Book Two
Published in Brest in 2007. This is a book of 312 pages, profusely illustrated with historical photos.
Main themes:
Molotov-Ribbentrop PactWehrmacht in the Polish campaign
The defense of the Brest Fortress in 1939
"Liberatory" march of the Red Army to West Beylorussia and Ukraine Soviet-German parade in Brest
First Soviets
Nationalization of trade and industries
Municipalization of private sector
Locals and "Easters"
7-day working week
Socialist emulation
Universal high education
"Voroshilov shooter" badge
NKVD
Double-crossers
Class aliens
Deportation...
The period 1939-1941 was quite difficult for the citizens of Brest. Book Two of Sarychev’s documentary history shows Brest at the turning point, when the small city was engulfed in the vortex of global history, caught between two super-powers. Like Book One, this volume focuses on the experiences of ordinary citizens. The story is narrated by their voices. The author makes no attempt to undermine Soviet myths about the war period -- those are disappearing on their own, as the houses of red playing cards these myths were.
More in Russian at the website of "Vecherniy Brest" newspaper.
