Material and technical base of the Chelyabinsk Region financial bodies during the Great Patriotic War

The paper describes the material and technical position of the financial bodies in the Chelyabinsk Region in 1941–1945. The author provides a structure of regional financial institutions, which included the financial departments (Financial Department of the region, city and districts), savings-banks and long-term lending banks. The paper also examines dynamics of changes in the material and technical support of the regional financial system during the war. The analysis of archival sources clearly shows that in the first years of the war the material and technical support of the regional system of financial institutions was in critical condition: there was not enough office space, transport, calculating machines and typewriters as well as other necessary equipment for the work. But with the beginning of a radical change in the lines the situation gradually began to improve. Both cash and food were increased, the situation with transport, office and accommodation space was stabilized, new equipment appeared. Despite the difficult situation, the material and technical support did not have a significant impact on the effectiveness of the regional financial bodies. Financial stability was maintained both at the nationwide and regional levels. The government targets of military loans distribution were not only performed but also beaten. In total, 1,6 billion rubles were collected in the Chelyabinsk Region, which is 2% of the nationwide funds received from the distribution of the government loan. The most important indicator of the work efficiency was the qualitative performance of regional budgets.