The amazing feat of Matvey Kuzmin became known to the entire Soviet people immediately, in 1942. And they recognized him as a hero too quickly - they wrote stories, poems and pictures. But the state awarded him the award only 20 years later.
Biography
Matvey Kuzmich was born in Tsarist Russia in the Pskov province (the village of Antonovo-Kurakino). On July 21, 1858, a son appeared at the serfs of Kosma Ivanovich and Anastasia Semyonovna. His parents were the property of the landowner Bolotnikov. His father, a carpenter by profession, died early, when Matvey was seven years old. The father's partner decided to take the boy as his apprentice.
After the revolutionary events, Matvey Kuzmin did not succumb to the persuasion of the authorities to join the collective farm and remained an "individual farmer." By the end of collectivization, he remained the only peasant in the region who was not assigned to any collective farm. However, no punitive measures were taken against him. Perhaps the authorities decided not to make an enemy of the people out of the old man and left him alone.
Most of all he loved hunting and fishing - in these trades he was always lucky. By the nature of his activity, he studied well all the nearby forests, reservoirs, knew short paths.
The famous feat of Kuzmin
With the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, Kuzmin's native lands became empty, many preferred to leave for evacuation. Matvey stayed with his big family. Already in August 1941, the Germans appeared in the village and occupied Kuzmin's house under the commandant's office. The peasant's family (and he had 8 children) had to move to the barn.
Since Matvey was not a collective farmer, he was not a member of the party, the German command decided to appoint him as headman. But the old man refused, citing frequent illnesses, poor eyesight and hearing. He played the role of an ancient old man so well that the Germans did not take his only gun from him, they probably thought that he would cause problems.
In February 1942, the Soviet military almost finished the Toropetsko-Kholmsk operation and settled in the immediate vicinity of the captured village. At the same time, the forces of the Germans were replenished with the Bavarian battalion of mountain rangers, which needed to go to the rear of the enemy and break through the defenses.
For this, the gamekeepers definitely needed a guide from the local population, and Matvey Kuzmin was perfect for this job. The old man was summoned to the commandant's office and promised a large supply of food and a German gun for help. Kuzmin agreed.
Among his fellow villagers, Matvey was never popular, he was called a priest for his unsociable character. After the remaining residents learned about Kuzmin's consent to help the Germans, hatred for him only intensified. Nevertheless, no one dared to open confrontation.
Late in the evening on February 13, Matvey led the German military to the right place - the village of Malkino. He drove them along inconspicuous paths all night, and only in the morning informed the commander that he had fulfilled his promise. But the Germans had no idea that the shooters of the Soviet army under the command of Colonel S. Gorbunov were waiting for them here. Machine gunners and submachine gunners almost completely wiped out the Germans, who were not ready to resist. Their commander understood Matvey Kuzmin's plan and managed to fire several times from a pistol at the old hunter.
As it turned out later, Matvey at night sent his son Vasily to the location of the Soviet units with urgent information. To give the soldiers time to prepare, Kuzmin spent the whole night driving the Germans along a route they did not understand. As a result, the operation of the Nazis was thwarted, and those who survived the massacre were taken prisoner.
Recognition and reward
The exploit of the old peasant became known pretty quickly. Those who have come across the Soviet education system will probably remember the story "The Last Day of Matvey Kuzmin." Then it was a compulsory work for all schoolchildren. It was written by B. Polevoy, who would later describe the fate of the pilot Maresyev. As with any piece of fiction, there are some elements of fiction and embellishment. For example, the most obvious fact pointed out by Kuzmin's relatives is the presence of Matvey's grandson in the story. Allegedly, the boy reached the location of the Soviet units and warned about the plan of M. Kuzmin. In fact, it was his son.
In the spring of 1965, the Soviet government officially recognized the feat of Matvey Kuzmin and posthumously awarded him the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. At the time of his death, he was 83 years old, so he is considered the oldest holder of the title.
Streets in many cities of the country are named after the hero. During the war, posters and leaflets depicting Kuzmin were distributed among the troops. Later, sculptures, busts, and bas-reliefs appeared. The name of Matvey Kuzmin was borne by one of the Soviet trawlers.
There is a Partizanskaya station in the Moscow metro, which reminds everyone of the fearless act of Matvey Kuzmich - a monument was erected to him there.
There is a memorial plaque on the building of Lychevskaya secondary school (here he studied).
Family of Matvey Kuzmin
Matvey Kuzmin was married twice. First wife Natalya died early, in this marriage two children were born. Later Kuzmin married again, his companion's name was Efrosinya Ivanovna Shabanova. They had six children, and the youngest daughter Lida was born when Matvey was already 60 years old.
In historical literature one can often find such a description of M. Kuzmin's invaluable act - "Ivan Susanin of the Great Patriotic War."
Initially, the hero was buried near his native village. However, later his ashes were transferred to the fraternal cemetery located in Velikiye Luki.
