Students of the factory training school at the Birobidzhan convoy plant in 1941.
Photo: State Archive of the Jewish Autonomous Region
January 19, 1941
In the 1930s in the Soviet Union, skiing was the most popular and favorite winter sport.
In the newspaper “Birobidzhan Star” (12+) for January 19, 1941, under the heading “Preparation for the cross-country skiing named after the XXIII anniversary of the Red Army” articles were published on the progress of preparing the regions of the region for this event (6+).
Clippings from the newspaper “Birobidzhan Star”. Photo: Regional Library
Author S. Maltsman in his publication “In Komsomol organizations of the Birsk region” Here’s how he talks about the region’s readiness to take part in the cross-country (6+): “299 ski teams have been created in the Komsomol organizations of the first branch of the Far Eastern Railway, of which 101 are in the Komsomol organizations of the Obluchye node. Individual Komsomol organizations have done a good job of preparing for the cross-country.
A headquarters has been created in the Komsomol organization of the Obluchye depot, and a specific plan for preparing and conducting the cross-country has been developed. Team training is conducted daily. The passing of ski standards has begun. The first to pass the standards were the secretary of the Komsomol committee, Comrade Kalistratov, and the chief of staff, Komsomol member Polikarpov. A newsletter is issued daily covering cross-country preparations. On weekends there is a mass delivery of standards.
The training of skiers at the Birsk secondary school is well organized. 38 people have already passed the first stage standards. In total, 112 people passed the standards in the department.
However, in general, the department is poorly preparing for the cross-country.
The Komsomol members of the Irradiation secondary school (secretary Comrade Piltsin) at first eagerly got down to business, identified teams, discussed a plan of action, and then cooled down, and now the teams have stopped training. A planned ski trip recently fell through.”
A. Sopochkin’s material “On skiing and resolutions” is devoted to preparations for the significant cross-country skiing in the Leninsky region. The author writes: “Winter sports in the Leninsky district are often talked about a lot, especially in the district committee of the Komsomol. But both in the district council and in the military department of the district party committee they do not forget about skiing, no. It has been officially announced here that the district is involved in preparations for the cross-country race named after the XXIII anniversary of the Red Army.
True, there are no teams yet. Here, however, they look cheerfully to the future: since there are obligations, it means there will be teams and so on. It's just the skis…
There are no skis in the area. Old-timers claim that there are four pairs lying around somewhere, but they just can’t find them.
Someone advised creating walking teams for now, but the leaders of the sports movement in the region and the head of the military department of the district committee were outraged by this proposal to the core:
– How can it be, cross-country skiing and on foot! No, you can't do without skis!
That's right, you can't! But it’s even worse if they don’t try to get skis, and walking as a sport is neglected.”
January 19, 1944
The newspaper “Birobidzhan Star” (12+) for January 19, 1944 covered the everyday life of the rear.
The article “Patronage over young cattle” tells how the pioneer organization of the Birofeld school in the Birobidzhan region took patronage over young cattle. The guys take care of the calves, clean and wash them, prepare food for them, and clean the calf barn.
Each calf is looked after by two pioneers; they take turns on duty in the calf barn.
In the article “Remember the oath to the leader” I. Tretyakov, secretary of the Komsomol organization of the In depot, writes about how Komsomol members and youth of the In depot fulfill the obligations that they assumed by signing a letter of oath to the great Comrade Stalin.
The youth pledged to repair two locomotives on their own. This obligation was fulfilled on time.
Komsomol members pledged to take care of the families of front-line soldiers. In their free time, the guys prepared 200 cubic meters of firewood and also transported 300 cubic meters to warehouses. On Sundays, Komsomol members and youth of the depot earned and donated 2.3 thousand rubles for the children of front-line soldiers.
The youth of the depot pledged to collect 30 tons of scrap metal, and 40 tons were collected and shipped.
The obligation to MTS was also fulfilled. Insk depot workers provided assistance in repairing the machine and tractor fleet. Tools were collected and made for repairmen: wrenches, socket wrenches, hammers, bolts, nuts, etc.
The best Komsomol members achieved high levels of labor productivity. Some of them fulfill the norms by 200-300%.
January 19, 1967
By decree of the President of the Russian Federation of January 19, 1967, Evdokia Vasilievna Yachmen, a primary school teacher at the Amurzet secondary school, was awarded the title Honored Teacher of the Russian Federation.
