Pyotr Vershigora
Encyclopedia
Pyotr Petrovich Vershigora (first name also Petr) or Petro Petrovich Vershyhora ( - March 23, 1963) was a Soviet writer and one of the leaders of the Soviet partisan movement in Ukraine
, Belarus
and Poland
.
Petro Vershigora was born in the village of Severinovka near the Transnistria
n town of Rybnitsa. His parents were ethnic Ukrainian
teachers at the local rural school, who died during his childhood. As a young orphan he worked at various jobs, including shepherd
, miller
, and librarian, as well as amateur actor and musician in his native village. In 1927, after completing his conscript military service, he enrolled in the Odessa
Fine Arts Academy and upon graduation worked as an actor and stage manager.
In 1936 Vershigora completed his studies at cinema school and worked on several documentary films with the Kiev
cinematographic company. Following the German invasion of the Soviet Union, he joined the Red Army
. On June 23, 1942 he was air dropped on a reconnaissance
mission in the German-occupied Oryol
region with orders to join the underground resistance movement there.
Within a few months Vershigora joined the partisan units led by Sydir Kovpak
in northeastern Ukraine. After the death of Semyon Rudnev in the summer of 1943 he became Kovpak's right-hand man and the head of his scouting and reconnaissance elements. Under his leadership, the 1st Ukrainian partisan division raided German-occupied western Belarus and eastern Poland, harassing the German rear. On July 3, 1944 they joined the regular Soviet army that was fighting to liberate Belarus. In August 1944, after three years of fighting, Vershigora was promoted to the rank of major general
and awarded the Hero of the Soviet Union
title, along with the Gold Star
and Order of Lenin
medals.
After the war Vershigora taught at the military academy in Moscow and wrote a number of books, including Lyudi s chistoi sovestyu (People with a Clear Conscience, 1947), his memoirs about the war.
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...
, Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
and Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
.
Petro Vershigora was born in the village of Severinovka near the Transnistria
Transnistria
Transnistria is a breakaway territory located mostly on a strip of land between the Dniester River and the eastern Moldovan border to Ukraine...
n town of Rybnitsa. His parents were ethnic 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...
teachers at the local rural school, who died during his childhood. As a young orphan he worked at various jobs, including shepherd
Shepherd
A shepherd is a person who tends, feeds or guards flocks of sheep.- Origins :Shepherding is one of the oldest occupations, beginning some 6,000 years ago in Asia Minor. Sheep were kept for their milk, meat and especially their wool...
, miller
Miller
A miller usually refers to a person who operates a mill, a machine to grind a cereal crop to make flour. Milling is among the oldest of human occupations. "Miller", "Milne" and other variants are common surnames, as are their equivalents in other languages around the world...
, and librarian, as well as amateur actor and musician in his native village. In 1927, after completing his conscript military service, he enrolled in the Odessa
Odessa
Odessa or Odesa is the administrative center of the Odessa Oblast located in southern Ukraine. The city is a major seaport located on the northwest shore of the Black Sea and the fourth largest city in Ukraine with a population of 1,029,000 .The predecessor of Odessa, a small Tatar settlement,...
Fine Arts Academy and upon graduation worked as an actor and stage manager.
In 1936 Vershigora completed his studies at cinema school and worked on several documentary films with the Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
cinematographic company. Following the German invasion of the Soviet Union, he joined the Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
. On June 23, 1942 he was air dropped on a reconnaissance
Reconnaissance
Reconnaissance is the military term for exploring beyond the area occupied by friendly forces to gain information about enemy forces or features of the environment....
mission in the German-occupied Oryol
Oryol Oblast
Oryol Oblast is a federal subject of Russia . Its administrative center is the city of Oryol. Population: -Geography:It is located in the southwestern part of the Central Federal District, in the Mid-Russian Highlands. Kaluga and Tula Oblasts border it in the north, Bryansk Oblast is located to...
region with orders to join the underground resistance movement there.
Within a few months Vershigora joined the partisan units led by Sydir Kovpak
Sydir Kovpak
Sydir Artemovych Kovpak , June 7, 1887December 11, 1967) was a prominent Soviet partisan leader in Ukraine.-Biography:Kovpak was born to a poor peasant family in Ukrainian village near Poltava . For his military service in the World War I he was awarded two Crosses of St...
in northeastern Ukraine. After the death of Semyon Rudnev in the summer of 1943 he became Kovpak's right-hand man and the head of his scouting and reconnaissance elements. Under his leadership, the 1st Ukrainian partisan division raided German-occupied western Belarus and eastern Poland, harassing the German rear. On July 3, 1944 they joined the regular Soviet army that was fighting to liberate Belarus. In August 1944, after three years of fighting, Vershigora was promoted to the rank of major general
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
and awarded 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:...
title, along with the Gold Star
Gold Star
The Gold Star medal is a special insignia that identifies recipients of the title "Hero" in the Soviet Union and its communist allies, and several post-Soviet states.-Soviet origin:...
and Order of Lenin
Order of Lenin
The Order of Lenin , named after the leader of the Russian October Revolution, was the highest decoration bestowed by the Soviet Union...
medals.
After the war Vershigora taught at the military academy in Moscow and wrote a number of books, including Lyudi s chistoi sovestyu (People with a Clear Conscience, 1947), his memoirs about the war.