PioneerPioneer - - Heroes Heroesduring the Great Patriotic Warduring the Great Patriotic War

Zina PortnovaZina Portnova Valya KoticValya Kotic Vasya KorobkoVasya Korobko Lenya GolikovLenya Golikov

МОУ Богоявленская средняя общеобразовательная школа

Zina PortnovaZina Portnova

Pioneer-HeroesPioneer-HeroesZina PortnovaZina Portnova

The number of the Obol youth The number of the Obol youth underground organization got together underground organization got together near a tall watch-tower in the forest near a tall watch-tower in the forest about five hundred metres away from about five hundred metres away from the small village of Ushuli.the small village of Ushuli.

Suddenly one of the members saw a Suddenly one of the members saw a strange little girl walking towards strange little girl walking towards them and said: “Look, she’s coming them and said: “Look, she’s coming over to us. Who is that girl”?over to us. Who is that girl”?

Fruza Zenkova, secretary of the Fruza Zenkova, secretary of the underground committee, only smiled underground committee, only smiled and answered: “That’s Zina Portnova. and answered: “That’s Zina Portnova. She wants to join us”.She wants to join us”.

““I’m afraid we’ll have a lot of bother I’m afraid we’ll have a lot of bother with that girl, the secratory said in a with that girl, the secratory said in a low voice as she looked at the girl’s low voice as she looked at the girl’s slender figure. “She looks so young to slender figure. “She looks so young to work with us”. And she asks the girl to work with us”. And she asks the girl to tell them about herself.tell them about herself.

I’m from Leningrad. I came to Byelorussia during the school holidays to see my I’m from Leningrad. I came to Byelorussia during the school holidays to see my grandmother. When the war began, we couldn’t get back home to Leningrad. I live in the grandmother. When the war began, we couldn’t get back home to Leningrad. I live in the village of Zuyi. I have passed into the 8village of Zuyi. I have passed into the 8thth form. You may wonder what has brought me form. You may wonder what has brought me here to you. I know what you are thinking. You think I’m too small and can’t do anything here to you. I know what you are thinking. You think I’m too small and can’t do anything useful. But that’s a mistake. I see and understand everything. The Nazis kill our people. useful. But that’s a mistake. I see and understand everything. The Nazis kill our people. But I want to live only without Nazis. I hate them very much.But I want to live only without Nazis. I hate them very much.

Zina PortnovaZina Portnova

At last Zina became a real At last Zina became a real member of the underground member of the underground organization. The partisans in organization. The partisans in the forest wanted to know the forest wanted to know everything about the German everything about the German troops in the local garrison. troops in the local garrison. The first job she got was to The first job she got was to hand out leaflets and hand out leaflets and newspapers to the people newspapers to the people living in nearby villages. She living in nearby villages. She did that together with her did that together with her brother Ilya. They wanted as brother Ilya. They wanted as many people as possible to many people as possible to read the papers. Then she was read the papers. Then she was told to find out how large the told to find out how large the garrison was. And she has garrison was. And she has done this work with a great done this work with a great success.success.

Zina PortnovaZina Portnova

Several months went by. Zina had Several months went by. Zina had changed a lot. She now looked changed a lot. She now looked quite a grown-up girl and everyone quite a grown-up girl and everyone saw she was a very helpful saw she was a very helpful member of the underground member of the underground organization.organization.

At Obol there was a special school At Obol there was a special school where nazi officers went for where nazi officers went for refresher training courses.refresher training courses.

So the underground organization So the underground organization decided to give them some more decided to give them some more awards – to “present” them with awards – to “present” them with wooden crosses.wooden crosses.

Zina has managed to get a job Zina has managed to get a job there. She had to work hard and there. She had to work hard and often felt very tired.often felt very tired.

The German started to pay The German started to pay attention to the cheerful young attention to the cheerful young Russian girl. They were pleased Russian girl. They were pleased that she was able to do all the hard that she was able to do all the hard jobs like fetching firewood and jobs like fetching firewood and water, cleaning tables and water, cleaning tables and sweeping floors.sweeping floors.

The chance came on the day Zina had to work as woman The chance came on the day Zina had to work as woman

The chance came on the day Zina had to work as dish-washer. The woman who The chance came on the day Zina had to work as dish-washer. The woman who usually did the washing-up had fallen ill the day before. But the chief cook and usually did the washing-up had fallen ill the day before. But the chief cook and his assistant kept their eyes on her all the time. Nothing could be done just his assistant kept their eyes on her all the time. Nothing could be done just before breakfast-time, so she decided to wait until dinner-time came.before breakfast-time, so she decided to wait until dinner-time came.

At last the German officers started coming into the hall. They all sat down and At last the German officers started coming into the hall. They all sat down and dinner began. Zina was waiting for a chance to be left alone in the kitchen and dinner began. Zina was waiting for a chance to be left alone in the kitchen and drop the poison into one of the pans. One of the girls brought a beefsteak to a drop the poison into one of the pans. One of the girls brought a beefsteak to a German officer. The meat was so tough that he could not eat it. It made him German officer. The meat was so tough that he could not eat it. It made him very angry and he called a chief cook. That was the very moment Zina was very angry and he called a chief cook. That was the very moment Zina was waiting for.waiting for.

More than 100 nazi officers died that day.More than 100 nazi officers died that day.

Zina PortnovaZina PortnovaSeveral months went by and Several months went by and commander of the partisan commander of the partisan detachment sent Zina to get in detachment sent Zina to get in touch with those members of touch with those members of the youth organization who the youth organization who remained alive.remained alive.

On her way back to the forest On her way back to the forest she was stopped and taken to she was stopped and taken to the Obol Gestapo for the Obol Gestapo for questioning.questioning.

““What’s your name?, asked a What’s your name?, asked a German lieutenant.German lieutenant.

““Maria Kozlova. I work in a Maria Kozlova. I work in a brick-yard,” the girl answered.brick-yard,” the girl answered.

““Well, Maria Kozlova”he said Well, Maria Kozlova”he said and a minute later he returned and a minute later he returned followed by deserter followed by deserter Grechukhin. The traitor looked Grechukhin. The traitor looked at the girl and said, “Zinaida at the girl and said, “Zinaida Portnova, when did you change Portnova, when did you change your name?”your name?”

Zina was taken to a special room for interrogation and it was a different officer who Zina was taken to a special room for interrogation and it was a different officer who spoke to her. When he came in, he was very surprised to find a small, slender young girl spoke to her. When he came in, he was very surprised to find a small, slender young girl who looked almost a child. The nazi officer changed his tone. At first it had sounded who looked almost a child. The nazi officer changed his tone. At first it had sounded rather dry and formal, but now it became gentle and kind. Then he told one of the rather dry and formal, but now it became gentle and kind. Then he told one of the soldiers to take the girl to a room in the Gestapo, not to a prison cell, and to fetch her soldiers to take the girl to a room in the Gestapo, not to a prison cell, and to fetch her some dinner, some white bread and some sweets.some dinner, some white bread and some sweets.Next day nazi captain started to question the girl again. But Zina kept silent.Next day nazi captain started to question the girl again. But Zina kept silent.The German became furious with anger. He raised his arm and struck her on the chest. The German became furious with anger. He raised his arm and struck her on the chest. Suddenly he heard the sound of a car outside the building. He went to the window to see Suddenly he heard the sound of a car outside the building. He went to the window to see who had come. Zina seized the revolver and the German who had no time to act. Zina who had come. Zina seized the revolver and the German who had no time to act. Zina fired at him and he sank to the floor.fired at him and he sank to the floor.

Zina dashed out of the room. She was Zina dashed out of the room. She was only thinking of how quickly she could only thinking of how quickly she could get to a big forest. She knew that the get to a big forest. She knew that the distance was not too great, but it distance was not too great, but it would be some minutes before she would be some minutes before she was out of danger.was out of danger.A number of German soldiers were A number of German soldiers were already chasing her. She shoot one of already chasing her. She shoot one of them, but the revolver would not fire. them, but the revolver would not fire. There were no more cartridges in it.There were no more cartridges in it.She was shot near a small pine-tree on She was shot near a small pine-tree on a cold January morning in 1944.a cold January morning in 1944.

So, it was that her short life closed. So, it was that her short life closed. Zina Portnova became Hero of the Zina Portnova became Hero of the Soviet Union. Her life became a Soviet Union. Her life became a subject for poets and writers and a subject for poets and writers and a monument was set up in her memory monument was set up in her memory not far from the place where she not far from the place where she fought against thefought against the Nazis.Nazis.