THE PROJECT «MÁŃGILIK EL ALYPTARY». BAUYRZHAN MOMYSHULY

On the eve of the 75th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War, the Library of Elbassy within the information project "Máńgіlіk El alyptary" begins publishing a series of materials dedicated to Kazakhstani people – Heroes of the Soviet Union who defended their homeland from the Nazi invaders. One of them is Halyq Qaһarmany, legendary military leader, famous writer and true people's hero Bauyrzhan Momyshuly.

Bauyrzhan Momyshuly was born on December 24, 1910, in the village of Burnoye, Juvalinsky district, near the present Taraz. He lost his mother early and the child's upbringing fell on the shoulders of close relatives. From a young age, Bauyrzhan Momyshuly lived in several boarding schools.

In 1929, at the age of 19, he graduated from the 9th grade of school. He worked in the district executive committee, changed several positions. In 1932, he was drafted into the army and enlisted as a cadet in the 14th mountain rifle regiment of the 3rd Turkestan rifle division in the Central Asian military district. He graduated from the regimental school, the artillery military school, becoming an officer. He became a platoon commander in the same unit. After serving the prescribed period, he was dismissed to the reserve.

In 1934-1936, he was a senior consultant of the Kazakh Republican Office of Prombank of the USSR. At the same time, he completed short-term courses at the Leningrad Financial Academy.

In March 1936, he was drafted into the Red Army for the second time, serving in the Far East in the Special Red Army of the Far East under the command of the Marshal of the Soviet Union V.K. Blucher. He was assigned to the 315th rifle regiment of the 105th rifle division, where he served as platoon commander of the anti-tank battery, assistant commander and battery commander, artillery division commander. In July-August 1938, he fought with the Japanese Kwantung Army at Lake Hassan as commander of an artillery battery.

In February 1940, he was transferred to the Kiev Special Military District, where since April he served as Assistant Chief of Staff of the 406th rifle regiment of the 24th rifle division. He participated in the accession of Bessarabia to the USSR. In January 1941, he was transferred to Almaty in the Central Asian Military District and appointed senior instructor of non-military training of the republican military committee of the Kazakh SSR.

When the 316th rifle division under the command of Major General I. V. Panfilov began to form in the district after the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, at the end of June, Senior Lieutenant B. Momyshuly was appointed to it as the battalion commander of the 1073rd Talgar rifle regiment. At the end of August, he left with the division for the front. In September 1941, he was transferred to the 52nd separate army with the division and built a defensive line at Malaya Vishera.

In connection with the beginning of the battle for Moscow, on October 5, the 316th rifle division urgently transferred to the Volokolamsk direction, where its first echelons began to arrive on October 10. As part of the 16th Army of the Western Front, the 316th rifle division steadfastly held the defense, entering history under the name of Panfilov’s. Senior Lieutenant Momyshuly in the defense of Moscow participated in 27 battles. For the unprecedented and massive heroism of the personnel, by the order of the People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR dated November 8, 1941, the division was awarded the guards rank and it was named the 8th guards rifle division, and the 1073rd rifle regiment, in which Bauyrzhan Momyshuly fought, became the 19th guards rifle regiment.

During the second general offensive of the Wehrmacht on Moscow from 16 to 18 November 1941, the battalion of Senior Lieutenant Bauyrzhan Momyshuly, separated from the division, heroically fought on the Volokolamsk highway near the village of Matrenino. Skillful leadership of the battalion commander allowed for three days detaining the Germans at this line and bringing the battalion out of the encirclement. In total, in 1941, he conducted 27 battles in the conditions of maneuver defense near Moscow. Five times, he broke away from the division in the rear of the enemy in order to perform special tasks set by Major General Panfilov, after which he skillfully withdrew his battalion and attached units from the encirclement, preserving manpower and technology. In these battles, Momyshuly was twice wounded but did not want to leave the front until the last. He was awarded the Order of the Red Banner and the medal "For the defense of Moscow".

For his bravery and heroism in the battle of Moscow, Captain Bauyrzhan Momyshuly was presented with the title of Hero of the Soviet Union in 1942, but it was not awarded to him.

The fame of B. Momyshuly spread throughout the country, while many front and central newspapers of the Soviet Union told about the phenomenon of the Kazakh battalion commander. The artistic and historical book by Alexander Bek "Volokolamsk highway" describes the heroic battle path of the battalion under the command of Bauyrzhan Momyshuly. The main character of this story was the Panfilov officer, the hero of the defense of Moscow Bauyrzhan Momyshuly. Alexander Beck created this book based on his stories and memoirs.

Colonel-General I. M. Chistyakov in his book "Serving the Fatherland" wrote about Bauyrzhan Momyshuly: "I knew the commander of the 1073rd rifle regiment, major Bauyrzhan Momyshuly, even before the war from joint service in the Far East. He was a young commander, Kazakh by nationality, with a tough and stubborn character and a handsome appearance. I knew that I.V. Panfilov really appreciated him for his special courage and ingenuity. Near Moscow, his battalion, being surrounded, for several days without communication with the regiment, fought with superior enemy forces. In fierce battles, the guards destroyed 400 fascists within two days, delayed their advance along the Volokolamsk highway, and then, after making a maneuver through the forest, broke the encirclement ring and went to their regiment. After this battle, Panfilov kept Momyshuly's battalion as a reserve, sending it into battle in the most severe cases. I liked another quality of Momyshuly - truthfulness. No matter how hard it was for him, I knew that he would always tell the truth, and he demanded the same from his subordinates."

Momyshuly's commanding abilities in heavy fighting were noticed, and at the end of November, he was appointed commander of the regiment - personally by Commander of the 16th army K. K. Rokossovsky.

At the end of 1941, Momyshuly was promoted to the rank of captain, then major. In January-April 1942, the eighth guards rifle division and the 9th guards rifle division, whose commander B. Momyshuly was later appointed, fought with the SS division "Deadhead" and participated in the Demyansk operation. In October 1942, he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, and eight months later to Colonel.

The received injuries made themselves felt and in November 1943, B. Momyshuly was sent to the hospital, after being cured, he was granted leave, and in May 1944, he was sent to study. In December 1944, he graduated from the advanced officer-training course at the Voroshilov Higher Military Academy.

In January 1945, B. Momyshuly was appointed Deputy Commander of the 9th guards rifle division of the 6th guards army of the 1st Baltic front with the post of the division commander. In February-March 1945, North-West of the Priekule station (Latvia), parts of the division skillfully led by him broke through three enemy lines of defense. As a result of the division's offensive, 15 settlements were liberated and significant damage was inflicted on the enemy.

In 1946, Bauyrzhan Momyshuly became a student of the Higher Military Academy named after K.E. Voroshilov. In 1948, after graduating from the Academy, he was appointed Chairman of the Central Committee of the Voluntary Society for assistance to the army "DOSARM" of the Kazakh SSR, with the remaining in the personnel of the Armed Forces. At the end of 1948, Colonel Momyshuly was placed at the disposal of the Chief Committee of the Ground Forces and was deputy commander of the 49th separate rifle brigade in the East Siberian Military District. In 1950, he was a senior lecturer at the Department of general tactics and the operational art of the Military Academy of the Rear and Supply named after V. M. Molotov in the city of Kalinin. He retired from the Soviet Army in 1955 due to illness.

He returned to Alma-ATA, where he completely devoted himself to literary work. It is believed that he began to be published during the military service, but there are facts that the first essay by B. Momyshuly was published in 1928 in the Zhualy district newspaper "Socialistik mal sharuashylygy". According to the memoirs of his contemporaries, Momyshuly made notes in notebooks, on scraps of paper and even empty cigarette packets. He wrote in a trench, in a dugout, and even in a hospital bed. The writing was his greatest need in life.

His first stories about the Great Patriotic War were then well-received by critics. Over time, in addition to military prose, he also began to write about his contemporaries, raising acute moral questions. He wrote stories and novels for children.

B. Momyshuly is the author of the collections of short stories "Diary of an officer", "Story of one night", "Behind us Moscow", a biographical story about General I. V. Panfilov "Our General", a book of stories "Our family", for which B. Momyshuly was awarded the State Prize of the Kazakh SSR in 1976. He wrote travel essays "Cuban meeting" and others.

He wrote in Russian and Kazakh languages, he translated his books himself. He also translated many works and even poems of Kazakh and Uighur writers and poets into Russian. He translated works of Russian writers into Kazakh for publication in Kazakhstan. In addition to prose, he published many articles, worked in the field of literary criticism, travel essays. He was a member of the USSR Writers' Union.

"We know the military exploits of Bauyrzhan Momyshuly. When he became a writer, he accomplished a second feat. Both feats, in my opinion, are equivalent," wrote Hero of the Soviet Union, Major General, writer Peter Vershigora.

B. Momyshuly was also the author of tactical maneuvers and strategies. In military schools in the United States, Cuba, Israel, and Nicaragua, Momyshuly's military experience is studied separately. "Volokolamsk highway" has become a mandatory reading book for officers of the Israel Defense forces. B. Momyshuly was an idol for Ernesto Che Guevara, "Volokolamsk highway" was one of the favorite books of Comandante Che and Fidel Castro. In 1963, an interview with Fidel Castro was published. To the question: "Who would you call a hero of the Second world war?" Castro replied: "Hero of the book by Alexander Bek "Volokolamsk highway" - Kazakh Momyshuly." Soon after, B. Momyshuly, at the invitation of the government of Cuba, visited the island of Freedom, where he met with the Defense Minister Raul Castro. At this time, Fidel Castro was in Moscow, and Che Guevara had already left to make revolutions in other countries. In the course of his visit to Cuba, B. Momyshuly lectured on combat training and was awarded the title of Honorary Commander of the 51st Regiment of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Cuba. Momyshuly invited young Cuban rebels to stay at his home in Alma-Ata.

"After a while, the Cubans arrived - young revolutionaries, among this delegation were bearded and very young soldiers, all in military green uniforms, with pleasant faces. The apartment was renovated: the roof was patched up, the floors were repainted, crystal chandeliers were hung, and new furniture and carpets appeared. ...There were interpreters, mostly all in gray suits, who looked like KGB officers. Soviet military writers arrived, among them was Boris Polevoy," recalls the stepdaughter of the famous commander Shapiga Musina about the visit of the Cubans.

Among the awards Momyshuly: the Order of Lenin, two Orders of the Red Banner, Order of Patriotic War 1-st degree, Order of Red Banner of Labor, Order of Friendship of Peoples, Order of the Red Star, the Order "Badge of Honor". He was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union posthumously. Thanks to the perseverance of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan N. Nazarbayev, in 1990, before the last day of the Union's existence, a decree was signed on awarding Bauyrzhan Momyshuly the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

In a congratulatory telegram to the son of the famous commander and writer Bakhytzhan Momyshuly Elbassy wrote: "The day when Bauke received the Star can be considered the day when the Star of the people rose", these words are carved on the pedestal of the monument to the legendary hero of the Great Patriotic War, installed on the territory of the Republican military boarding school named after B. Momyshuly in Almaty.

At the celebration of the 90th anniversary of the hero’s birthday, Nursultan Nazarbayev said: "The son of the Kazakh land of Bauyrzhan Momyshuly remains a common compatriot for all the peoples of the Commonwealth. A soldier and a people's writer, he left us all the main thing - a bright faith in a human being, in the strength of his spirit. I am sure that the name of Bauyrzhan Momyshuly will forever remain in the memory of people as a vivid example of the common fate of our peoples and our destiny."

It should be noted that the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan - Elbassy N. Nazarbayev, at the invitation of the President of the Russian Federation V. Putin, repeatedly took part in the Victory Parade on Red Square in Moscow.

In honor of Bauyrzhan Momyshuly was named the district center of Zhualynsky district of Zhambyl region - the village of Bauyrzhan Momyshuly (Burnoye). The Museum of B. Momyshuly was opened in this village, where some of his personal belongings are stored. In Kazakhstan, the hero's name bears the streets in the cities: Almaty, Taraz, Shymkent, Kokshetau, Nur-Sultan, Karaganda, Atyrau, Semey, Satpayev, Kyzylorda, Zhezkazgan, Atbasar, Aksu; in the villages: Shelek, Asa, Kurchum. The name of the Hero of the Soviet Union was also given to secondary schools in different cities and villages, and to a sports complex in the village of Bauyrzhan Momyshuly (Burnoye). There are many monuments, busts and monuments to Bauyrzhan Momyshuly in the city of Kazakhstan. There is also a bronze bust of the hero on October Square in Volokolamsk.

Since 2011, the research center "Bauyrzhantanu" has been operating at Taraz State Pedagogical University. Bauyrzhan readings are held in various educational institutions.

The hero's memory is also immortalized in the film "Behind us Moscow" (1967, directed by Mazhit Begalin), the film play of the Gorky Moscow Art Theater "Volokolamsk highway" (1982, directed by Vsevolod Shilovsky), the documentary "Kazaktyn Bauyrzhany. The legendary Bauyrzhan", 2010, directed by Kalila Umarov), the art series "Bauyrzhan Momyshuly" (2013, directed by Akan Satayev).

The book collections of the Library of Elbassy contain multi-volume collections of B. Momyshuly's works in Russian and Kazakh languages, a collection of novels "Ushqan uıa. Kýrlándıa maıdany", as well as publications dedicated to it: photo album "Qaһarman Baýyrjan Momyshuly" M. Myrzakhmetuly, "Baýyrjan Momyshuly týraly estelіkter" M. Myrzakhmetuly, Memoirs" M. Myrzakhmetuly, "Batyrym, Baýyrjanym" deıdі halqym", K. Sarsebay, "Baýyrjannyń pyraǵy : Áńgіme, pesa, suhbat" E. Alimzhan, "Hero" S. Smagul, "Diary of a commander." S. Bakytbek, "Men - halqymnyń Baýyrjanymyn!.. Áńgіmeler" M. Kaldybay," Bauyrzhan Momyshuly. Maıdan jyry men syry. History of one book" Zh. Ibraev and many others.