Faces of war

Filippov Alexey Dmitrievich, Filippov Alexey Dmitrievich, born in 1920, in 1941-1942 - Red Army soldier, deputy company commander of the 20th Separate Railway Maintenance and Repair Battalion of Service Units of Independent Coastal Army.

Khaliph Grigory Isaakovich Khaliph Grigory Isaakovich (1916-1942), 1941-1942 - Senior Lieutenant, commander of battery number 14 of the 2nd separate Artillery Battalion of the Coastal Defense of the Main Base of the Black Sea Fleet.

TSVETKOV ALEXANDER GEORGIEVICH Tsvetkov Alexander Georgievich (1906-1942), 1941-1942 - Captain, Assistant Chief of Staff of the 1st separate Artillery Battalion of the Coastal Defense of the Main Base of the Black Sea Fleet. He disappeared without a trace on 07/03/1942.

CHERNYAVSKY AKIM PETROVICH Chernyavsky Akim Petrovich (1901-1942), 1941-1942 - Captain, assistant commander of the 1st separate Artillery Battalion of the Coastal Defense of the Main Base of the Black Sea Fleet. He disappeared without a trace on 07/03/1942.

Sholukh Vasily Mikhailovich Sholukh Vasily Mikhailovich (1912-1942), 1941-1942 - Political instructor, military commissar of the Communications Battalion of the 20th airbase of the Air Force of the Black Sea Fleet. He disappeared without a trace in 1942.

Eiberg Boris Markovich Eiberg Boris Markovich, born in 1904, 1941-1942 – Engineer Captain, military correspondent-cameraman of the Political Administration of the Red Army.

Alishev Abdullah Barievich He was born on September 15, 1908 in the village of Kuyuki, Kuibyshev district of the Tatar ASSR. In 1927, after finishing school, he entered the Kazan Land Use College. He tried to write poems when he was only a schoolboy; as a college student, he put his articles, stories and poems in a handwritten journal of a literature creative group. He began his professional career working as a meliorator in Menzelinsk, a foreman at the construction site of Kazan GRES, and a technician at construction sites in Kazan. In 1933, Abdulla Alishev switched to journalistic work. He was the executive secretary of the magazines called "Tekhnika" and "Pioner kalume" ("Pioneer’s pen"), and before the war, he was the editor of the Tatar radio committee. In the mid-1930s, Abdullah Alishev confidently entered Tatar literature and gained recognition as one of the leading children's book writers. In 1938, he entered a part-time department of the Kazan Pedagogical University, but he didn’t manage to graduate because of the war. Shortly after the start of the war, Abdullah Alishev put an application to the military commissariat. On October 12, 1941, being surrounded near Bryansk, he was wounded and taken prisoner. He spent the winter of 1941 in a POW camp near Alytus, a city in Lithuania. At the beginning of 1943, fate brought him together with Musa Jalil in the Wustrau camp near Berlin. From that time on, a period of organized secret struggle in the Idel-Ural legion began in Abdullah Alishev’s life. In August 1943, he was arrested on charges of distributing leaflets among the Tatar legionaries. The Second Imperial Court of Germany sentenced him to death in Germany in February 1944. The verdict was executed by guillotine in the Plötzensee prison at 12:12 on August 25, 1944. Abdulla Alishev's poems, which were written in captivity, reached the Motherland in the version rewritten by N. Teregulov. There are 15 poems in the notebook, which is now kept at the Institute of Language, Literature and Art named after G. Ibragimov. By the decree of the President of the USSR of May 5, 1990, Abdullah Alishev was posthumously awarded the Order of the Patriotic War of the 1st degree - for his courage and heroism, vigorous underground activity against the German Nazi invaders. A monument is erected in Abdullah Alishev’s birthplace in Kuyuki village, Spassk district of the Republic of Tatarstan, and a memorial museum is open. The Republican Children's Center in Kazan and the museum in school No55 are named after the writer. In 1997, the annual prize named after Abdullah Alishev was established by the resolution of the Writers' Union of the Republic of Tatarstan.

Afonina Tatyana Mikhailovna A member of the labor front. Afonina Tatyana Mikhailovna was born on July 22, 1925. When the Great Patriotic War began, she was 16 years old, a young girl Tanya lived in the Gorky region, the Vyksa district, in the village called Solntse. She happened, as they say, to look at the face of the war. Being young girls, they sewed warm clothes for the soldiers of the Russian army, and they also had to dig trenches for the retreating Russian army in the early years of the Great Patriotic War. Once they came under a raid of enemy bombers, she and her friend Katya survived by a miracle. Many people died during that bombing. Since then, my grandmother never was on the front line. Like all women of that time, she forged victory in the rear. They worked in the fields, plowed on the bulls, harrowed and sowed. They grew bread for the front line soldiers. Tatyana Mikhailovna didn’t like talking about her war-scorched youth. In 1947, Tatyana Mikhailovna Kochetkova (her maiden name) was awarded the medal "Our cause is just - we have won" - for her conscientious work in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945. In 1947, she got married, and they had 7 children (4 sons and 3 daughters). For the fact that they were a family with many children, and the parents took care of the children properly, Afonina Tatyana Mikhailovna was awarded the "Medal of Motherhood", II degree, in 1959, and in 1964 she was awarded the Order of Maternal Glory, III degree. In 1962, under the program "Development of Siberia'', she, her husband Afonin Vasily Yakovlevich and their entire large family, moved to the Tyumen region, Sorokinsky district, the Voskresenka village (formerly Olgino). They worked on a cattle farm. Tatyana Mikhailovna was very conscientious about her work. She was awarded some Certificates of Merit for her work, she was also awarded the “Winner of Socialist Competition” badge in 1973, in 1976 she was awarded the “Veteran of Labor” medal. The following medals are also kept in the family archive: “For valiant labor in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of V.I. Lenin”, commemorative medals: 30, 40, 50 years of victory in the Great Patriotic War, as a participant of the labor front.

Alexeyev Ivan Alexeyevich Ivan Alexeyevich Alexeyev did military service in the medical unit of the 2nd Shock Army during the Great Patriotic War. he graduated from medical college in Leningrad before the war and in its first days he went to the army as a feldsher. Ivan Alexeyevich participated in many battles as a member of the troops of the 2nd Shock Army. They etched many an act of heroism into the history of the Great Patriotic War. Twenty-two times did the Supreme Commander-in-Chief announce gratitude in his orders to the distinguished troops of the 2nd Shock Army during the liberation of the following cities: Ropsha, Kingisepp, Narva, Mustvee and Jõhvi, Tallinn, Pärnu, Ciechanów, Mława and Działdowo, Deutsch Eylau, Willenberg, Freistadt, Marienberg, Elbing, the Graudenz fortress, Preussisch Stargard, Dirschau, Danzig, Anklam, Granzee and Greisfwald, Stralsund, Warnemünde, the port city Swinemünde, the Rugen islands with the cities of Bergen, Garz, Putbus, Sassnitz, which appears to be worthwhile contribution of the army’s troops to the victory of the soviet people and their armed forces over the Nazi Germany. Ivan Alexeyevich was critically injured twice. After the operations, several fragments of a bomb dropped by the Germans near the medical unit were removed from his body. One of the fragments was left inside the body, as it was difficult to remove it from the chest, and he spent the rest of his life with it inside. He was awarded the Order of the Red Star, two medals “For Battle Merit”, the medal “For the Defense of Leningrad”, "For the Victory Over Germany in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945", "For the Capture of Königsberg" and the Order of the Patriotic War, 2nd class.

Alekseyeva Praskovya Georgievna Praskovya Georgievna Alexeyeva did military service in the medical unit during the Great Patriotic War. In 1943 she trained as a nurse at the course in the town called Kalinin (nowadays Tver) and at the age of 18 she was recruited into the medical unit of the 2nd Shock Army. Praskovya participated in many battles as a member of the troops of the 2nd Shock Army. They etched many an act of heroism into the history of the Great Patriotic War. The 2nd Shock Army took part in large army group operations - the Battle by Lyuban in the Leningrad district in 1942, the breach of the siege of Leningrad in January, 1944, the complete liberation of Leningrad from the siege in January, 1944, the liberation of Estonia in September, 1944, and the liberation of Poland in January-February, 1945. In the end of the Patriotic War the army was a part of the 2nd Belorussia front, finishing combat actions on May 8, 1945 in the north of Germany near Stralsund on the Rugen island. Twenty-two times did the Supreme Commander-in-Chief announce gratitude in his orders to the distinguished troops of the 2nd Shock Army during the liberation of the following cities: Ropsha, Kingisepp, Narva, Mustvee and Jõhvi, Tallinn, Pärnu, Ciechanów, Mława and Działdowo, Deutsch Eylau, Willenberg, Freistadt, Marienberg, Elbing, the Graudenz fortress, Preussisch Stargard, Dirschau, Danzig, Anklam, Granzee and Greisfwald, Stralsund, Warnemünde, the port city Swinemünde, the Rugen islands with the cities of Bergen, Garz, Putbus, Sassnitz, which appears to be worthwhile contribution of the army’s troops to the victory of the soviet people and their armed forces over the Nazi Germany. Praskovya Georgievna was awarded the following medals: “For the Defense of Leningrad”, "For the Victory Over Germany in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945", "For the Capture of Königsberg" and the Order of the Patriotic War, 2nd class.

Agliullin Zainulla Zagidulovich My great grandfather Zainulla Zagidullovich Agliullin was born on February 23, 1922 in the village called Rysaevo of Tamyan-Katay canton of BASSR, nowadays the Uchalin district of the Republic of Bashkortostan, in a poor peasant’s family. After leaving Rysayevo primary school in 1934 he continued his education in Ilchino 7-year school (semiletka). He was studying in Uchalin secondary school from 1937 to 1940 and he graduated with almost all excellent marks except for 2 good marks on a foreign language and the Constitution of the USSR. He was called up to the Red Army in October that year. He was doing military service as a cadet in Belorussia on the border with Poland until June 21, 1941. Since the beginning of the Great Patriotic War Agliullin Z.Z. was fighting in the troops of the Western and then the 2nd Baltic fronts. He participated in the defence of Moscow. Section commander Zainulla Zagidullovich received his first medal “For Courage” for liberation of the Akulovo village. In August, 1942, he was awarded one more medal “For Courage” for the assault and liberation of the Elnya town. Sergeant Agliullin received his third medal “For Courage” in September, 1944, for the liberation of Riga. He was also awarded the Order of the Red Star and the Order of the Patriotic War, 2nd class, for having shown combat heroism. He was demobilized in 1946. After coming back to his home village he became a teacher in Rysaevo semiletka-school and then, in 1947-1954 he worked as a head teacher in Ilchino semiletka-school. During those years he was studying in the Mathematics and Physics Department of the Chelyabinsk Pedagogical University by correspondence. He was a chief editor of a local newspaper called “Znamya Stalina” (Stalin’s Banner) in 1949-1950. He was working as a Physics and Maths from 1954 until the retirement age and then as a head teacher of Rysaevo school until 1963. During his years as a head he built a new school in the centre of the village. Agliullin Z.Z. was an excellent activist and a speechmaker. In 1954 the tractor brigade of Sh. Kabirov dug up 1760 ha of land and it was the activist Agliullin who was encouraging them! He was awarded the medal "For the Development of Virgin Lands" for that.

Alaverdova Veronika Matveyevna graduated from medical university in 1941. The total length of her working life is 35 years. From … to … she worked in the evacuation hospital No1516 as a medical resident in the septic surgery department. The evacuation hospital No1516 provided service to the soldiers of the North Caucasian front. From … to … she worked as a surgeon in the Armavir blood donor centre, which provided stored blood to all evacuation hospitals on the territory of Armavir and outside the town. After moving to Moscow Alavardova V.M. worked in a skin clinic as a junior researcher from … to …; as the head of the anti-fungus Expedition in The Moldavian SSR from … to …; (unintelligibly) she was awarded the qualification of high level certificate physician; in 1972 she was awarded The Excellent Worker of Public Health merit badge. Tovarisch Alaverdova V.M. was actively involved in community service: for 10 years, she was elected as a chairman of the Local committee, a member of the presidium of the health care district committee. From 1967 to 1971, she was elected as a counsellor in the Timiryazev and Sverdlovsk district council during 3 sessions (XI-XIII). In 1970 she was awarded the medal “For Valiant Labour” in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of V. I. Lenin. In 1975 she was awarded the medal “Veteran of Labour”. On May 16, 1991, she was awarded the medal "For Valiant Labour in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945". On March 22, 1995, she was awarded the medal "50 Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945". On February 19, 1996, she was awarded the medal of Zhukov. On October 30, 2002 she received the certificate of a veteran of the Great Patriotic War (series VV number 788293).

Akunov Asangazi Place: Darkan, the Kyrgyz Republic. Date of birth: 08.03.1927. Died on 09.09.2006. The story of a soldier: My grandpa Akunov Asangazi was born on March 8, 1927 in the village called Darkan in Jeti-Oguz district of Issyk-Kul Region in the Kyrgyz Republic. The Great Patriotic War began in 1941, people from towns and villages were taken to the rear. Grandpa Asangazi went to the war as a volunteer in 1944 at his own wish under the age of 18 (he had changed his year of birth from 1927 to 1926) and he hadn’t asked his parents for permission. He was attending an artillery course for 6 months. Then he was sent to the front line under the command of G.K. Zhukov. He went through all Ukraine, Czechoslovakia and a half of Germany. Military history: as explained by my grandpa they had to build a temporary bridge to cross the Oder river. It was what they were doing for several days. They were building a bridge staying on float boats in the dead of night. There was a fight against the Nazi beyond the river. When it was 2 km left to Berlin my grandpa’s headquarters were assaulted by aviation, there was bombing on every side, a shell exploded within a few metres from that place. My grandpa and some other soldiers were left under a pile of clay and soil. My grandpa's right hand stuck out of that pile (according to his fellow soldiers). The survivors helped my grandpa and the other wounded to get out. My grandpa was extremely thirsty and he thought he heard the sound of flowing water nearby and he got a desire to drink, he scooped some water with his palm and had a drink. Right after that he realized that it wasn’t water but blood. And then he lost consciousness. Being critically injured he lost his hearing and got contusion. He wasn’t able to reach the destination and he didn’t see the victory in Berlin. The war ended. He came back home 6 months later. Memories: his family, children and grandchildren. On June 22, 1941, Nazi Germany attacked the Soviet Union without a declaration of war. The army and the people weren’t ready for that, the officer corps consisted mainly of low experienced commanders because of Stalin’s repression in the late 1930s. The Soviet Union won victory in the Great Patriotic War, but at what cost? At the cost of human sufferings and huge losses that befell the soviet people. This day reminds us of all the people fell in the battle, tortured in nazi slavery, died in the rear from starvation and grievances. We mourn for everyone who fulfilled their holy duty at the cost of their lives, who protected our country in those tough years. Every soviet family has someone who took part in the Great Patriotic War, someone’s grandfather, a father, a brother or close relatives fought as best they could, some of them discovered their courage. Not all of those young soldiers came back. Lots of families lost a father, a husband, their nearest and dearest. Those who stayed worked and provided the Red Army with clothes and food. This soviet tragedy affected our family too.

Andreiev Vasiliy Sergeyevich Vasilii Sergeievich Andreiev was born in 1917 in a peasant family. He started his career at the Okulovka pulp and paper mill as a backtender and a rewinder operator in the paper department. He was called up for military service in 1938 and was sent to the war fleet. After training in the Red Banner sub-aqua military instruction detachment, he did military service on a submarine boat in the Red Banner Baltic Fleet. He was appointed to the Shch-406 submarine as a torpedoman. 4 Hitler’s transport ships and a schooner were sent down to the bottom of the Baltic Sea. The submarine was awarded the order of the Red Banner for the excellent task performance and shown valour and courage, its captain was given the title of the Hero of the Soviet Union, and Vasiliy Andreyev was awarded the order of the Red Banner. The second expedition was in October-November 1942. 3 enemy’s transport ships went down to the bottom this time. Andreyev V.S., a submarine torpedoman, was awarded the Order of the Patriotic War, 2nd class. Shch-406 went out to another expedition in May 1943, but never came back. The boat was attacked by antisubmarine ships at the end of May 1943. The Shch-406 submarine and all its crew died. Vasiliy Sergeyevich Andreyev also died there with his boots on. On May 2nd, 2017, the International Bow to Ships of the Great Victory submarine search team found the Shch-406 submarine which fought under the command of the captain of the 3rd rank, the Hero of the Soviet Union, E.Ia. Osipov. The morning of May 29, 1943 is considered to be a date of the wreck of the boat. On May 6, 2017, the memorials were carried out at the place of the death of Shch-406. Since 1980, one of the streets in Okulovka has had its name after the hero Vasiliy Andreyev.

Death camp. During the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945), many prisoners of war ended up in concentration camps. I want to tell you about my grandfather, who was involved in an underground partisan movement, because of that he was captured by the Germans. During the years of occupation, the Nazis carried out about 150 punitive operations, during which they completely destroyed 5,445 villages. There were about 250 Soviet prisoner of war camps on the territory of Belarus. This was due to the fact that Borisov was a railway junction on the way to Moscow. The Germans wanted to get there quickly from Brest, so a partisan movement was created to defend the country. The partisans blew up trains in the direction of Moscow and German echelons. My grandfather - Khomich Ivan Yemelyanovich - was born on April 28, 1902 in the village of Gora, Borisov district, Minsk region. During the hostilities, he disappeared (approximately in 1944-1945). After the end of the war, my grandmother requested information on her lost husband. The response from the German archives shocked everyone. At first, Ivan Emelyanovich was kept in a camp near Borisov, from which he twice tried to escape, but it did not work ... Later, the partisans tried to buy my grandfather from the Germans, but luck bypassed him twice. After a while, in a huge composition, he and the rest of the prisoners were taken in columns to Germany. Then he ended up in one of the largest and most terrible camps - Buchenwald (from August 15, 1944 to April 1945). As you know, about 250 thousand people were imprisoned in this camp, where most of them were barbarously killed. To this day, the camp documentation on medical experiments on prisoners has been preserved. Prisoners were infected with terrible diseases such as tuberculosis and typhus. After Buchenwald, Khomich Ivan ends up in the Dachau camp. As you know, this camp was also engaged in medical experiments, where the main goal was to study the possibility of controlling people's behavior. On May 9, 1945, my grandfather was released, but on May 10 (the next day) he dies at the walls of the Dachau camp. As we know from archival data, the death was associated with diarrhea, which he received in connection with the experiments. In the village of Glivina, Borisov district, a stele was installed for partisans who fought in the Borisov region during the war. Khomich Ivan Yemelyanovich is included in the list of “missing” (personal number of the prisoner 73582). I am immensely proud of my ancestry and endlessly grateful to my grandfather for the clear sky above my head. We have never seen him or will see each other, but I will forever preserve his history as a memory of a brave soldier.