Birds without nests. Memories

„Birds Without Nests. Memoirs” is a moving autobiographical account of the life of Larysa Hienijus – one of the most important figures of the 20th-century Belarusian independence movement. A poet, a prisoner of Soviet forced labor camps, a woman of iron will and endless love for her homeland.

These memoirs are not only a personal story of survival but also a testament to an entire generation of repressed Belarusians. Hienijus describes her childhood, national activism, dramatic arrest, brutal years in the Gulag, and life after returning from exile – a life under constant surveillance, yet still with dignity.

It is a book that captivates with its style, depth of emotion, and authenticity. Today – thanks to a new edition – we have the chance to once again listen to a voice that survived despite attempts to erase it.

📖 **For whom:** for readers interested in the history of Belarus, the fate of women in totalitarian systems, and prison literature.

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More than forty years have passed since her soul flew into Belarusian eternity, but even now, in the evening or morning, on the "swing" between wakefulness and sleep, a comforting and joyful thought suddenly comes: soon I will go to "Grandma." That's what we called her in letters and phone calls – with love, but also caution, because of the "comrade majors," our state-assigned handlers. We often called her Grandma, even during purely friendly conversations that other ears might overhear. I think, however, that the KGB officers knew very well: "Grandma" is Larysa Hienijus (Uladzimir Arloǔ, Hold on to Belarus. Keep Belarus, excerpt)