Old barracks

Kobrin → Outstanding persons → Alexey Mikhaylovich Martynov

Unlike many other cities in Kobrin for a long time constantly there was a military garrison. The relative proximity of the city from old Russian-German border (directly to the former East Prussia 200 versts) compelled to constant vigilance. At the end of the 18th and the beginning of the 19th century in the city sabers alternately settled down. In the beginning it were cuirassiers, then Irkutsk Hussars in which, by the way, Alexander Sergeyevich Griboyedov served as a cornet. Subsequently the place of a cavalry was steadily taken by infantry. At the beginning of this century in Kobrin there were two infantry regiments - 149 Black Sea and 150 Tamansky.

About emergence in the city of military barracks, or a military camp as they began to be called in Soviet period, data are absent. However, in more remote past those were under construction in general only in more considerable, mainly provincial cities. Garrisons of district towns usually were placed on narrow-minded apartments for a certain remuneration. Once even some kind of natural tax called by a room duty was widespread. The officer-quartermaster and at him special team was an indispensable established post of any military unit.

In our military camp built near the village of Lepesa, all barracks were wooden, two-storeyed, covered by a tin. In museum funds the card with the image of a modest regimental churchlet, also wooden remained centenary prescription. Whereas at Kobrin's delivery to Germans in August, 1915 all in the slightest degree military facilities were burned, our military camp for the inexplicable reason completely escaped, having safely lived up to World War II. During the intermilitary period it was used directly by Poles (was called then "koshara"). In it the 83rd infantry regiment entering a so-called Siberian division settled down. Only in the thirties in the western part of the town the solid brick building was built for a staff. The second - similar - is constructed then outside a barracks complex, intended for families of officers, carried the name "Siberian". Since fall of 1939. in the first of these buildings the staff of the 4th army which was ordered by the general V. I. Chuykov settled down. During one of the first bombardments of a military camp at dawn on June 22, 1941 the building was completely destroyed by a direct hit of a large-caliber bomb. In the years of occupation Germans used a military camp for its direct designated purpose, and then completely destroyed at flight from Kobrin.

Originally our military camp intended only for placement of one regiment. Subsequently, when there was a need of stationary placement for the city of the second regiment, the following exit was found. Military department concluded with local wealthy Jews the contract for construction in different places of the city of special architecture of two-storeyed brick buildings which were rented at owners under barracks. Such pair barracks at the end of Brestskaya (Sovetskoy) Street belonged to Jew Gibgot who on the next extensive kitchen gardens grew up various vegetables for "lodgers", having the steady additional income. These barracks were burned by the receding Russians in 1915. In the twenties the burned box of one of barracks was completely sorted. Subsequently on its place the school for hearing-impaired children was built. And here left "workmate" staid it in dilapidated state till 1940. Then the second floor was demolished, and in restored the first MTS shop was placed. In post-war years one of the first shops of the being under construction remzavod was proved in it.

At the same time standard barracks were built at the end of Suvorovskaya St. and also burned down in 1915. After primitive restoration in it the warehouse of construction materials was placed. In the first bombardment of the city in 1939 the enemy bomb completely destroyed the southern part of the building. The remained half is restored in post-war years. In it administrative agencies were raznovremenno placed. Now there the house management and passport department was sheltered. It is the most remained from all barracks of this series.

And at last the third of the same barracks buildings was built in close proximity to the station square. In 1915 it was comprehended by destiny of the others. Subsequently the top floor of the burned-down box was demolished, and in the repaired first floor was placed post-war maslopry. It should be noted that at all barracks there were extensive parade-grounds for front occupations.

Indispensable accessory of all military barracks where they were, two huge food warehouses standing till ill-fated 1915 at the very end of Pinskaya St. served. They served for storage of mobilization stocks of the food. On this place warehouses of a gortop were placed now. The remained brick karaulka reminds of the past.

 A. Martynov

Martynov, And. Old barracks: pages of history / A. Martynov//Kobrynsk_ vesn_k. – 1996. – 21 zhn і ў nya.



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