Food Supply in Bashkortostan during Great Patriotic War: Failures and Violations

Abstract

This study examines the disruptions in the operations of state trade enterprises and consumer cooperatives in providing food to the population of Bashkortostan during the Great Patriotic War. The article is based on unpublished documents from the National Archives of the Republic of Bashkortostan, as well as materials from periodicals. It is revealed that the weakening of the state’s control functions led to an increase in embezzlement and theft in trade and public catering enterprises. The combination of reduced trade turnover and the rise in abuses within the supply system resulted in severe food shortages. Supply disruptions affected workers, officials, evacuated populations, children, and medical institutions. Various abuses are discussed, including food ration card counterfeiting, different forms of self-supply, and instances of double provisioning. Attention is given to violations in accounting for population groups and inflated supply norms. It is established that combating abuses in the supply system was complicated by the involvement of enterprise leaders, shop workers, accountants, and representatives of auditing bodies in criminal activities. The conclusion is drawn that despite numerous violations, the supply system only minimally provided essential food items to the population of Bashkortostan with interruptions and not in full.

Keywords

• trade
• supply
• rationing system
• workers' supply department
• consumer cooperation
• great patriotic war
• bashkortostan