Oleg Koshevoy
Encyclopedia
Oleg Vasilyevich Koshevoy ' onMouseout='HidePop("47686")' href="/topics/Romanization_of_Ukrainian">translit.
Oleh Vasyl'ovych Koshovyi; ) (June 8, 1926 - February 9, 1943) was a Ukrainian
partisan
and one of the founders of the clandestine organization Young Guard
, which fought the Nazi forces
in Krasnodon
during World War II
between 1941 and 1945.
Born in Pryluky
, a city in the Chernihiv Oblast
(province
) of present-day north-central Ukraine
(at the time a part of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic), Oleg Koshevoy's family moved south to Rzhyshchiv and Poltava
before settling in Krasnodon
(at the eastern border of Ukraine) in 1940, where he attended secondary school
. In July 1942, Krasnodon was occupied by the German army
. Under the leadership of the party underground, Koshevoy organized an anti-nazi Komsomol
(Communist Youth) organization called the Young Guard ' onMouseout='HidePop("46251")' href="/topics/Romanization_of_Russian">translit.
Molodaya gvardiya), becoming its commissar
. In January 1943, the Germans exposed the organization. Oleg Koshevoy tried to cross the front line
, but was soon apprehended. He was tortured and then executed on February 9, 1943.
On September 13 of 1943, Oleg Koshevoy was awarded the title of the Hero of the Soviet Union
posthumously. Many mines, sovkhozes, schools, and Young Pioneer
groups in the Soviet Union
were later named after him.
Romanization of Ukrainian
The romanization or Latinization of Ukrainian is the representation of the Ukrainian language using Latin letters. Ukrainian is natively written in its own Ukrainian alphabet, a variation of Cyrillic....
Oleh Vasyl'ovych Koshovyi; ) (June 8, 1926 - February 9, 1943) was a Ukrainian
Ukrainians
Ukrainians are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine, which is the sixth-largest nation in Europe. The Constitution of Ukraine applies the term 'Ukrainians' to all its citizens...
partisan
Soviet partisans
The Soviet partisans were members of a resistance movement which fought a guerrilla war against the Axis occupation of the Soviet Union during World War II....
and one of the founders of the clandestine organization Young Guard
Young Guard (Soviet resistance)
The Young Guard was an underground anti-fascist Komsomol organization, in the German-occupied Soviet city of Krasnodon . They were active during the Great Patriotic War until January 1943. They carried out several acts of sabotage and protest before being betrayed to the Germans...
, which fought the Nazi forces
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
in Krasnodon
Krasnodon
Krasnodon is a city in the Luhansk Oblast of south-eastern Ukraine. Serving as the administrative center of the Krasnodonskyi Raion , the city itself is also designated as a separate raion within the oblast....
during World War II
Eastern Front (World War II)
The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of World War II between the European Axis powers and co-belligerent Finland against the Soviet Union, Poland, and some other Allies which encompassed Northern, Southern and Eastern Europe from 22 June 1941 to 9 May 1945...
between 1941 and 1945.
Born in Pryluky
Pryluky
Pryluky or Priluki is a city located on the Udai River in the Chernihiv Oblast, north-central Ukraine. Serving as the administrative center of the Prylutsky Raion , the city itself is also designated as a separate municipality within the oblast...
, a city in the Chernihiv Oblast
Chernihiv Oblast
Chernihiv Oblast is an oblast of northern Ukraine. The administrative center of the oblast is the city of Chernihiv.-Geography:The total area of the province is around 31,900 km²....
(province
Oblast
Oblast is a type of administrative division in Slavic countries, including some countries of the former Soviet Union. The word "oblast" is a loanword in English, but it is nevertheless often translated as "area", "zone", "province", or "region"...
) of present-day north-central Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
(at the time a part of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic), Oleg Koshevoy's family moved south to Rzhyshchiv and Poltava
Poltava
Poltava is a city in located on the Vorskla River in central Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Poltava Oblast , as well as the surrounding Poltava Raion of the oblast. Poltava's estimated population is 298,652 ....
before settling in Krasnodon
Krasnodon
Krasnodon is a city in the Luhansk Oblast of south-eastern Ukraine. Serving as the administrative center of the Krasnodonskyi Raion , the city itself is also designated as a separate raion within the oblast....
(at the eastern border of Ukraine) in 1940, where he attended secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
. In July 1942, Krasnodon was occupied by the German army
German Army
The German Army is the land component of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. Following the disbanding of the Wehrmacht after World War II, it was re-established in 1955 as the Bundesheer, part of the newly formed West German Bundeswehr along with the Navy and the Air Force...
. Under the leadership of the party underground, Koshevoy organized an anti-nazi Komsomol
Komsomol
The Communist Union of Youth , usually known as Komsomol , was the youth division of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. The Komsomol in its earliest form was established in urban centers in 1918. During the early years, it was a Russian organization, known as the Russian Communist Union of...
(Communist Youth) organization called the Young Guard ' onMouseout='HidePop("46251")' href="/topics/Romanization_of_Russian">translit.
Romanization of Russian
Romanization of the Russian alphabet is the process of transliterating the Russian language from the Cyrillic alphabet into the Latin alphabet...
Molodaya gvardiya), becoming its commissar
Commissar
Commissar is the English transliteration of an official title used in Russia from the time of Peter the Great.The title was used during the Provisional Government for regional heads of administration, but it is mostly associated with a number of Cheka and military functions in Bolshevik and Soviet...
. In January 1943, the Germans exposed the organization. Oleg Koshevoy tried to cross the front line
Front line
A front line is the farthest-most forward position of an armed force's personnel and equipment - generally in respect of maritime or land forces. Forward Line of Own Troops , or Forward Edge of Battle Area are technical terms used by all branches of the armed services...
, but was soon apprehended. He was tortured and then executed on February 9, 1943.
On September 13 of 1943, Oleg Koshevoy was awarded the title of the Hero of the Soviet Union
Hero of the Soviet Union
The title Hero of the Soviet Union was the highest distinction in the Soviet Union, awarded personally or collectively for heroic feats in service to the Soviet state and society.-Overview:...
posthumously. Many mines, sovkhozes, schools, and Young Pioneer
Young Pioneer organization of the Soviet Union
The Young Pioneer Organization of the Soviet Union, also Vladimir Lenin All-Union Pioneer Organization The Young Pioneer Organization of the Soviet Union, also Vladimir Lenin All-Union Pioneer Organization The Young Pioneer Organization of the Soviet Union, also Vladimir Lenin All-Union Pioneer...
groups in the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
were later named after him.
External links
Олег Васильевич Кошевой at www.peoples.ru- A detailed summary of Young Guard by Aleksandr Fadeyev