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Happy Birthday to You, Svetlana Mikhailovna Sholokhova

February 9, is the birthday of Svetlana Mikhailovna Sholokhova, the elder daughter of the writer, our dear person, who has done a lot for the formation and development of the Museum, for the replenishment of the museum collection with valuable materials from the family archives, for conservation and spreading Sholokhov heritage.

The Museum is very grateful for Svetlana Mikhailovna for the interesting memories about her father and his relatives and friends, for the assistance and consultations given to the museum workers and for the support of the publishing projects. She is always warm and joyful to deal with.

Each of the children of M.A.Sholokhov was independent to make his biography without using their parents’ connections. At the age of 17, Svetlana Mikhailovna went to Moscow, entered the Moscow State University, chemical faculty. It was 1943. “The Germans were near Moscow, behind Gzhatsk,– S.M.Sholokhova remembers. – We, students, harvested roots in the fields of the Smolensk Region collective farms. Along with the special science we studied medical assistance practice, at night we were on duty in the hospital or in the bomb shelter. If we stayed up late at the university, we spent nights in the classrooms. I remember when we were announced about capture of Berlin, we danced till morning.”

In 1946, Svetlana Mikhailovna married Alexander Maximovich Turkov and moved to Leningrad, to her husband. In 1947, their son Mikhail was born. She continued her education at the Leningrad State University named after A.A.Zhdanov, but at the philological faculty. In 1952, she graduated from it with honours. Svetlana MIkhailovna worked in different parts of our great country – from the Baltic Republics to the Far East. The family often moved to new places, as her husband was a navy officer who retired with the rank of Rear Admiral.

Since 1993, S.M.Sholokhova has been living in Stanitsa Vyoshenskaya. Before her retiring for the well-deserved rest she worked as academic secretary at the Museum.

The whole staff of the Museum expresses sincere congratulations and wishes the best of the health, well-being, peace of mind and cheerfulness to dear Svetlana Mikhailovna.

Natalya Kirsanova