Estimate of the Number and Sex and Age Composition of “Volgotanker” Workers in the Lower Volga Region in 1941–1943

Abstract

Introduction. The invasion of the Soviet Union by Nazi troops and the Battle of Stalingrad greatly affected all aspects of life in the Lower Volga Region. Ensuring the economy of the whole country and resistance to the invader was carried out by the large oil shipping company “Volgotanker”, which delivered Baku oil throughout the Volga Basin. The quantity and quality of personnel played an important role in the effectiveness of the organization. Materials and methods. To write this article we have identified and drawn a wide range of archival sources from the funds of the State Archive of the Astrakhan region, the Center for the Documentation of Contemporary History of the Volgograd region and the State Historical and Memorial Museum-Reserve “Battle of Stalingrad”. The methodological basis of the research is the principle of historicism and maximum possible objectivity. The shipping company itself and its activity in the context of external factors can best be described within the framework of the historical-system method. Analysis and results. This article provides a detailed assessment of the size of the shore personnel, the number of party organizations of the shipping company, the floating personnel and one ship’s crew on average. The analysis of position and sex and age composition of “Volgotanker” workers is given. Conclusions are made about the efficiency of “Volgotanker”’s work in connection with the number and composition of its personnel.