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Kobrin → Materials about Kobrin district → Kobrin district in the years of war

It seems, about war already whole volumes are written. Verses, prose, journalism, memoirs... So much it is told, removed, written down. But we look for new pages that nothing about events of 70-year fell into oblivion. Today, when eyewitnesses of war remained so a little that their account goes already on units, it is especially important that their memoirs remained for descendants.

Acquaintance

On April 15, 2015 Stepan Nikolaevich Timoshuk celebrated the 89th birthday. In appearance the old man strong still and on character was vigorous and optimistical. Smiles, even jokes. Itself still copes with household affairs: the lodge keeps in an order, and to itself will make a lunch, and will clean up. Recently became a widow/widower so one should cope. There is a daughter, the son-in-law, the daughter-in-law, grandsons and great-grandsons. They help about the house and in the yard. But Stepan Nikolaevich tries not to burden them with the affairs.

In free time, having put on glasses, Stepan Nikolaevich reads. And it not only the Drug Pensionera newspaper, but also serious literature among which historical works and books about war prevail. And the book "From Volga to Elba and Prague" telling about the events happening to in what the veteran participated, helps during performances before school students where he is invited quite often to transfer a complete picture of war about which it is impossible to forget.

Beginning of war. Occupation

Sunday morning on June 22 Stepan Timoshuk remembers absolutely distinctly: "Till the dawn I went with rods to fishing. But only reached Mukhavts as heard a rumble of planes". Even being on other river bank, the young man could understand that in airfield disturbing revival began: beep of a siren howled, in the sky turned others planes. "To hours to nine Germans began to beat a staff, but reciprocal actions from our aircraft followed not at once. It became known only later that the severe order worked - not to give in to provocations and not to show any resistance. And on Monday Germans already approached the city, and we appeared in the occupied territory", - he tells.

"Life in occupation was hard. There were not enough products and fuel. At schools which opened in the fall we learned not for long: with cold weather approach of occupation at school which was on May Day stopped, the gendarmerie indoors was located. And lessons began to pass in the building of the Suvorov house, but I there did not go any more. Not before was..."

The house on May Day where there lived Stepan with the parents, appeared in close proximity to the highway and railroad tracks. Germans considered this site strategic and ordered to clear space within two weeks: to transfer to other place of all 14 houses. "You will not argue with the new power - it was necessary to move, - Stepan Nikolaevich remembers. - We sorted the house on a bryovnyshka and put it on the site which is taken away in city line (on Gorky Street). And there and offensive combats were started, drove Germans. While released Kobrin, we got under bombardment more than once, shells were torn also in our kitchen gardens".

The road on the front. Baptism of fire

"As soon as ours entered Kobrin, right there took place also mobilization. So, on August 3, 1944 I arrived according to the agenda to a military registration and enlistment office and from there together with other recruits went to the Birch. Walked because railway tracks were completely destroyed and only from the Birch was more - the message is less adjusted. At station we began to be grouped in divisions and offered persons interested to register in the Polish army. Many agreed, but I for myself decided not to go there. I am not Pole! So I got to the Soviet army. After that we were shipped in echelons and carried to the Kaluga region to the city of Kozelsk. The regimentals were given old, with traces of not washed blood here and there, and began to be taught to be shot. In a week gave new regimentals and told to prepare for review. The general came, examined us and asks: "How many were engaged?". Someone says that only a week firing practice lasted. "It will be gun meat", - told, looking at us, the general also postponed time of sending to the front. On the following check examined us again and again did not let. Only in a month sent to the front - to East Prussia.

We arrived to Lithuania won from Germans and were enlisted in a machine-gun company. So I in infantry began to serve as the machine gunner, shot from a legendary machine gun "Maxim". During one of fights it was wounded in a leg. During approach when all ran on the enemy, I even understood not at once what happened to my legs. Something whipped on tops, as if bush branches. Only when looked down, I see: valenoks are whipped and warmly in them somehow very much. And already blood in them flows down. Fortunately, it was a slight injury of soft fabrics. Three I spent weeks in hospital and again got on the front".

"God of war" on "battlefield"

Before the Newest year the Red Army went to approach again, and Stepan Timoshuk was transferred to artillery. Call "god of war" in literature artillery, designating its important place during military operations. Stepan Nikolaevich on own experience experienced in what this Divine is covered. "It was the heavy service. Our calculation consisted of seven people, on hand - one down. If cars or horses are absent, and it is necessary to move urgently the tool, then towed. Defensive boundaries built only at night. Norm on the person - a trench 5 meters long, 60 centimeters wide and 1 meter of 20 cm in depth. You begin to dig lying because Germans control the territory and postrelivat from time to time. Frozen soil was blown up the German grenades", - the old soldier remembers and to nachinayet_rasskazyvat about the device of the captured grenade. It so in details describes it, glancing at the hand that it seems as if it indeed lies at it on a palm.

Fights were especially cruel. The fascists adjusted by Red Army and losing one by one the boundaries were angered to a limit. When fight was started, soldiers cotton wool closed ears not to become deaf. "The rumble stood such that neither words, nor teams were heard. Even separate was not to sort shots, it is only visible where shells fell and were broken off", - he tells.

The old soldier speaks about difficulties of front everyday life chilly and frostily: Whether "It was terrible at the front? At first - very much. But not for nothing say that the person gets used to everything. And to death too. Happens, at cinema show: the blood-stained person writhes from pain, asks: "Finish!!!". You look and do not trust. And it actually so. In each fight saw it. Even in 1944 in regimentals there were catastrophically not enough helmets therefore soldiers went into battle with the unprotected heads and in trenches perished as soon as having looked out of shelter".

Capture of Konigsberg

By April, 1945 the fighting way brought Stepan Timoshuk to the capital of east Prussia - the fortified city of Konigsberg. The city was enclosed with a ring from twelve forts, together with auxiliary constructions they made the line of defense in 43 km. Fighters and commanders of the coming Red Army with alarm considered these powerful walls and loopholes in field-glasses. In several days they should take them storm. "The beginning of approach was planned for April 5. But weather was awful: the sky was tightened by clouds, there was a rain, on the earth fog lay. It created difficulties for work of aircraft therefore command decided to postpone the beginning of approach for days", - Stepan Nikolaevich remembers.

And here hour of "X" punched. In the morning on April 6 storm began with South side of fortress, somewhere in an hour the artillery from the North was connected to approach. Fights went till April 10, day and night, without stopping. On storm of enemy fortress tanks and people moved and in hundreds perished on approaches to it. Directly in the face of Stepan Nikolaevich the tank struck with an enemy shell became on a hill - and stood: ceased to shoot, only caterpillars continued to rotate. And fighters, having lost fire support, perished near the stood tank. In the same place, directly under a tank caterpillar, the radio operator died, and the regiment was left without communication. "The commander of a regiment lieutenant colonel Komarov took me the radio operator in the division so I was lucky, differently, maybe, and I would not be alive any more, such there cruel there were fights. Especially got to us at speeding up of the river Pregel near the port. Protected there - a vertical concrete wall to which swam up by boats and then clambered up. And around shells are torn, and ours, and enemy. A bullet, it does not sort who the and who others. To the people lay down multitudes there, but fortress was taken. And even when we entered there and captured her, fights continued on streets. City terrible actually: continuous long dark transitions. And from everywhere shoot, - Stepan Nikolaevich says and continues: - But the lieutenant colonel Komarov treated us in a fatherly way: both learned, and preserved and if that not so, then and on a back could draw a stick on which leaned when walking".

Stepan Timoshuk was influenced by taste of a komarovsky stick. "I remember, came into the house fought off Germans. I began to display radio station and suddenly I see: the brand new purse, beautiful such lies on a floor. I only bent down to lift it, and Mosquitoes to me a stick on a back as will cut. I jumped aside, I look at it, and it to me waves a fist: "You what, soldiers, you do? And if the mine is disguised? In a moment you will blow up!!!". But, fortunately, the mine did not appear there, and trophy still I have a purse as memory of capture of Konigsberg", - Stepan Nikolaevich laughs. But not only the purse reminds him of that great fight, but also the medal "For Capture of Konigsberg" which it was awarded upon termination of military operations.

Hurrah, Victory!

The private Timoshuk met a victory in the city of Pillau located in northern part of Vistula Spit. "It was the last strong point of Germans on Baltic, - Stepan Nikolaevich tells. - We beat out them from there and learned that Berlin is taken. Radio operators learned about it the first and declared everything. What there began! Volleys of a victory were fired by all who had the weapon in hands. And the next day there took place meetings, and many soldiers began to gather home. But Stalin's order on demobilization extended only to certain age categories, to those who had multiple wounds and on teachers who were necessary for the organization of training. Under one of these categories I did not get, so, had to continue service. We served until change grew up to us. When given rise in 1929 it was executed for 18 years and their began to call up for military service, only then began to release veterans for civil work". Up to 1950 there was Stepan Nikolaevich Timoshuk in armed forces, served as the foreman, was the secretary of the Komsomol organization, the political leader.

"From one metal pour a medal for fight, a medal for work!"

"It would be possible to serve further!" - the veteran with regret speaks. But household chores called to return to civil life, and, having demobilized, he got a job in foundry shop, then worked almost 20 years in combine of the municipal enterprises. On May 7, 1971 following the results of the 8th five-years period Stepan Nikolaevich was awarded by the Order of Lenin. The medal book signed by the secretary of the Supreme Council of the USSR M. Georgadze and today the veteran of war and work in a special way values. According to the order bearer, only one such award was allocated for the Brest region, and only the leader of production who worked not less than 12 years on one workplace could receive it. Stepan Nikolaevich's candidacy was ideally suited, and near war decorations there was also an award for valorous work. And on March 14, 1985 S. N. Timoshuk was awarded the order Patriotic War of the I degree.

Today to the order bearer is what to tell the children and grandsons because having passed front roads, he knows precisely: war is the most terrible evil what only thought up mankind. And on the eve of the 70 anniversary of the Great Victory of soldiers of a victory responded to the invitation of pupils of a gymnasium of the city of Kobrin to tell new generation about war which should not repeat in any manifestations any more. As a sign of creation, the world and good this day in the territory of a gymnasium the avenue of memory which will remind present and future youth of a debt to a feat of those who presented them an opportunity to live under the peace sky was put.

And now, these May days as, however, and every year, Stepan Nikolaevich carefully prepares the full dress, to gloss polishes medals and awards because the holiday of the Great Victory is for it in the most expensive and desired afternoon.

Kazakova, A. Soldat Victory / Anna Kazakova//Kobrin-inform. – 2015. – May 7. – Page 4. About the veteran of the Great Patriotic War to the kobrinchanena Stepan Nikolaevich Timoshuk, the order bearer storming Konigsberg.



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