"I am a Soldier…

I am a Soldier of the Great Patriotic War. In these feature articles I showed how implacable some sons of the Kazakh people were in their fight against the hateful enemy for their beloved Motherland, for liberty, honor and happiness of their people. I wrote those lines in
dug-out shelters, in poorly-lit, completely ruined wooden cabins, in a roaring artillery barrage and a hurricane of whizzing bullets. All this made it more difficult for the author to concentrate and think over his writing. It is understandable to anyone.

Sons of the Kazakh people have accomplished great and magnificent deeds on the front that their people should be proud of. Their bravery and valiance, their heroic deeds ought to be described in epic poems, stories and tales… This is a task for writers, poets and akyns (Kazakh bards).

I told only about several Kazakh soldiers and described only a few episodes of their lives on the front, which made up for about a third of their valiant deeds and feats. I am going to write about them in more detail as soon as the war is over.

We are Kazakhs. We are a tribe of batyrs, who have been glorified throughout the centuries…Those batyrs’ grandchildren have accomplished heroic deeds on the fronts of the Patriotic War, leaving the world amazed at their valiance and bravery. As long as such batyrs are among us, the Kazakh people will tolerate neither degrading humiliation, nor disgrace of dishonor. On the contrary, their glory is set to shine and rise higher and higher. The Great Patriotic War has provided ample evidence to that!"

Malik Gabdullin — 1944