Tobolsk during the World War II

With the beginning of the war total mobilization was declared in Tobolsk. In June 25, 1941 the first group of volunteers was sent to the front on the ship ‘Alexander Bui’.

Thousands of the Tobolsk inhabitants fought at the front line. Some of them didn’t come back, some survived through the war and marched up to Berlin. Seven Heroes of the Soviet Union were born in Tobolsk. Far outside the town became known the feat of the telephone operator Vassili Vengerski, who, being deadly wounded, squeezed a disrupted cable between his teeth. During the war a lot of production companies, research institutions, creative companies, children’s asylums from Ukraine and Central Russia were evacuated to Tobolsk. Since the majority of the labor-capable males had left to the front, a lot of exceptionally male professions were coped with by women. A team of tractor drivers was formed out of the school-girls from Tobolsk. During the war women numbered three quarters out of the total labour resources of the town. Tobolsk was of great importance as a transportation link. Timber, fish, and furs were transported to the front line through the Istysh river. For the Tobolsk people, as for the whole of Russia, the victory was achieved at a precious price through great losses, unbelievable heroism and self-sacrifice.