Humanitarian activities of the Nizhyn district zemstvo during the First World War (1914–1917)

The purpose of the article is to scientifically comprehend the role of the Nizhyn district zemstvo during the First World War inproviding assistance to service menand certain categories of the civilian population. On the example of the activity of the Nizhyn Zemstvo it is possible to understand the local processes, to analyze the scale of the challenges of time and to comprehend the ways of overcoming them at the local level. Research methods were selected in accordance with the purpose. In the article were used generals scientific methods of description and analysis, principles of historicism, objectivity and consistency have been applied. The scientific novelty lies in the fact that the information introduced into scientific circulation helps to significantly supplement the history of the Nizhyn district zemstvo with new facts, to comprehend the features of humanitarian activities during the First World War. Conclusions. The Nizhyn district zemstvo implemented a number of practical measures to provide assistance to militaries and certain categories of the civilian population during the First World War. The zemstvo most fully understood the needs of the population, the resource and infrastructural potential of the county. These factors were one of the keyfactors for the development of an effective strategy for local humanitarian activity. Members of zemstvo contributed to the establishment of communication with the provincial zemstvo, city government and a number of existing charitable organizations, which made it possible to carry out multi-vector humanitarian activities. The implementation of local initiatives was complicated by the tough bureaucratic system of the empire and the general socio-economic crisis, but even in such conditions the zemstvo supported the existing social infrastructure and responded to the challenges of war time. The experience of the Nizhyn zemstvo deserves attention when developing strategies for solving the problems of our time from the point of view of analyzing and rethinking the relevant practices of supporting various categories of the population