Ryhor Baradulin, 40 rare photos

Ryhor Baradulin died on March 2. Despite a long illness, the People’s Poet felt fine, welcomed guests and was joking in the past few days of his life.

Uncle Ryhor died at home – it happened in an instant, he did not suffer. There was an intention to bury the poet in Minsk but the family decided to fulfill his will and bury him near his mother’s grave in Ushachy.

We have selected some of the rarest archive photos.

6 months old.

The poet is 2 years old.

With relative Hanna Miklasheuskaya. 1939

5 years old.

Tenth form of Ushachy school. 1954

School graduate.

With mother. 1953

Ushachy youth. 1953

Freshmen during a potato harvesting campaign. Novy Dvor village, Minsk District. 1954

Military training session. Anatol Staurou, Ales Bulyka and Ryhor Baradulin.

At the university square. From the left: Ryhor Baradulin, Anatol Klyshka, Vasil Zuyonak, Anatol Vyartsinski, Henadz Buraukin. Sitting: Yuras Svirka, Mikola Arochka and Kastus Tsvirka.

Freshmen during a potato harvesting campaign. 1954

Beginning literary men with Yakub Kolas. 1955

With fellow student Lida Bryl. 1955

At a meeting of young writers in Karalishchavichy. Baradulin is the fourth on the left (near Arkadz Kulyashou). Uladzimir Karatkevich is the second on the right. 1955

With fellow students (in the centre). 1956

Meeting freshmen. Henadz Buraukin, Ryhor Baradulin, Maria Kanoshchankava, Halina Kazakevich and Valyantsina Manaszon. 1957

First time abroad. Poland. 1958

September 1, 1958. A senior. With Vasil Zuyonak and Eduard Damaratski

Graduation Day. 1959

1959

With Ivan Chyhrynau. 1959

In Ushachy. 1961

Heorhi Vylchau, Vasil Bykau, Akulina, Ryhor, Valyantsina and Ilona (child) Baradulins. 1963

With Maxim Tank (on the left). Speech in Tuva. 1964

With Uladzimir Karatkevich and dog Dazor. 1965

Dancing with a Tajik. 1965

With sculptor Alyaksei Hlebau. 1966

With daughter Ilona. 1967

With members of the Belarusian Academy of Sciences. Mir. 1967

In father’s village – Kavalyoushchyna. 1972

In Yakub Kolas’ homeland (Lastok) with his brother Yuzef. Adam Maldzis is wearing sunglasses and Uladzimir Karatkevich is sitting at the the front. 1972

In the armour made by Belarusian masters. Photo: Syarhei Shapran

The spot where Baradulins’ homestead Verasouka stood.  Photo: Hleb Labadzenka

Near his mother’s grave with granddaughter Daminika. Photo: Hleb Labadzenka

Household chores in Ushachy. Photo: Hleb Labadzenka

The poet’s desk in Minsk. Photo: Hleb Labadzenka

The elm the poet planted with his father in 1939. Photo: Hleb Labadzenka

With wife Valyantsina Mihailauna and granddaughter Daminika in Ushachy. Photo: Hleb Labadzenka

Last photo made at 8.30 p.m. on March 1. Ryhor Baradulin’s heart stopped beating at 5.40 p.m. on March 2. Photo: Hleb Labadzenka