Развертывание и функционирование фильтрационных учреждений в 1942−1943 годы: кейс Колтубанского лагеря

Вестник Пермского университета. Серия: История. 2023. Т. 62. № 3. С. 139–148.

Latyshev A.

The article examines the case of the NKVD’s Koltubanka filtration camp № 252, which operated in 1942-1943. Micro-analysis shows the real conditions in which the Red Army soldiers who survived German captivity lived during the so-called filtration in 1942-1943. It’s also clarifying the NKVD’s logic about the creation and management of a network of filtration camps. The article reveals that the Koltubanka camp was faced with an enormous material difficulties all the time due to the remoteness from the front line, the unfortunate location away from infrastructure and reliable communications, the unwillingness of the military district command to build the camp and supply it with resources. This led to overcrowding of the camp and artificial acceleration of filtration in early 1942 and 1943. As a result, for most of its history, the camp has kept a small number of inmates. Despite this, the NKVD was interested in preserving the camp and expanding it. The real reason for the closure of the camp was the failure attempt to use the inmates as forced laborers. The relocation of the camp actually turned into its slow liquidation. The whole situation around the Koltubanka camp shows a poor level of management and decision-making inside the NKVD.

Keywords: Вторая мировая война, принудительный труд, World War II, prisoners of war, военнопленные, советский тыл, forced labour, NKVD filtration camps, фильтрационные лагеря НКВД, soviet rear