On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the writer Boris Vasiliev, a medal will be established in his honor

In Solnechnogorsk, where the front-line soldier lived, there is a ready-made monument, but local authorities are delaying the opening

In 2024, it will be 100 years since the birth of Boris Lvovich Vasiliev, an outstanding Russian writer, participant in the Second World War, laureate of the USSR State Prize. After the death of the writer in Solnechnogorsk, Moscow Region, where he spent the second half of his life, enthusiasts organized the All-Russian Vasilyevsky Readings.

Along with the Boris Vasiliev’s Roads festival in Smolensk, the readings have become the most notable project associated with the name of the author of exemplary front-line works: The Dawns Here Are Quiet, There Was War Tomorrow, Wasn’t on the Lists, and many others.

“Boris Lvovich and his wife Zorya Albertovna lived in Solnechnogorsk for forty years,” Anna Suchkova, co-chair of the organizing committee of the Readings, told MK.

– After the death of the wife of the classic, which of the people close to him is involved in the preservation of the literary heritage?

– Copyright passed to the adopted son Peter. He is engaged in the house where Vasiliev lived. Comes to us. But he is quite modest and tries not to advertise his activities.

– What do your like-minded people plan to do for the centenary?

– Every year we have something new, a competition or a nomination. And next year we want to establish a medal for the 100th anniversary of Vasilyev and the 10th anniversary of the Vasilyev Readings.

– And what about Vasilyeva Street in Solnechnogorsk – are there any plans?

– They thought about it. But it makes sense to rename only the one on which the library stands. But the building is located at the intersection of the street named after the hero of the Great Patriotic War and Dzerzhinsky Street. They will not be renamed. We will wait until we have a new neighborhood – and offer to name the street there.

According to our interlocutor, they hope to see Vasiliev’s fellow countrymen by a significant date and a monument. But there are some interesting details here.

It turns out that in Solnechnogorsk, thanks to a retired lieutenant colonel, a veteran of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, Sergei Voloshnyuk, there is already a finished bust of the writer, it is installed on a pedestal in the park near the local library, which bears his name. The opening was supposed to take place last fall, but the city administration constantly postponed this event. During this time, the pedestal managed to crack, and the adjacent territory almost fell into disrepair. Although it is not entirely clear what the difficulties are: to put in order a small piece of land, lay a new tile, replace the curb-curbs – and you can cut the scarlet ribbon to the sounds of a military band.

The story of the long “putting into operation” of the finished monument reminded me of the Moscow epic with a memorial plaque to Georgy Yumatov, which appeared on the facade of the front-line actor’s house far from the first attempt. We hope that in Solnechnogorsk they will not drag it out like that – and once again attract the attention of the press.

By the way, Vasiliev’s anniversary will be celebrated throughout the country. According to Sergei Filatov, Boris Yeltsin’s former chief of staff and current head of the SEIP Foundation, which works with young writers, initiative groups are preparing proposals in this regard, which will be sent to Vladimir Putin. But the official decree of the head of state is under discussion: initially it was assumed that according to Vasilyev it would be separate, but then it was decided that it would be better to issue a decree on the five classic anniversaries of 2024.