Frequently Asked Questions

What should I record?

Record Soviet military personnel, civilians, and unnamed Soviet individuals or groups when the document provides information relevant to identifying them or their circumstances.

For example, an interrogation may refer only to "10 prisoners from the 123rd Rifle Regiment." Even though their names are not given, record this group.

Should I record every Soviet name mentioned on the page?

No. Record people who are the subject of the document or about whom the document provides relevant individual information.

Do not record people who are merely mentioned in passing and are not the subject of the record. This includes political and military leaders mentioned only as part of the general context.

What if the person's name is not given?

The record is still useful. Enter не указано in the name field and record whatever information the document provides, especially the military unit and the number of people represented.

What if several unnamed prisoners are described together?

Create one record for the group, not a separate record for every person.

For example, if the document says that 10 soldiers of a particular regiment were interrogated but gives no information that distinguishes them individually, record them as one group and enter 10 as the number of persons.

Should I translate German names, places, or military units?

No. Enter the information exactly as it appears in the document. Do not translate, modernize, correct, or reconstruct it.

What if I cannot read something?

Do not guess. Record only what you can read with reasonable confidence. If the required information is not stated or cannot be reliably determined, use не указано where instructed.

Do I need to translate or transcribe the whole document?

No. The purpose of this project is to identify relevant Soviet individuals and groups and record the requested information about them. A complete transcription or translation of the document is not required.