Social security in the zone of military government during the Nazi occupation of Ukraine (1941-1943)

Abstract

The article analyzes the aspects of social security in the zone of military government (or military command) during the years of the Nazi occupation of Ukraine. It has been established that, despite the significant historiography of the Nazi occupation regime in Ukraine, the problems of the functioning of social security during this period still remain poorly understood. The role of city governments in establishing social security is determined. The features of social security of new, as compared with the pre-war period, segments of the population are highlighted: families of people repressed by the Soviet regime, families of people who went to work in Germany, families who have lost the bread-winner, unemployed, police and their families, as well as traditional categories: pensioners by age and disability, orphans and disabled children, large families, families who have lost the bread-winner.

The population of the region actually stood on the brink of survival in the winter of 1941-1942 due to the total shortage of food and its cost, inaccessible to most people. It was determined that in the initial stage of the occupation (until the beginning of 1942) social security was practically absent; since spring of 1942 a gradual restoration of certain elements of the system began. The activities of disabled societies, public charity canteens organized by local governments are expanding. The effectiveness of social security and the sources of its financing are analyzed. The policy aimed at the destruction of persons with mental illness is disclosed. It is proven that the volume of social security clearly did not meet the needs of the population, they covered up to half of those who needed help from the government or society, and its level was extremely low. In the zone of responsibility of the military command during the Nazi occupation of Ukraine there were only certain elements of social security, a single system as such did not exist, its effectiveness depended on the efforts of local governments, the loyalty of the local command. However, even such assistance has become an important survival factor for many people during the Second World War.