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Marytė Melnikaitė

May 01, 2024

Marytė or Marija Melnikaitė (18 March 1923 – 13 July 1943) was a Soviet partisan and the only Lithuanian woman awarded Hero of the Soviet Union.[1] While her partisan career lasted less than two months, Soviet propaganda exaggerated her duties and accomplishments. Many works, including a film and an opera, were dedicated to her. Several streets in the former Soviet Union (including Tyumen, Minsk, Almaty, Shymkent) are still named after her.

Marytė Melnikaitė
Born18 March 1923
Zarasai, Lithuania
Died13 July 1943(1943-07-13) (aged 20)
Kaniūkai, Ignalina District, Nazi-occupied Lithuania
Allegiance Soviet Union
AwardsHero of the Soviet Union

Early life edit

Melnikaitė was born to a family of a Russian mother Antonina Illarionovna and a Lithuanian father Juozas Melnikas in Zarasai.[2] She had four other siblings and the parents took assorted jobs to provide for the large family. They moved frequently in search for jobs (Zarasai, Anykščiai, Rokiškis, Zarasai, Marijampolė). Melnikaitė completed a primary school in Rokiškis and started working at Avanti confectionery at age 14 and studied sewing.[3] In 1940, after Lithuania was occupied by the Soviet Union, Melnikaitė joined the Lithuanian Komsomol and started evening classes. Reportedly her father did not approve her Komsomol activities, which included her singing in a choir.[2]

Partisan activities edit

After the German invasion of the Soviet Union, Melnikaitė along with other Komsomol members was evacuated to Russia where she took a job at a machine tool plant in Tyumen. In July 1942, she joined the Soviet Army (16th Rifle Division) and was sent to a saboteur school in Balakhna.[2] In May 1943, she finished the studies and together with 35 other partisans (including two other women) were airlifted to the Rasony District in Belarus. From there, they needed to travel on foot to partisan headquarters in forests near Kaziany [be].[3] Melnikaitė and a few others were assigned to the native Zarasai where she joined the Soviet partisan group Kęstutis under the name of Ona Kuosaitė.[2]

Melnikaitė's partisan life lasted less than two months. Her Soviet biographers claimed that she participated in sabotage operations that derailed German trains carrying weapons to the front lines or bombed German warehouses. There is some evidence of only one diversion where a small train carrying gravel and sugar was derailed.[3] In July 1943, she and several other partisans were sent on a mission to bring more weapons from the Soviet partisans operating in Belarus. Local inhabitants spotted the group near Apvardai Lake in Ignalina District and called Lithuanian policemen.[2] During a shootout, several partisans were killed. There is reliable evidence of only one policeman (Igoris Kazanas) who was killed by the partisans. Melnikaitė and a man (likely Fatėjus Sapožnikovas) were captured and their custody was transferred to the German police. After five days of torture, they were shot in the cemetery of Kaniūkai village.[3] Since Melnikaitė's family was not repressed while Sapožnikovas' and other partisans' families were killed or arrested, it is likely that Melninkaitė did not give up her real identity.[3]

Her story was rediscovered in spring 1944 when Motiejus Šumauskas, leader of Lithuanian Soviet partisans, searched for a Lithuanian version of Zoya Kosmodemyanskaya.[3] Melnikaitė was posthumously awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union on 22 March 1944. The death of the twenty-year-old was used by Soviet propaganda, which exaggerated her duties, accomplishments, and circumstances of her death. For example, in March 1944, Antanas Sniečkus wrote in Tiesa that the shootout lasted a day and that Melnikaitė personally killed seven policemen, was badly injured, attempted to commit suicide with a grenade, and even after brutal torture did not betray her fellow partisans.[4] Her first biographer Antanas Venclova later admitted in his memoirs that he was given just the basic facts (name, dates of birth and death, and a few words on the circumstances of her death) and a deadline of next morning to produce her heroic biography.[3] Until 1965, when documents were discovered that proved she was shot, her biographers claimed that she was publicly hanged and that her last words praised the Lithuanian SSR and comrade Stalin.[3]

Honors and memorials edit

 
1950 Soviet postage stamp featuring Melnikaitė

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Sakaida, Henry (2012). Heroines of the Soviet Union 1941-45. Osprey Publishing. p. 52. ISBN 9781780966519.
  2. ^ a b c d e Balikienė, Brigita (2006-01-09). "Diversantė MM". Istorijos. ISSN 1822-3761.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Subačius, Rokas (2007). Dramatiškos biografijos: kovotojai, kūrėjai, karjeristai, kolaborantai (in Lithuanian). Vilnius: Mintis. pp. 131–142. ISBN 978-5-417-00920-4.
  4. ^ Ėringis, Kazys I. (1993). Lietuvos kariuomenės tragedija. Faktai, prisiminimai, dokumentai. Vilnius: Raštija. pp. 145–148. OCLC 932223134.
  5. ^ a b "Zarasų istorija" (in Lithuanian). Zarasų krašto muziejus. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
  6. ^ Rollberg, Peter (2008). "Lithuanian Film Studio". Historical Dictionary of Russian and Soviet Cinema. Scarecrow Press. p. 410. ISBN 9780810862685.
  7. ^ Grout, Donald Jay; Williams, Hermine Weigel (2003). A Short History of Opera. Columbia University Press. p. 672. ISBN 9780231507721.
  8. ^ a b Baliutytė, Elena (1985). Tarybinė lietuvių poezija didžiojo tėvynės karo metais (in Lithuanian). Lietuvių kalbos ir literatūros institutas. pp. 14, 41–42. OCLC 1014508742.
  9. ^ "Phone directory of Almaty/Alma-Ata, sorted by street names". SpravkaRu.Net. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
  10. ^ OTYRAR TV (13 February 2011). (in Russian). Shimkent.info. Archived from the original on 12 October 2011.
  11. ^ a b Zinkus, Jonas; et al., eds. (1985–1988). "Melnikaitė, Marytė". Tarybų Lietuvos enciklopedija (in Lithuanian). Vol. III. Vilnius: Vyriausioji enciklopedijų redakcija. p. 45.

May 01, 2024
marytė, melnikaitė, marytė, marija, melnikaitė, march, 1923, july, 1943, soviet, partisan, only, lithuanian, woman, awarded, hero, soviet, union, while, partisan, career, lasted, less, than, months, soviet, propaganda, exaggerated, duties, accomplishments, man. Maryte or Marija Melnikaite 18 March 1923 13 July 1943 was a Soviet partisan and the only Lithuanian woman awarded Hero of the Soviet Union 1 While her partisan career lasted less than two months Soviet propaganda exaggerated her duties and accomplishments Many works including a film and an opera were dedicated to her Several streets in the former Soviet Union including Tyumen Minsk Almaty Shymkent are still named after her Maryte MelnikaiteBorn18 March 1923Zarasai LithuaniaDied13 July 1943 1943 07 13 aged 20 Kaniukai Ignalina District Nazi occupied LithuaniaAllegiance Soviet UnionAwardsHero of the Soviet Union Contents 1 Early life 2 Partisan activities 3 Honors and memorials 4 See also 5 ReferencesEarly life editMelnikaite was born to a family of a Russian mother Antonina Illarionovna and a Lithuanian father Juozas Melnikas in Zarasai 2 She had four other siblings and the parents took assorted jobs to provide for the large family They moved frequently in search for jobs Zarasai Anyksciai Rokiskis Zarasai Marijampole Melnikaite completed a primary school in Rokiskis and started working at Avanti confectionery at age 14 and studied sewing 3 In 1940 after Lithuania was occupied by the Soviet Union Melnikaite joined the Lithuanian Komsomol and started evening classes Reportedly her father did not approve her Komsomol activities which included her singing in a choir 2 Partisan activities editAfter the German invasion of the Soviet Union Melnikaite along with other Komsomol members was evacuated to Russia where she took a job at a machine tool plant in Tyumen In July 1942 she joined the Soviet Army 16th Rifle Division and was sent to a saboteur school in Balakhna 2 In May 1943 she finished the studies and together with 35 other partisans including two other women were airlifted to the Rasony District in Belarus From there they needed to travel on foot to partisan headquarters in forests near Kaziany be 3 Melnikaite and a few others were assigned to the native Zarasai where she joined the Soviet partisan group Kestutis under the name of Ona Kuosaite 2 Melnikaite s partisan life lasted less than two months Her Soviet biographers claimed that she participated in sabotage operations that derailed German trains carrying weapons to the front lines or bombed German warehouses There is some evidence of only one diversion where a small train carrying gravel and sugar was derailed 3 In July 1943 she and several other partisans were sent on a mission to bring more weapons from the Soviet partisans operating in Belarus Local inhabitants spotted the group near Apvardai Lake in Ignalina District and called Lithuanian policemen 2 During a shootout several partisans were killed There is reliable evidence of only one policeman Igoris Kazanas who was killed by the partisans Melnikaite and a man likely Fatejus Sapoznikovas were captured and their custody was transferred to the German police After five days of torture they were shot in the cemetery of Kaniukai village 3 Since Melnikaite s family was not repressed while Sapoznikovas and other partisans families were killed or arrested it is likely that Melninkaite did not give up her real identity 3 Her story was rediscovered in spring 1944 when Motiejus Sumauskas leader of Lithuanian Soviet partisans searched for a Lithuanian version of Zoya Kosmodemyanskaya 3 Melnikaite was posthumously awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union on 22 March 1944 The death of the twenty year old was used by Soviet propaganda which exaggerated her duties accomplishments and circumstances of her death For example in March 1944 Antanas Snieckus wrote in Tiesa that the shootout lasted a day and that Melnikaite personally killed seven policemen was badly injured attempted to commit suicide with a grenade and even after brutal torture did not betray her fellow partisans 4 Her first biographer Antanas Venclova later admitted in his memoirs that he was given just the basic facts name dates of birth and death and a few words on the circumstances of her death and a deadline of next morning to produce her heroic biography 3 Until 1965 when documents were discovered that proved she was shot her biographers claimed that she was publicly hanged and that her last words praised the Lithuanian SSR and comrade Stalin 3 Honors and memorials edit nbsp 1950 Soviet postage stamp featuring Melnikaite Memorial museum in Zarasai 1969 closed 5 Monument in Druskininkai 1952 sculptor Robertas Antinis currently located in Grutas Park Monument in Zarasai 1955 sculptor Juozas Mikenas lt currently located in Grutas Park 5 Her remains were reburied under the monument in 1991 they were reburied again in Zarasai cemetery next to her family 3 Plaque on the intersection of Melnikaite and Republic streets in Tyumen Plaque on the machine tool plant in Tyumen the former factory Mechanic Film Maryte by Mosfilm 1947 directed by Vera Stroyeva small debut role of Donatas Banionis 6 Opera Maryte by Lithuanian Opera and Ballet Theatre 1953 directed by Antanas Raciunas 7 Essay Tarybu Sajungos Didvyre Marija Melnikaite by Antanas Venclova 1944 8 Poems Marija Melnikaite by Salomeja Neris Lietuvos dukte by Vacys Reimeris Tam kraste by Vladas Mozuriunas lt 8 One of the main streets in Tyumen was named in her honor also streets in Minsk Almaty 9 and Shymkent 10 Textile company in Utena was named in her honor 11 renamed to Utenos trikotazas lt in 1995 Kolkhozes in Dotnuva the first in the Lithuanian SSR and several others were named in her honor 11 See also editList of female Heroes of the Soviet Union Helene Kullman Aniela KrzywonReferences edit Sakaida Henry 2012 Heroines of the Soviet Union 1941 45 Osprey Publishing p 52 ISBN 9781780966519 a b c d e Balikiene Brigita 2006 01 09 Diversante MM Istorijos ISSN 1822 3761 a b c d e f g h i Subacius Rokas 2007 Dramatiskos biografijos kovotojai kurejai karjeristai kolaborantai in Lithuanian Vilnius Mintis pp 131 142 ISBN 978 5 417 00920 4 Ėringis Kazys I 1993 Lietuvos kariuomenes tragedija Faktai prisiminimai dokumentai Vilnius Rastija pp 145 148 OCLC 932223134 a b Zarasu istorija in Lithuanian Zarasu krasto muziejus Retrieved 17 February 2019 Rollberg Peter 2008 Lithuanian Film Studio Historical Dictionary of Russian and Soviet Cinema Scarecrow Press p 410 ISBN 9780810862685 Grout Donald Jay Williams Hermine Weigel 2003 A Short History of Opera Columbia University Press p 672 ISBN 9780231507721 a b Baliutyte Elena 1985 Tarybine lietuviu poezija didziojo tevynes karo metais in Lithuanian Lietuviu kalbos ir literaturos institutas pp 14 41 42 OCLC 1014508742 Phone directory of Almaty Alma Ata sorted by street names SpravkaRu Net Retrieved 17 February 2019 OTYRAR TV 13 February 2011 Ulica Nevezeniya v Shymkente tam zastrevayut dazhe bolshegruznye KAMAZy in Russian Shimkent info Archived from the original on 12 October 2011 a b Zinkus Jonas et al eds 1985 1988 Melnikaite Maryte Tarybu Lietuvos enciklopedija in Lithuanian Vol III Vilnius Vyriausioji enciklopediju redakcija p 45 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Maryte Melnikaite amp oldid 1175558483, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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