Publications of the Leningrad Partisan Region as Historical Documents of the Epoch

Historical documents help to reconstruct many historical events and processes. Effectiveness and value of historical research largely depends on the quantity and quality of these documents. Among historical documents, publications from the partisan region of 1941–1944 hold a special place. Some of them are preserved in the collections of the Pskov Regional Universal Scientific Library named after Valentin Yakovlevich Kurbatov. The article reveals the fact that the partisan movement in the territory of the modern Pskov region had its own distinctive features. The study identifies the main stages, explores the nature of this movement, characterizes the combination of objective and subjective factors that influenced the form and content of partisan and underground publications, and determines the place and role of leaflets and newspapers in the context of war and German occupation for the population of occupied territories and the personnel of partisan units. It examines the peculiarities of the presentation form, style, language, and material selection of partisan publications, showcasing the diversity of propaganda efforts by partisans and underground fighters. Data on the number of newspapers, print runs, volume, and content are also presented, along with conclusions about the significance of the partisan press as an integral part of organizing the resistance movement behind the front lines. The publication of this material aims to introduce into research practice a previously unexplored part of the documentary heritage of the partisan movement from 1941 to 1945.