History of the department
Over the century-long history of BNTU, the Department of History has also written its own page in the training of engineering personnel who worked for the well-being of Belarus. From the first days of the opening of the Belarusian State Polytechnic Institute in Minsk on December 10, 1920, the discipline “History of Belarus” took its rightful place in it, taught by the rector of the BSU, Professor V.I. Picheta, one of the organizers of the Society of History and Antiquities in Minsk N. G. Maslakovets. The future People's Commissar of Education of the BSSR V. M. Ignatovsky, author of the book “A Brief Sketch of the History of Belarus” (1919), which for a long time was the main textbook for universities in Belarus, also gave his consent to give lectures at the Belarusian State Pedagogical Institute.
From the first days of its existence, the Polytechnic became the center of the cultural revival of Belarus. Within the walls of the Belarusian State Pedagogical Institute, the first student and scientific circles were created to study not only the economy and production of the Belarusian region, but also its history, culture, and traditions.
To determine the level of knowledge of the applicant upon admission to the Polytechnic, an interview was organized on the history of Belarus, which made it possible to determine the degree of civic maturity. Thus, largely thanks to the Belarusian State Pedagogical Institute, history has taken its rightful place in the system of higher education in Belarus.
In 1922, the Belarusian State Pedagogical Institute was transformed into the Belarusian State Agricultural Institute, which was later transferred to Gorki, and the Gorki Agricultural Academy was created on its basis.
In 1929, the Belarusian State Pedagogical Institute was recreated, and according to the previously established tradition, the humanities department took its place of honor in the technical university of the country, where “New History” and “History of the USSR” were taught. Initially, it was headed by Professor S.E. Topaz. After the war, the department was headed by L. M. Kugelman, former rector of BSU P. P. Savitsky, A. T. Mukhin.
In 1956, the department of “History of the CPSU” was formed at the BPI, headed by S. L. Solomakho, L. I. Volokhovich, A. E. Zhurov, A. F. Khatskevich.
In 1990, the department was transformed into the Department of Political History, headed by V. R. Davydov.
In 1992, the Department of History of the CPSU was reorganized into the Department of History, World and National History, headed by G. L. Aldakushin, K. I. Balandin, D. N. Khromchenko, V. A. Bozhanov.
From 2019 to 2021 there was a department “History of Belarusian statehood”, headed by V.A. Bobkov, A.N. Kuksa.
From December 1, 2021, a separate department of “History” was established at BNTU, which from December 1, 2021. until February 2023 headed by A.N. Kuksa.
Today the department consists of 9 teachers, of which 6 candidates of historical sciences (associate professors), 2 candidates of historical sciences, 1 senior teacher. The department also includes the head of the BNTU museum. The staff of the department successfully solves on a professional basis the tasks of teaching the history of Belarusian statehood, the history of the Great Patriotic War, the history of science and technology, ensuring the implementation of one of the fundamental principles of kalokagathia in the training of highly qualified specialists with a broad outlook, patriots of the Motherland.
Achievements of the department
The staff of the department has repeatedly: in the 2000/2001 academic year, in the 2003/2004 academic year, in the 2005/2006 academic year. took first place in the competition among humanitarian departments. In 2009/2010, 2014/2015 academic year. gg. The department took third place in the review competition among general education departments and 1st place among humanitarian departments.
We are proud of them
Over the century-long history of the department, outstanding scientists who made a significant contribution to the development of Belarus worked in its composition:
rector of BSU V.I. Pichet and P.P. Savitsky;
S. L. Solomakho – secretary of the Minsk City Committee of the Communist Party of Belarus, one of the first in the education system to be awarded the Order of Lenin;
F. R. Kukushkin – director of the Belarusfilm film studio;
L. I. Volokhovich – Candidate of Historical Sciences, Associate Professor, Honored Worker of Higher School of the BSSR;
I. I. Saladkov – Doctor of Historical Sciences, professor, editor of the magazine “Bolshevik of Belarus”, since 1952 – “Communist of Belarus”;
A. F. Khatskevich – Doctor of History, Professor, Honored Worker of Higher School of the BSSR;
V. K. Korshuk – Doctor of History, Professor, Honored Worker of Education of the Republic of Belarus;
K. I. Balandin – candidate of historical sciences, associate professor, professor of the department, vice-rector of BNTU from 2000 to 2010, honored worker of education of the Republic of Belarus;
V. A. Bobkov – Corresponding Member of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor, Honored Scientist of the Republic of Belarus.
