German Collective Farms in Leningrad Region during Mid-1930s: Insights from District Newspapers

This study explores the representation of German collective farms in the district’s Russianlanguage periodical press during the mid- 1930s. The primary source for this analysis is the newspaper “Socialistichesky Prigorod” [Socialist Suburb], published in the Leningrad Suburban District. It has been determined that most newspaper articles characterize German collective farms as exemplary agricultural organizations that underwent a significant transformation—from systematic lagging behind to achieving advanced economic positions within the district. The initial backwardness of these collective farms was attributed by the press to deliberate sabotage by “classalien elements,” which, according to the authors of the articles, hindered the development of national collective farms and their ability to meet planned production targets. Furthermore, the economic successes of the German collective farms were linked to the focused efforts of the German poor and Soviet-party organs aimed at purging the collectives of “kulaks,” alongside the enthusiasm of individual German peasants. It is noted that, in conjunction with other types of sources, the district periodical press provides a comprehensive and holistic picture of the socio-economic modernization of the German countryside in the 1930s.