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Photo: Monument to Shaakhmed Shamakhmudov on the Peoples ' Friendship Square in Tashkent. Source: Wikipedia
The year 2020 will go down in history of the world civilization as one of the most difficult for humanity. Nevertheless, the global pandemic and general lockdown could not stop the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Victory in the Second World War and the Great Patriotic War. Nazirjon Abduganiev, member of the Eurasian Peoples’ Assembly, Deputy Chairman of the Council and Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Assembly of peoples of Russia, tells about the contribution of the Uzbek people to the Victory and the increasing international prestige of Uzbekistan.
On June 24, a Victory Parade was held in Moscow on Red Square. Military units from many countries, including Uzbekistan, took part in it.
President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev was among the political leaders at the festive events. The representative participation of fraternal Uzbekistan is a profound tribute to the heroic participation of Soviet people in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945, when representatives of all nationalities of the Soviet Union stood up for the defense of the Motherland.
The fighting took place far beyond the borders of Uzbekistan. However, every Uzbek family was affected by the hardships of wartime. Historical fact: more than two million sons of the Uzbek people fought on the war fields, more than 200,000 soldiers and officers were awarded military and state awards. Every third Uzbek fought in bloody battles against the fascist invaders. Analysis of the battles showed that 538 thousand of the best representatives of Uzbekistan who went to war were killed. Among them is the Hero of the Soviet Union - General Sabir Rakhimov, Commander of the 57th Guards Rifle Division. He fought from the Caucasus to Poland and died in the battle for Gdansk.
The scale of Uzbek military involvement in the Great Patriotic war is enormous. Three Rifle Divisions formed in Uzbekistan - the 5th, 69th, and 162nd – took part in the battles on the Soviet - German front. Representatives of Uzbekistan fought in General Panfilov's Division, defended the Brest Fortress and Stalingrad, and took Berlin.
According to historians, more than 30,000 labor soldiers (older or unfit for military service) from Central Asia, whose service was equated to military service, worked at industrial enterprises in the Urals. Their living conditions were as in frontline - cold and unusual climate, poor food, long work shifts without breaks and weekends. Working side by side with evacuated residents from various Soviet cities and towns, they emphasized belonging to a community that bore the proud title of “Soviet people”.
Uzbekistan distinguished itself not only by displaying courage and heroism on the war fronts, but also by selfless work in the rear, and by welcoming refugees and displaced persons to its land. A hundred thousand soldiers wounded at the front were treated in hospitals on the territory of Uzbekistan.
During the war, the Central Asian Union republics actively accepted children evacuated from the territories besieged by the Germans. They were orphans whose parents were killed by the Nazis, and children whose mothers and fathers went to the front. The majority of these children got to Uzbekistan. In total, more than 1.5 million people were evacuated to the Republic, including more than 200,000 children, many of whom were adopted by Uzbek families.
There is a monument in Tashkent. In the center of the sculptural composition stands an elderly Uzbek, a woman sits next to him, and children surround them. The Shamakhmudovs adopted and raised 15 children of different nationalities, becoming their own mother and father, creating a real international family: Russian, Belarusian, Moldavian, Jewish, Kazakh, Latvian, German, Tatar. Foster parents raised all children in Uzbek traditions. Tashkent became their second home. The state awarded the couple the Order of “Badge of Honor”, and Bahri-OPA received the honorary title “Mother Heroine”. Later the writer Rahmat Faizi described the Shamakhmudovs story in his novel “His Majesty the Man”; and in the 1960s they made a touching and poignant feature film “You are not an Orphan”. There were hundreds of families where children were trained to work, independence and mutual assistance.
Twelve universities were evacuated to the territory of Uzbekistan, including the institutes of Oriental studies, history, world literature, and history of material culture of the USSR Academy of Sciences. They included academicians B. V. Struve, V. D. Grekov, corresponding members E. E. Bertels, A. Y. Yakubovsky and others. This undoubtedly contributed to the development of science in Uzbekistan.
Every year the terrible and heroic time of the Second World War and the Great Patriotic war of 1941-1945 drifts further away from us. Numerous historical works, epic novels and films devoted to the tragic period of the history of the Soviet people and humanity are impossible to count. The peoples of Russia, Uzbekistan, and other countries of the world remember and cherish the memory of this ordeal. It is no coincidence that a memorial complex dedicated to the feat of the Uzbek people during the Great Patriotic War was erected in Tashkent. President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev stated: “I want our young people to see this, so that they do not forget their grandfathers and great-grandfathers who fought, so that they understand the price paid for today.”
At the end of 2019, on the territory of the Memorial Volgograd cemetery in the capital of Uzbekistan took place a ceremony of transferring land from the mass grave for the Cathedral of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, which was built for the Victory anniversary in Moscow. Victory Park was opened in Tashkent for the 75th anniversary of the Great Victory. “This Park reflects the contribution of the Uzbek people to the Great Victory; it perpetuates the heroism of our fathers and grandfathers in the fight against fascism, and is a testament to our great respect for their unparalleled courage and bravery,” - the President of Uzbekistan said. The Park houses a Museum, compositions with trenches, dugouts and field kitchens, a railway station, and libraries. There has been also opened an open-air exhibition of military equipment and weapons.
On the eve of the 75th anniversary of the Victory “Uzarchiv” (O'zarxiv) launched a memory site. The resource is planned to be constantly enriched and improved with archival documents from the state archives. In early 2020, a scientific expedition from Uzbekistan “In the Footsteps of 101 Compatriots” visited Germany, the Netherlands, Belarus and Russia. The delegation collected new data on the contribution of Uzbek people to the Victory.
“Russia and Uzbekistan are against rewriting history, our countries are for preserving historical memory and decent treatment of war and labor veterans,”- Russian foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on May 2, noting that a number of documents are being prepared by the CIS in connection with the anniversary of the Great Victory.
Even during the global pandemic and a strict quarantine, large-scale events dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the Victory were held in Uzbekistan. In particular, an online Grand March of the “Immortal regiment” was organized, online contests of drawings and poems about the war, as well as a concert for veterans, which was broadcast on May 9.
A shared victory of the peoples of the Soviet Union in the Great Patriotic war creates foundations for unity, strengthening friendship and cooperation between the countries. The good-neighborly relations between Russia and Uzbekistan are the evidence of this approach in international affairs.
Uzbekistan is one of Russia's leading economic partners in the CIS. Trade and economic cooperation is a solid foundation of Russian-Uzbek relations. Modern practice shows that there are about 850 Russian-Uzbek companies operating in Uzbekistan, and representatives of more than 100 Russian enterprises are accredited. It should be noted that Russian regions have become the main place of employment for hundreds of thousands of Uzbek citizens. Citizens of friendly countries can cross borders without a visa, as well as find employment on favorable terms. Cooperation in the field of agriculture is actively carried out. Favorable conditions for suppliers of Uzbekistan's products have been created thanks to the “green corridor” system and the special order of phytosanitary control.
It is important to note the expanding interaction in the cultural, humanitarian, scientific and technical spheres. Uzbekistan and Russia actively cooperate in the field of education, information space, and preservation of the Russian language status in Uzbekistan. There are branches of Lomonosov Moscow State University, Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, and Gubkin Russian State University of Oil and Gas in Tashkent.
The Russian Center for Science and Culture in Uzbekistan organizes scientific and methodological, cultural and educational events to promote the Russian language.
Expanding cooperation with the international community, modern Uzbekistan is gaining more and more authority in the international arena. Within the implementing of a balanced foreign policy, Uzbekistan is recognized by more than 180 countries of the world; diplomatic relations have been established with 130 countries. The Republic of Uzbekistan is a member of such authoritative international organizations as the UN, CIS, SCO and others. Modern Uzbekistan cooperates with such countries as Austria, Great Britain, Germany, Greece, Indonesia, Iran, Spain, Italy, Canada, China, Malaysia, the Republic of Korea, Russia, the United States, Thailand, Turkey, France, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, Sweden in the economic, political and cultural spheres.
The country and its state leadership are paying more and more attention to creating a favorable business environment, expanding various benefits and preferences to attract foreign investment and introduce modern technologies. All this brings Uzbekistan to a higher level of relations with different countries of the world.
Yet, it should be noted that Uzbekistan has the closest cooperation with Russia. Of course, it is a pity that history has established borders between our States. However, there are no barriers in the memory, souls and hearts of people of various nationalities living in Russia and Uzbekistan. We are historical brothers forever. This is fully proved by the Uzbeks living in modern Russia, who have become its citizens and at the same time real people's parliamentarians of friendly Uzbekistan.
Author’s Dossier
Abduganiev Nazirjon Nasibjonovich
Member of the Eurasian Peoples’ Assembly, Deputy Chairman of the Council - Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Assembly of peoples of Russia, Chairman of the Coordinating Council of the all-Russian Public Movement “Creation of Peoples in the Name of Life" (Senezh Forum), Scientific Secretary of the International Academy of Integration of Science and Business (IAISB). Honorary Peace Ambassador according to the version of the Eurasian Economic Youth Forum, awarded with the Order “Golden Star of Eurasia”. Awarded by Gratitude of the Minister of Sport, Tourism and Youth Policy of the Russian Federation, Gratitude of the Minister of Education and Science of the Russian Federation, Honorary Diploma of the Federal Agency for Ethnic Affairs, Gratitude of Moscow Mayor and the Committee of the State Duma for Ethnic Affairs.