Kondopoga in the 1930s: the birth of the city

The social aspects of the forced industrialization of the Karelian ASSR are examined on the basis of the materials of the working settlement (since 1932) and the city (since 1938) of Kondopoga. The city’s life vector was set by the needs of the state and federal departments. The local perspective of the urbanization vision made it possible to pay special attention to the socio-cultural aspects of urban life. The phenomena that prevented the establishment of urbanized culture in this community were identified. They include unskilled labor, poor living conditions for a significant part of rural migrants, and toughening of political control over the citizens, despite declared democratic freedoms. The possibilities of adaptation and self-organization of citizens aimed at mitigating the social costs of the industrial breakthrough are demonstrated. The City Council activities aimed at providing for the daily needs of the residents are characterized, and the formation of the educational and medical care systems is discussed. The creative activity of citizens as well as new forms of activities that contributed to personal self-realization were most fully manifested in the sphere of leisure organization.