Unique documents from RSHA available in a new edition of the Presidential Library

The Presidential Library and the Russian State Historical Archive (RSHA) issued a publication which covers the First World War. Many of the documents are presented for the first time, their search was carried out in preparation for the exhibition, "Now the Lord sent us a trial...", which runs in the archive from April to June 2014.

RSHA Director Alexander Kostanov said: "The main theme of the exhibition - the man and the war - is inexhaustible in its depth and tragedy. The authors of the exhibition sought to reveal its fundamental political, moral and ethical aspects, to show the evolution of mass psychology. Getting acquainted with the original documents and artifacts, many of which are unique, visitors can enjoy and appreciate firsthand the ambiguity and tragedy of the World War I events and perhaps to understand that our homeland has always had, ha and will have those people who the descendants will be rightfully proud of."

The book shows the life of the "top" and the "bottom" in the front line, from the commander-in-chief to an ordinary soldier. There have been reproduced the photos which depict the Emperor Nicholas II, famous generals, officers and ordinary soldiers at different stages of the war, the mobilization, the training of soldiers, their frontline life in the period of 1914-1918. The edition shows reproductions of the photo which depicts military training of servicemen of the 28th company, Polotsk Regiment, 5th Army to overcome water obstacles on rafts; another picture of Lieutenant Shirokov "Passage of the 1st Army across the river" shows no longer the practice of recruits but the application of new knowledge directly in combat. The same is depicted by the picture "The offensive of the 1st Battalion, 18th Siberian Infantry Regiment against Maidan-Krzhivsky", "Shooting from a machine gun near the fortress Lvov," "The officers of the 17th Siberian Rifle Regiment on the emplacement in a lull."

Themes of military open letters are very different: heroism of soldiers and officers, scenes of life at the front, fighting partnership with allies, satirical image of opponents. The book contains pictures of bold, brave warriors "Volunteer Mikhail Vlasov, 16 years old, who broke out of the August forest through German lines in February 1915 and informed the commandant of Grodno on the plight of the 20th Corps," "Dismounted Cossack Kryuchkov destroys 11 German cavalrymen who attacked him."

There are also a lot of various materials which reveal the work of military medics in the First World War, the work of the infirmaries and hospitals, hospital trains. Documents reflect the sanitary-medical activities of the Russian Red Cross. During the First World War, the nurses’ corps was created. Example was set by the Empress Alexandra and her daughters, the Grand Duchesses Olga and Tatiana. There are photos depicting the Empress and the Grand Duchesses working in the Tsarskoye Selo infirmary. Among the documents in the book there is a report on the work of the hospital of the Marble Palace from October 12, 1914 to May 1, 1915, stating the exact number of wounded during this period, of the operations, of the dressings.

The exhibition also displays the materials banned by the military censorship. Among them, open letters: "Mobilization in St. Petersburg", "Advanced Dressing Station", "Our battery shoots at the enemy", "Russian officer escapes from German captivity", "Departure of a hospital train to the seat of war."

Exhibition and the book contain rare materials from the RSHA, Russian State Military Historical Archive, Russian State Archive of the Navy, Russian State Film and Photo Archive, Central State Archive of Film, State Russian Museum, Military Historical Museum of Artillery, Engineer and Signal Corps, Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, Central Military Medical Museum of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, Central Museum of Railway Transport of the Russian Federation.

The Presidential Library continues to make available to the general public rare materials and unique documents of different years and periods. Due to the interaction of the Presidential Library and the Russian State Historical Archive, there is an opportunity to see the First World War through the eyes of the veterans, to plunge into the everyday lives of our people, feel and analyze one of the most difficult stages in the life of our state.