Background
Vasiliy was born February 18, 1903, in Zagrad’ye village, now Zhlobinski district, Homel region, Belarus in a peasant family. His father Ivan Trofimovich died during The Polish-Soviet War. His mother Maria Ivanovna raised children alone.
Picture of the memorial plaque.
Picture of Kozlov, 1925
Vasiliy was born February 18, 1903, in Zagrad’ye village, now Zhlobinski district, Homel region, Belarus in a peasant family. His father Ivan Trofimovich died during The Polish-Soviet War. His mother Maria Ivanovna raised children alone.
From 1929 to 1933 Vasiliy studied at Lenin Communist University in Minskaya Voblasts', Belarus.
Vasiliy started to work since he was 14. Until 1925, he worked as an engineer in the depot of the Zhlobin station. In that time, he met a woman, Efrosinia Efimovna, whom later he married. The couple has two daughters – Ol’ga and Tamara.
In 1925, he was sent to the service to the 5th railway regiment, The Red Army. In 1928, he was dismissed to the reserve.
Since 1927, he was a member of The Communist Party of the Soviet Union.
In 1928, he started to work in the Zhlobin district committee, the Communist Party of Belarus.
Since 1933 he became a Director of Starobin Machine-Tractor Station.
He organized the machine operators’ courses and created the first tractor drivers brigade on the Polessye.
After he became the First Secretary of the Cherven’sky district committee, the Communist Party of Belarus.
He was hard working and highly respected by the people. There were many stories about Vasiliy Kozlov.
In 1940, he nominated the position of the Deputy Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars, BSSR. After a year of service, he was chosen as the First Secretary of Minsk Regional Committee, the Communist Party of Belarus.
The beginning of the Great Patriotic War claims the life of Kozlov’s mother and two brothers. The fate of the village was also sad – the German invaders burnt it down.
Kozlov became the Commissioner of the Central Committee on the organization of the guerrilla movement in the enemy rear. July 7, 1941, he crossed the front line and started to organize the work of guerilla troops in L’ubansk district.
Kozlov became the First Secretary of Minsk underground Committee.
The most important operations led by Kozlov were the defeat of a large German garrison in L’uban’ (November 1941), raid through the territory of Minsky, Polessky, and Pinsky regions (April 1942). Since March 1942, Kozlov became the Commander of Minsk Guerilla unit.
Kozlov initiated the foundation of the military airfield on the island Zyuslov (L’ubansky district), which was very significant in anti-German struggle and connected occupied territories and guerrilla troops of Poland, Ukraine, and Baltic territories.
Later the publication of underground newspapers “Zvyazda” and “Chyurvonaya Zorka” was established.
By the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR’s Decree, September 1, 1942, he was awarded Hero of the Soviet Union title for “for the manifested courage in the struggle with the German invaders” and received Order of Lenin.
Since September 1942, he worked in the Central Headquarters of the Guerilla movement in Moscow. However, in July 1943 he returned in Belarus and became the Commander of Minsk Guerilla unit again.
The Council of People’s Commissars of the USSR’s decree (16.09.1944) titled him “Major-General” as one of the ten guerilla unit’s commanders.
After the liberation of Belarus Kozlov worked as The First Secretary of The Central Committee, the Communist Party of Belarus.
The strengthening of the county and human well-being was important to him. He paid much attention to development of the country after the Great Patriotic War. Kozlov initiated the building of the potash plants in Soligors and assisted its development.
In 1946, he became the Deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, and since 1947 - deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the BSSR.
In 1966, he became a member of The Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.
Kozlov Vasiliy Ivanovich died December 2, 1967 and was buried on the East cemetery, place #18, Minsk.
(Vasiliy Kozlov's memoir about the Great Patriotic War.)
(Memoir about Kozlov's party work.)
"Religion is a tool used by the ruling classes for the masses to relieve their suffering via the act of experiencing religious emotions".
Communists. The main principle of his life was to take responsibility for all the tasks received from the Party. It was the basic principle of his personality.
"All policy decisions should be made in the light of the continued, permanent development of the theory of Marxism–Leninism".
Member, Central Committee, Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1966. Communist Party member from 1927.
Vasiliy married to Efrosinia Efimovna. The couple had two daughters: Ol’ga and Tamara.
The First Secretary of the Cherven’sky district committee, the Communist Party of Belarus (1933)
The Deputy Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars, BSSR (1940)
The First Secretary of Minsk Regional Committee, the Communist Party of Belarus (1941)
The Commissioner of the Central Committee on the organization of the guerilla movement in the enemy rear (1941)
The First Secretary of Minsk underground Committee (1941, 1943)
The Commander of Minsk Guerilla unit (1942)
Major-General (16.09.1944)
The First Secretary of The Central Committee, the Communist Party of Belarus (1944)
The Deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR (1946)
The Deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the BSSR (1947)