Inna Klimovich

Inna ( ())

While visiting my granny some years ago I noticed an old woman. There was something special about her. Everybody tried to help her, to show their respect, to tell her something warm. I asked my granddad who she was and he told me that she was an amazing person who had devoted all her life to people.

Inna with her friends when she was a schoolgirl (from old photos (I took it from my family album))

Inna Fyodorovna Klimovich was born on May, 5, 1935 in Klimovichi town into a family of an accountant and a pharmacist. Her childhood (like the childhood of millions of Soviet children) was burnt and broken by war. Enemies came to Mogilev when Inna had just celebrated her 6th birthday. When fascists invaded Klimovichi her dad was on business trip. Inna, her mum and six-month old sister Tanya tried in panic to find a refuge in the nearest villages together with other women. Their cart was bombed but they were lucky to survive. They were hiding in trenches defending against bombardment. Paralyzing animal fear, panic and horror filled the children, but at the same time they were full of naive curiosity.

When her dad found them, they returned home, but Klimovichi were already in occupation. Dad started to work for partisans. On September 30, 1943, the town was liberated and father left for the front line. He came back home because of the wound. He lost his left hand. But happiness of the family's reunion wasn't long. In 1948 mum died.

Inna when she was young

The beginning of her life was very hard. Inna went to school at the end of 1943. It was very difficult to study for the lack of electricity, books and school equipment. It was so cold in winter without heating. But Inna was an applicant student and she got only excellent marks. Her teachers didn't have any doubts that she would become a teacher. After finishing school she got high education and really became a teacher. After graduating from the institute in 1955 a young teacher was sent to a small village. But somebody in the district administration managed to see in this young, fragile girl a strong-willed nature. In 1956 she was already the Head of a village school. Unfortunately, the school didn't have its own building and the pupils studied in a rented house. Inna had to become not only a teacher and a Headmaster but also a builder. It was very hard after the war but she managed to find money and possibilities and built a school in this remote village. But after opening this new school she was sent to another village. And everything started again. This time it was a new, big, up-to-date building and a lot of pupils from all the nearest villages were sent to this boarding school.

Inna with her husband

It wasn't only a school, it was an educative, cultural, sports centre. The school had best teams in the region in volleyball, football and field hockey. She inspired children to create a museum of war. It became the best in the district. Inna organized trips to show Moscow, Leningrad and Riga to village children. She got married. But while caring and upbringing village children she didn't have time to have her own. She lived with school; she lived with children and for children. She gave half a century serving to people. Last summer she died. But thousands of people are really grateful to her. I think that there is always a place for a deed in this life. And I'm definitely sure that I can call her a Modern Hero.