Secondary School No. 28 in Vitebsk has been named after Yefrosinya Zenkova

The solemn ceremony dedicated to naming Secondary School No. 28 after the renowned woman was attended not only by teachers and students but also by representatives of public organizations, and the city and Vitebsk region authorities. In particular, Vladimir Terentyev, Chairman of the Regional Council of Deputies, and Dmitry Khoma, Head of the Main Department for Education. Svetlana Zenkova, the Hero's daughter, was also among the honored guests.

Efrosinya Zenkova was born on December 22, 1923, in the village of Ushaly, Shumilino district, into a peasant family. After graduating from school and receiving vocational training, she got a job at a sewing factory. During the Great Patriotic War, she was a member of the underground district party committee and led the Komsomol youth organization "Young Avengers." The freedom fighters gathered information about the enemy garrison located in the urban settlement of Obol and carried out sabotage operations. Among other things, they managed to disable the power station, the brick and flax factories, and burn 2,000 tons of flax at the railway station warehouses, ready for shipment to Germany.

In late August 1943, mass arrests of Komsomol underground members took place, many of whom were subsequently shot. However, Efrosinya Zenkova was fortunate: on the eve of the raids, she was in a remote settlement on a mission from the district party committee. She was warned of the impending danger, and the girl continued the fight against the occupiers in a partisan detachment of the V. Lenin brigade. By the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of July 1, 1958, the courageous woman was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union with the Order of Lenin and the "Golden Star" medal.

After Victory, Efrosinya Zenkova worked in the military commissariat of the regional center and was awarded the title of Honorary Citizen of Vitebsk. She passed away on April 19, 1984, and is buried in the Mazurino cemetery. One of the streets in the city is named after her, and a memorial plaque has been installed at her former residence on Shrader Street.

— It is significant that the event is taking place on December 22, on the birthday of Efrosinya Zenkova. She is an example of courage and love for the Motherland for the younger generation, — noted Vladimir Terentyev. — Summarizing the preliminary results of the Year of Historical Memory, it can be noted that active work was carried out in the region to name educational institutions after heroes: over 50 schools were honored with such an award. In total, since 2019, when this practice of Soviet times was revived, the memory of 83 citizens who contributed to the liberation and development of settlements in the Vitebsk region has been immortalized. And if we count from the times of the USSR, then 123. To achieve this, teachers, together with students and their parents, worked diligently in the archives, established contacts with relatives of great countrymen.

"Vitebskiye Vesti", photos by "Vitbichi"