A memorial sign in honor of the Decembrist A. Bestuzhev

The history of a memorial sign in honor of the Decembrist Alexander Bestuzhev-Marlinsky in Vygonichi village

Alexander Bestuzhev, known under the pen name Marlinsky, was a good writer-publicist, a Decembrist and a good critic in due time. He was a close friend to Ryleyev at that time. One of their joint works was the almanac “Polar Star”. That work was very popular. Even well-known A. S. Pushkin himself carried on an active correspondence and communicated with Marlinsky and sent him his works. Bestuzhev is even occasionally referred to as “Pushkin of prose” for all his amazing novels and remarkable narratives, which fully convey the lives of ordinary people and the scenic splendor of nature.

And in 1987, a memorial sign was constructed in memory of the Decembrist Bestuzhev in the village of Vygonichi, for the 150thanniversary of his death on the place, where had formerly been the estate of the Voydzevich family.  

How is the estate connected with Bestuzhev? The thing is that he had the honor to be an invited guest of Felix Voydzevich, who owned the village, in 1821. Everything happened after the demonstration of troops at Beshenkovichi, when Alexander I based a guards corps for distribution in Western provinces. That corps also included Bestuzhev who was carrying honorably his service. So the owner of the village and the Decembrist got acquainted. The friends celebrated the new 1822 together in Minsk. And next year, Voydzevich received the first edition of the almanac “Polar Star”, sent from the new acquaintance, which was mentioned above.  

Description of the memorial sign

Little of Voydzevich family estate has been preserved on the territory of Vygonichi village. The main building of the estate was burned down in the period of the Great Patriotic War in 1943. And only a small marble stele in honor of Bestuzhev serves as a reminder about those people who spent their time and lived there in those days. Marlinsky died in 1837, in the battle against mountaineers during a military operation on the black sea coast, the body of that remarkable man was never found. However, 150 years later since the Decembrists’s death, a small marble stele was erected in his honor as a reminder of him and his active life. Bestuzhev loved madly the Belarusian land, picturesque nature and boundless expanse, and everyday life of local people was close to him. A reflection of this fact can be traced in the author's essay called “Evening on the Caucasus waters”.

A visit to this district and the memorial in particular can be found in most literary and history tours of the Belarusian lands. The journey through this place will be interesting and informative not only for those who want to enrich and expand their cultural and historical horizons, but also for visitors who are in search of a weekend rest.