The use of Soviet films in the ideological struggle of the Third Reich against Bolshevism (according to the documents of Einsatzstab Reichsleiter Rosenberg)

Abstract

The aim of the research is to analyse the documents of Einsatzstab Reichsleiter Rosenberg archives as sources for the use of Soviet film strips and documentary film strips confiscated throughout the Nazi-occupied territory of the USSR, that is the films of various kinds and contents, for propaganda and political training, both in different Nazi civilian institutions and within military structures of The Third Reich, devoted to the ideological struggle against the Soviet Union and Bolshevism during the Second World War. The methodology of research is comprised of the historical-archival and historical-comparative research methods, as well as methods of source analysis. The use of such methodology made it possible to determine the content as well as determine the informational potential of this kind of documents in the archive of Einsatzstab Reichsleiter Rosenberg, which covers the issue of confiscation of Soviet documentary films on the occupied territories, inventory and processing, export to the Third Reich, as well as their use in anti-Soviet propaganda. Scientific novelty of the research. The documents of Einsatzstab Reichsleiter Rosenberg, dedicated to one of the aspects of its activities on the Nazi-occupied territory of the USSR, namely the confiscation of documentary films, which have not been put into scientific circulation until today are the objects of this research and source study. A separate place in the study also covers the issue of the use of the resources by both the Einsatzstab and other Nazi structures of Soviet films of scientific and popular science content, documentaries, and newsreels in political education and in specialised training during World War II, which until now have not been the subject of scientific research, neither in Ukraine nor abroad. Conclusions. The carried out source analysis of the documents allows us to conclude that Einsatzstab Reichsleiter Rosenberg, in addition to cultural values – art objects, confiscated in the USSR and exported to the Reich, collections of film materials as sources both for learning about life in the Soviet Union. Evidences for this notion are supplied by the various documents from the Headquarters archives – reports of employees, lists of confiscated films and correspondence.