A hundred years ago on September 13, Zoya Kosmodemyanskaya was born. The century is a serious, impressive history, such histories are especially loved at school, they are the basis of educational work. This year, the theme of the success of young partisans is intended to be emphasized especially and widely in schools. However, society’s attitude towards this is ambiguous. How worth it is to introduce children to the history of tragedy? Is this ethical? If so, how to talk about it?
We need to talk. Zoya’s story is a fact of history, and her life has long become a part of our culture. Not talking means depriving our children of something very important. But obviously these speeches should not be formal or overly pathetic. And these conversations are suitable not for any child, but for those who are at least somewhat prepared.
In this sense, the idea of u200bu200bholding separate courses devoted to the history of Kosmodemyanskaya for first-year students seems completely dubious. The idea that these classes should be held according to the guidelines recommended by the authorities seems even more strange. All of these guides are public and anyone can see what is planned, for example, as part of “Conversations About Things That Matter.” And everyone can be convinced that the primary school curriculum consists entirely of some general words and slogans.
There’s something lively and warm about the high school scripts and interviews with Anastasia Mishina, who played Zoya in the 2020 film. The actor at least admits that he tried to play not just a hero, a partisan, a Komsomol member, but first of all a person. This humanity seems sorely lacking in current educational activities in school. And also an honest conversation about tragedy. And in school teaching materials there is no such word in the context of the story of Zoya Kosmodemyanskaya. The words “heroism”, “patriotism”, “pride”, “courage”, “valour” are repeated endlessly, but the word “tragedy” is not.
But this is a tragedy. A huge, unimaginable tragedy. Yesterday’s schoolchildren should not give their lives for anything. It is unnatural to sacrifice youth, blooming and dreams of happiness. It is unnatural for the normal course of life. And in recognizing this fact, recognizing the impossibility of understanding the selflessness of the heroes of the past, there is neither blasphemy nor belittling of achievement. On the contrary, the gap between us and them further emphasizes the height of their desires and feelings. But at the same time, they do not stop being human. And Zoya never stops being a very young girl who wants to love, laugh, dream and live.
When telling the story of Zoya and other young heroes of the Great Patriotic War, it is very important to find the right words, maintain the tone and not delve into loud but meaningless pathos. If there are no such words, if no one bothers to find them, aren’t we making things worse?
A few years ago, psychiatrist and cartoonist Andrei Bilzho spoke scandalously about Kosmodemyanskaya’s story. The man explained the girl’s action simply as schizophrenia. The incident made a big impact and the doctor’s attempt was condemned with the last words. But aren’t our ideologists like this doctor who lives, feels people without fear, without condemnation, turns them into abstract symbols, shaping the same knights?
Tragedy… This word, when describing the past, seems possible today only with the necessary connection with the adjective “great” and huge generalizations. In school, if they talk about tragedy in school now, it is not about one person, but about the whole people; They repeat something strangely serious, refreshing, almost mechanically, in the endless series of events dedicated to the war of 1941-1945.
These kinds of events are happening so often now that it seems as if the war is still going on and has no intention of ending. It’s true that less than two weeks into the new school year, those terrible years have already been remembered three times. Schools first celebrated the end of World War II, then talked about the beginning of the siege of Leningrad. Now here is the centenary of the birth of Zoya Kosmodemyanskaya. Then they will remember him again, or rather not about him, but about his feat, heroism and valor, and again in general on the Day when the Nuremberg Trials began and on the Day of Heroes of the Fatherland. Perhaps the girl will be mentioned in other class hours dedicated to the events of the Second World War. There are more than a dozen of them in this year’s plan of the Ministry of National Education. Seems like an important topic, memory required. But what kind of memories are they trying to convey to our children in such a situation? Isn’t it the memory of dates and more? Speaking of words again, how can words not be devalued with such a formal approach?
You will know them by what they do. Maybe we should change something in our approach? Move away from the concept of speeches made by classroom teachers and MPs for educational work and return to normal educational activities, where everything actually takes place. Especially in history, social studies and literature classes. Especially in additional education, organizing a school museum or publishing a school newspaper. Especially in project work where students are looking for a way to uncover a difficult story.
Yes, of course, if we talk about free movement, it can be very vague. You know, if today’s high school students begin to independently analyze “The Story of Zoya and Shura,” they might have all kinds of troubling questions – distractions about Lenin and Kirov’s pain, justification for collectivization, and parallels to the fearless Prometheus, perhaps . , mix them. But behind everything, they will see a person, a little girl, her little joys, her love for her loved ones. But if schoolchildren go to the Internet to find information for their own articles and other statements suddenly appear in the spirit of Bilzho and the yellow press, there may be complete embarrassment. It is clear that you still need the careful escort of adults. Only sensitive and intelligent adults are highly desirable. And not those who are stuck in pathetic patterns.
Intelligence and sensitivity are lacking. Understanding that not all our children have the ability to chronicle the heroism of ancient times. Realizing that today’s school children still need to be raised with this understanding. Understanding the old forms and accepting that they are inappropriate. We are looking for new words to discover their old meanings.
The author expresses his personal opinion, which may not coincide with the position of the editors.