Alexievich: One of the strongest impressions in my life was when I found myself in the crowd in 2020

Svetlana Alexievich

"It felt like this was a different people of mine"

Recalling the events of 2020, Svetlana Alexievich notes that Belarusians "did rise up against the dictatorship," but despite the protests lasting several months, "our dictator Lukashenka was able to defeat us, because Russia helped him."

The writer shares one of her strongest impressions:

"On the very first day after the elections, when the dictator rigged the elections — and I live on the eighth floor — you could see hundreds of thousands of people walking along my building.

It felt like this was a different people of mine, a people I didn't know. I thought they would never rise up.

But they did rise up. It was a very powerful feeling. And when I found myself in the crowd of these people the next day — that, of course, was... Well, it was perhaps one of the strongest feelings I've ever experienced in my life."

Alexievich admits that at the time she felt hope for quick changes, but now calls it "naive."

"Now it's clear what romantics we were," the writer sadly states.

About the urgent departure

After the start of repressions against the Coordination Council, the writer faced the threat of arrest. To protect the Nobel laureate, foreign diplomats organized round-the-clock duty in her apartment. Alexievich recalls those anxious days:

"Members of the Coordination Council began to be arrested one by one, and people started knocking on my door. Diplomats learned about this. During the day, about 20 of them would come to me, and at night, they took turns with their wives keeping watch at my place.

This lasted two weeks, and it became clear that I needed to leave. The German ambassador sent his deputy, Anna Lüther, with me. I think it was only thanks to her that we managed to cross the border, because they held us for about an hour and didn't return my passport. (...) I thought I would return soon. I didn't think I would be away for so long."

"I believe that today we need to revise the idea of heroism"

Answering a question about her attitude towards heroism, Alexievich expressed the opinion that modern society requires a change in approach to this concept. She cited the example of political prisoners who refuse to write petitions for pardon for the sake of principles:

"I believe that today it's time to revise this idea. At least in the form in which it exists in our culture. (...)

Many of our political prisoners who are in jails must sign a petition for pardon. They refuse to do this, believing exactly... being trapped in that idea of heroism that we have always had.

But I believe that life is above this. Above this piece of paper, above a petition to the dictator. You need to stay alive, to return to your children, to return to your beloved women. (...)

I don't want to take away the symbolism from those people who are called heroes. But a country that needs heroes is an unhappy country. I want them to be heroes, but alive."

About Mikalai Statkevich's act and new heroes

The writer also commented on the uncompromising stance of political prisoner Mikalai Statkevich. She respects his choice but does not hide her concern for his fate:

"This is his act, this is his view of life. This is his form of resistance. And I do not venture to condemn him. He is a strong, beautiful person, I know him. But I would like him to be alive. Because this, as we call it, 'Navalny complex' — a person literally goes to his death... I would like him to be alive. But that is his choice."

According to Alexievich, modern society today needs a different type of courage — intellectual:

"Today, we need thinking, contemplating heroes more, heroes who offer new ideas, a new understanding of what has happened to us. Today, it is precisely this that is needed — courage of thought."

About the new book and the fate of unfinished works

Currently, the writer is working on a book dedicated to the transformation of Belarusian society after 2020:

"These are stories about how Belarusians are becoming Belarusians. How their language returns to them, how the feeling of their nationality returns. Overall, a reflection on revolution. Maybe we loved revolutions too much... too much. And they do not always justify hopes, because of the blood... (I am not a proponent of revolutions now, not a proponent of blood.)

And generally, a reflection on the lives of modern young people who came out then, what they wanted, how they wanted it, and what they are disappointed with today."

Alexievich also mentioned that before her departure from Belarus, she had two more large-scale projects in the works — one about love and one about old age. However, the events of recent years changed her creative plans. While the book about death and old age will likely be finished, the fate of the book about love remains uncertain:

"But now I don't know. Something is difficult with love. It turned out to be such an inexplicable topic that I doubt I will write this book. But about old age, about this time that medicine has given us, and we don't know what to do with it — about this, I think, I will write."

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