In the thesis, based on documentary and oral sources, most of which was first intro-duced in the scientific turnover, the everyday life of rural residents of Chernihiv region in 1941–1943 is comprehensively studied.
Mood of the population in the first months of the war and changes that have occurred in the life of the peasants before and during the occupation of Chernihiv region in August–September 1941 were characterized. During 1941–1943 the population of the region has de-creased because of the repressive measures of the occupants, as well as through the forced re-moval of peasants to work in Germany. It was clarified that the main reasons, that motivated the local population to cooperate with the invaders, were the insults done by the Soviet power to the peasants and their relatives, lack of faith in the victory over the enemy and attempts to improve conditions of life in the new reality, and insurmountable circumstances – coercion, blackmail, used by the Nazis to persuade the people that compromised themselves. It was found, that the ratio of rural population to the occupiers was negative and the relationships with those, who collaborated with the Nazis, were ambiguous. Significant impact on the peas-ants’ mood produced the German propaganda, which was actively spread via newspapers and radio, which were under control of the occupation authorities. Alternative channels of infor-mation were the partisan and underground groups, which distributed Radinformburo digests and Soviet newspapers that restrained the moral degradation of the peasants.
It was set, that during the occupation period providing the rural population of Chernihiv region with goods of daily consumption was complicated because of actual curtailment of trade. Therefore, the exchange of goods became vital for peasants. The lack of necessary goods led to the revival of crafts and trades. It is found that agricultural labor, as before, was the main con-tent of life of the rural population of Chernihiv oblast during the war.
The number of schools in the countryside decreased significantly, and the inability for children to visit school through their active involvement in the work on the farm, lack of cloth-ing etc. resulted in the curtailment of education in the village. The occupiers supported exacer-bation of religious feelings in difficult circumstances due to political reasons and simultaneously they neglected them. The activities of the occupation authorities for the preservation of public health was being implemented to the extent needed to maintain the ability of population to work and in order to limit the negative impact on the combat capability of the German army. Because of absence of drugs and doctors, peasants were treated mainly by means of traditional medicine.
Key words: Chernihiv region, World War II, the matrix of everyday life, everyday life, everyday practices, farmers, the occupation regime, the new order, survival strategies, partisans, collaborators.
