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Private initiative Sergei Dybov , a French citizen, a former Soviet citizen.

      The collapse of the Soviet Union , as an ice rink paced the fate of many of my peers : someone has disappeared in the drama of life , someone passed a difficult way , could take place in the profession, a family, to resist the tsunami of change. Today, the story of his subjects in France Serge Dybov remaining in the soul of Soviet man .

          Sergei Dybov was born in Kazakhstan. Grew up there , studied for . And life would go on and be happy , but there was a collapse of the Great Powers .

           Life has become tight even with the Russian foreign wife in Kazakhstan. There was no work , that have moved in the native land of his wife. Now Sergei lives in Boulogne -sur -Mer, a small , small town in France on the English Channel . Works in an interesting Kazakh- French project . Children grew up , almost no say in Russian . Not surprising, since the collapse of the USSR the study of the Russian language is not popularized abroad.

           In his spare time doing what should Russia do for the memory of their fallen Russian and Soviet soldiers in France studying the archives , visit the grave sites , writes about this article, the book , is a social network LiveJournal account , never received any grants from the Russian Embassy. It is the need of the soul , and can influence nostalgia. Recently, it gives a lot of power to perpetuate the memory of Squadron "Normandie -Niemen ".

- Where attention to military past ?

- Everyone in our family was military. Grandfather, Dybov Fedor - the officer , the captain of the first rank of the Northern Fleet , led convoys to Murmansk and was one of the organizers of the school cadets and officers of the Northern Fleet. My other grandfather on the maternal side , Chumaslov Nicholas Emelianovich , fought in 1939 Khalkhin Gol. At the beginning of the Great Patriotic War , he was drafted into the army , and was with his family in the occupation of the Ukraine in the Chernihiv region. How they survived this time , I know of his stories. What I told my mother about the occupation more important to me all sorts of movies and books. When I see a military chronicles of crying children , I just see them and my mom , who was then on the race was just something about five years. Koryukovka city in which they lived, was completely destroyed by the Nazis and Ukrainian collaborators in 1943.

About this Kryukovskoye tragedy written in the history books. Guerrilla army defeated the German garrison and those staged a demonstration violence. In one day, they kill about seven thousand people , the Nazis burned the town completely. This is another tragic "record" on the number of civilian casualties in World War II .

My grandfather and his family managed to escape into the woods. Until the end of the war dug , dug his grandfather , became a home for the family. When the territory liberated from the Nazis , the grandfather was drafted into the Soviet army , he went to Berlin. My grandmothers brother , Vincent Toshchenko Nikonorovich , died during the crossing of the Dnieper and the liberation of Kiev .

His father, my great-grandfather Toshchenko Nicanor came from a Semirechensky Cossacks served as an officer in the headquarters of the Ataman Annenkov . After the Civil War, was convicted , thanks to the intercession of the rank and file of the Cossacks was not shot , sitting in Solovki , and after his release he lived and worked , and in the Great Patriotic War fought in the army in Stalingrad.

FAQ : Thats what Toshchenko Vikentev Nikonorovich written in the book " Heroes of the Soviet Union Kazakhstan ", there is a record in the archives of the search party school number 34 of Kustanai ( Kazakhstan )

Toshchenko Vincent was born in 1910 in the village of Uch -Aral Alakol district of Almaty region in a poor peasant family . Prior to 1928 the local rotten fists. In 1930 he joined the collective farm " Lenins Path ." Then in charge of the store general store . In 1932 he was drafted into the Red Army and became a professional soldier . At the front on the first day of the Great Patriotic War. In the ranks of the 5th Cavalry Regiment of the Taman Guards 1st Guards Cavalry Division fought in the North Caucasus , on the Dnieper. He died in a battle for the Ukrainian Dnepr . On the night of September 26, 1943 1st Squadron, 5th Cavalry Regiment of the Taman Guards under the command of the Chief of Staff of the Guards Regiment Captain Toshchenko under heavy enemy fire began crossing the Dnieper . Once on the right bank , Toshchenko threw squadron to assault the edge of the trees in the tract Raven to expand the bridgehead and ensure the crossing of other units.

During the one and a half days were brave horsemen fierce battle against overwhelming odds . Toshchenko Guard captain was wounded , but he continued to lead the fight . At the end of the second day he was wounded a second time. This wound was fatal. January 10, 1944 Guard Captain VN Toshchenko awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

- How did the interest in the search engine work?

- Interest in the list of war buried in France , there was a chance. First, the stories of those who could still remember our captured soldiers who built during the war to strengthen the Atlantic Wall . These people were eyewitnesses to history. I thought that definitely need to fix their memories. Then wrote a story about the British military memorial of the First World War , which is located in the town where I live , but with the caveat that even though the memorial is called " British ", in fact, there s soldiers buried more than 10 nationalities , including Russian .

Later the learned of the monument in Ehnen Porika Basil -Beaumont , Hero of the Soviet Union , commander of the guerrilla group them . Stalin in France. In search of information about this man found a lot of other information. Handy and travel . I came on business in dozens of other places. The information gathered was so much that I had to organize it especially . Formal or publications of Russia , unfortunately , this information is not interested . The exception was the 1st channel snyavshego two smaller reporting in 2011 and 2012 on the subject of Soviet war graves in France.

To this material collected is not passed into oblivion , some of that time to organize in the form of several pamphlets posted on the Internet.

- You have written a book about the squadron "Normandie -Niemen ". Tell me, how did the idea ?

- According to the French television aired a documentary about the veterans . Its been 90 years , it seemed important to show the veterans that have not been forgotten either , and I wrote a letter to the French association "Memorial Normandy Niemen" uniting veteran French. I said Gen. Joseph Risso , now deceased . With him exchanged messages . Then the Russian publishing house " Yauza ", thanks to one of the readers of my blog asked me to write a book. Creative proposal coincided with a period of free time for trips to the archives of the French Army and the French Foreign Ministry. I have met with veterans , their families and took part in the Associations "Memorial Normandy -Niemen ". Now she is in the Air Museum at Le Bourget. With the Russian archives, unfortunately , in absentia, to work failed, despite the help of Colonel Anatoly A. Fetisov , Chairman of the Russian Association of Normandy -Niemen .

- Assist in maintaining a memory of the authorities of France or Russia ?

- Since neither the French authorities nor the Russian did not have to talk . Was an attempt to work with the Russian archives that has not produced results. Failed to effectively draw attention to the neglected common grave of Soviet citizens (whether captured soldiers , or the Vlasov ) at the Pas - de - Calais. More could not find out. I wanted to do it, maybe make a monument . Wrote to the embassy. But whether they are with the French authorities did not agree or did not like the fact that it was my initiative , as I criticized the embassy for the support of Vlasov and anstisovetskih historians.

Unfortunately , due to employment and permanent missions , was unable to return to the issue, to see it through . Although some Russian embassies in Belgium and Luxembourg, I am quite tight communicate, share information on the topic. Embassy of Belgium s made ??about the Soviet and then Russian military graves in Belgium and using my information . The Russian Embassy in France does not communicate with me so far, does not respond to the letters . Apparently , it all depends on the specific people. Only once our paths with officials from the Embassy of Russia in France crossed : the opening of the monument to Admiral Pavel Vasilievich Chichagov , Minister of the Navy of the Russian Empire from 1802 to 1811gg . He died in Paris. The event was held on the initiative of Vladimir Yulin , one of the descendants of the admiral, whom I helped as I could . The Embassy of the Russian Federation recorded the matter in their asset .

- It turns out that the officials do not care about memory recovery ? Not surprisingly, on the contrary, is so typical of the favorites for both French and Russian . Well, the attitude of the French officials are more or less clear - why should they commemorate the Russian or Soviet soldiers ? But the position of Russia , which is what the embassy represents the country abroad , irritating - so it is they care about the prestige of the motherland ?

How are family hobby , support you?

- Children do not share my interest . Young people have a different life . Neighbors and acquaintances often admires penance , part - indifferent . And at work, thanks for not interfere.

- And as the French refer to the memory of our fallen soldiers ?

- The French sufficiently negligent to war graves , if there can be put on the background of the fact that, in general, still fighting for their preservation and care . However , a systematic information , practically , no, many burial for various reasons lost, many are not registered. In this issue, I think Russia should first finish the work begun in 1980 on the transfer of Soviet and Russian military graves in separate cemeteries. This work was abandoned with the onset of perestroika , has not yet been renewed, there is not even any attempt to resume . Everyone is trying to pass on to the shoulders of the French authorities , who are non-French graves in different ways.

The Soviet War Memorial in Noyer -Saint -Martin is still not completed , that does not prevent him to carry out the official ceremony dedicated to Victory Day - May 9. The names of those buried there are written with distorted or absent. Those names, which could significantly set , I posted on my website and sent as the embassy and the French authorities . Received no response.

A few years ago , when I was approached by journalists and the 1st TV channel even rented a small plot with my participation , I could not draw media attention to the plight of the graves of the First World War. Now it has gone some bucking the trend of the approaching 100th anniversary of the beginning of the war. That is, No systematic work , and there kompaneyschina interest.

For today I made a list , in which about 400 separate burial sites of our soldiers who died in France , often at 1-2 graves . And the state is not the same everywhere . Especially in municipal cemeteries , do not have the status of the military, and when the graves listed as private. Russian authorities in this spread , of course, can not give adequate attention to all . And vandalism is not uncommon , although most vandals pull down the German military and the Muslim burial. About 10 years ago, has suffered greatly Muslim military cemetery in Haguenau in Alsace , which is located near the Soviet Memorial , vandals and mocked at the same time over the Soviet graves.

The French, in my opinion, relate to the wars in different ways. The First World War was to them the Great War : the country was destroyed, a huge part of the territory was invaded by the enemy, who came to Paris . Human sacrifices were huge, so for this war , they are treated with great trepidation than the Second World War. They seem to be seeking to establish themselves in their own eyes , that despite the defeat of 1940 , the huge scale of collaboration , France was still a member of the anti-Hitler coalition and has contributed to the price of victory. And another very important point: Russias reputation suffered greatly from the damage of the anti-Soviet propaganda, which, in my opinion, to date, indirectly supported by Moscow.

- Does France search teams . In Russia they are, people are working at your own risk , the state does not fund them .

- Search teams here are basically lists of graves , because with them the French have a complete mess. Have a website, but there is also a mess. One was trying to communicate with them : they do not distinguish between the Russian and Soviet soldiers , the mass of the case when the Russian general is not isolated from the French . Reaction- zero. With the dead prisoners is also not simple .

- What are the current creative plans?

- One book is almost over , thinking over another . Need to be adjusted to deflect the work . There is a complicated subject - its anti-Soviet prisoners legions. The British, when they took captive the Vlasov , Cossacks , Ukrainians , then exported them to Normandy . Then there were stories of their issuance or delivery of the USSR. This topic is now poorly lit , some speculation around. Like the theme of participation of Soviet citizens in the French Resistance. Most of them also went through various German military units. Archives and now give nothing about it - a closed issue . Knew a grandfather , who served with the partisans and the UPA. Until the last few days, all afraid to talk about yourself , throw it in different directions : that anti-Soviet rhetoric , the praise of Stalin , the Soviet Union wanted to get back in , then repeated the ridiculous rumors . Do not know the truth , because the old man had died in March. I very much want to establish contact with the Russian archives. I only said the Interior Ministry archives , so much so that I wish I did not receive anything from them. Without archival nothing will move.

Not an easy thing - to keep the moral relation to the past. Yes, it takes time , financial resources , but above all conscience. Not everyone is capable of it , that alone makes Sergei Dybov . Why ? Maybe its because he grew up in a unique social environment , protect this country his family , could have foreseen that the time will come when power will disappear from the map .

The Russians and the officials who deal depends , help the cause of honor - to restore the memory of our soldiers outside the country for which they gave the most precious - life!

We are waiting for initiatives and ideas!