Universal Education (Vseobuch) as a System for the Preservation of Children Contingents in 1941–1945: On the Materials of Molotov and Sverdlovsk Oblasts

Abstract

In the conditions of the Great Patriotic War, secondary schools in the Urals faced problems with the children’s education due to the lack of resources. Thus, the implementation of the law on universal education (Vseobuch) was considered as one of the most important tasks. The paper aims to examine the transformation of universal education during the war years from a programme of providing mass education to a system of preserving children contingents. Based on a systematic approach, the main activities within the framework of universal education contributing to the preservation of health and lives of children are investigated. The analysis of archival materials demonstrated the importance of universal education for the preservation of student contingents.