In 1974, in the exhibition of the Ukrainian State Museum of the history of the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945 then located in the Klovskyi palace in Kyiv an Order of Glory of 3rd Class, punched by fragments was presented. It belonged to the Soviet Army soldier Serhii Batrak. Near in the showcase his Communist Party membership card, also pierced by fragment was presented. That-time museum guidebook stated: «The exhibition hall interior. “Complete liberation of the Soviet land from the German-Fascist invaders. Communist party and Komsomol cards, Order of Glory punched by enemy bullets and fragments… [Materials of S. Batrak], killed in actions for the Carpathian foreland».
Later this artifact was presented in the newly opened Memorial complex. That time the accompanying text provided wider context: «The operation to overcome Eastern Carpathians continued about two months… On October 8, 1944, complete liberation of the Soviet Ukraine in its pre-war borders was finished, and by the end of October, the Carpathian Ukraine was liberated. In such way, the conditions for reunion of all Ukrainian lands within the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic were created. The liberation of Carpathian Ukraine by the Red Army is an outstanding event in the local hard workers` life. For the first time within long ages, they got an ability to make decision referred to their social and national development freely. »
This Order was also used during the exhibition of 1990es – 2000s. It symbolized destiny of tens of thousands Ukrainians on the final stage of the Nazi invaders expelling from Ukraine.
At the same time, we still know pretty few about the soldier himself. Born in Kyiv region, on military service since 1944, rifleman of the 794th rifle regiment of the 232nd rifle division of the 40th Soviet Army of the 1st Ukrainian front. Presented to the award on February 4, 1944. In addition, we can assume that he was one of so-called “black coats”, who were forcedly mobilized by the “field military commissariats” on the Ukrainian territories just seized by Soviet troops and thrown to the crucible of bloody battles.
About the last fact it (may be) was not known in 1970s-1980s. That years exhibition had to be the cover for accomplishing of “collecting of the Ukrainian lands”, initiated by Stalin yet in the “Golden September” of 1939.
Behind the scenes left the fact that dwellers of the region within less than 30 years lived in 5 states: Austro-Hungarian Empire, Czechoslovakia, Carpathian Ukraine, Hungary and USSR. Also was not emphasized that people of the Carpathian Ukraine made their conscious choice yet in 1939 March, when the independence of the Carpathian Ukraine was declared; the date of the “complete liberation” was assigned by Soviet authorities on October 7-8, 9-10, 14-15, and finally on October 28. At the same time, combats for Transсarpathia continued until end of November 1944. In these operations about 63 % Rusyns from the 1st Czechoslovakian Infantry Brigade reported killed. Most of them were interned into Soviet camps during 1939-1941. Soviet authorities while documenting casualties could not decide territorial identity of the region and included it into Carpathian Ukraine, Czechoslovakia, or Uzhhorod region of USSR when processing the death notification of Soviet soldiers.
For now, these themes obviously are not tabooed. However, the Order of Serhii Batrak is still the exhibit symbolizing this historical kaleidoscope.