Abstract: The author examines the psychological adaptation of Russian émigré in the German society during the period in question. Special attention is paid to the Russian humanitarian organizations as communication channels between the Russian refugees and authorities of the hosting countries with regards to distribution of humanitarian aid, solution of legal and administrative issues; humanitarian situation among former Russian prisoners of the World War I in Europe; psychological state of Russian emigrants as a humanitarian problem of white émigré. Methodological framework consists of the principles of historicism and systematicity. The latter implies studying the problem in inseparable connection with the processes and events taking place in society at the particular moment in history. The author examines the history of Russian humanitarian activity in emigration as an element of general historical context in development of the country. This article is first within the Russian historiography to consider the psychological peculiarities of adaptation of Russian émigrés in the European society; as well as introduce into the scientific discourse previously unpublished autograph of the prominent émigré writer and publisher Roman Borisovich Gul. Depressive trends, cultural famine, transformation of moral image were frequent occurrences in the moral-psychological climate of Russian communities, due to the circumstances of long-term isolated living in the refugee camps in Germany. As a counterbalance to the gradually vanishing hopes, as a so-called compensation for the emerged spiritual vacuum, in the moods of Russian émigrés have formed the centripetal tendencies, desire to unite national groups, isolate from antagonistic external environment, create the own “Russian” world in a foreign land.

Abstract: The subject of this research is the job market and legal situation in Germany in the 1920’s in the context of arrival of a large number of Russian refugees and former World War I prisoners; activity of the Russian social and professional organizations on overcoming humanitarian crisis faced by the compatriots in exile; process of reproduction of organizational structures of the Russian humanitarian activity in Europe; legal and economic framework of their activity abroad; role of humanitarian organizations in Germany in the process of employment of Russian refugees. Methodology is based on the principles of historicism and systematicity. The latter implies examination of the articulated problem in inseparable connection with the ongoing social processes and events during a specific historical period. For the first time, the history of Russian first-wave émigré is viewed through the prism of processes taking place in the area of labor relations of Russian refugees and German society; as a story of people who faced a severe humanitarian crisis. Sociocultural stress incurred by millions of compatriots caused such phenomena as marginalization and denationalization on a massive scale. The article reflects the role of humanitarian activity in counteracting the aforementioned crisis processes of the examined period.