"Child sends letter, and it's being withheld by the German, you son of a gun."

In honor of the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory in World War II, our site continues to publish heartfelt stories from the front lines, as part of a joint venture with "Zhuldyz" and "Retro" radio stations - the "Letters from the Front" series. We've uncovered a series of touching letters written by a soldier named Vasily Bareikin, addressing his family in Kazakhstan. One of the entertaining lines penned by Vasily to his mother reads, "Mom, you wrote that there's enough potatoes for the winter, that's good..."

Little is known about this man, apart from his service in the 845th Rifle Regiment, as a member of the mortar company. His concern for his mother is evident in the letter dated September 1, 1942, written on a lined notebook with spelling errors but pouring with love:

"Dear parents! In the first lines of this letter, I want to inform you that I am alive and well, and I wish the same for you. Mom, I got your letter from September 1, 1942, where you expressed your desire to leave the factory and work in a hospital. But I'd advise against it, as it will be really tough on your health. You'll have to carry injured soldiers on stretchers all the time."

This noted letter is brief but brimming with concern for his mother's well-being, addressing her plans to build a house and food supplies, and expressing frustration about their apartment being taken.

Letter from World War II participant Vasily Bareikin to his parents. Picture sourced from the Museum of Military Glory of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Kazakhstan

Following September 8, 1942, Vasily penned another letter with more intimate details and a longer missive on lined paper:

"Hello, parents – Mom, Varya, and Marusya. In the first lines of this letter, I want to inform you that I am alive and well, and I wish the same for you. I am writing this letter from the front, where bombs and mines are exploding, where it's sweltering from the flames. I won't hide it, I'm writing to my dear mother from a pine tree nestled near a combat weapon."

In this letter, Vasily shares his news, checks on relatives, asks about coworkers, and even mentions Zhuchka – possibly the family dog or pet. Despite the hardships of war and constant danger, the love of a mother remains a comforting constant.

Further into the letter, Vasily expresses his worries about his family's apartment being taken from them, despite him and his brother defending their homeland. He remains concerned over their food supplies and inquires about their health, even remarking that it's already September and raining in the trenches.

It appears that this letter continues without a closing, with Vasily addressing his mother, "Mom, I'm writing a letter, but the German enemy won't let me – he's bombing with mortars, and I'm barely finishing this letter as splinters are flying into the dugout."

Regrettably, no more letters from Vasily Bareikin remain. From the Red Army newspaper "Boevoy listok," we know that he perished on the battlefield, leaving behind the respect and gratitude of his commanding officer and comrades. According to a poem by Major Pustovalov, presumably his commander, titled "To Lieutenant Bareikin, fallen in battles against fascism," Vasily fought bravely and earned his rank:

"Lively, swift, fierce. You charged headlong into your deadly battle to crush the fascists. Your mortar hits its targets, sending heads and bodies flying. Every soldier loved you, putting their whole heart into their work. But the vile enemy, the scoundrel, brought you down, my friend, my comrade. You avenged the tears of children and mothers, and the smoke of burning."

Today, a new generation can learn about people like Vasya Bareikin through the historical records preserved by the Museum of Military Glory of the Ministry of Defense of Kazakhstan. Despite the grim reality of war, letters like Vasily's remind us of the importance of family connections, simple comforts, and the human spirit that endured even in the face of unimaginable adversity.

You can listen to these moving letters in Kazakh on "Zhuldyz" radio, or in Russian on "Retro" radio.

The letter dated September 1, 1942, by Vasily Bareikin, a soldier from the 845th Rifle Regiment, demonstrates his patriotic concern for his mother's health, as he advises against her leaving the factory to work in a hospital.
In a subsequent letter written on September 8, 1942, Vasily Bareikin shares his life on the front lines, revealing his location near combat weapons and expressing his love for his mother, Varya, and Marusya.
A notable feature of Vasily's letters is his geolocation, addressing his letters from the battlefield and discussing the challenging weather conditions, such as the rain in September.
The patriotic dedication of Vasily Bareikin is reflected in Major Pustovalov's poem, "To Lieutenant Bareikin, fallen in battles against fascism," where he praises Vasily for his brave fight against the enemy, avenging the tears of children and mothers.