Articles about Kobrin: 1917 - 1941

That nezaby¸na verasen...

3 uspam_n ў A. M. Sushchuk, veteran of a vayna і prayets

To me, the indigenous Belarusian-poleshuku, in September, 1939 14 years were executed. Events of those days — are unforgettable. They — starting point of their further judgment in the changing time...

How we lived till September, 1939 on "vskhodny kresa"?

Both the stepmother cannot become mother, and foreign state — the homeland. Was quite so. It was confirmed, for example, by an explanation of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland colonel Yu. Beck: "We close the Belarusian schools in the Western Belarus and we replace them Polish because Belarusians in general the backward, wild people, Belarusian — language backward which brings not enough benefit".

What happiness in such fatherland stepmother? It is nowadays difficult to present what on Kobrin povt with the population of 113 248 people (1931) was necessary the only average educational institution — a gymnasium in Kobrin. On all Polesia voivodeship — any higher educational institution. And it in the center of so-called civilized Europe! 89 percent nachalno - "povshekhny" schools were placed in 1 — 3 educational classes, including 53 percent — in one. In a poveta there were two more agricultural schools with the term of training of 11 months. In them 53 pupils were engaged. On all voivodeship of such schools there were 5. Pathetic povetovy expenses on education from 1928/29 academic years on 1931/32 were cut with 1,6 yes 0,21 percent of the povetovy budget.

From where there could be means if individual agriculture was extremely shattered and backward — 47,5 percent of country farms owned plots to 5 hectares and only 0,7 percent — more than 100 hectares (data of the Polish pre-war statistics).

And here in September, 1939 radical turn in destiny of the western Belarusians living in structure of the Polish state was made.

Unless I can forget ardent meetings, the exulting barefoot peasants in homespun clothes who were spontaneously flown down on the highway to meet Red Army tank parts, the brothers liberators? In national development of the people and the states, history learns, there is more desired and fair, than no association of the people separated by the border laid bloody by force of arms.

Only small groups of the radical nationalists who are torn off from radical expectations of the population showed resistance. In the years of the German occupation they went to a service to Hitlerites, helped them to combat guerrillas, to plunder and exterminate the rebellious population.

1939 — year of the rough, boiling military-political events which were promptly running one on another. The red Army entered Kobrin on September 22, and already 28 — 30 the Temporary management of the Kobrin povet is created and gets to work. Its armed force — in advance created voluntary groups of Working guard and Country militia from local population. With organized support of the population by September 25 military mission ended — the West Belarusian population was taken under protection, advance of the German troops to the East, to the Soviet border is blocked.

In a week with small after liberation of Kobrin district the first issue of the Trud newspaper (nowadays "the Kobrin messenger") and even regional "Dawn" manages to be published. Amazing efficiency! Until the end of the year there are three months, but manage to deliver and distribute on schools textbooks, to direct and place thousands of teachers from east areas of the republic. How many pleasure came under each country straw roof, I judge by myself when all children went to school, and if to consider that most of the population, since ten years, was not able neither to write, nor to read.

Education — a decisive factor of public activity of the personality. Thirst for it was improbable. With four classes "povshekhny" of seven-year term of training as me, enlisted in 5 — the 6th classes. Began with the alphabet of the Belarusian and Russian languages, the persistence overcame difficulties. Became engrossed in reading of Ya. Kupala and Ya. Kolas, A. Pushkin and M. Lermontov, used libraries. After classes — study in the militarized circles. Studied a fighting rifle, a gas mask, fighting chemical toxic agents, made multikilometer cross-countries on a cross-country terrain, seized skills of first aid. Equaled on those who already had a breastplate "the Voroshilovsky shooter".

From garrison military commissioners came in the evenings to school, gave lectures about world situation, the running high wars. By means of the population it is accelerated the military airfield was under construction. Residents Kobrin admired educational poletamivirazha, and really it seemed that "in each propeller the tranquility of our borders breathes". When on the city a stamping system, from songs there passed pilots — people opened windows, left to gates, and ubiquitous boys a crowd were attached by trace. New life was filled with belief and enthusiasm.

Everything submitted to patriotic education, devotion the Homeland, its protection. All levers for formation of power of national spirit, soon become to the main component of a mass military and labor feat were used. Communists of new did not think up. "Only two powerful forces exist: saber and spirit. Finally the spirit wins against a saber" — Napoleon summed up the way. The biggest feats, history demonstrates, were made for the love of the Fatherland, the native land.

Unforgettable September of the 1939th...

Reflecting on events of 60-year, on that unusual country which we lost, the opinion of the non-party philosopher A. Zinovyev who noticed that "the Soviet period — top of the Russian history" comes to thought.

The 1939th loaded me with inexhaustible energy of spirit which will be enough for the rest of life.

National newspaper. 1999. 26 zhn.
 



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