Tatar folk lyrical songs of the great patriotic war

This study reviews the Tatar folk song heritage of the Great Patriotic War, identifying characteristics of the wartime lyric songs common among the Tatars in the former USSR, elucidating their place and role in the system of national lyric folklore. The review is based on the texts introduced into the scientific circulation in the academic publications “Tatar Folk Art”, as well as expedition materials from different years stored in the Miras-Khane Written Heritage Center of the Academy of Sciences of the Re- public of Tatarstan. The article defines the primary function of wartime songs as a reflection of the spiritual world, revealing the experiences of an individual among other Tatar people. In accordance with the trends of the times, a spirit of elation and labor enthusiasm in the name of a great victory were heard on the home front. The study proves that the texts show a renewal of the national epic tradition.