Hidden Depths: Which Universities and Theaters Were Evacuated to Tomsk between 1941-1945
Education and Science in Tomsk During World War II
Tomsk, a key educational and scientific hub before the war, became a refuge for various institutions during World War II. This evacuation saw the arrival of 16 universities and research institutions, 15 administrative and cultural centers, and numerous military schools from cities like Moscow, Leningrad, Dnepropetrovsk, and more.
Academia Takes Center Stage
Intellectuals and scholars in Tomsk didn't waste any time. From day one of the conflict, they rallied together, proposing the formation of a united scholarship committee. This was the nation's first brain trust, focusing on mobilizing science and technology resources for the frontline. The committee, led by Professor B.P. Tokin, dedicated considerable attention to issues such as cost-cutting, resource substitution, finding local fuel sources, and aiding hospitals.
Over the course of the war, Tomsk-based scholars conducted 1607 research projects, many of which influenced 35 doctoral and 103 master's theses.
Enlightenment and Propaganda
Tomsk's Naustra Library housed archival documents from literary greats like A.S. Pushkin, A.M. Gorky, and S.A. Esenin, as well as personal belongings of L.N. Tolstoy from the "Yasnaya Polyana" museum.
Tomsk Radio played a significant role in education and propaganda, with its satirical literary-musical show "Pрямо на волну" gaining widespread popularity. The show, performed by students from the Leningrad Theater Institute, provided insightful commentary on war events, both on the frontlines and at home.
"Okna TASS," Tomsk's first window display studio, was established at the beginning of 1942. Known for its sharp political satire and high civic patriotism, the studio's vivid, thought-provoking posters kept the citizens informed about the war's developments. The posters, hand-drawn, stenciled, and colored with gouache, were displayed in shop windows and on the street for everyone to see. The artist M. Șcheglov made a memorable contribution to this poster art, having previously gained recognition for his work in pre-revolutionary Tomsk.
Tomsk's city theater featured performances by artists from the First Belarusian State Theater, an esteemed theater awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor. Between 1942 and 1944, over 747,000 viewers attended their performances, many of which took place in hospitals and military units.
Upon its return to Belarus, the theater was replaced by the Chkalov Front Theater (directed by Pavel Antokolsky), which made its debut in Tomsk on April 30, 1945.
- The united scholarship committee, formed in the early stages of the war, focused on the mobilization of science and technology resources in Tomsk for the frontline, with a particular attention to cost-cutting, resource substitution, finding local fuel sources, and aiding hospitals.
- Many of the 1607 research projects conducted by Tomsk-based scholars during World War II influenced 35 doctoral and 103 master's theses.
- Tomsk Radio's satirical literary-musical show "Pрямо на волну," performed by students from the Leningrad Theater Institute, gained widespread popularity and provided insightful commentary on war events.
- The artist M. Șcheglov, known for his sharp political satire and high civic patriotism, made a memorable contribution to Tomsk's poster art with vivid, thought-provoking posters hand-drawn, stenciled, and colored with gouache. These posters were displayed in shop windows and on the street during World War II.
