A Little about the "Motherland's storehouses" on the example of the Byelorussian office of the All-Union Trust "SOYUZPROMMETIZSNAB"

This article examines the mechanisms of the centralized resource distribution system in the USSR during the post-war reconstruction period (1945–1954) using the Belarusian office of the All-Union Association "SOYUZPROMMETIZSNAB"/ "GLAVMETALLOSNAB" as an example. The source material is unique, little-studied archival materials from the National Archives of the Republic of Belarus, revealing the activities of an organization commonly known as one of the "Motherland's storehouses." The study, for the first time, accurately localized and described the activities of the structure responsible for distributing strategic materials — metal and metal products — for the reconstruction of the BSSR. Particular attention is paid to the analysis of the complex logistics chain: 20 enterprises in the Ural region (including the Magnitogorsk, Chelyabinsk, and Zlatoust plants) were identified as key suppliers of raw materials to Minsk and Gomel. The data obtained provide a detailed understanding of state resource management practices, the constant oversight regime (a series of continuous inspections) and attempts to overcome management chaos through regular party meetings and production meetings. The article was supported by a grant from the Russian Science Foundation.