Euroasian Jewish News

The Leningrad Circassian, R. Adzinov

“Memory of the Heart”

The head of the EAJC PR Department, Roman Spector, has taken part in the presentation of the third edition of Nikolai Chistyakov's book “Memory of the Heart”, which took place in the cinema and concert hall of the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation. The books is dedicated to the act of heroism of the residents of the Cirkassian village Besleney, who had saved 32 Jewish children, evacuated from Leningrad during the Blockade, despite the conditions of the Nazi occupation. 

In April 1942, a train with children from different orphanages of besieged Leningrad was sent into evacuation to the southern part of Russia. This train was bombed near Armavir. Some of the children were able to reach Besleney village, and over half of them were Jews. The locals took the children into their homes, hid them, destroyed their birth certificates, and wrote new ones overnight. In the morning, German troops arrived at the village. The Nazis knew that the Circassians were hiding Jewish children, and threatened mass shootings if they were to find just one Jewish child, but over 5 months of occupation not one resident of Besleney gave a child over to the the Nazis.

The book's author, professor N. Chistyakov is the Head of the History of State and Law Department of the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, has his PhD in history, and is a member of the Moscow Journalist's Union.

The hosts of the evening, Vice Rector on Research and Development of the Financial University, Professor M. Fedotova, and the President of the Circassian Federative National Cultural Autonomy, A. Okhtov, introduced the audience one of the children saved in Besleney – R. Adzinov, who shared his story about the evacuation from besieged Leningrad and his adoption by the Circassians.
Among others who spoke at the presentation were Chairman of the Elder's Council of the Moscow Circassian Diaspora, Professor Y. Agirbov and the Rector of the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation  M. Eskindarov.

Roman Spector stressed in his speech that, “this story should go into schoolbooks as an example of the highest morals and true courage. Besleney teaches us that true humanity knows neither national nor religious boundaries.”