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Taraz 12.07.2005
 The war caught twelve-year old Bronislava Vinokurova at unawares. Televised address about the opening of hostilities was interrupted by an air raid alert and bomb attacks. The war was already there, in the town of Gomel. After return fire a German plane crashed down and Byelorussian kids ran out to watch a parachute and a German pilot near it.
The bombing continued for about two weeks. People hid in bombshelters and traveled to the center of the country. Raisa Borisovna Vinokurova was leaving as well along with her daughter Bronislava and son Boris. They succeeded in taking a train that went east.
"We traveled in a freight, hungry and frightened" Bronislava recalled. "When bombing started we hid in a ravine. I still remember buzzing planes shooting women and children and old men."
 Disasters come treading on each other's heels. Because of squeeze and insanitation Boris and Bronislava fell ill with measles, and the family was detrained in Kursk. The children were separated and their mother who was pregnant tried to get a permanent registration in the city. But that was in vain - soon evacuation began.
Their train delayed, and another train moved instead of that. Passengers were nervous, but as they approached the first train they saw it crushed. Raisa fainted, she felt gripping pains and was detrained. The children got out at the next station and were put to an orphan home. Four-year old Boris looked so nice that some woman decided to take him. His sister Bronislava pleaded not to separate them and the woman agreed. When Raisa found her children it was already cold.
 The family had no chances to su rvive there, and they decided to go south. So on October 28, 1941 they appeared in Dzhambul, Kazakhstan. After spending several nights in a mini park they found an empty hut near a market. The owners brought a stove. Bronislava did her home assignments on the earthen floor, and she used to write between the lines of yellow newspapers.
Because of her infant Raisa could not work at a factory, so she sewed and knitted warm clothing for soldiers. Her husband Iosif was one of them. They lived from hand to mouth, and the children also labored in the fields and at a hospital after classes. In their free time they performed before wounded soldiers - they sang songs, danced and recited poems. It gave so much pleasure to the patients.
In spring 1945 Bronislava received Stalin's achievement certificate for her studies. She exulted at her success. But soon the family was overwhelmed at the news that all their relatives died. Bronislava's father got a backbone injury and had to wear a special spinal assistant.
 Bronislava could count only on herself. She entered Kazakh state university and became a philologist. As she began working in the town of Balkhash, she met her love.
 Bronislava devoted all her life to teaching children. She taught Russian language and literature at a technical college and was an editor of "The Chemist" school newspaper. Being a labor veteran she received many decorations, which she values as holy things.
"Our children were born after the war and they know it only by hearsay. Military problems are strange to our grandchildren. That's why it's so important not to forget the disasters caused by fascism. To forget is dangerous" Bronislava said.
May every day start with sunshine and blue sky above our heads!
Natalya Perfilyeva
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