Kirill Orlovskiy One of the leaders of the partisan movement in Belarus. Date of Birth: 30.01.1895 Country: Belarus

Biography of Kirill Orlovsky

Kirill Orlovsky was one of the leaders of the partisan movement in Belarus. He was born into a peasant family and participated in the First World War as a non-commissioned officer. In June 1918, he was assigned by the underground Bobruisk district committee of the Bolshevik Party to create a partisan detachment that operated against German forces.

From December 1918 to April 1919, Orlovsky worked in the Bobruisk Cheka (the Bolshevik secret police) and later completed courses for party officials. From 1920 to 1925, he led partisan groups in Western Belarus. Under his command, dozens of military operations were carried out, resulting in the destruction of over 100 gendarmes and landowners.

Orlovsky later graduated from the Marxlevsky Communist University of National Minorities of the West in 1930. From 1925 to 1937, he worked in the state security organs of Belarus and participated in the construction of the Moscow-Volga Canal. In 1937-1938, he carried out combat missions during the Spanish Civil War, and then worked in the NKVD organs of the USSR.

From October 1942 to August 1943, Orlovsky successfully led a large partisan detachment called "Sokoly" in the Baranovichi region. He was severely wounded and lost both hands, but continued to lead the detachment until he safely evacuated the last member. He was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union on September 20, 1943. From August 1943 to December 1944, he worked in the NKGB of Belarus. From January 1945, he served as the chairman of the "Rassvet" collective farm in the Kirov district of the Mogilev region. He was awarded the title of Hero of Socialist Labor on January 18, 1958.

Kirill Orlovsky is the prototype of the main character in the film "The Chairman" and in Ernest Hemingway's novel "For Whom the Bell Tolls," Robert Jordan. A bronze bust of the Hero of the Soviet Union and Hero of Socialist Labor has been installed in his homeland, and a museum has been opened in his name. Several streets in Belarus are named after him.

Awards:
- Hero of the Soviet Union
- Hero of Socialist Labor
- 5 Orders of Lenin
- Order of the Red Banner
- Order of the Red Banner of Labor of the Byelorussian SSR
- Medals