Documentary exhibition «Belarusian State University. Beginning» (On the 100th anniversary of the first graduation of BSU students)

On February 19, 2025, the National Archives of the Republic of Belarus (hereinafter referred to as NARB) opened a documentary exhibition «Belarusian State University. Beginning» (On the 100th anniversary of the first graduation of BSU students).

The history of Belarusian statehood is inextricably linked with the history of its main university – the Belarusian State University. On November 1, 1921, regular classes for 1,390 students began at three faculties of BSU – workers’, medical and social sciences. In 1921-1922, 14 professors, 49 teachers, 10 assistants, 5 laboratory assistants and heads of offices worked here. There were many problems, in particular, classes had to be cancelled, because due to the large number of students in the classrooms (up to 1,500 students gathered at a time), as noted, «the professors were literally exhausted».

In February 1925, the university graduated its first young specialists – 34 economists and 26 lawyers.

In his speech at the ceremonial meeting, Rector Vladimir Picheta noted: «Today you are the heroes of the day. All working Belarus is watching you and waiting for you. We know very well that you are ready to start new jobs in the masses of workers and peasants», he addressed yesterday’s students. More than half of the first graduates combined their studies with work: 33 people were employed, 9 lived off private lessons, 5 were scholarship holders, 9 received help from their parents (mostly very meager), 2 earned their living through physical labor (laborers, guards), and 2 did other things.

In total, over the 100-year period of its existence, BSU has trained more than 200,000 specialists, including a large number of foreigners. Among the graduates are famous scientists, academicians, professors, laureates of state prizes of the USSR, the BSSR and the Republic of Belarus, and top managers of large companies. People’s poets, honored figures, and Olympic prize winners have graduated from the walls of BSU. The exhibition presents unique original documents from the archive fund of the «Belarusian Order of the Red Banner of Labor State University»: Resolution of the Presidium of the Central Executive Committee of the Byelorussian SSR on the opening of the Belarusian State University in Minsk; conditions and procedure for admission to the Belarusian State University; lists of first-year students of different faculties; lists of professors and teachers of the university; course programs for various subjects; orders of the rector of the BSU and other documents.

The director of the NARB A.K.Demyanyuk addressed the guests and participants of the exhibition with a welcoming speech. He noted the importance of preserving and popularizing historical documents.

The opening of the exhibition was attended by BSU professor, candidate of historical sciences M.F.Shumeiko and the head of the BSU department, candidate of historical sciences O.A.Yanovsky.

The head of the department for the use of documents and information of the NARB M.A.Starostenko conducted a tour of the exhibition for everyone.

1. Exhibition banner

2. Director of NARB A.K.Demyanuk addressed the participants of the exhibition with a welcoming speech

3. Candidate of Historical Sciences, Professor of BSU M.F.Shumeyko speaks at the opening of the documentary exhibition

4. Head of the BSU Department, Candidate of Historical Sciences O.A.Yanovsky at the opening of the exhibition

5. Head of the NARB Department M.A.Starostenko introduces archival documents

6. NARB employees get acquainted with the documents presented at the exhibition

7. NARB employees get acquainted with the documents presented at the exhibition

8. BSU Professor, Candidate of Historical Sciences M.F.Shumeyko, Head of the BSU Department, Candidate of Historical Sciences O.A.Yanovsky, Director of NARB A.K.Demyanuk and Head of the NARB Department M.A.Starostenko at the opening of the exhibition

9. Information about the Belarusian State University, December 1 1921, p. 1

10. Information about the Belarusian State University, December 1, 1921, p. 2

11. Report on the Belarusian State University, January 18, 1922

12. Composition of the Board of the Belarusian State University, May 12, 1925