On May 8, an EWCS dedicated to Heroes of the Soviet Union U. Gromova, L. Shevtsova, and the Hero of the Russian Federation V. Tretyakevich was put into postal circulation in the On the 80th Anniversary of Victory in the GPW of 1941–1945 series

The names of heroes Ulyana Gromova, Lyubov Shevtsova and Viktor Tretyakevich are closely related to the Young Guard.

The Young Guard was a Soviet underground anti-fascist Komsomol organization of young men and women that was active during the Great Patriotic War (from September 1942 to January 1943), mainly in the town of Krasnodon, Voroshilovgrad Region of the Ukrainian SSR.

The Organization was established soon after Krasnodon occupation by Nazi Germany troops, which started on July 20, 1942. The Young Guard numbered above 100 participants. The youngest member of the underground was 14 years old. The Young Guard headquarters comprised Ivan Zemnukhov, Viktor Tretyakevich, Sergei Tulenin, Oleg Koshevoi, Ivan Turkenich, Ulyana Gromova, Lyubov Shevtsova, Evgeny Moshkov, Georgy Arutyunyants, Nina and Olya Ivantsov, Valeria Borts, Radiy Yurkin and others.

The members of the Young Guard posted leaflets, collected weapons, burned grain and poisoned food intended for the occupants. On the day of the October Revolution, they hung several red flags, burned down a labor exchange and thereby saved more than 2,000 people who were to be sent to work in Germany. By December 1942, the Young Guard members had a considerable amount of weapons and explosives in storage.

Careless actions of the members of the underground organization on capturing a New Year's convoy with gifts for the Nazis in December of 1942 led to vindictive actions. On January 1 of 1943, mass arrests began. Fearlessness and courage helped most of the Young Guard members to withstand honorably the atrocious torments to which they were subjected by their enemies. Dozens of young underground fighters were murdered after terrible tortures without betraying their Homeland. Executions of the Young Guard members lasted from mid-January to February 1943, tormented Komsomol members were thrown in groups down into abandoned coal mines.

In memory of the anti-fascist heroes, an obelisk was installed with the names of the murdered Young Guard members. Besides, The Young Guard novel by A. Fadeev is dedicated to the feat of the underground fighters of Krasnodon; feature and documentary films about them have been produced, and streets in many cities of Russia and the former USSR bear their names.

The commemorative postage stamp presents an image of the emblem of celebration of the 80th Anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941–1945; the main illustration features portraits of the Young Guard members: Heroes of the Soviet Union Ulyana Gromova, Lyubov Shevtsova, and the Hero of the Russian Federation Viktor Tretyakevich, who have their 100th Birth Anniversary this year.

In addition to the issue of the envelope with a commemorative stamp, JSC Marka produced special cancels for Moscow and Lugansk.

Design Artists: A. Moskovets and V. Khablovsky.
Quantity: 500 thousand envelopes.

« back