This photograph has been gifted to the museum by Vasily Shukshin’s shipmate Ivan Tatus. The picture was taken by an unknown author in the early 1950’s at Maksimova Dacha park in Sebastopol, where the future director served in the ranks of the Soviet Navy.
Shukshin was conscripted in August 1949 by the order of Leninsky District Military commissariat of the Moscow Region. The town of Lomonosov became his first place of service, where he achieved Senior Sailor rank. After that he was assigned to a radio squad at military unit # 34258 of the USSR Black Sea Fleet in Sebastopol. While serving, Shukshin provided communication with ships that were on alert status and monitored the airwaves.
Nikolay Shmakov, Shukshin’s fellow service member, recalled, “Vasily Shukshin immediately drew the attention with his seriousness, with some special understanding of the responsibility for carrying out his military duty. Highly disciplined, prompt, and hard-working, he performed tasks in silence and with concentration”.
Shukshin’s directing and literary talents began to manifest themselves in the army. His comrades recounted that a drama club was founded at their military base in 1951. The future director became its active participant, and soon took charge of the club. Even then he put a lot of time into reading and attended Sebastopol Maritime Library for officers and ensigns. During his years of service Shukshin wrote first short stories — ‘O see the horses gallop in the fields’ and ‘Two on a cart’.
After the army, Shukshin was going to obtain a certificate of secondary education and planned to take exams in autumn 1952. Plans had to be changed as in November 1952 he was hospitalised with complaints of anticardium pains that intensified after ingestion. Doctors examined the patient and diagnosed him with stomach and duodenal ulcers. Shukshin spent the following two weeks in hospital care, and was demobilised due to health issues afterwards. He returned to Srostki village on the 17th of December, 1952.
Shukshin was conscripted in August 1949 by the order of Leninsky District Military commissariat of the Moscow Region. The town of Lomonosov became his first place of service, where he achieved Senior Sailor rank. After that he was assigned to a radio squad at military unit # 34258 of the USSR Black Sea Fleet in Sebastopol. While serving, Shukshin provided communication with ships that were on alert status and monitored the airwaves.
Nikolay Shmakov, Shukshin’s fellow service member, recalled, “Vasily Shukshin immediately drew the attention with his seriousness, with some special understanding of the responsibility for carrying out his military duty. Highly disciplined, prompt, and hard-working, he performed tasks in silence and with concentration”.
Shukshin’s directing and literary talents began to manifest themselves in the army. His comrades recounted that a drama club was founded at their military base in 1951. The future director became its active participant, and soon took charge of the club. Even then he put a lot of time into reading and attended Sebastopol Maritime Library for officers and ensigns. During his years of service Shukshin wrote first short stories — ‘O see the horses gallop in the fields’ and ‘Two on a cart’.
After the army, Shukshin was going to obtain a certificate of secondary education and planned to take exams in autumn 1952. Plans had to be changed as in November 1952 he was hospitalised with complaints of anticardium pains that intensified after ingestion. Doctors examined the patient and diagnosed him with stomach and duodenal ulcers. Shukshin spent the following two weeks in hospital care, and was demobilised due to health issues afterwards. He returned to Srostki village on the 17th of December, 1952.
