Jasmine with aroma of history

Kobrin → Outstanding persons → Alexey Mikhaylovich Martynov

I remember this bush of a jasmine since the childhood. We as though competed with it in growth, but always it was the winner. Every time when I passed by, some force forced me to turn the look on it. It always struck me with the magnificence and delicate aroma.

- I can admire a jasmine for hours too. I received it as a gift, but as he reminds the owner who, unfortunately, already died, - the female voice which forced me to shudder interrupted silence. Seeing surprise in my opinion, the unexpected interlocutor continued: - Both sprouts of a jasmine reach for the sun, and Alexey Mikhaylovich Martynov strove for knowledge. With death of the father his family remained without means of support therefore to go study he could not. But what desire to become the competent person if he independently studied was and perfectly knew English, French, German, Polish and Ukrainian yazykm. Mastered Esperanto. If attentively to look narrowly at a color of leaves of a jasmine, then you will see up to seven shades of green color. As the color scale of these leaves is diverse, such wide range of knowledge also Alexey Mikhaylovich had. He knew world history and history of native Kobrin district, was interested in literature, journalism, classics, painting. It had some unusual interest in all surrounding. It seemed, there was no such question which would overtake it unawares. He could communicate with people of any intellectual level and a rank, striking with the erudition. Though had no higher education.

The hostess of a jasmine made a pause. I was overflowed by curiosity and desire to learn in more detail about this uncommon person.

- The bush of a jasmine found in my front garden the "second homeland", for Alexey Mikhaylovich its work became "the second house". In far post-war years the thought of creation of the museum seemed to much strange. Foremost care that was what to eat also a roof over the head, and here., museum. The remained A. V. Suvorov's lodge was nearly sorted on fuel, but thanks to efforts, Alexey Mikhaylovich's enthusiasm not only escaped, but also became the hallmark of the city, gained fame outside our republic. Thirty two years Martynov was the permanent director of the military and historical museum, giving himself to favourite business, investigated the historical past of the hometown. Visited many edges, visited more than 150 cities of the world, having used the got data and exhibits for replenishment of the museum. When kernels for guns of far Suvorov times were found in Izmail, Alexey Mikhaylovich brought them to the museum in suitcases. It delivered the invaluable weapon of the 18th century from Leningrad, carried it in a holdall in the general car of the train, having put under the head instead of a pillow.

Hermitage, Tretyakov gallery... Martynov also visited Louvre. Yes, admired what was seen, but exhibits of the Kobrin museum were more expensive to it. He to the smallest details knew history of each small street, each ancient house, without suspecting that that gradually became the keeper of history of the city where was born, grew up, took place as the personality.

My interlocutor became silent. I distinctly remembered the picture of my childhood … The museum leaves the gray-haired thin person, renders me playing with a ball, with a carriage, attention signs. His answers to mine "why?" are so interesting and substantial that I give it a ball, and then I sob when it, having taken the leave, leaves. Mother, calming me, speaks: "Tomorrow we surely here will come, and the uncle will tell you a lot of new, he knows so much... It is a legend of our city, its history". The hostess of a jasmine did not keep waiting for continuation of the story long.

- The bush is planted end-to-end with grapes, then we bethought - will not get on. Look, branches of a jasmine deviated and do not create hindrances to the neighbor. Here such diplomatic qualities of character also Alexey Mikhaylovich possessed. It never offended and did not humiliate. At a difficult moment found such words of support that at heart it became warm. Having communicated to any person, he could estimate possibilities of everyone, and did not make mistakes. And if it was necessary to ask or resolve an issue for the benefit of common cause, equal to it was not. Though the inherent modesty did not allow it to ask for itself and for itself.

The jasmine is not exacting to the soil and moisture, is very hardy, as well as his owner. Alexey Mikhaylovich quietly treated material benefits. He did not attach great value to appearance of the person. The soul, but not a model, a cover was more important for it. Martynov felt need only for air and books on which a half of a salary left. Very few people knew that, having got sick with tuberculosis of lungs in the thirtieth anniversary age, he recovered independently. You know as? Starvation. The yoga and swimming, even winter, despite of age became an obligatory element of his life. As the only vehicle on city streets, and till last days lives, served the bicycle.

How many difficulties to it had to transfer! From fifteen-year age he began to edify. During the Great Patriotic War actively helped guerrillas. How many forces expectation took away that Germans, as for his workmate on a warehouse of building materials will come to one of evenings behind it to make punishment. He risked life when he, thanks to the observation and literacy, on the instructions of a staff of Red Army made the map of the hometown, having applied on it an arrangement of enemy pillboxes, earth-and-timber emplacements and the opponent's cases.

The story interrupted a sound of the stopped car. My interlocutor smiled. To it grandsons ran. She apologized and suggested to continue conversation in more suitable time. I was grateful to this woman for the given opportunity to communicate along with the past and the present of the city. The stately bush of a jasmine with its plain fragrant flowers "shook hands" with me. Took several steps, and my hearing caught a rustle of leaves of a jasmine. It seemed to me that I heard a voice: "And you know about it?". As if his owner was interested whether his business is forgotten. It I recognized Alexey Mikhaylovich Martynov, the local historian, the honourable citizen Kobrin whose all life is given to research and storage of history of the hometown.

Olga Makaruk,
the studying No. 4 SSh.
Mr. Kobrin.

Makaruk, O. Jasmin with aroma of history: keeper Eternity / Olga Makaruk//Dawn. – 2003. – June 19.



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