional executive committees – the main importance was still the experience of leadership work. The work experience in the positions held and the general experience of managerial work increased somewhat, the level of education of the chairmen of district and city executive committees increased, which made it possible to move to a higher level of requirements in the selection of personnel (the availability of specialised higher, technical or agricultural, education).

The history of the Belarusian-Chinese cooperation in the field of tourism in 2013–2020

The article examines the history of the formation of cooperation between Belarus and China in the field of tourism in the newest period of development in the context of the intensification of the Belarusian-Chinese interaction in general. The main tendencies of cooperation within the framework of the global Chinese project «One belt, one road» are outlined, the main tendencies of such cooperation and its specificity, including tourism sphere, are outlined; the main problematic issues in organising tourist exchange with the China are identified.

Interference of state authorities in the internal affairs of religious organisations in 1917–1928 (on the example of Orthodoxy and Protestantism)

Using the example of the Orthodox and Protestant churches, the process of interference by state authorities in the internal affairs of religious organisations in 1917–1928 is considered. The mechanisms of influence on believers, clergy and the leadership of these structures are analysed. It is determined that the main pressure was exerted to obtain, including public, support for all decisions of state bodies concerning domestic and foreign policy. It is established that the authorities planned to reduce the number of parishioners of the canonical Russian Orthodox Church by granting preferences to other confessions and religious movements, as well as its fragmentation by inspiring schisms. An attempt to transfer the management of the Orthodox Church formed by state bodies in a group of clergy in a non-canonical way has been studied.

Development of cooperation in Belarus and formation of personnel potential of the Belarusian State University in the 1920s

The relevance of the problems of cooperative construction in the formation of Belarusian scientific schools is determined. The role of the Belarusian State University in the development of problems of cooperation in the 1920s is characterised. The activity of S. L. Pevsner as a representative of the economic thought of the 1920s is studied. In the perspective of «history through personality», the problems of the formation of the personnel potential of Belarusian State University are revealed. The relations between the management and the teaching staff of the university, the status and issues of material well-being of teachers invited to Belarusian State University are characterised. The conclusion is made about a significant personnel shortage and the presence of serious competition in the personnel sphere of university science in the 1920s with the development of higher education in the USSR.

The hunger games: famine 1932–1933 in the historical policy of Ukraine and Russia

The modern historical policy of Ukraine and the Russia is analysed. The study uses the methodology of historical memory studies, specifically, research of historical consciousness, collective and historical memory. The methodology is based on the analysis of a situation when ideas about the past as national history depend on the mentality and goal setting of a particular social, national or other group. The object of the study is the modern socio-political situation in Ukraine and Russia associated with the understanding and assessment of the famine of 1932–1933 both in the Soviet Union as a whole, and in Ukraine in particular. The authors consider the modern memorial culture of the two nations, highlight issues of regional and national identity and the formation of myths of national memory as central issues in the paper. The transformation of memorial practices and the legal framework of the Russia and Ukraine after the collapse of the Soviet Union is considered. The authors arrive at the conclusion that the discussion between the Russian and Ukrainian sides to this day has turned into constructing a scheme of the «reverse history» based on the projection of the present state of affairs into the past. It is not possible to find any fundamentally new evidence as long as the Russian archives remained classified, and the parties increasingly resort to a nationalist type of argumentation. Punning on the name of the famous Hollywood blockbuster, we can say that the «hunger games» have become a reality in the modern politics of memory of post-Soviet states.

«Soviet scholars were on duty»: studying and teaching of the archaeology and the history of primitive society in the Belarusian State University during the war and post-war period

The article deals with the little-known pages of the history of archaeology and education. It reveals the main aspects of the teaching of archaeology and other disciplines of the relevant profile at the Belarusian State University in the period from 1940s to the beginning of 1950s. Lectures were conducted by full-time staff members of the Belarusian State University. Moscow scholars as well as fellow workers of the Institute of History of the Academy of Sciences of the BSSR were also invited for teaching. Scientific activity in the field of archaeology and closely-related disciplines was constrained by personnel problems and restricted material resources. University intellectuals carried did their best to restore the Museum of history and archaeology, however, due to the lack of exhibition space, the renewed exposition had not been opened.

Internal political struggle in Scotland on the issue of the region status in 2007–2011

For the first time in the national historiography, various aspects of the internal political struggle in Scotland regarding its political status in 2007–2011 are considered. The key actors in this struggle are identified, the forms and tools used by various political forces to realise their goals are highlighted, and the issue of the Scottish National Party as a government party is explored. The activity of two organisations – «National Conversation» and the Calman Commission, created at the initiative of two opposing camps of Scottish politics, is analysed. It is noted that as a result of their work, the discussion about the political future of the region was brought to a qualitatively new level, and all the main political forces in the region recognised the need to expand the powers of the Scottish Parliament.

Anton Nikitich Yasinsky and the formation of the Belarusian Medieval studies in the 1920s

The article is devoted to the study of the scientific and pedagogical activities of the famous Slavist A. N. Yasinsky in the last – Moscow-Minsk – period of his life based on the materials of the Belarusian archives. Revolutionary events of 1917–1921 forced him, like many other representatives of the capital’s intelligentsia, to look for work in new provincial universities. Since 1922 he has been teaching at the Belarusian State University, becoming one of the founders of Belarusian Medieval and Slavic studies. In 1928 he was elected an academician of the newly created Belarusian Academy of Sciences, where he continued his studies of both the Czech Middle Ages and the history of Belarus in the Middle Ages. However, external circumstances did not allow A. N. Yasinsky to create his own scientific school in Belarus, and his research of the 1920’s remained little known to specialists.