Books have been written about the "Young Guard", films have been made, streets and schools have been named in honor of the underground workers. Five of them were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union posthumously. Their names will remain in our memory as a symbol of courage and great feat for their country: Lyubov Shevtsova, Ulyana Gromova, Sergei Tyulenin, Ivan Zemnukhov and the recalcitrant commissar Oleg Koshevoy.
Childhood
Hero-Young Guard Oleg Vasilievich Koshevoy was born in 1926 in the Ukrainian Priluki. As a child, the child changed several cities. After the divorce of his parents, he first lived with his father in Rzhishchev and Antratsit, and just before the war he moved to his mother in Krasnodon. Oleg grew up as an inquisitive and well-read boy, willingly participated in amateur performances. He was very fond of books, was the editor of the wall newspaper, which published his own poems and stories. School No. 1 named after A. M. Gorky, where he was educated, Koshevoy met his future friends and associates.
In the summer of 1942, Koshevoy turned 16. Like most residents of the city, Oleg's family was supposed to be evacuated, but the rapid advance of the enemy interfered with the plans, he had to stay. Krasnodon is a small mining town 50 kilometers from Voroshilovgrad (now Luhansk), there were many working youth here. It was on her in the Soviet years that the party power made the main stake, educating pioneers and Komsomol members in the spirit of patriotism and devotion. It was a matter of honor for them to fight the invaders. When Krasnodon was occupied by the Nazis, several youth groups formed and began underground activities at the same time.
Young guard
One of these organizations was the Young Guard. The detachment was led by Ivan Turkenich. A lieutenant who had been at the front and in captivity, he was the oldest and most experienced among the guys. Oleg Koshevoy became the commissar - brave and desperate. The young anti-fascists swore to each other to fight to the bitter end. The eldest then turned 19, the youngest - 14 years old. The organization freed prisoners of war from a concentration camp, destroyed fascist officers and blew up their cars, collected ammunition - an armed uprising was being prepared. After harvesting, she set fire to a warehouse with bread, prepared for shipment to Germany. Underground groups often carried out joint actions, and Koshevoy coordinated their actions, without the participation of the commissar, not a single military operation took place. A lot of agitation work was carried out: leaflets were distributed among the population, the ranks of the Komsomol were replenished with new members.
Death and memory
For several months of their activity, the underground workers have attracted a fairly wide range of young people to participate. But not everyone turned out to be persistent and hardy. Therefore, in January 1943, arrests began among the Young Guard. For two weeks the Nazis shot and threw 71 people into the 58-meter pit of mine No. 5. The remaining members of the group, at the direction of the party cell, tried to leave the front line. This attempt was made by Koshevoy. On January 11, near the town of Rovenka, when checking Oleg's documents, the gendarmes were detained. They found his ID blanks, a seal and a Komsomol ticket sewn into his coat, which, despite his conspiracy, he could not leave. The Young Guard experienced the most terrible Nazi tortures, but endured them bravely, without bowing his head. He did not betray his comrades and remained faithful to the given oath. On February 9, in the Thunderous Forest, the enemies shot the hero. And three days later the troops of the Red Army liberated Krasnodon.
