Hryhoriy Viktorov is a member of the Resistance movement in France

Among the tens of thousands of memories of World War II, stored in the Chernihiv Historical Museum. VV. Tarnovsky, materials of the member of the Resistance movement in France Grigory Petrovich Viktorov attract the attention of visitors. The museum tells about this man on the eve of the Day of Victory over Nazism in the Second World War.

Grigory Viktorov was born 7 April 1913 , in the village,,uk,Mitchenko,,ru,Bakhmatsky area,,uk,Pyotr Prokopovich was born,,uk,Ukrainian beekeeper,,uk,Founder of rational beekeeping framework,,uk. Smolyanka in the Chernihiv region, in a large family. Закінчивши школу, entered the Chernihiv Teachers' Training Institute, and later mastered the profession of military pilot. He served in the Chita region.

Do 1934 year married his beloved girl - Olga, with whom he was friends since school years. 25 June 1939 year they had a daughter Luda. It was at that time that Gregory took part in the battles on the river Khalkhin-Gol, received a serious injury and was treated for a long time at the Chita military hospital.

During World War II, Captain Grigory Viktorov fought on the Western Front. He was a squadron commander 32 fighter regiment 43 aviation division. He took part in the battles near Vyazma and Smolensk.

Autumn 1941 year, the family received the news: "… Viktorov Grigory Petrovich was fearless, courageous pilot… In November 1941 year, entering into an unequal battle with the German invaders, died a brave death… », and then a letter from the commander of Regiment A. Zhukova: "Your husband entered into an unequal battle with the Nazis near the station Vadino, Smolensk region. The plane was shot down and crashed into the area, occupied by the enemy… Gregory could not be buried… »So for many years for Olga Ivanovna and relatives Gregory remained in the sky of Smolensk.

After the Second World War, Viktorov's wife and young daughter returned to their native Smolyanka, later moved to Chernihiv. Olga Ivanovna began to work in preschool institutions of the city. Lyudmila's daughter became a doctor.

Do 1972 year in the newspaper "Truth" was published an article "Became related during the battle". It was about that, that Soviet soldiers Vladimir Boyko and Alexander Yurov were in Nazi captivity. Breaking free, they fought in a French guerrilla detachment, whose commander was a Soviet pilot Grigory Viktorov. Olga Ivanivna learned about this publication from her granddaughter Olenka only in 1980 year. Contacted Volodymyr Boyko, who lived in the Kirovograd region. They met - and he told about the fate of her husband.

Grigory Viktorov did not die during the battle in the sky of Smolensk region. His, severely wounded in November 1941 year, picked up by rural children, but the police and Grigory found Grigory Petrovich. So he was taken prisoner on the island of Jersey in the English Channel. While in captivity, Gregory always had an escape plan. Do 1943 year prisoners were transported in a freight train to the south of France. The echelon stood in m. Lyon. As mentioned by. Boyko, at that time an elderly man was on duty at the station. Having heard the Russian language, he approached the car and said: “Guys, run… Near the Alps, and there are poppies ... ". When the train started, the prisoners began to untwist the wire on the window, broke the rods and all three jumped out of the car. About two weeks made their way through French soil. During the day they hid, and at night went to the settlements. Yes, Grigory Viktorov (Petrov, so they knew him in the detachment) together with his comrades continued to fight as part of the First Alpine Partisan Division. He was soon appointed commander of the Free Rifle Company. They fought in the department of Drôme.

25 January 1944 year, in one of the battles near Grenoble, Grigory Viktorov-Petrov was mortally wounded. He was buried on the battlefield. After the war, the captain's ashes were transferred to the cemetery in the village of Verquaran, and, by order of the authorities - to the national cemetery in Vierban, near Lyon.

Do 1984 Olga Ivanovna Viktorova and her daughter visited France in. We visited the grave, met with people, who remembered Gregory, in particular - with the guerrilla doctor Claude Bernard, who last saw the company commander 24 January 1944 year.

During the visit to the city. Vierban, its mayor Charles Ernu, presented Viktorov-Petrov's wife with a diploma of Honorary Citizen of the city, medal and silk handkerchief, on which the sword is depicted in a black frame, anchor and propeller. "Such handkerchiefs, madam, we have widows of glorious fallen soldiers… », - he said. As a token of gratitude, Olga Ivanovna presented a hand-embroidered panel.

Over 70 years away from the events of World War II in the orbit of which was drawn 80% humanity, war that took the life of 50 to 85 millions of inhabitants of the planet, including 8-10 million Ukrainians. Fighting in the armies of different countries, participating in the Resistance, they fought Nazism. Among them was our compatriot Grigory Viktorov.

Старший науковий співробітник музею

Lyudmila Trikashna