It is our history

Kobrin → Outstanding persons → Alexey Mikhaylovich Martynov

In the very daunting time which had by us when there was questionable a pride slogan "Person to the Person Friend, Brother, Companion", the event which took place on the night of December 25 of the last year it is impossible to regard differently as unambiguously extraordinary and giving hope. Here Christmas church service in just restored Catholic church means. It would seem that in it special especially as concerns only a small community of local Catholics? And still I undertake to claim that this "pasterka" was unusual at least because took part in it and addressed with warm words of a vicarial greeting hundreds of Catholics and "gentiles" which filled the building the orthodox priest and Baptist spiritual along with Catholic priests. Besides, for execution of Christmas chants the local magnificent chorus of evangelical Baptist Christians was invited, there arrived also kostelny chorus from Byala-Podlyask.

In a word, there was what during the endured difficult period to all of us so does not get – manifestation of good will to sincere cooperation of representatives of three Christian churches which are available for us. And it especially is significant that else so recently they did not differ in mild toleration and were rather inclined to barefaced rivalry for minds and souls of "gentiles". Therefore the feeling of mutual goodwill shown on this church service – especially on a gloomy background of so often observed causeless hostility, – got for accomplices of a celebration, special, symbolical sounding.

Self-damage of the massive building of a church happened decades in the face of the indifferent public, it is reckless and deprived of civil rights taken away from parishioners. And here thanks to self-sacrifice and amicable efforts of hundreds of volunteers enthusiasts restoration of the temple is complete. It would seem, the broken justice is restored that can only be welcomed. However from consciousness of many people the dark stain nevertheless completely did not disappear. A therefore after rather unattractive "And" should call not less bitter for us "B". The matter is that already soon after closing of a church the stone and wooden small chapels which were in the territory of adjacent park and that is especially difficult explainable on the absurd completely were easily demolished the military cemetery of 1920 located before a church on which to a dress about the Polish soldiers ashes of several victims of the same war – Red Army men are buried disappeared. On their destroyed gravestones it was possible to read the Polish inscription "Neznana zhldnezh armies bolshevitsky".

With impunity at first to shoot at recklessness of the near unfortunate administrators inclined, and then to aim, besides having creative and destructive equipment, the state bulldozer was attracted to this "feat". About its help under the screen of night – that should be emphasized especially – there were vpikhnuta in the pond located nearby tens of crushed concrete gravestones.

There was scandalous lawlessness in which, apparently, surely law enforcement agencies should have held immediately. However, alas!

Reflecting over deeds, the monument on a mass grave of the Swedish interventionists built on Peter I's order on the Poltava field of battle, existing until now is involuntarily remembered. Even more majestic monument to the died French aggressors rises at Borodino Field. Japanese still look after graves of the Russian prisoners of war who died in 1904=1905. Military cemeteries, enormous on the areas, in about tens of thousands of burials "boshy", devastating France in World War I are scattered from Verdun to Paris and are in a model state. And at us on military cemeteries in villages Polyatichi, Tevli, Bogs along with the German burials of 1915 peacefully adjoin concrete gravestones on which in German it appears: "The unknown Russian brave soldier". In the same place the Polish graves of 1920 and right there mass graves of tens of fallen Red Army men meet what the Polish inscriptions testify to. In it the universal truth is shown: the prostrate opponent cannot be considered as an enemy.

Against told intolerably painfully and offensively becomes for the barbarity allowed at us. It is thought, our plain duty on the place of tens of profaned soldier's graves to build a symbolical memorable sign.

It is in passing pertinent to raise the similar question. On September 17, 1939 on the southern suburb of Kobrin there was one of the last fights of Poles with Hitlerites. During the whole day the Polish infantry part with alternate success beat off furious attacks of Germans between the channel of the Bond and Dnepro-Bug. Several hundreds of soldiers and officers of the Polish army which part hundreds of thousands of western Belarusians and Ukrainians mobilized in March were died. Testifies at least tala the fact to it that recently tens of our fellow countrymen were awarded by the Polish medals "For Defensive War of 1939-1945." the part of fallen was buried in entrenchments on the place of death. The majority are brought in a mass grave on the southwest suburb of initial park of Suvorov when its area did not exceed 7-8 hectares. However and until now "will not tell either a stone, or a cross where lay down" these unknown victims of the first weeks of fascist aggression.

Perhaps, nevertheless it is necessary to think over a construction of a modest memorable sign in vicinities of the park which is so plentifully watered with blood in hot September day 1939.

"the Kobrin messenger"
January 22, 1991.



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