Ilya Astashkevich
Ilya Astashkevich (20th of July 1891, Vitebsk governorate, Russian Empire – 15th of April 1972, Riga, Latvian SSR) – a teacher, from 1925 to 1935 Principal of the Pudinovo Russian primary school (Ludza Municipality).
Ilya Astashkevich was born in the village of Promysly, Bocheikovsk parish, Lepel uyezd of Vitebsk Governorate, into a peasant family, and was baptized in the local Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior. In 1912, he successfully completed the course at the Bocheikovsk two-class rural school. In 1914, after passing a full examination at the Board of the Vitebsk Theological Seminary, Ilya Astashkevich was awarded the qualification of teacher of a parish school. In the same year, he began working as a teacher at the Golysheva boys’ parish school (Lyutsin/Ludza uyezd). However, after nine months he was mobilized into the army and sent to the front. At the end of 1917, following the revolution and the subsequent collapse of the army, he returned home and immediately resumed work as a teacher at the Golysheva school, where he remained until September 1924.
From 1 September 1924 to 1 October 1925, he had been working as a teacher at the Degleva primary school.
From 1 October 1925 to 28 October 1935, I. Astashkevich had been serving as headmaster of the Pudinova six-grade primary school (Merdzene parish, Ludza uyezd).
In 1933, I. Astashkevich passed the Latvian language examinations at the level required by the Ministry of Education.
In 1929, I. Astashkevich attended Russian summer teacher training courses and obtained the right to work as a teacher in Russian primary schools. On 26 October 1935, the Certification Commission of the Ministry of Education confirmed that Astashkevich was qualified to work as a fully authorized teacher in Russian primary schools.
In the autumn of 1935, I. Astashkevich was assigned to Riga, where from 4 November 1935 he worked as a teacher at the 3rd Russian Primary School of Riga (13/15 Ludzas Street; in the 1940/41 academic year the school was renamed the 71st incomplete secondary school; during the Nazi occupation the former number was restored, but the school was renamed a people’s school instead of a primary school).
After the capture of Riga by Red Army units, I. Astashkevich had been working until 26 January 1945 as a mathematics teacher at the 7th Russian Primary School of Riga, renamed the 89th seven-year school (140a Maskavas Street, now 166 Latgales Street).
On 25 January 1945, I. Astashkevich was arrested by the NKVD authorities and sentenced to five years in labor camps. In 1950, he was sent into exile in Krasnoyarsk region. In 1954, I. Astashkevich was released from exile and returned to Riga.
In 1955, the Military Prosecutor’s Office of the Baltic Military District dismissed the case against I. Astashkevich due to the lack of sufficient evidence.
On 26 April 1917, Ilya Astashkevich married Aleksandra (née Petrova), a townswoman from Lepel. The wedding ceremony took place at the Butyrsky Dormition Church in Pskovograd.
Children: daughter Tatyana (20 February 1918 – 27 December 2016) and son Leonid (17 August 1922 – 1944?).
Ilya Astashkevich died in Riga on 15 April 1972 and was buried at St. John's Cemetery.
Tatiana Feigmane
Sources of information:
Воспоминания дочери Татьяны Павеле (урожд. Асташкевич).
Документы из личного архива И.И. Асташкевича.
Фотографии из альбома Татьяны Ильиничны Павеле (урожд. Асташкевич).
