The organization of the leisure of population during the defense of Sevastopol (1941—1942)

Abstract

In the article, based on the study of archival sources, memoirs of participants in events and materials
of periodicals, the organization and basic forms of leisure activities of the population of Sevastopol
during the defense of 1941-1942 were considered. In November-December 1941, the opportunities for
leisure were limited, which was due to the extreme circumstances of the first and second city assaults.
In these months, the efforts of the authorities were aimed at establishing control over the population.
This was done not only for crime prevention, but also to maximize the mobilization of urban Inhabitants
to help the front. In the conditions of the siege, leisure activities played a large role in satisfaction
the physical and spiritual needs of the inhabitants of Sevastopol. The city authorities paid much
attention to the rational organization and control of leisure activities of the population. Among the
various types of leisure the population can be identified socially-positive (visits to concerts, museum
expositions, reading books, etc.), and informal, which were not approved by the authorities.