The radzivills

 

13. Give the English equivalents to the following words and phrases:

Под напором горящих  тел; вырваться из огненного кольца; братская могила; удалось спастись; подобрали; спрятали и вылечили простые люди; прообразом скульптуры мужчины; мемориальный ансамбль; увековечившие память; полностью уничтожены оккупантами; хранится земля этих пепелищ; "мертвая зона"; истребить полностью; да пепла; возвышается мемориальная стена; по решению правительства Беларуси; был возведен; главный инженер проекта; в дни празднования освобождения Беларуси, монумент Победа в Минске.

 

14. Read the text aad get ready to speak about Khatyn:

 

KHATYN: THE TRAGEDY OF THE BELARUSIAN NATION

March, 22, 1943 the group of fascists under Dirlewanger's command had surrounded the village Khatyn. All the inhabitants of Khatyn — women, old men and children — were driven to a shed and burnt. Doors of the shed had failed under the pressure of flaring bodies. But it was rather difficult and almost impossible to rescue. Those who were trying to escape from the fiery ring were immediately shot 149 men, and among them 76 children had been forever lain in one communal grave.

The only person from the adult inhabitants who had rescued was Iosif Kaminsky. He laid near the body of his son for a long time and was covered with wounds and burns. Only after two days people picked him up, hid and cured him. The sculptor Sergey Selikhanov saw in I.I. Kaminsky the prototype of his sculpture of the man who goes along the burnt ground of Khatyn, carrying the body of his son in his hands.

The fiery breach in black marble slabs flares here eternally. They are stacked as a two - level fallen roof just there where people of Khatyn were burnt alive. And on the place of each of 26 houses are the bottom parts of framework made of concrete beams. Above them were built chimneys-arrows, topped with bronze bells. Their sad ringing is floating and floating above the fields and forests making us always remember me victims of this tragedy.

The concrete path has run between previous yards of Khatyn. From the sculptural composition it conducts directly to the memorial ensemble which has immortalized the memory of «ther villages of Belarus, which shared the destiny of Khatyn. The destiny of each of them represents one of the pages of the tragedy began by fascists on the ground of Belarus. 136 villages were completely destroyed by the invaders. They were not restored even after the war. There was nobody to restore. Grandfathers and fathers, children and grandsons — all were burnt alive and were buried in communal graves. In the memorial urns established as memory monuments, the ground ofthese ashes is stored.

And such a destiny was prepared by the fascists to the whole territory of Belarus, to all Soviet people, in the language of aggressors it referred to simple and terrible words — "a dead zone". Only in Werhnedvinsk region they exterminated completely 34 villages together witk people.

The direct stone wall adjoins to strict squares of monuments. Names of 296 Belarusian villages burnt together with the inhabitants are written on it. They have 3 risen from the ashes after the war. They were rebuilt by fellow countrymen of the victims.                                                                                           

The memorial wall was constructed in memory of prisoners of the camps of death. This severe ferro-concrete construction recollects places of mass destruc- tion of people. Along the entire wall — niches with pig-iron lattices. Memorial i plates with the names of the camps of death created by the fascists in the territory of our republic during the war and numbers are placed in these niches. They symbolize the crematoriums where people were burnt in furnaces, strangled in gas chambers, badgered by sheep-dogs.                                                               

In the concentration camps 206,500 citizens were shot, tortured and burnt. f In the Polotsk camp of death — more than 150,000 lives have been destroyed. In Gomel — near 100,000.                                                                          

209 cities and city settlements were transformed into ruins, 9200 villages were burnt.

Under me decision of the government of Belarus the memorial complex of the ,]

burnt village Khatyn has been erected. Architects Jury Gradov, Valentine Zanko- \ vich, Leonid Levin, sculptor Sergey Selikhanov, the chief engineer of the project i Vasily Makarevich have immortalized indestructible courage of the people of \ Belarus within the World War Two in memory of the victims of fascists' invasion.

During one of the celebrations of the liberation of the Republic of Belarus \ from German aggressors the torch has been delivered to Khatyn, The fire was \ brought from the Eternal flame that burns at the monument of the Victory in Minsk. The sacred flame is burning under the three birches and reminds people each fourth victim of our republic. People come here every day, day after day.

 

15. Answer the following questions:

1. When was Khatyn surrounded by fascists? 2. What had happened to the people of the village? 3. Was it possible for them to rescue? 4. Who were shot immediately and why? 5. How many people were killed? 6. Who was rescued? 7. How did people save his life? 8. Who was Iosif Kaminski for the famous sculptor? 9. How does the memorial complex look like? 10. What destiny was prepared to the whole territory of the Republic of Belarus? 11. What kind of plates is represented in Khatyn? 12. How many cities, city settlements and villages were burnt? 13. What was the decision of the government? 14. What has happened during one of the celebrations of the liberation of the Republic of Belarus? 15. How many camps of death were on the territory of Belarus and what were they? 16. What does recollect the names of the tortured victims? 17. Who were the architects of Khatyn? 18. Why was the village not reconstructed? 19. Where the sacred flame is burning? 20. What is written on the plates?

 

16. Agree or disagree with the following statements:

1. On March, 24, 1942 the group of fascists under Dirlewangef's command had surrounded the village Khatyn. 2. AH the inhabitants of Khatyn — women, old men and children — were driven to the forest and burnt. 3. Those who were trying to escape from a fiery ring were immediately rescued. 4. 149 men, and among them 76 children had been forever lain in one communal grave. 5. The only person from the adult inhabitants who has rescued was Sergey Selikhanov. 6. Only after two days people picked him up, hid and cured him. 7. 345 villages were completely destroyed by invaders. 8. The direct wooden wall adjoins to strict squares of monuments. 9. Under the decision of the government of Russia the memorial complex of the burnt village Khatyn has been erected. 10. During one of the celebrations of the liberation of the Republic of Belarus from German aggressors the torch has been delivered to Khatyn. 11. In Gomel — near 100,000, 209 cities and city settlements were transformed into ruins, 9200 villages were burnt. 12. The sacred flame is burning under the three birches and reminds people each fifth victim of our republic. People come here once a year.

 

 

17. Put the right preposition where necessary:

1. People come here every day, day ... day. 2. The fire was brought... the Eternal flame that burns ... the monument of the Victory in Minsk. 3. .„ the decision of the government ... Belarus the memorial complex ... the burnt village Khatyn has been erected: 4. 209 cities and city settlements were transformed ... ruins, 9 200 villages were burnt 5. They were rebuilt... fellow countrymen of the victims. 6. The direct stone wall adjoins ... strict squares of monuments. 7. 136 villages were completely destroyed ... invaders.

 

18. Choose the word from the box to put into each gap:

1. Doors of the shed had failed under the ... of... bodies. 2. They were not ... evenafterthe war. 3. The memorial wall was ... in memory of prisoners of the camps of death. 4. 136 villages were completely destroyed by.... 5. 209 cities and city settlements were ... ruins, 9 200 villages were burnt. 6. Above them were built chimneys-arrows, ... bronze bells. 7. They have risen from the ... after the war. 8. From the sculptural composition it conducts directly to the memorial.... which has immortalized the memory of other villages of Belarus, which shared the ... of Khatyn.

 

 

the destiny, invaders, topped with, ensemble, restored, constructed, ashes, transformed into pressure, flaring

 

19. Fill in the table with the events from the text:

March 22, 1943
9200 villages
149 men and 76 children
136 villages
34 villages
26 houses
296 Belarus villages
206,500 citizens

                                                                        

20. Work in groups. Find out your partners:

— what they know about the tragedy of Khatyn;

— how many people were burnt;

— what they know about IosifKaminski;

— how the memorial looks like;

— what the bells symbolize.

 

21. Comment on:

— the tragedy of Khatyn;

— the destiny of people;

— the specific construction of the monument.

 

22. Prove that:

— the history of Belarus during the World War Two was rather tragic;

— every fourth person was killed.

 

23. Imagine that:

— You are to prepare a report on the history of the World War Two and the place of Belarus in it, you go to the library and ask the librarian to help you to find some information about the events you are interested in. Role-play a dialogue in the library with your partner.

— You are a young teacher of history. Your first lesson is devoted to the village Khatyn. What are you going to tell your pupils?

— You are taking your exam in history. You are to speak about Khatyn. What are you going to tell your teacher?

 

24. Comprehension check. Choose the best alternative according to the text:

1. The group of fascists under Etfrlewanger 's command

a) had bombarded the village Khatyn on January, 12] 1941;

b) invaded the village Khatyn and made a camp there on March, 21, 1943;

c) had surrounded the village Khatyn on March, 22, 1943.

 

2. All the inhabitants of Khatyn —

a) Jewish, men and animals were driven to the forest, tortured and shot;

b) women, children were driven to the field and burnt alive;

c) women, old men and children were driven to the shed, closed and burnt alive.

 

3.  Those who were trying to escape from the fiery ring were immediately shot: 149 men, and among them 76 children had been forever

a) lain in the shed;

b) remembered those who gave them chance to stay alive;

c) lain in one communal grave.

 

4.  The only person from the adult inhabitants who had rescued was a)IosifKaminsky;

b) Sergey Selikhanov;

c) Leonid Levin.

 

5. And on the place of each of26 burnt houses are the bottom parts of framework made of

a) metal cross-beams;

b) concrete beams;

c) wooden constructions.

 

6.  From the sculptural composition it conducts directly to the memorial ensemble which has immortalized the memory of                                                           

a) the Belarusian villages and settlements;

b) all the burnt villages of the USSR;

c) other villages of Belarus.

 

7.  A destiny of Khatyn was prepared by the fascists to the whole territory of Belarus, to all Soviet people, in the language of aggressors it referred to simple and terrible words —

a) "a dead zone";

b) "a dead territory";

c)  "fascists'property".

 

8.  136 villages were completely destroyed by the

a) enemies, but they were restored after the war by the relatives of the killed people and people who simply wanted to help;

b) fascists, but they were not restored even after the war, people did not want to memorize the tragic events of that horror day;

c) invaders, they were not restored even after the war, there was nobody to restore.

 

9.  The name of... is written on it.

a)  Soviet villages burnt on the territory of Russia and Belarus;

b) 296 Belarus villages burnt together with inhabitants;

c) 297 towns and villages burnt together with people.

 

10. In the concentration camps ...were shot, tortured and burnt

a) 2209 citizens;

b) 307,600 citizens;

c) 206,500 citizens.                                                                                  

 

11. Under the decision of the government of                                                 

a) Poland the obelisk with the lantern at the top has been erected;

b) Belarus the memorial complex of the burnt village Khatyn has been erected;

c)  Germany the village was reconstructed and represents a museum of the, World War Two.                                                                                              *

 

12. During one of the celebrations of the liberation of the Republic of Bela- rusfrom German aggressors the torch has been delivered to Khatyn, the fire was} broughtfrom                                                                                                 

a) the communal grave which is in Brest;

b) the territory where the biggest quantity of people were tortured and killed;   j

c) the Eternal flame that bums at the monument of the Victory in Minsk.

 

13.   The memorial wall was constructed in memory of prisoners of the camps of death —

a) this severe ferro-concrete construction recollects places of mass destruc- ] tion of people;

b) this construction is the only wall which has stayed4after the fire in Khatyn;

c) this severe ferro-concrete construction recollects how cruel people were burnt in crematoriums.

 

14. Architects Jury Gradov, Valentine Zankovich, Leonid Levin, sculptor Sergey Selikhanov, the chief engineer of the project Vasily Makarevich

a) have constructed the memorial complex in Minsk where the flame is burning eternally;

b) have immortalized indestructible courage of the people of Belarus within; the World War Two in memory of the victims of fascists' invasion;                     

c) refused to build a memorial complex because it would remind people about; their tragedy — the tragedy of all Belarusian people.                                         

 

15.  The sacred flame is burning under the three birches and reminds people ..., people come here every day, day after day                                                     

a) each fourth victim of our republic;

b) each fifth victim of our republic;

c) each third victim of our republic.

 

 

UNIT XX

BREST FORTRESS-HERO:

A UNIQUE MEMORIAL COMPLEX

 

1. Pay attention to the following words. Pick out sentences with these words from the text and read them:

Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR — Президиум Верховного Совета СССР;                                                                                    

Council of Ministers of the BSSR — Совет Министров БССР;

Lenin Prize of the USSR — Ленинская премия СССР;

State Prize of the USSR — Государственная премия СССР;

the Central Committee of the Communist party of Byelorussia—Центральный Комитет Коммунистической партии Белоруссии.

 

2. Practise saying the following proper names:

"Gold Star"	['дэиМ 'stcu]	Золотая Звезда
A. P. Kibalnikov	[ki'balniksv]	А. П. Кибальников
V. Korol	[кэ'гЫ]	В. Король
A. Bembel	[bem'befj	А. Бембель
V. Zankovich	[zan'kDVitf]	В. Занкович
О. Stakhovich	[sta'hDVitf]	О. Стахович
G. Sysoyev	[si'sd:3v]	Т. Сысоев
V. Bobyl	['bDbil]	В.Бобиль
V. Volchek	['vDltjbk]	В.Волчек
Yu. Kazakov	[kaza'kov]	Ю.Казаков
Brest fortress-hero	['brest 'fottris 'Ьлэгэи]	Брестская крепость- герой
S. Smirnov	[smir'noy]	С.Смирнов
"The Sacred War"	[Зэ'seiknd wo:]	"Священная война"
A. Aleksandrov	[abk'sandrsv]	А.Александров
Yu. Levitan	[bvi'tan]	Ю.Левитан
"Thirst"	[e3:st]	"Жажда"
Mukhavets River	[muha'vets 'nva]	РекаМухавец
White Palace	[wait'paehs]	Белый дворец
P. M. Masherov	[ma'jeray]	П. М. Машеров
Great Patriotic War	[Jgreit-,paetri'bttk,wo:.]	Великая  Отечественная
войнаг Victory Day	['viktari del]	День Победы
St. Nicholas'church	[fsemt 'nikabs t/3:f]	церковь святого
Николая Kobrin	['kDbrm]	Кобрин