Archival documents on Yakub Kolas’s life and work

Personal life and career

Plan of the forest warden’s homestead where the family of Mikhal Mitskevich (Kolas’ father) used to live in Albuts, Minsk district, Minsk province. 1879. Russian. (NIAB, fond 694, inv. 2, file 6259, folio 16)
Inventory of the farmstead of Lastok where the family of Mikhal Mitskevich (Kolas’ father) used to live in Minsk district, Minsk province. 1 November 1885. Autograph of M. Mitskevich. Russian. (NIAB, fond 694, inv. 7, file 335, folio 1-5)
Inventory of the forestry outpost where the family of Mikhal Mitskevich (Kolas’ father) used to live in Akinchitsy, Minsk district, Minsk province. June 1884. Russian. (NIAB, fond 694, inv. 2, file 6259, folio 52-53)
Kanstantsin Mitskevich, student of the Niasvizh Teachers’ College. 1901. Portrait with dedicatory inscription to Ya. Dyla (Kolas’ uncle). (The Kolas Literary Memorial Museum, the “Photodocuments” Collection)
Household inventory of the farmstead of Mikalaeushchyna, Minsk district, Minsk province, with data on land plot leased by Kazimir Mitskevich (Kolas’ grandfather), land size and lease payment. 1904. Russian. (NIAB, fond 694, inv. 2, file 5850, folio 28rev-29)
Deed of conveyance of the Verkhmen People’s School, Igumen district, Minsk province, from the teacher T. Sertun-Surchyk to the teacher Kanstantsin Mitskevich. Smaliavichi. 18 January 1906. Copy. Autograph of Kolas. Russian. (NIAB, fond 485, inv. 1, file 375, folio 13)
Deed of conveyance of the Verkhmen People’s School from the teacher K. Mitskevich to the Verkhmen Village Community Administration, Igumen district, Minsk province. Smaliavichi. 20 May 1906. Copy. Autograph of Kolas. Russian. (NIAB, fond 485, inv. 1, file 375, folio 59)
Minutes of session (details) of the Minsk People’s Schools Administration on bringing to account the teachers of Minsk district, including K. Mitskevich, for participation in an illegal congress of teachers in the village of Mikalaeushchyna, Minsk district, Minsk province. 25 August 1906. Russian. (NIAB, fond 485, inv. 1, file 342, folio 41, 58rev-59, 67rev-68)
Kolas during his service as a school teacher in the village of Kupiatsichy, Pinsk district, Minsk province. 1912. (BGAKFFD, 0-61759)
Kolas with his wife and son Danila during his service as a sub-lieutenant in a reserve regiment. Perm. 1917. (BGAKFFD, 0-64946)
The People’s Commissariat for Education Membership Card of K. M. Mitskevich. Minsk. 1921. Autograph of Kolas. Russian. (NARB, fond 205, inv. 3, file 5563, folio 19)
Kolas among members of the Second Belarusian Teachers’ Courses. Slutsk. 15 May 1921. (The Kolas Literary Memorial Museum, the “Photodocuments” Collection)
Kolas among students of the Belarusian State University. Minsk. [1922] (BGAKFFD, 0-64949)
Kolas among children in the village of Siomkava. Minsk district. 1922. (BGAKFFD, 0-117831)
Kolas portrait. 1923. Studio photo. (BGAKFFD, 0-102922)
Application of K.M. Mitskevich (Ya. Kolas) to the literary commission of the Belarusian State University for the post of an assistant at the department of the Belarusian language. Minsk. 28 September 1923. Autograph of Kolas. (NARB, fond 205, inv. 3, file 5563, folio 2)
Extract from the minutes of session of the literary commission of the Belarusian State University recommending that K.M. Mitskevich be appointed a teacher of Belarusian at the lecturers’ courses. Minsk. 6 October 1923. Typescript stamped by the Belarusian State University. Russian. (NARB, fond 205, inv. 3, file 5563, folio 10)
Kolas’ autobiography submitted to the literary commission of the Belarusian State University. Minsk. 8 October 1923. Autograph of Kolas. (NARB, fond 205, inv. 3, file 5563, folio 3-3rev)
Report on the situation at the Minsk Belarusian Pedagogical College for 1923/1924 year, with K.M. Mitskevich (Kolas) at No.13 in the list of employees. Detail. Minsk. 1924. Russian. (NARB, fond 42, inv. 1, file 1430, folio 202rev-203)
Portrait of Kolas with dedicatory inscription to the Belarusian writer M. Gramyka. Minsk. 1925. Studio photo. Autograph of Kolas. (The Kolas Literary Memorial Museum, the “Photodocuments” Collection)
Application of K. Mitskevich to the dean’s office of the pedagogical faculty at the Belarusian State University for discharge from office. Minsk. 17 January 1926. Autograph of Kolas. (NARB, fond 205, inv. 3, file 5563, folio 17)
Kolas with his wife and children. 1928. (BGAKFFD, 1-11510)
Portrait of Kolas with dedicatory inscription to the Russian poet and translator S. Gorodetski. 2 March 1935. Autograph of Kolas. (BGAMLI, fond 9, inv. 2, file 111, folio 1)
Portrait of Kolas. May 1939. Studio photo by R. Vail. (The Kolas Literary Memorial Museum, the “Photodocuments” Collection)
Letter from Kolas to the Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party (of Bolsheviks) of Belarus, U. Malin, with gratitude for financial assistance provided by the government. Kliazma. 29 July 1941. Autograph of Kolas. Russian. (NARB, fond 4-п, inv. 33а, file 7, folio 2)
Letter from Kolas to the Russian poet and translator, S. Gorodetski, describing the first days in evacuation. Tashkent. 17 August 1941. Autograph of Kolas. Russian. (BGAMLI, fond 9, inv. 1, file 145, folio 1-1rev)
Letter from Kolas to the Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party (of Bolsheviks) of Belarus, R. Eidzinov, with gratitude for material assistance provided by the government and describing life in evacuation. Tashkent. 27 October 1941. Autograph of Kolas. Russian. (NARB, fond 4-п, inv. 33а, file 7, folio 3)
Ya. Kolas and Ya. lich among members of the Belarusian Academy of Sciences’ session. Kazan. March 1942. (BGAMLI, the “Reference Aids” Collection)
Letter from Kolas to the Russian poet and translator, S. Gorodetski, narrating his life after evacuation. Detail. 7 January 1944. Autograph of Kolas. Russian. (BGAMLI, fond 9, inv. 1, file 148, folio 1, 2)
Kolas’ autobiography and application of admission to the All-Union Communist Party (of Bolsheviks). Minsk. 7 February 1945. Autograph of Kolas. Russian and Belarusian. (The State Archives of Minsk Region, fond 172-П, inv. 2, file 905, folio 1, 4-4rev)
Landscape views from the verandah of Kolas’ house. 15 June 1945. Watercolours by S. Gorodetski. (BGAMLI, fond 9, inv. 2, file 120, folio 20-21)
Kolas during rest time. Moscow. 8 April 1946. Photo with dedicatory inscription to the Russian poet and translator S. Gorodetski. Autograph of Kolas. Belarusian and Russian. (BGAMLI, fond 9, inv. 2, file 111, folio 3)
Kolas’ portrait and signature. 1 November 1946. Studio photo. Autograph of Kolas. (BGAMLI, fond 9, inv. 2, file 111, folio 4)
Reference written by Kolas testifying that he worked at the Belarusian Pedagogical College in 1931. Minsk. 21 November 1948. Autograph of Kolas. Russian. (The State Archives of Minsk Region, fond 1674, inv. 2, file 14, folio 48)
Kolas with the Russian poet and translator S. Gorodetski. Moscow. 1949. (BGAKFFD, 0-112196)
Portrait of Kolas. 1952. Studio photo by I. Salaveichyk. (BGAMLI, fond 169, inv. 1, file 12, folio 1)
Letter in verse from Kolas to the Belarusian writer Ya. Maur. Minsk. 19 February 1952. Autograph of Kolas. Photocopy. (BGAKFFD, 0-128235)
Kolas, his son Danila, the Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Belarus, Ts. Garbunou, and the Belarusian writers M. Lynkou, P. Glebka, K. Krapiva and M. Klimkovich among others during rest time at the House of Art in Karalishchavichi. Minsk district. 1952. (BGAMLI, fond 169, inv. 1, file 12, folio 2)
Passport of Kanstantsin Mikhailavich Mitskevich issued 23 March 1953. Minsk. Russian. (The Kolas Literary Memorial Museum, the “Personal Archive of Yakub Kolas” Collection)
Kolas’ places. 14 May 1953. Water-colour by S. Gorodetski. (BGAMLI, fond 9, inv. 2, file 118, folio 6)
Kolas on a holiday on the lake Narach. 1954. (BGAMLI, fond 9, inv. 2, file 112, folio 2)
Kolas in his library. Minsk. 7 June 1954. (BGAKFFD, 1-359)
Kolas with his grandchildren. [1955] (BGAMLI, fond 9, inv. 2, file 112, folio 4)

Abbreviations:

NARB National Archives of the Republic of Belarus
NIAB National Historical Archives of Belarus in Minsk
BGAKFFD Belarusian State Archives of Films, Photographs and Sound Recordings
BGAMLI Belarusian State Archives-Museum of Literature and Art