Default is shameful, or the Ruined memorial

Kobrin → Outstanding persons → Alexey Mikhaylovich Martynov

To what it becomes pleasant at heart when a certain major note of shy optimism suddenly rushes into chorus of a hopeless hnykanye. "No, not still was gone" as the old man Heine told, I mean the note placed in our newspaper of October 15 "Zmena on mog_lka, zmena ў serets" … Unfortunately, that dosadny perceives disappointment when the ruthless reality convinces of groundlessness of similar kind affection.

Told belongs to the Tevelsky cemetery mentioned in a note which, like tens of other rural places of eternal rest from them painfully standard monuments, hardly deserves special attention if not that circumstance that in the neighbourhood with local burials the extensive military cemetery reminding of historical events of eighty-year prescription "pritulitsya".

However, for the best understanding further it is necessary to look back to events of hot August, 1915. The second year volleys of World War I rattled. By this time the Russian armies completely left the territory so-called: "The Privislinsky region" (Poland), and the terrible skating rink of military operations began to iron the Belarusian-Ukrainian open spaces. Alas, the Brest fortress, apparently, capable to suspend the German invasion did not equal the hopes laid on it. In practice in order to avoid the hung real danger of an environment, it was necessary to leave fortress without uniform shot.

But with that big exasperation and persistence the Russian troops showed resistance to the East from Brest, in particular, on the fields of Kobrin district which are plentifully watered with the and enemy blood. The coming opponent sustained huge losses, the certificate of what are the numerous German military cemeteries scattered both according to all Kobrin and on adjacent areas. One of them — Tevelskoye on whom many hundreds of German and Russian soldiers are buried.

During the first occupation of Kobrin district (1915-1918) Germans, using as dependent labor of the Russian prisoners of war, transferred from fields of the recent fights speckled by separate graves with birch crosses, remains of the dead on the created military cemeteries. Often the chosen platform was dug round by a ditch and shaft as it remained in Polyatichakh. Reburials were made with truly German pedantry. The standard concrete gravestones supplied with a specification built equal ranks with certain intervals. Detailed plans of cemeteries with lists of buried were transferred to archives. Usually on the same cemeteries in the second echelon the Russian soldiers were buried. The attitude of Germans of that time to the fallen opponents is characteristic. On anonymous Russian graves we read: "The unknown Russian brave soldier".

Now it is difficult to establish exact quantity of similar cemeteries. The majority disappeared completely long ago. However some, including near the village of Gaykovka, existed till sixtieth years. At that time there was a feverish settlement of farms to villages. Here also the German concrete plates under the bases were used. Probably, similar occurred not in one Gaykovka.

The most considerable at us the memorials of World War I which escaped until now are located on suburbs of villages Polyatichi and Tevli. To some extent Polyaticham "was most lucky". Though in extremely started and unattractive state, it remained in rather original state hitherto. What, alas, cannot be told about his unlucky Tevelsky "fellow". Over seventy years here peacefully rested side by side, having absolutely forgotten and having forgiven mutual conflicts and hatred, hundreds of former enemies. Though in a condition of sad desolation, the Tevelsky memorial made on visitors his strong impression the stately monumentalism.

Instead of guiding at least the most primitive, "cosmetic" order as it practices in the civilized world, at us went in own way. According to the settled party recipe which allowed the petty tyranny invested by the power not to be responsible for consequences of the most unreasoned acts at some "level" decided to pooriginalnichat: having finished with the being an eyesore alien second-hand articles, on the become empty place to set up a habitual cliche so lovely to heart. No sooner said than done. All gravestones took down, graves leveled, and on the become empty waste ground there was a faceless concrete sculpture imprinted in one of pictures ("KV" No. 81, 2 is old.) . A minute quantity of original Russian gravestones are symbolically placed in the form of a poor bordering. Who will be able to guess now where Russians where the German soldier's stones smolder? Also irrevocably memory of three mass graves with burials of fifty Red Army men who died in 1920 disappeared. And it is their former opponents, Poles, considered it necessary to note anonymous graves memorable plates.

However, it is possible not to doubt that the considered disgrace is created by responsible bureaucrats from the most good motives which, nevertheless, often paved the road to hell. At the same time it is impossible to wave away from importunate questions: To whom and why, nevertheless took in head to finish so recklessly with the valuable original, having replaced it with a pathetic substitute? In this case the reference to irresponsible ignorance can hardly excuse. The second question concerns it is a pity for vegetating toothless "protection of historical and cultural monuments". Why she criminal kept silence, but did not cry out at the top of the voice?

Speaking about senselessly sprofanirovanny Tevelsky military cemetery of World War I, it is impossible to bury in oblivion the unknown victims of World War II, the unaccounted number of whom is buried by nobody (yes, "is buried") on the same cemetery. The matter is that with the Soviet prisoners of war sent to the West in the first months of war was in uncountable goods trains a lot of hard wounded, dying in way. Many dead men were thrown out by escorts at deaf Tevelsky station. At night the local population delivered corpses to a cemetery for burial. Perhaps the approaching fiftieth anniversary of the Victory about which now so fashionably talk profusely will induce those from us who this should know, to honor those unknown heroes with a construction on the place of burials at least of a symbolical memorable sign.

And the last — about the only escaped German military cemetery of 1915 in Polyatichakh which decent view so pleased the author of the quoted note. However, the fact it is unlikely deserves our admiration that order is brought by hands of the German youth organization there. It they, having remembered graves of the ancestors of eighty-year prescription in far Kobrin district, decided to devote disinterestedly the leisure to implementation of a humane plan. And to what annoyingly that in recent years something is not heard about similar acts of our youth.

A. Martynov

Martynov, And. Default is shameful, or the Ruined memorial / A. Mrartynov//Kobrynsk_ vesn_k. – 1994. – 23 l_stapad. – Page 2. Military cemeteries of World War I.

 



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