very rare, especially complete (Savine)

One of the most important researches into this tragic episode of the post-war history.

The work compiled by the Ataman of the Kuban Cossacks Naumenko (1883-1979) contains documented evidence of the forced repatriation to the USSR of Cossacks, ethnic Russians and Ukrainians who were alleged allies of Nazi Germany during the Second World War. The repatriations were agreed to in the Yalta Conference; Stalin claimed the repatriated people were Soviet citizens as of 1939, although many of them had left Russia before or soon after the end of the Russian Civil War, or had been born abroad. Most of those Cossacks and Russians fought the Allies in service to the Axis powers, yet the repatriations included non-combatant civilians as well.

On 1 June 1945, the British placed 32,000 Cossacks (with women and children) into trains and delivered them to the Red Army for repatriation to the USS. Repatriations also occurred that year in the American occupation zones in Austria and Germany. Most Cossacks were sent to the Gulags in far Northern Russia and in Siberia, and many died.

Not in the collection of the Russian State library (RGB).

First editions, 2 vols (all published); 8vo (23.5 x 16 cm) light traces of tape to inner margin of several pp. in vol I.; publisher's cloth, colour of binding of vol.I and vol.II differs as published.