«Returned names»: a round table was held at KRSU on preserving the memory of those killed in evacuation hospitals
On June 19, a round table «Returned Names: on the issue of preserving the historical memory of the feat of the generation of winners» was held at the Kyrgyz-Russian Slavic University on the topic of preserving the memory of those who died in evacuation hospitals in the Sverdlovsk region and Kyrgyzstan during the Great Patriotic War. The event was held in a hybrid format and brought together historians, archivists, journalists, teachers and students, as well as representatives of public organizations of the two countries.
The round table was moderated by Leonid Sumarokov, director of the Center for Historical and Cultural Heritage KRSU. In his welcoming speech, he noted that the topic of evacuation hospitals remains insufficiently studied, especially in the regional context:
«Many stories remain in the shadows. Our task — is to create a bridge between archives, researchers and society so that these names do not go unmemorable».
Honorary Archivist of the Russian Federation, Candidate of Historical Sciences Alexander Kapustin presented the experience of the Sverdlovsk region in identifying data on deaths in evacuation hospitals:
«The archives still contain thousands of names without fates and thousands of fates without names. Our task is — to connect them. This is work at the intersection of history, archivism and human memory», he emphasized.
Iraida Semenikhina, a member of the Association of Patriotic Units «Return», spoke about the practical experience of search work:
«Search work takes time and perseverance. It’s important for us not just to find information, but to convey it to people, to make memory alive and accessible».
On behalf of the Kyrgyz side, the chairman of the Kyrgyz Society of Siege Survivors of Leningrad, Marat Kutanov, made a report. He shared the results of work on a project to restore the names of those killed in hospitals in the Kyrgyz SSR:
«Many families still do not know where their relatives are buried. Any line found in the archive —this is a chance to restore the lost connection», he noted.
Young participants — members of the student search team KRSU «Search 41–45» Aigerim Abasbekova and Asel Usenova also presented their vision. During the round table, a video film made by students about the deputy of the Supreme Council of the Kyrgyz SSR of the first convocation Vasily Kostyr was presented.
«For us, this work — is not just a project, but a way to understand that history concerns everyone. We want people to know that memory —is not just the past, it is the choice we make today», they said.
Also speaking at the round table were representatives of the Archive Service of the Kyrgyz Republic, local governments, schools «Epsilon» and other institutions actively involved in patriotic education and archival activities.
Following the event, participants emphasized the importance of continuing joint work and involving young people in it. It was noted that the practices presented at the round table could form the basis for new research and educational initiatives in the field of historical memory.
