My user name is taken from Zoya Kosmodemyanskaya, who was a Russian female partisan. She joined the partisan movemnet at the age of 17, and carried out acts of sabotage behind enemy lines. She was captured in 1941 in German territory, and tortured in the village of Petrischevo. She gave away no inofrmation, and was executed by hanging. She was left hanging there as a warning to the Russians, her body mutilated by German soldiers.
Months later, her body was taken and buried, and afte the war it was exhumed and buried in Moscow. On February 16, 1942, Zoya Kosmodemyanskaya was posthumously awarded the title of "Hero of the Soviet Union." She was the first woman to receive this distinction.
The Motherland, bent over her daughter's ashes,
Sings this tender maternal song
About Zoya, the girl, who has become a legend,
Who died and was born for eternal life.
The native land inspired her with courage,
The great nation educated her with pride,
And the girl has become fine as a white birch,
Like the Russian heart, she was frank and noble.
Dimitri Shostakovich
Song for Zoya (1944)
I hope this is of interest!
