The Wives of Foreign Specialists in the Ukrainian SSR in the Early 1930s

Abstract

The paper considers the everyday life of the wives of foreign specialists who arrived in the Ukrainian SSR during the first five-year plan. It is based primarily on the memoirs of Antonia Rehman, the wife of an Austrian engineer, and the wife of Karl Schnittern, a German worker (her name is unknown). They lived in the socialist town of New Kharkiv, built to accommodate the staff of the Kharkiv Tractor Plant (hereinafter — KhTZ) in the early 1930s. The purpose is to analyze the contribution of such women to the circulation of knowledge and technology between the capitalist world and the socialist one. It is shown how the wives became accustomed to the space of a socialist town and Soviet consumption habits. The author describes their everyday resistance and actions within the framework of «permitted dissent». The quirks of the Soviet system of distribution of goods and services determined women’s everyday life. They learned the arts of Soviet shopping and Soviet communication. Enjoying an exceptional status in the Soviet society, foreigners tended to demand better service. Furthermore, certain standards of living had been promised to their husbands. The promises were partially fulfilled. Most foreign families had in-house kitchens. In contrast, the houses for Soviet workers were built to maximize «socialization of life». And yet, the Soviet system of distribution could not meet the expectations of foreigners. The author concludes that the allure of Soviet slogans crumbled under the weight of everyday life. Due to the hardships the wives prompted their husbands to terminate or not renew the contracts and return home. That was a significant factor in the transnational circulation of knowledge and technology during the first five-year plan. Thus, the study highlights the gendered dimension of Soviet modernization and shows how everyday practices influenced broader transnational exchanges.