Assembly shop of a power transformer plant. 1968
Photo: State Archive of the Jewish Autonomous Region
February 8, 1922
In A. Zaitsev’s book “The Book of Memory. The Immortality of the Names of the Volochaev Land” (6+) there is information that in order No. 125 of February 8, 1922, the Commander-in-Chief of the People’s Revolutionary Army V. K. Blucher wrote:
“About six o’clock in the morning on February 7, in the area of the Olgokhta junction, the second rifle regiment of the Chita brigade with the third separate light battery assigned to it was completely surrounded by superior enemy forces. The position of the regiment and battery was extremely critical. But the third battery, fully aware of its revolutionary duty, selflessly opened rapid fire with grapeshot at the enemy who had gone on the attack and went around from the rear cavalry, shot at its advancing ranks at point-blank range, which saved the overall situation. The regiment, with the support of such courageous fire from its battery, repulsed the enemy attack with complete success. The Military Council of the NRA decided: “For the dashing work in the Olgokhta junction area on February 7, the third separate light battery should be awarded a silver cup.”
February 8, 1937
Clippings from the newspaper “Birobidzhan Star”. Photo: Photo: Regional Library
The newspaper “Birobidzhan Star” (12+) wrote that the writer Lion Feuchtwanger intends to visit Birobidzhan; an interview of the correspondent of the “Pacific Star” (12+) with the writer was published. The article talks about the writer’s creative plans.
From an interview with the writer:
“Whether I will now, after my first trip, write about the Soviet Union, or whether I will do it after my next visit, I cannot say yet. One thing is clear to me: my stay in the Soviet Union left deep traces in me and it will certainly be reflected in my future creative path… But this time I will not limit myself to visiting Moscow, I am thinking of making a big trip, visiting Leningrad, Ukraine, the Caucasus and Crimea. And I am especially interested in Jewish autonomous region”.
The same newspaper wrote about how celebrations dedicated to A.S. were being held in the Jewish Autonomous Region. Pushkin. To commemorate the centenary of the death of A.S. Pushkin region community has done a lot of work.
The Writers' Union and the regional executive committee's lecture bureau gave over 20 reports in Birobidzhan and the region's districts. Special Pushkin magazines (6+), wall newspapers (6+), bulletins (6+) were published everywhere, exhibitions were opened (0+), reader conferences (6+), and competitions for reciters of Pushkin’s poems (0+) were organized. Schoolchildren organize many events these days; school No. 1 organized three evenings for students (0+), at which they talked about the writer’s work and read his poems. The school is also preparing a production of “Boris Godunov” (6+). Joint evenings of students with railway workers, with military units, and with parents were practiced.
“The radio committee conducted several broadcasts of the poet’s works in Hebrew. Special broadcasts were organized for schoolchildren and preschool children.”
February 8, 1956
The Bureau of the Regional Committee of the CPSU discussed the progress of the exchange of Komsomol documents in the regional Komsomol organization and obliged the regional committee, city committee and district committees of the Komsomol to provide daily assistance to the Komsomol committees in the organized exchange of Komsomol documents.
February 8, 1961
Poultry farm. Removing chicks from the incubator. Photo: Photo: State Archive of the Jewish Autonomous Region
The Bureau of the Regional Committee of the CPSU and the Executive Committee of the Regional Council of Workers' Deputies considered the issue “On measures to develop poultry farming on state and collective farms in the region in 1961.” The adopted resolution noted that state and collective farms in the region sold three times more poultry meat in 1960 than in 1959. Egg sales increased by 48%. The assignment for districts, collective farms and state farms to produce and sell eggs and poultry meat to the state for 1961 was approved.
February 8, 1964
The future poetess Marina Vladimirovna Smirnova was born in Birobidzhan. Graduated from the regional college of culture, Khabarovsk State Institute of Culture – directing department. Her poems have been published since her school years on the pages of regional newspapers and in Birobidzhan music and poetry collections.
In 1999, she released a poetic supplement to the information collection “Casket of Beautiful Muses” (0+) with the support of the Eurasia Foundation.
From 2000 to 2007 she lived in the state of Israel. It was published there in the Russian-language newspaper “News of the Week” (12+) in the “Jewish Tuning Fork” supplement.
Marina Smirnova. Photo: Photo: Newspaper “Birobidzhan Star”
From 2008 to 2011, she lived in Birobidzhan, worked as an actress in the puppet theater “Kudesnik”, played in performances of the Jewish folk musical theater “Kohelet”, and published her poems in local newspapers. Her poems were included in the anthology “Literature of the Jewish Autonomous Region. Grades 9-11” (12+) and in the “Anthology of Poetry of the Jewish Autonomous Region” (12+).
Currently lives in Israel.
February 8, 1967
The Bureau of the Regional Committee of the CPSU, having examined the issue of the work of the Smidovichi District Committee of the CPSU in instilling socialist labor discipline in the collectives of industrial enterprises, construction sites and state farms in the region, noted that the region had grown up well-trained, qualified personnel of workers, technicians and engineers, livestock breeders, field farmers, machine operators, showing high consciousness and organization.
The adopted resolution defines ways to further improve the education of workers in the region in the spirit of strict adherence to state and labor discipline.
February 8, 1974
The newspaper “Birobidzhan Star” (12+) wrote that The first batch of glass tape was produced on the new production line at the power transformer plant.
“It will be used to create powerful transformers and complete transformer substations, recently mastered by the enterprise.”
Workshop No. 3 of the power transformer plant. Assembling transformers on an automatic line, serviced by one worker. 1977. Photo: Photo: State Archive of the Jewish Autonomous Region
The same newspaper contains information that, according to the results of the 1973 regional review of rationalization and inventive work at light industry enterprises, the factory's preparatory workshop team consisting of engineer A. Sakhanenko, foreman Z. Ilyina and worker T. Starominskaya took third place and was awarded a cash prize.
“Three proposals of the group, aimed at more rational use of raw materials and supplies, were awarded. The economic effect from the implementation of this proposal amounted to 3,600 rubles.”
Clippings from the newspaper “Birobidzhan Star”. Photo: Photo: Regional Library
The newspaper informs that a regular meeting of the People's University of Culture took place in the Smidovichi regional library. “The lecture on the topic: “Modern trends in Soviet literature” (6+) was given by the head of the methodological office of the district department of public education L.I. Varvenko. Library workers prepared for the lesson a book exhibition “The Golden Fund of Soviet Literature” (0+)
February 8, 1977
A regional meeting of secretaries of primary party organizations was held to implement the Resolution of the Central Committee of the CPSU, the Council of Ministers of the USSR, the All-Union Central Council of Trade Unions and the Central Committee of the Komsomol “On all-Union socialist competition for increasing the efficiency of production and the quality of work, the successful implementation of the tasks of the tenth five-year plan.” It was noted that industry workers completed the annual plan for production and sales of products ahead of schedule. For their high performance in socialist competition, more than 170 agricultural workers were awarded high government awards.
The meeting participants assured the CPSU Central Committee that the party organizations of the Jewish Autonomous Region would increase their contribution to the implementation of the tasks of communist construction.
