Many decades distance us from the terrible events of 1941-45, but the theme of human suffering during the years of World War II will never lose its relevance. This must always be remembered so that such a tragedy never repeats itself.
A special role in preserving historical memory belongs to writers, who, together with the people, experienced all the horrors of wartime and were able to truthfully display it in their works. The masters of the word completely crossed out the well-known words: "When the guns speak, the muses are silent."
Works of literature about the war: main periods, genres, heroes
The terrible news on June 22, 1941 pained the hearts of all Soviet people, and the first to respond to it were writers and poets. For more than two decades, the theme of war has become one of the main topics in Soviet literature.
The first works on the theme of war were filled with pain for the fate of the country and were filled with determination to defend freedom. Many writers immediately went to the front as correspondents and from there chronicled the events, created their own works in hot pursuit. At first it was operational, short genres: poems, short stories, journalistic essays and articles. They were eagerly awaited and re-read both in the rear and at the front.
Over time, the works of war became more voluminous, these were already novels, plays, novels whose heroes became strong-minded people: ordinary soldiers and officers, workers of fields and factories. After the Victory, a rethinking of the experience begins: the authors of the chronicles tried to convey the scale of historical tragedy.
In the late 50s and early 60s, works on the theme of war were written by "younger" front-line writers who had been at the forefront and had gone through all the hardships of soldier life. At this time, the so-called "lieutenant prose" appears about the fate of yesterday's boys, who suddenly faced death.
"Get up, the country is huge ..."
Perhaps, in Russia one cannot find a person who does not recognize the recruiting words and the melody of the Holy War. This song was the first response to the terrible news and became the anthem of the warring people for all four years. Already on the third day of the war, verses by V. Lebedev-Kumach were heard on the radio . And a week later they were already performed to the music of A. Alexandrov. To the sounds of this song, filled with extraordinary patriotism and as if breaking out of the soul of the Russian people, the first echelons were sent to the front. In one of them was another famous poet - A. Surkov. It belongs to him no less famous "Song of the brave" and "In the dugout."
The war ended with the poets K. Simonov (“Do you remember, Alyosha, the roads of the Smolensk region ...”, “Wait for me”), Yu. Drunin (“Zinka”, “And where the strength comes from ...”), A. Twardovsky (“I was killed under Rzhev ") and many others. Their works about the war are imbued with the pain of the people, anxiety for the fate of the country and an unshakable faith in victory. And also with warm memories of his home and loved ones who remained there, a belief in happiness and the power of love that can create a miracle. The soldiers knew their verses by heart and read (or sang) in the short minutes between fights. This inspired hope and helped to survive in inhuman conditions.
“The book about the fighter”
A special place among the works created during the war is occupied by the poem by A. Twardowski "Vasily Terkin."
She is direct evidence of all that a simple Russian soldier had to go through.
The main character is a collective image, which embodied all the best qualities of the Soviet warrior: courage and courage, willingness to stand to the end, fearlessness, humanity and, at the same time, extraordinary cheerfulness, which is preserved even in the face of death. The author himself went through the whole war as a correspondent, therefore he knew well what a man had seen and felt in the war. Twardowski’s works define the “measure of personality,” as the poet himself said, her spiritual world, which cannot be broken in the most difficult situations.
“It is we, Lord!” - Confession of a former prisoner of war
The writer K. Vorobyov fought at the front and was captured . Survived in the camps and became the basis of the story, begun in 1943. The main character, Sergey Kostrov, talks about the real torments of hell through which he and his comrades, who were captured by the Nazis, had to go through (it is no coincidence that one of the camps was called Death Valley). People, exhausted physically and spiritually, but who have not lost faith and humanity even in the most terrible moments of life, appear on the pages of the work.
Much has been written about the war, but few writers in the totalitarian regime spoke specifically about the fate of prisoners of war. K. Vorobyov managed to get out of the trials prepared for him with a clear conscience, faith in justice and immeasurable love for the Motherland. His heroes are endowed with the same qualities. And although the story was not completed, V. Astafyev rightly noted that in this form it should be “on the same shelf with the classics”.
“In war, you will truly recognize people ...”
The novel “In the Trenches of Stalingrad” by front-line writer V. Nekrasov also became a sensation. Printed in 1946, it struck many with its extraordinary realism in depicting war. For former soldiers, this became memories of the terrible, unguided events that they had to endure. Those who were not at the front re-read the story and marveled at the frankness with which it told about the terrible battles for Stalingrad in 1942. The main thing that the author of the work about the war of 1941-1945 noted was that it laid bare the true feelings of people and showed their true value.
The strength of the Russian character is a step towards victory
12 years after the great victory, the story of M. Sholokhov was published. Its name - “The Fate of a Man” - is symbolic: before us is the life of an ordinary driver, full of trials and inhuman suffering. From the very first days of the war A. Sokolov finds himself in the war. For 4 years, he went through the torment of captivity, more than once went to the hairs of death. All his actions are evidence of unshakable strength of mind, love for the motherland, steadfastness. Returning home, he saw only the ashes - this is all that remains of his house and family. But here, the hero was able to resist the blow: the little Vanyusha, whom he sheltered, breathed life into him and gave hope. So caring for an orphan boy dulled the pain of his own grief.
The story "The Fate of Man", like other works about the war, showed the true strength and beauty of the Russian man, the ability to resist any obstacles.
Is it easy to stay human
V. Kondratiev is a front-line writer. His story "Sashka", published in 1979, is from the so-called lieutenant prose. It unvarnished shows the life of a simple soldier who finds himself in hot battles near Rzhev. Despite the fact that he is still a young man - only two months at the front, he was able to remain a man and not to lose his dignity. Overcoming the fear of near death, dreaming of getting out of the hell in which he found himself, he does not think about himself for a minute when it comes to the lives of other people. His humanism is manifested even in relation to an unarmed captive German, in which conscience does not allow him to shoot. Art works about the war, such as Sasha, tell of simple and brave children who made difficult moral choices in the trenches and in difficult relationships with others and thus decided their own fate and that of the whole people in this bloody war.
Remember to live ...
Many poets and writers did not return from the battlefields. Others went through the war side by side with the soldiers. They were witnesses of how people behave in a critical situation. Some humble themselves or use any means to survive. Others are ready to die, but not lose self-esteem.
The works about the war of 1941-1945 are a comprehension of everything seen, an attempt to show the courage and heroism of the people who defended their Fatherland, a reminder to all living things of the suffering and destruction that the struggle for power and world domination brings.