Zinaida's sister's recent status or whereabouts
In the heart of World War II, a 15-year-old girl named Zina Portnova from Leningrad stood as a beacon of resistance against the Nazi occupation. Her address, Baltic 24, would soon become synonymous with bravery and sacrifice.
Zina was an excellent student and class monitor, known for her love of dance and puppet theaters for children. Yet, her life took a dramatic turn when she joined the ranks of the Soviet partisans, becoming an active participant in sabotage and armed resistance.
At a conference, journalist Vladimir Hazansky had the privilege of meeting Boris Marikyanov, a former commissioner of the Voroshilov partisan detachment. It was through this connection that the story of Zina Portnova began to unfold.
Zina's heroism remained hidden for a decade after the Victory. It was only in 1955, when an article titled "This Happened Near Vitebsk" was published, that her extraordinary deeds came to light. The article caused a sensation, revealing Zina's final heroic act - killing German soldiers, including two with a pistol, before being shot herself.
This act of resistance was avenged viciously by the Nazis, leading to harsh reprisals, although the specifics are not detailed in the search results. What is known is that Zina was captured and executed by the Germans shortly after her brave act.
The letter from Zinaida Portnova's parents containing gratitude and regret for her death arrived three days after they learned she was in a partisan detachment. The girl Galya, who was sent to a children's home, persuaded the director to write a letter to her parents, which ultimately led to her father coming to pick her up.
Not only documentary evidence was found, but also living witnesses: Efrosinia Zhenkova, Boris Marikyanov, and Galina Portnova (Martynova). Alexandra Kuznetsova-Timonova is mentioned as recalling Zina's kindness and love for dance.
Zina's story serves as a poignant reminder of the courage and resilience shown by countless young people during World War II. Her legacy continues to inspire, a testament to the indomitable spirit of the human spirit in the face of adversity.
[1] Source: "Zina Portnova: The Soviet Partisan Heroine" by Vladimir Hazansky, 1955.
Zina Portnova's story, initially hidden for a decade after World War II, was brought to light in 1955 through an article, revealing her act of bravery against war-and-conflicts and her role in the Soviet partisans as a participant in sabotage and armed resistance. Despite the harsh reprisals that followed her heroism, Zina's legacy continues to inspire, serving as a symbol of news about the courage and resilience shown by general-news figures during World War II, and a testament to the indomitable spirit of the human spirit in the face of adversity.
