During World War I, it was the site of a prisoner-of-war camp that became notorious for a typhus epidemic in the winter of 1915-1916. More than 9,000 of 17,000 prisoners died.[6] Czech writer Jaroslav Hašek was one of its survivors.
During World War II, it was the site of a prisoner-of-war camp for Polish prisoners. In 1941–1942, the 6th and 7th Infantry Divisions of the Polish Anders' Army were formed and stationed in Totskoye.[7] Poles were housed in makeshift camps in dire conditions, mostly in tents and dugouts, and suffered from shortages of food, medicine, warm clothing and footwear.[8] Due to extreme cold reaching −54 °C (−65 °F), the Poles were relocated to Shahrisabz and Karmana in early 1942.[8][9] A monument for Polish soldiers is erected there.[citation needed]
In 1954, the Totskoye range was the site of the Soviet nuclear tests. Totskoye is also the site of the Totskoye air base.
References
^"Об исчислении времени". Официальный интернет-портал правовой информации (in Russian). June 3, 2011. Retrieved January 19, 2019.
^Почта России. Информационно-вычислительный центр ОАСУ РПО. (Russian Post). Поиск объектов почтовой связи (Postal Objects Search) (in Russian)
^Ziółkowska, Ewa (2002). "Polskie groby w Uzbekistanie i Kazachstanie. W 60. rocznicę polskiego wychodźstwa z ZSRR". Wspólnota Polska (in Polish). No. 3–4 (116–117). p. 65. ISSN1429-8457.