Nina Minatva Member of the underground organization 'Young Guard'. Date of Birth: 02.02.1924 Country: Ukraine

Biography of Nina Minaeva

Nina Petrovna Minaeva was born on February 2, 1924, in the village of Stolpchevo in the Volkhov district of the Oryol region. In 1930, her family moved to the city of Gorlovka in the Donetsk region, and two years later, they settled in the village of Pervomayka in the Krasnodon district.

She successfully completed 7 classes at the Pervomayskaya School No. 6 and entered the 8th grade at School No. 4 named after K.E. Voroshilov. In 1939, she joined the Komsomol. Nina was always active, caring, and cheerful, and she was highly respected by her classmates.

Minaeva's family lost their father at an early age, and Nina tried to help her mother, Natalya Fyodorovna, and take care of her younger brothers. Despite her responsibilities, she always found time to study and read fiction. She loved the books of L. Tolstoy, M. Gorky, V. Scott, and V. Hugo. She especially enjoyed the poetry of A. Pushkin and A. Nekrasov, many of which she knew by heart and eagerly recited.

In 1941, Nina completed ten grades. However, she was unable to fulfill her dream of becoming a doctor as the war began. Instead, she enrolled in nursing courses at the Krasnodon City Hospital. After successfully completing the courses, she worked at the city polyclinic.

In late 1941, a military unit was stationed in Krasnodon. Among the servicemen quartered at Minaeva's house was Lieutenant Ivan Grigorievich Dubchenko, a doctor by profession. During their free time, he helped Nina study Latin, taught her to write prescriptions, and perform dressings.

In October 1942, Nina, along with Tonia Ivanikhina, who had escaped from a fascist prison camp, joined the ranks of the underground organization "Young Guard." To avoid being taken to Germany, she found work as a milk plant inspector. She would leave for work before dawn to distribute leaflets along the way. Later, she began teaching German at the school in the village of Verkhnyaya Krasnyanka. She maintained contact with the underground group in the town of Krasnodon, collected ammunition and medicines on the orders of the headquarters, and conducted propaganda work among the population. She actively participated in organizing and conducting concerts at the A.M. Gorky club, which served as the headquarters for the Young Guard.

On January 11, 1943, Nina Minaeva was arrested and subjected to inhumane torture. On the night of January 16, together with her comrades-in-arms from the underground, she was executed and thrown into a mine shaft.

She was recognized by the woolen gaiters that were the only clothing left on her. Nina's hands were broken, one eye was gouged out, and her body was covered in black stripes from the beatings. She was buried in a mass grave of heroes in the central square of Krasnodon.

Nina Petrovna Minaeva was awarded the Order of the Patriotic War 1st Class and the Medal "Partisan of the Patriotic War" 1st Class.