Abstract
Migration to foreign countries, both voluntary, as in the case of emigrants and immigrants, became one of the most complex and controversial issues in the history of the twentieth century. The main objective of this article is to reconstruct the historical narrative of European migrants in Kazakhstan during the first half of the twentieth century. It distinguishes political émigrés and temporary labor immigrants from the broader mass of migrants, thereby addressing significant gaps in the historiography of European migration processes. Materials and Methods. The distinctive feature of this study lies in its reliance almost exclusively on archival documents introduced into scholarly circulation for the first time. The article examines the specific historical and empirical question of why European political émigrés and labor migrants chose the USSR, particularly Kazakhstan, and the consequences of that choice for them. Results. The study analyzes the preconditions for the settlement of various categories of European migrants in Kazakhstan and identifies key narratives reflecting the lives and activities of evacuated and repressed migrants. It also concludes the misconceptions held by many European migrants who viewed the USSR as a refuge for the oppressed and a society founded on social justice.