Culture during the Great Patriotic War: 2 thousand concerts, evacuated writers and mobile exhibitions

Today more than 38 thousand veterans live in Tatarstan.

(KZN.RU, May 6, Alsu Safina). Today more than 38 thousand veterans of the Great Patriotic War live in Tatarstan, and the problems of each of them should be addressed. Rustam Minnikhanov, the President of the RT, said this today at the meeting of the republican organizing committee “Victory” in the Cabinet of Ministers of the RT.

Mintimer Shaimiev, the State Counselor of the RT, Farid Mukhametshin, the chairman of the State Council of the RT, Alexey Pesoshin, the prime minister of the RT, Boris Kuznetsov, a veteran of World War II, Hero of the Soviet Union, Ildus Mostiukov, Hero of Socialist Labor, scientist-designer and public figure, representatives of Ministries and departments of the RT attended the event.

In 2020, Russia will mark the 75th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War. Preparation for the celebration of this event should be a task for all municipalities of the republic, said Rustam Minnikhanov.

“Over the past 4 years, the number of veterans living in Tatarstan has halved. Today, there are just over 38 thousand of them living in the republic. Personal work is important to solve the urgent problems of veterans”, said the head of the republic. Thus, 5 years ago, there were 102740 veterans in Tatarstan, 5601 participants of the war, today 38380 veterans, 1214 direct participants of the war.

Rustam Minnikhanov noted that comprehensive medical and social services are provided to veterans in Tatarstan. Their living conditions are improved, social support measures are provided, cultural, leisure and memorable events are held for them.

During the years of the Great Patriotic War, 700 thousand Tatarstan people were called to the front: every fifth inhabitant of the pre-war Tataria. Every second one died, every third went missing. 351 people, natives of the republic and those whose fate is connected with it, were awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union. About 50 countrymen became full cavaliers of the Order of Glory for courage and heroism shown on the war fronts. More than 200 thousand natives of the republic were awarded orders and medals of the USSR for their deeds in the battles for the Motherland.

Traditionally, solemn large-scale events are held as part of the celebration of Victory Day in Tatarstan, including the Georgian Ribbon and “Immortal Regiment”. The action “Red Carnation” started today. “We should support civil initiatives, while not imposing them on society. I am convinced that residents and guests of the republic will take part in these events with sincere pleasure and an open heart”, said Rustam Minnikhanov, the President of the RT.

In the Year of Theater, Irada Ayupova, the Minister of Culture of the RT, told about cultural institutions and artists of Tatarstan during the Great Patriotic War. In 1941-1945, 18 creative squads, which were formed in the republic, gave 11000 concerts on 11 fronts and showed over 70 plays.

The first front-line concert squads were created at the end of 1941. “Artists of the opera theater, Philharmonia, song and dance ensemble, Kazan drama theaters formed teams of reciters, vocalists, dancers, accordionists or instrumentalists. They performed in hospitals and military units in our country”, said the Minister of Culture. He added that only in July 1941, 157 concerts and 8 performances were given in military garrisons, hospitals, and mobilization centers.

Well-known artists of Kazan theaters went to the front in teams: Khalil Abzhalilov, Gulsum Bolgarskaya, Munir Bulatov, Fatima Ilskaya, Galia Kaibitskaya, Mariam Rakhmankulova, Faizulla Tuishev, Khadicha Nuriev, Gani Valiev, Fayzi Bikkenin, Fayzi Yusupov.

Many artists of the Tatar Philharmonia, which was established in 1937, were drafted into the army. Artists of the Philharmonia Sagit Aliev, Kamil Basyrov, Fayzi Sadykov, Sharif Gareev, Nazif Salimov, Ilyas Yakupov, and others fought on different fronts.

According to Irada Ayupova, during the Great Patriotic War, a large branch activity was launched by a branch of the Tatar State Academic Theater (now the K. Tinchurin Theater). Artists performed on collective and state farms. During the spring sowing season of 1943, more than 17 thousand spectators watched performances and concerts shown on collective farms in the Buinsky District. On April 20, 1944, the theater team was awarded the title “Republican Mobile Theater”.

The front-line artists who returned from the front enthusiastically joined the troupe, permanently tied their lives with the theater, and 7 theater artists never returned from the war.

During the war years, leading workers of the Central Museum of the TASSR, including its director Grigory Vakhlamov, went to the front. In July 1941, only 11 out of 64 employees remained in the museum. “Part of the museum premises was given to a school which building was occupied by a hospital, the Kazan Art School is located in another part of the museum. The main part of the museum building was occupied by the USSR Aeroflot Department evacuated to Kazan”, said Irada Ayupova.

The museum organized lectures and speeches of Kazan and evacuated writers and scientists in hospitals. Lev Oshanin, Viktor Ardov, Elena Vereiskaya, Adel Kutuy, scientists Nikolay Mordovchenko, Lev Plotkin and others spoke together with the museum staff.

In the years of the Great Patriotic War, cultural and art workers from Moscow, Leningrad, Kharkov, Kiev, and Voronezh were evacuated to the republic. In particular, Soviet and foreign writers Leonid Leonov, Yanka Kupala, Konstantin Fedin, Giovanni Germanetto, Nikolai Aseev, and a lot of others. Moscow and Leningrad musicians also came to Kazan: composer Mikhail Gnesin, professor-pianist Elena Bekman-Shcherbina, composers Mikhail Yudin and Albert Leman. During the war years, they gave lectures, concerts, and in April 1945, became teachers at the Kazan Conservatory.

During the war years, the Central Museum organized about 30 mobile exhibitions. The Gorky Museum in 1941-1942 created 15 exhibitions, served 62 collective farms, held 156 lectures and speeches in hospitals. A great place in the exhibitions was taken by the agitation work necessary during the war years.

Also, a number of archives and museum valuables were taken to Kazan from Moscow and Leningrad during the war years.

Tatarstan writers and poets showed patriotism and devotion to the Motherland. In the first year of the Great Patriotic War, 25 out of the 53 members of the Writers' Union of Tatarstan went to the front; in 1941, Musa Jalil was drafted into the Red Army.

34 writers of the republic gave their lives for the freedom of the Fatherland: Mukhamet Ableev, Aitsak Aitov, Nur Bayan, Miftakh Vadut, Khamit Kaveev, Fatykh Karim, Adel Kutuy, Khairetdin Mugai, and others.

Note that this year marks 110 years since the birth of the Tatar poet Fatikh Karim. He created 5 poems, 2 novels, a play and more than 120 poems at the front. Fatikh Karim was awarded the Order of the Red Star and medals for military achievements. During the execution of the last combat mission on February 18, 1945, F. Karim fell bravely on the outskirts of Koenigsberg. He was posthumously awarded the Order of the Patriotic War, I Degree.

Irada Ayupova said that about 15 Tatar writers in 1942-1943 were seconded to the editorial offices of Tatar front-line newspapers. During the war, 64 front-line newspapers were published in national languages, of which 16 were newspapers in the Tatar language.

The remaining writers in the rear engaged in literary creativity, organized art evenings, performed on the radio and in print. In total, the Tatar publishing house published 220 books by writers and poets of the republic with a total circulation of over 1.5 million copies during the war years. “Small forms prevailed in Tatar prose of the war years: essays, stories where the images of Soviet heroes, their feats and characters were vividly revealed”, noted the Minister of Culture of the RT.

Tatarstan composers supported both those who fight in the war fronts and those who work in the rear as well. In the year of the Great Patriotic War, 72 military patriotic works were written. Thus, the songs “For the Motherland!”, “To the war, comrades” by M. Muzafarov appeared in these years; “Blood for blood!” by J. Fayzi, N. Zhiganov's operas “Ildar”, “Tulyak”, M. Muzafarov’s “Zulkhabira”; and M. Yudin’s “Farida”.

Many composers fought in the ranks of the army, among them were Khusain Abdumenov, Khusnulla Valiullin, Masgut Latypov, Ismai Shamsutdinov. And Farid Yarullin, the author of the first Tatar ballet “Shurale”, died heroically in the fall of 1943.

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(KZN.RU, May 6, Alsu Safina). Today more than 38 thousand veterans of the Great Patriotic War live in Tatarstan, and the problems of each of them should be addressed. Rustam Minnikhanov, the President of the RT, said this today at the meeting of the republican organizing committee “Victory” in the Cabinet of Ministers of the RT. Mintimer Shaimiev, the State Counselor of the RT, Farid Mukhametshin, the chairman of the State Council of the RT, Alexey Pesoshin, the prime minister of the RT, Boris Kuznetsov, a veteran of World War II, Hero of the Soviet Union, Ildus Mostiukov, Hero of Socialist Labor, scientist-designer and public figure, representatives of Ministries and departments of the RT attended the event. In 2020, Russia will mark the 75th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War. Preparation for the celebration of this event should be a task for all municipalities of the republic, said Rustam Minnikhanov. “Over the past 4 years, the number of veterans living in Tatarstan has halved. Today, there are just over 38 thousand of them living in the republic. Personal work is important to solve the urgent problems of veterans”, said the head of the republic. Thus, 5 years ago, there were 102740 veterans in Tatarstan, 5601 participants of the war, today 38380 veterans, 1214 direct participants of the war. Rustam Minnikhanov noted that comprehensive medical and social services are provided to veterans in Tatarstan. Their living conditions are improved, social support measures are provided, cultural, leisure and memorable events are held for them. During the years of the Great Patriotic War, 700 thousand Tatarstan people were called to the front: every fifth inhabitant of the pre-war Tataria. Every second one died, every third went missing. 351 people, natives of the republic and those whose fate is connected with it, were awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union. About 50 countrymen became full cavaliers of the Order of Glory for courage and heroism shown on the war fronts. More than 200 thousand natives of the republic were awarded orders and medals of the USSR for their deeds in the battles for the Motherland. Traditionally, solemn large-scale events are held as part of the celebration of Victory Day in Tatarstan, including the Georgian Ribbon and “Immortal Regiment”. The action “Red Carnation” started today. “We should support civil initiatives, while not imposing them on society. I am convinced that residents and guests of the republic will take part in these events with sincere pleasure and an open heart”, said Rustam Minnikhanov, the President of the RT. In the Year of Theater, Irada Ayupova, the Minister of Culture of the RT, told about cultural institutions and artists of Tatarstan during the Great Patriotic War. In 1941-1945, 18 creative squads, which were formed in the republic, gave 11000 concerts on 11 fronts and showed over 70 plays. The first front-line concert squads were created at the end of 1941. “Artists of the opera theater, Philharmonia, song and dance ensemble, Kazan drama theaters formed teams of reciters, vocalists, dancers, accordionists or instrumentalists. They performed in hospitals and military units in our country”, said the Minister of Culture. He added that only in July 1941, 157 concerts and 8 performances were given in military garrisons, hospitals, and mobilization centers. Well-known artists of Kazan theaters went to the front in teams: Khalil Abzhalilov, Gulsum Bolgarskaya, Munir Bulatov, Fatima Ilskaya, Galia Kaibitskaya, Mariam Rakhmankulova, Faizulla Tuishev, Khadicha Nuriev, Gani Valiev, Fayzi Bikkenin, Fayzi Yusupov. Many artists of the Tatar Philharmonia, which was established in 1937, were drafted into the army. Artists of the Philharmonia Sagit Aliev, Kamil Basyrov, Fayzi Sadykov, Sharif Gareev, Nazif Salimov, Ilyas Yakupov, and others fought on different fronts. According to Irada Ayupova, during the Great Patriotic War, a large branch activity was launched by a branch of the Tatar State Academic Theater (now the K. Tinchurin Theater). Artists performed on collective and state farms. During the spring sowing season of 1943, more than 17 thousand spectators watched performances and concerts shown on collective farms in the Buinsky District. On April 20, 1944, the theater team was awarded the title “Republican Mobile Theater”. The front-line artists who returned from the front enthusiastically joined the troupe, permanently tied their lives with the theater, and 7 theater artists never returned from the war. During the war years, leading workers of the Central Museum of the TASSR, including its director Grigory Vakhlamov, went to the front. In July 1941, only 11 out of 64 employees remained in the museum. “Part of the museum premises was given to a school which building was occupied by a hospital, the Kazan Art School is located in another part of the museum. The main part of the museum building was occupied by the USSR Aeroflot Department evacuated to Kazan”, said Irada Ayupova. The museum organized lectures and speeches of Kazan and evacuated writers and scientists in hospitals. Lev Oshanin, Viktor Ardov, Elena Vereiskaya, Adel Kutuy, scientists Nikolay Mordovchenko, Lev Plotkin and others spoke together with the museum staff. In the years of the Great Patriotic War, cultural and art workers from Moscow, Leningrad, Kharkov, Kiev, and Voronezh were evacuated to the republic. In particular, Soviet and foreign writers Leonid Leonov, Yanka Kupala, Konstantin Fedin, Giovanni Germanetto, Nikolai Aseev, and a lot of others. Moscow and Leningrad musicians also came to Kazan: composer Mikhail Gnesin, professor-pianist Elena Bekman-Shcherbina, composers Mikhail Yudin and Albert Leman. During the war years, they gave lectures, concerts, and in April 1945, became teachers at the Kazan Conservatory. During the war years, the Central Museum organized about 30 mobile exhibitions. The Gorky Museum in 1941-1942 created 15 exhibitions, served 62 collective farms, held 156 lectures and speeches in hospitals. A great place in the exhibitions was taken by the agitation work necessary during the war years. Also, a number of archives and museum valuables were taken to Kazan from Moscow and Leningrad during the war years. Tatarstan writers and poets showed patriotism and devotion to the Motherland. In the first year of the Great Patriotic War, 25 out of the 53 members of the Writers' Union of Tatarstan went to the front; in 1941, Musa Jalil was drafted into the Red Army. 34 writers of the republic gave their lives for the freedom of the Fatherland: Mukhamet Ableev, Aitsak Aitov, Nur Bayan, Miftakh Vadut, Khamit Kaveev, Fatykh Karim, Adel Kutuy, Khairetdin Mugai, and others. Note that this year marks 110 years since the birth of the Tatar poet Fatikh Karim. He created 5 poems, 2 novels, a play and more than 120 poems at the front. Fatikh Karim was awarded the Order of the Red Star and medals for military achievements. During the execution of the last combat mission on February 18, 1945, F. Karim fell bravely on the outskirts of Koenigsberg. He was posthumously awarded the Order of the Patriotic War, I Degree. Irada Ayupova said that about 15 Tatar writers in 1942-1943 were seconded to the editorial offices of Tatar front-line newspapers. During the war, 64 front-line newspapers were published in national languages, of which 16 were newspapers in the Tatar language. The remaining writers in the rear engaged in literary creativity, organized art evenings, performed on the radio and in print. In total, the Tatar publishing house published 220 books by writers and poets of the republic with a total circulation of over 1.5 million copies during the war years. “Small forms prevailed in Tatar prose of the war years: essays, stories where the images of Soviet heroes, their feats and characters were vividly revealed”, noted the Minister of Culture of the RT. Tatarstan composers supported both those who fight in the war fronts and those who work in the rear as well. In the year of the Great Patriotic War, 72 military patriotic works were written. Thus, the songs “For the Motherland!”, “To the war, comrades” by M. Muzafarov appeared in these years; “Blood for blood!” by J. Fayzi, N. Zhiganov's operas “Ildar”, “Tulyak”, M. Muzafarov’s “Zulkhabira”; and M. Yudin’s “Farida”. Many composers fought in the ranks of the army, among them were Khusain Abdumenov, Khusnulla Valiullin, Masgut Latypov, Ismai Shamsutdinov. And Farid Yarullin, the author of the first Tatar ballet “Shurale”, died heroically in the fall of 1943.