Sovietization

Kobrin → Outstanding persons → Alexey Mikhaylovich Martynov

Sovietization of Kobrin district was made in three stages occurring at different times, stretched for several decades. Thoroughly half-forgotten page of our history is the first, shortest stage dated 1920. At that time the bulk of the population of the Kobrin County did not manage to return from evacuation yet, dragging a bitter share of refugees in the foreign land.

In Russia civil war blazed. At the same time war with the revived Poland which with active support of Atanta tried to expand the eastern frontiers as far as possible by force of arms went west. As a result of originally favorable situation which developed for Poles at the front on August 8, 1919 the Polish army occupied Minsk, and on May 6, 1920 Kiev. However, summer of 1920 further advance of Poles not only was stopped, but the front began to be rolled away promptly in the western direction. On June 12 Kiev, and on July 11 Minsk was freed.

Further approach of Red army had so uncontrollable character that rear services with bases of supply remained far behind the advanced parts. The blinded by radiant dream of inevitable world revolution which once and for all will solve all world problems and will lead to cloudless happiness for all oppressed, finally become exhausted, semi-barefoot and half-starved Red Army men violently moved forward. Already on July 30 their first groups appeared in Kobrin. On memoirs of eyewitnesses, many soldiers yearned before that they snatched on the young beet which is pulled out from a bed. The only thing that really occupied them: Whether far to Arshava?

On July 31 in Kobrin activity of Interim revolutionary-military committee began. It was headed by the commander of one of the passing military units Pavel Efremovich Horoshilov. His closest associates stali6 Kuliyev (also military), Kobrin inhabitant Bartenbaum, member of the underground organization of RCP(b). The local teacher Vladimir Karlovic Karlitsky became the secretary. Occupied by Revk the building of the former treasury (then muses. school), of what the memorial plate reminds. At a revkoma departments and sections of management of different function were created. For work the locals who already came back from fleeing and in time to create the underground organization of RCP(b) were attracted. Young kobrinets Pavel Nikonovich Kuresha became the commandant of the city. In hastily hired militia there were 30 employees. The native of became her chief. Legates Fedosyuk F.I., attracted the underground adherents Ivanyuk M. M., the Groom L.F., Evdosyuk F.I. etc. Certainly, did not do without "The politburo for fight against counterrevolution and espionage". The same Fedosyuk, kobrinets Gershko Pantel and the native of of Lepesa Dmitry Levchuk was his part.

Every possible assistance of Red Army in its further approach became the main objective of the first local bodies of the Soviet power. All able-bodied population was mobilized for restoration of the railroad on a site Kobrin-Gorodets. It was necessary to expand urgently a track with narrow European on wider Russian. As a result of dedicated work soon the first train with ammunition arrived from Pinsk to Kobrin.

Preparation of agricultural products and fodder was at the same time conducted. On harvesting in the confiscated manors which owners circumspectly ran away the local population was attracted. Organized rural and farm-labourer's committees directed these works hastily. Preparation arrived in prodotdet for further processing and the direction in military units for the population. All mills (at that time mainly wind-driven generators) and bakeries undertook to work round the clock.

In the middle of August Horoshilov was recalled in army, and to his place from Minsk there arrived Kasterin with group of companions for the further organization of the Soviet orders. However the first councils in Kobrin district kept not for long. After the persistent fight near Warsaw on August 14 called by Poles "by miracle over Vistula" continuous retreat of Red Army began. Already on August 19 Brest was left. The line of defense of Radvanichi-Bulkovo-Zhabinka-Kamenets was urgently organized. At these boundaries the Polish approach was suspended. Only on September 12 after heavy fights Kobrin, on September 19 – Pruzhana was left. Revk moved at first to Drogichin, then to Gomel where on October 17 stopped the existence.

In brief about future of some active participants of the described events. In the fifties I got acquainted in Moscow with Horoshilov who was at that time major general in resignation. For our young museum he transferred the photo of the 20th years and several escaped first orders of committee. I met there also E. Baum. G. Pantel with Bartenbaum were not evacuated with committee, and remained in Kobrin for underground work, having passed to illegal status. Subsequently Bartenbaum emigrated to France, and Pantel died in Belostoksky prison. L. Konjuh with M. Ivanyuk were condemned by the Polish court for seven years. P. Kuresha after departure of imprisonment for espionage in favor of the Soviet Union ran in the Union where he died in a concentration camp. Not less tragic destiny comprehended D. Levchuk who became the poet writing in Ukrainian under a pseudonym Falkovsky. It was arrested and shot in Kiev in 1934.

However the first attempt of Sovietization on it completely did not break. In the subsequent twentieth anniversary as its continuation it is possible to consider so to speak "dotted fight" of the KPZB local underground organizations for restoration of councils. This fight was characterized by periodic flashes and attenuations of activity. We the most remembered peasants uprising had "a Novoselkovsky revolt" of 1933 which nearly ended tragicly for its participants: gallows were in the yard of Kobrin prison and the executioner waited on call. Only the wave of mass protests in the West forced the Polish authorities to be limited to long terms of imprisonment.

The second more long stage of Sovietization began in September, 1939. In that day when the Soviet tanks crossed the Polish and Soviet border, "having offered a hand of the brotherly help to Belarusians and Ukrainians", on September 17 on the southern suburb of Kobrin since dawn before twilight there was a fight between Poles and Germans. From the Polish side of loss made 170 killed, it is even more – wounded. Losses of the German side are known only for him as their killed and wounded were immediately evacuated.

As after fight Germans did not express intention to occupy the city, having dug round behind the channel of the Bond, there came the burdensome anarchy. For support of an order local underground workers Andrey Karpuk, Fedor Masleevich, Alexey Kuresha with companions organized interim committee of self-defense, having armed the enlisted volunteers with the rifles left by the running Polish police and prison protection. And on September 22 in the morning on the western city suburb the exchange of friendly handshakes between the Soviet and German generals then Germans left in the western direction took place.

However for the triumphal entry into the city there was an insuperable barrier on the same day: the bridge through Mukhavets was burned by the receding Poles. While local volunteers enthusiasts adjusted temporary crossings, the first military representatives already sat at city magistrate (on strange coincidence, this house is located just opposite to in what the first revolutionary-military committee was located). The meeting of heads of an underground with military commissioners Lobachev and Kovalyov took place, the first organizational actions were outlined. And still two days later Kobrin temporary management was organized. The deputy VS BSSR Tit Fedorovich Subbotin who arrived from Gomelshchina became the chairman, and his deputy – the young Komsomol member Stepan Sergeyevich Chepik. There was a town and for the representative of local population. "Westerner", besides the son of the last pre-revolutionary Kobrin mayor Pyotr Ivanovich Rafalovich, Dmitry Petrovich Rafalovich became the secretary.

The genuine enthusiasm captured the people at large which directed on a meeting with the Soviet people. Each of them realized that under the circumstances only furious Hitler's regime could become alternative. However, irrepressible sceptics were not escaped also by such melochishka: the first day of Sovietization was marked by lines for bread which were not for all the time of rapid Polish-German war. Turns "were brought by Bolsheviks".

For the management of construction of "new life" from the Minsk and Gomel regions many hundreds and thousands of most checked and reliable partapparatchik which held the leading posts were directed. Including Aronov got a position of the first secretary of a district committee of a bedding set. However, in the beginning guests behaved rather tactfully and if on imprudence sometimes "broke firewood", then with a careful eye to unpredictable local conditions. In the first fussing months the new power led resolute approach on so hated it private trade. Coped with it surprisingly quickly by means of terrible penalties and taxes. Further compulsory association of ill-matched handicraftsmen of handicraftsmen in artel followed. In the village there was a fussy repartition of landowner possession (on fists looked sideways, but so far had no time for them). Farm laborers and the landless poor received not only allotments, but also cattle, and part of house property in panic of the former owners running for Bug.

Soon elections to Belostoksky people's assembly which requested on relevant authorities inclusion of the Western Belarus at first in structure of BSSR, and then the USSR took place. While elections to Polish Sejm usually took place on prudish solemnly ritual, the first Soviet elections shocked many voters with rollicking songs and dancings under an accordion moreover drunk buffets on polling precincts. Struck owners of the brand new Soviet passports which are eager to meet somewhat quicker relatives, recently still the fenced-off impassable frontiers, need of obtaining the special permission of militia reminding the exit visa. Frank mistrust and suspiciousness concerning "Westerners", even the former underground workers, did not stop. Did not keep themselves waiting for arrests of different categories of employees of "pansky Poland". In Kazakhstan there were families of the Polish military personnel which did not manage to run for Bug. Only soon the broken-out war prevented the planned mass deportation of radical kobrinets whose extensive lists "were ready to fight".

Already since the beginning of the first Soviet, unusually severe, winters started a superfast construction anew of the one and a half-century Dnieper and Bugsky channel finished by 1941. The pseudo-enthusiasm of the semi-forced builders was warmed up by the propaganda claiming that high-speed construction of the channel is intended for fuller supply of Westerners with the everyday benefits from east areas. Actually on newly to the restored water highway thousands of tons of wheat went to "friendly" Germany, there were polnekhonky oil barges and various other raw materials. Also it became till the beginning of war.

From the very beginning the new authorities paid much attention to cultural construction. The paid Polish eight-year gymnasium which was earlier training up to 400 people was transformed in СШ№1 with more than one thousand pupils. Lessons in operating were recommenced and many new schools in the village opened. For preparation of extremely scarce pedagogical shots were created teacher's courses are short-term. The central city library which book fund quickly was replenished with numerous gifts from east fellows opened. In the village continuously there were new centers of culture – reading rooms, clubs, libraries. Here and there started to shy, with a careful eye to negative reaction of the population, to the organizations of the first collective farms. In a word, externally new life full-blooded beat with a key. However subconsciously over everything the oppressive belief soared in inevitability of close war. Besides the fear delivered by "vostochnik" quickly infected "Westerners", having forced to look back watchfully at street conversation, and it is even better not to let out superfluous.

From memorable September days in our military camp the staff of the 4th army settled down. In the beginning the lieutenant general V. Chuykov who became subsequently the legendary defender of Stalingrad who in 1941 was replaced by the major general A. Korobkov ordered it. From here to the city is not present yes thought-provoking disturbing rumors filtered. It was with caution reported that our air space is even more often violated by Hitlerite planes, alas! Not receiving due repulse as from the highest instances the most strict order followed – not to give in on provocation! Also did not give in though the most defiant provocations on border every day became more and more.

And at dawn the scenario which was so remembered to kobrinets on September 1, 1939 on June 22 repeated. And this time the sleeping peace city underwent senseless and cruel air bombardment. The broken-out war made especially tremendous impression on numerous at us by then "vostochnik" whereas "Westerners" already time in the life endured a similar nightmare in 1939.

Still directs at reflections and the mysterious fact causes lawful bewilderment: as could happen that the aggressor got all our bridges and bridges intact, without any attempt to destroy at least one. Whether there was it owing to full confusion of the command which did not have necessary instructions from above and did not decide to show own elementary initiative or serious tactical plans were behind this seeming omission. In any case to each layman it is rather clear that timely destruction of bridges on the main directions in no small measure could slow down a prompt throw of tanks of Guderian on the East.

Counting to the third, most long and final stage of Sovietization is begun since July 20, 1944 when 1124 gloomy days of occupation ended, and the honourable name "Kobrin" was appropriated to 12 shelves of the 61st army which are the caused most a stir in fights for release of the city.

This time the guerrilla heads who left the woods became pioneers of restoration of the Soviet power. On the city were searched remained sovsluzhashchy with assistance of which activity of vital establishments was resumed. Already soon there were some of the local pre-war heads who were in time to be evacuated, including the chairman of the City Council Mark Grigoryevich Kutnyuk. Meanwhile to the become empty city the reckless guerrilla outlaws rushed. For its restraint the military registration and enlistment office called to the urgent colors with immediate sending mid-flight companies to the front. Only some part of the guerrillas owning specialties left for restoration of communication, the railroad and completely destroyed constructions of Dnepro-Bug.

However, for the purpose of reduction of my unreasonably prolonged "trilogy" I consider it expedient to limit the further narration to simple comparison – and that separate strokes, – what was Kobrin to Sovietization and to what came today.

In pre-Soviet Kobrin there were several more than two tens streets and lanes. The majority are paved cobble-stones "by cat's - foreheads" by definition of local sharp fellows – and only the few in the center six-sided concrete-granite checkers, "trilinka". By 1941 the population increased from originally steady 11-12 thousand up to, approximately, 15-16 thousand. After military scrapes the number of the remained inhabitants at the end of 1944 fell to record-breaking low mark – 2,5 - 3 thousand. However, so low level held on not for long, began to grow quickly thanks to mass inflow of rural youth. Especially as first was become empty enough Jewish housing.

Whereas close building of the city center made one - and the two-storeyed "kamenitsa" belonging to Jews (three-storyed houses were absent), on the peripheral petty-bourgeois streets which entirely are built up with wooden "mansions" not so seldom it was possible to see the warped izbas tumble-down houses under straw eaves.

On a set of indicators pre-Soviet life of all constructions of citizens a little in what differed from patriarchal customs of Gogol and Chekhovian times. What the daily show imposingly costed at least the striding herds of the cows, during a summer time who are regularly recovering in the morning and in the evening not only suburban streets, but also the city center. In the spring on all streets the sharp fragrance of the manure which is taken out on fields was carried. And after harvesting the pavement shuddered under weight pulled down by hay and sheaves of carts. They were echoed by the wooden barrels of the water carriers serving the population of the center rumbling on cobble-stones. Vanity of business life of the city center completely faded from Friday evening till morning of Sunday in honor of Jewish "shabes". Mukhavets quickened after a high water continuous chains of the alloyed rafts that then drowsily to grow with seaweed to the following alloy.

Zapolonyayushchy city streets on exhibition days country weight wore mainly homespun clothes, during a warm season white sermyag and mutton casings in the winter. To what often as their "obuvka" served self-made a pradedovsky sample lykovy bast shoes, "postola". However, at all not a rarity were also barefoot. Sometimes on city streets it was still possible to meet carts with a volovy team on which on off road terrain dyvinets, specialists in cultivation so valuable to the tanning industry of krutorogy reached on a market. Petty-bourgeois houses were regularly visited by the torn-off beggars peasants with indispensable holshchevy feed bags on one side for collecting grain hunks. Now it is difficult for what jewelry for a great number of the disadvantaged were then any worn-out clothes even to imagine!

And the last. The considerable part of citizens, especially Jews, remained completely illiterate that surprised nobody. Several small libraries in the city, certainly, of paid, had the general book fund of 5000-6000 copies. On the general rather unattractive background large achievement of the 20th years it is necessary to call emergence of the first at us average educational institution, the Polish gymnasium with 400 pupils. I will put the end to this motley list.

Such is there was in the most general terms that "old kind time" about which (from words, but not from own supervision) very many are inclined to sigh with affection now, especially comparing with day present. About it involuntarily the apt expression comes back to memory: what will pass, it will be lovely. And if from stated at the reader there is rather sad general impression, then, believe, it is not evil intention of the author who specially aimed to pick up only negative the fact. Alas, all this in the recent past was, left also byly grew.

And I will begin the list of achievements of Sovietization with history of punishment of private-ownership land tenure in Kobrin which, certainly, existed from emergence of the city. There was it at the very beginning of the fiftieth years when on all area the collectivization wave "spontaneously" swept. Rather smart scenario was developed for respect for visibility of legality. After confidential individual interview with certain land owners in the City Council it was succeeded to collect the desirable number of signatures under the mass petition with a wish to create collective farm. Naturally, so good intention met a full consent and satisfaction of the administration. Thus officially there was one more collective farm, "Kobrin". However, as one would expect, it existed some weeks and that on paper then by a mutual consent of participants dissolved itself. Thus his assignee, the City Council, became the legal owner of all city and suburban grounds of the arable and haying land.

On it "what was" we will put the final end and we will pass to absolutely dotted review of what became.

In comparison with rather modest pre-Soviet so-called "city line" the present area of urban development increased repeatedly. According to my data the number of streets already approaches two hundred. Having honestly served the, the antiquated cobblestone road is reliably covered under asphalt today. The same happened to traditional filling brick on a number of highways which from brisk Kobrin knot run up in the different directions. And for quite some time now the city is bordered with the new international highway connecting Moscow with Warsaw.

The most characteristic feature of Sovietization, as opposed to the previous very-dead season, it is necessary to call the irrepressible and new construction which captured all parties of city life and equal to which on scale and terms all our centuries-old history did not know. Especially noticeably it for considerable part of the citizens living in apartments "with conveniences" in multystoried and the apartment houses which grew on different streets in the last decades. And still rather recently primitive water supply system seemed to radical kobrinets fantastic dream, not to mention the sewerage, gasification. It is enough to remember that the pre-war low-power power plant had no sufficient power to supply the population at least with lighting. The old zone of building is surrounded mini-quarters with individual "cottages" today, is more elaborate than one another, with obligatory garages.

Hardly came round from military waste – and in different sides of the city, without exaggeration, construction of the diversified enterprises of the light and food industry began to boil. Yes not if only what – and original giants on pre-war criteria. (For comparison: in old Kobrin total number occupied at all "enterprises" of that time did not reach 500 people). Along with feverish construction of the industrial enterprises and housing stock not less intensive construction of modern buildings for again opened comprehensive schools and technical training colleges, and also such innovation as a children's day nursery and detsadik was conducted.

In the very first, insufferably difficult post-war years in Kobrin the Military and historical museum of Suvorov which at that time was the only museum of the Brest region was open. I will in passing note that this year he celebrates the semicentennial anniversary. And several years later in the suburban estate of the former Suvorov manor "Province" the foundation to city park was laid. Having begun with modest 7 hectares, it consistently expanded the possession to 60 hectares, having become one of the best parks of the republic. Near it the sports stadium was stretched. We have a magnificent children's and youth sports school. In one of the central squares the Recreation center towers. In a word, everything that is necessary for a body and soul …

However, this fluent review in major tone would be incomplete if in conclusion not to remember a bogoborchestvo tuft which blew over Kobrin district in the sixties. After that "a mamayeva of attack" only single temples, from them one in the city escaped. But the last years are celebrated by a revenge restoration of the majority of earlier closed. Including in the city of a Catholic church and orthodox cathedral. In addition to earlier existing "cult constructions" the majestic temple of evangelical Baptist Christians is built a peculiar architecture.

1996.



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