The use of local censuses and population records as the sources on demographic history of Western Siberia in the first half of XX century

One of the most important problems of historical demography is the provision of research sources. Unfortunately, some, especially young au- thors, pay little attention to the analysis of statistical materials used for reli- ability and comparability. As a result, published works are sometimes full of defects and even errors. It was an attempt to correct this unfortunate short- coming in the study. The study was devoted to resource analysis of such im- portant sources as local population censuses conducted in Western Siberia in the first half of XX century. The first Soviet census of 1920 was held in the conditions of Civil war, and covered only 72 % of the population, which did not allow obtaining any accurate data. The all-Union census conducted in December 1926 made it possible to determine the population number. How- ever, since 1930 the USSR entered the period of demographic crisis, which turned into a demographic catastrophe. Migration had not only more wide- spread, but also chaotic character...