Archival documents on Yakub Kolas’s life and work

Honours

Article by a Molodechno reporter on great interest shown by young readers in Kolas’ book of poetry “Songs of Sorrow”. 31 March 1911. Print. (BGAMLI, library, newspaper Nasha Niva, 1911, No.13)
Telegram from the Belarus People’s Commissariat of Education to the People’s Commissar for Education, A. Lunacharsky, on the necessity of sending K. Mitskevich (Kolas) from the Oboian-Kursk province to work in Belarus. Minsk. 19 February 1921. Typescript. Copy. Russian. (NARB, fond 42, inv. 3, file 53, folio 24)
Resolution by the Council of People’s Commissars of the Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic on awarding Kolas the title of the People’s Poet of Belarus and other materials concerning the celebration of his 20 years in literary service. 23 November 1926. Print. (The Kolas Literary Memorial Museum, the “Newspapers” Collection, newspaper Savetskaia Belarus, 1926, No.266)
Greeting article in the magazine Arshanski Maladniak on occasion of Kolas’ 20 years in literature. Orsha. December 1926. Print. (The Kolas Literary Memorial Museum, the “Magazines” Collection, the personal library of Kolas)
Minutes of session of the Vitebsk District Executive Committee Presidium on celebrating 20 years of Kolas’ literary service. Detail. 15 January 1927. Typescript. (The State Archives of Vitebsk Region, fond 118, inv. 1, file 196, folio 17)
Minutes of session of the Liozna District Committee of the Communist Party (of Bolsheviks) of Belarus on organizing the collective readings and holding a district conference for readers of Kolas’ long narrative “The Marsh” and on inviting him to take part at the conference. Detail. Liozna. 8 February 1936. Typescript. (The State Archives of Vitebsk Region, fond 88-п, inv. 2а, file 39, folio 40)
Kolas’ speech at the session devoted to his 30 years in literature. Minsk. 1936. (BGAKFFD, 0-23486)
M. Kalinin, Chairman of the USSR Central Executive Committee, presenting Kolas with the Order of Lenin. Moscow. 1939. (BGAKFFD, 1-433)
Ya. Kolas, the Russian poet and translator S. Gorodetski and the Belarusian poetess E. Agniatsvet at the celebration meeting devoted to Kolas’ 60th birth anniversary. Tashkent. 2 November 1942. (BGAMLI, fond 267, inv. 1, file 430, folio 1)
Recollections of a partisan fighter, A. Shydlovski, of how Kolas’ literary works affected partisans’ spirits during Nazi Occupation. [1944-1945] Autograph of A. Shydlovski. Russian. (BGAMLI, fond 66, inv. 1, file 1428, folio 1)
Letter from Kolas to the Russian poet and translator S. Gorodetski informing of Kolas’ election as Deputy of the USSR Supreme Soviet and his nomination for Deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic. Detail. 22 January 1947. Autograph of Kolas. Russian. (BGAMLI, fond 9, inv. 2, file 70, folio 1)
Kolas and Z. Azgur, People’s Artist of Belarus, during work on the writer’s sculpture. Minsk. 1949. (BGAKFFD, 0-117832)
Letter from Kolas to the Russian poet and translator S. Gorodetski informing of Kolas’ nomination for Deputy of the USSR Supreme Soviet and his future meetings with electorate. 6 February 1950. Autograph of Kolas. Russian. (BGAMLI, fond 9, inv. 2, file188, folio 1-1rev)
Minutes of general meeting of workers, engineers and technicians in the East Orsha Railway Depot and the hardware plant on nomination of candidates to the Supreme Soviet of the Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic from railway constituency No.148 in Orsha, including K.M. Mitskevich (Kolas). Detail. Orsha. 17 January 1951. Typescript. Russian. (The State Archives of Vitebsk Region, fond 2000, inv. 1, file 51, folio 45)
Minutes of general meeting of teachers, scholars and attending personnel in the Orsha Railway Community College on nomination of candidates to the Supreme Soviet of the Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic from railway constituency No.148 in Orsha, including K.M. Mitskevich (Kolas). Detail. 17 January 1951. Russian. (The State Archives of Vitebsk Region, fond 2000, inv. 1, file 51, folio 48-49)
Design of Kolas’ house in Minsk, later the Kolas Literary Memorial Museum. 29 January 1952. Drafts. Photo. Author G. Zaborski. Autographs of Ya. Kolas and G. Zaborski. (BGANTD, fond 113, inv. 1, file 39)
Response speech by Kolas at the celebration of his 70th birth anniversary. Minsk. 25 October 1952. Sound recording (voice of Kolas). Magnetic tape. Duration 6:08 mins. Speed 38. (BGAKFFD, 0008)
Competition design (not executed) for Kolas’ tomb. 1956. Photo. Author M. Baklanau. (BGANTD, fond 128, inv. 1, file 14)
Design for Kolas monument in the village of Mikalaeushchyna. Staubtsy district. 1956. Tracing paper. Author M. Baklanau. (BGANTD, fond 3, inv. 1, file 1513)
Resolution by the Council of Ministers of the Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic on literary legacy of the People’s Poet of Belarus Ya. Kolas (K.M. Mitskevich). Minsk. 20 August 1956. Typescript. Russian. (NARB, fond 7, inv. 4, file 595, folio 214)
Resolution by the Council of Ministers of the Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic on holding an all-union open competition for the design of monumens to lich and Kolas. Minsk. 18 December 1957. Typescript on official letterhead. Russian. (NARB, fond 7, inv. 4, file 700, folio 136-137)
Resolution by the Council of Ministers of the Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic on establishing literary prizes in honor of lich and Kolas. 10 February 1959. Typescript on official letterhead. Russian. (NARB, fond 7, inv. 4, file 872, folio 5)
Competition design for lich’s tomb. 1960. Tracing paper. Author L. Ryminski. (BGANTD, fond 3, inv. 1, file 1544)
Kolas’ tomb at Military Cemetery. Minsk. 1970. Authors U. Ananka, M. Yakavenka, architect M. Myznikau. (BGANTD, fond 113, inv. 1, file 11)
Design for a sculptural group on Kolas Square in Minsk. 1972. Authors G. Zaborski, Z. Azgur. (BGANTD, fond 113, inv. 1, file 20)
Sculptural composition on Kolas Square. General view. Minsk. 1972. Authors G. Zaborski, Yu. Gradau, L. Levin, Z. Azgur. (BGANTD, fond 113, inv. 1, file 20)
Design for the forest warden’s house at the memorial estate of lich in Albuts. Staubtsy district. 1972. (BGANTD, fond 91, inv. 1, file 547)
Design for the forest warden’s house at the memorial estate of lich in Smolnia. Staubtsy district. 1972. (BGANTD, fond 91, inv. 1, file 547)
By the steamship named after Yakub Kolas–first assistant captain E. Dziarugin, the Belarusian poet S. Shushkevich, Kolas’ brother I. Mitskevich, captain V. Tatarnikau, the scholarly secretary of the Kolas museum M. Pratasevich. Izmail. 1976. (BGAKFFD, 0-103235)
Newspaper report on attaching Kolas’ name to library No.4 in the city of Orsha. 25 January 1980 г. (BGAMLI, library, newspaper Litaratura i Mastatstva, No. 4)
Playbill for a pantomime after Kolas’ poem “Symon the Musician” at the Rukh Mime Theatre. Minsk. 1982. (The Kolas Literary Memorial Museum, the “Posters” Collection)
Covers of Kolas’ books translated into foreign languages. Photomontage. (The Kolas Literary Memorial Museum, the “Books” Collection)
The Belarusian State Academic Drama Theatre named after Yakub Kolas. Vitsebsk. June 2001. (BGAKFFD, 0-150611)
On the day of Kolas’ 46th death anniversary near his tomb at Military Cemetery. Minsk. 2002. (BGAKFFD, Е001292)
Scenes from the production based on Kolas’ poem “Symon the Musician” at the lich National Academic Theatre. Minsk. 2005. (The Kolas Literary Memorial Museum, the “Posters” Collection)
Statue of Kolas on Kolas Square in Minsk. 2007. Authors G. Zaborski, Yu. Gradau, L. Levin, Z. Azgur. (BGAKFFD, 0-154955)
Sculptural composition after Kolas’ works on Kolas Square in Minsk. Details. 2007. Authors G. Zaborski, Yu. Gradau, L. Levin, Z. Azgur. (BGAKFFD, 0-154956, 0-154957)

Abbreviations:

NARB National Archives of the Republic of Belarus
BGANTD Belarusian State Archives of Technical Documentation
BGAKFFD Belarusian State Archives of Films, Photographs and Sound Recordings
BGAMLI Belarusian State Archives-Museum of Literature and Art