Memories of Builders of Defensive Frontiers in the Territory of the Chuvash Republic During the Great Patriotic War as a Historical Source: General Characteristics

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to analyze a separate group of sources: memories and testimonies of participants in the events of constructing defensive frontiers in the territory of the ChASSR in 1941–1942, revealing their typical characteristics and assessment as a historical source. The scientific novelty consists in attracting new sources of personal character in the history of erecting defensive structures in the territory of Chuvashia in autumn-winter 1941–1942. As a result of the study, general, typical characteristics of memories and testimonies of participants of the historical event were revealed: the predominance of household details, emphasizing such conditions of the construction as transport accessibility of construction objects, weather conditions, accommodation of builders, supplying with products, workers’ interrelations, emotional saturation of the historical event perception, impact on verbal folklore.