Minsk Woman Bought an Apartment in a Writers' House, Renovated It, and Now Hosts Literary Meetings There
In the second half of the last century, incredible things happened in this house at Karl Marx Street, 36: a walk beneath the windows of its apartments was often accompanied by the rhythmic clatter of typewriter keys. Any passerby could hear Shamyakin, Maur, or Melezh at work.
This five-story building is a place where Belarusian writers lived and their works were born. In some apartments, families of famous authors are still registered, but Viktoria Klyavko is one of the newcomers. Her story itself resembles a book narrative, which began with the unplanned purchase of a two-room apartment. The 60s interior was recreated there, and now literary meetings are held there. One thing remains unclear — who chose whom: the apartment chose Vika or she chose it? The result of all coincidences is that within these walls, the girl completed her first novel, "Vyray" (translated as "Southern Birds' Flight"), for which a production is being prepared at the Kupala National Academic Theatre, writes Realt.by.
How Did the Writers' House Appear in Minsk?
When it comes to a Stalinka (Stalin-era apartment building), you primarily think about its main advantages: high ceilings, thick walls, and interesting locations. But sometimes their value soars because of the people who, only in these rooms, could forget about their professions and be like everyone else - simple husbands, wives, fathers. True legends lived in the five-story building at Karl Marx Street, 36. There were more writers and other cultural figures here than apartments: some left, and others moved into their place.
Tatiana Shamyakina, daughter of the classicist, recalled that Vladimir Karatkevich moved into Yan Skrygan's three-room apartment on the fifth floor, Vyacheslav Adamchik into Yanka Bryl's apartment, Vyacheslav Ragoysha's family into Kastus Kireyenka's apartment; Ivan Hramovich's housing went to Ryhor Semashkevich and his wife Natasha - Yanka Bryl's daughter and an editor at the "Literature and Art" publishing house. For some time, Ivan Shamyakin and Ivan Melezh lived on the same landing, and Pyatro Hlebka, Ivan Navumenka, Vasil Vitka, Pilip Pestrak, and Nil Hilevich also received their coveted square meters here.
The first apartment in the building went to Yanka Maur. He chose it himself. One of the founders of Belarusian children's literature was also the initiator of the construction of this five-story building, designed by Avel Bregman. The Literary Fund financed two entrances from its own money, while the third was paid for by the Minsk City Council. The location was chosen not by chance. In the middle of the last century, near the building of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Belarus (today - the Administration), stood a two-story building housing the Writers' Union. Therefore, it was a stone's throw for the authors to get to work. The construction of the Stalinka took two years. 32 apartments were completed in 1953 for the November 7 holiday.
Famous writers worked on their creations in their apartments too. According to anecdotes, a walk near this house was often accompanied by the sound of typewriters.
Which commercial premise would best fit into a writers' house? Of course, a bookstore. Only it used to be called "Politkniga" (Political Book), and now it's "Belkniga" (Belarusian Book). Local residents also came in to browse new manuscripts. Back then, few recognized the classics by face, which led to interesting situations.
— Melezh's daughter recalled that her father could take a book and, standing in the store, start reading it. He would get so engrossed that he would forget about his daughter and other people. The saleswomen, of course, didn't like this. After half an hour, they would interrupt him, hinting that it was time to buy the book, — Vika recounts. — In the secondhand book section of this store, copies from Karatkevich's personal library were displayed. The writer sold them when he was short on money. Even decades after his death, books with his signature could still be found on the shelves for a small price.
Today, most Minsk residents know this building because the entrance to the 'Kupalaŭskaya' metro station is on the first floor. For this purpose, the five-story building had to be slightly rebuilt in 1990.
The Story of How Vika and Her Husband Pretended to Be Buyers Just to See a Stalinka
Vika has no relation to the families of the classics, but she knows a lot about their years here. A few years ago, she and her husband became the owners of a two-room apartment. The girl laughs that they still don't understand how it happened.
— When I hint to my husband about a bouquet of flowers, he reminds me that he gave me a Stalinka — the best gift for all holidays.
The girl doesn't argue, because after such a purchase, her life changed dramatically. Several of her creations appeared within these walls, including the novel "Vyray," but more on that later.
— I always say that the apartment chose me. My husband is an expert in new buildings, modern courtyards, but I always liked Stalinkas. At that time, we lived in a typical panel building. I had never been in historical Minsk apartments. Stucco, creaky parquet, a grandma-neighbor, and chestnuts outside the window — that was my image of Stalinkas. In August 2021, I shared my small dream on social media: to get into such an apartment to breathe the air of antiquity. My realtor subscriber wrote that a private sale of a Stalinka was happening in the center of Minsk. He invited me for a small tour. It would be a shame not to take advantage, so I suggested to my husband that he accompany me as a potential buyer. Although even then it seemed strange, as buying real estate was not in our plans, — the girl recalls with a smile.
Vika admits that she knew nothing about the history of the house. They arrived at the designated courtyard and waited for their turn to view. Already in the apartment, they were met by an intelligent man. Word for word, it turns out that the two-room apartment belongs to his mother-in-law Natalya Semashkevich — the wife of poet Ryhor Semashkevich and daughter of Yanka Bryl.
— I remember I liked the smell of the apartment so much: a soft sweet aroma. The rooms were filled with sunlight. Everything was exactly as I had visualized: chestnuts outside the window, and a grandma living next door. After hearing stories that Maur, Bryl, Krapiva used to gather around the kitchen table here, the value of the apartment in my eyes instantly increased tenfold.
At that time, Vika had just sold a successful handmade rug business to fully immerse herself in writing.
— The fact that I accidentally found myself in such a wonderful place felt like a sign of destiny.
However, potential buyers with money in hand had already been found. They were supposed to come right after the couple. But the sellers changed their decision when they heard that Vika was an aspiring writer and preparing to enroll in the Gorky Literary Institute.
— For them, this apartment was a valuable place where they had lived their happiest moments — from celebrating weddings to the birth of children. The apartment had been vacant for about 8 years. It seemed that money didn't play a primary role for the family. The two-room apartment was even listed below market price. It was important for them to find good hands for it, — the girl says. — So we — people who didn't plan to buy real estate — decided on an adventure in half an hour. My husband didn't even need convincing. We needed time to collect the necessary sum — we sold our one-room apartment, which we rented out, and borrowed the remaining amount from our parents. Natalya Ivanovna's family also needed time to gather and move their belongings. That's where we agreed.
They Made a (Non-)Ideal Renovation to Preserve the Spirit of Writing
Vika notes that their 85-square-meter apartment is considered modest. In the neighboring entrance, there are options starting from 100 meters. Offices are also designed there.
— The goal of the renovation was to recreate the atmosphere in which the Belarusian elite lived. The two-room apartment had to be slightly reconfigured in the corridor area. It was angular and long. Because of this, the space lacked natural light. We combined the corridor with the kitchen, and we got a spacious hall that is lit from two sides.
They combined the toilet and bathroom in the two-room apartment. The bathroom with a window was decorated in the style of the 60s. Vika even found square tiles similar to those in the building's entrance.
— Of course, I wanted to preserve everything. It felt as if by removing the wallpaper, I was releasing the air that the classics had breathed. I imagined walking on the parquet they had walked on, — the girl shares. — We fought for it until the very end. For a long time, laminate flooring lay on top, which seriously affected the condition of the wood. So we simply bought the same parquet and laid it in the rooms exactly as it was. But for the corridor and kitchen, we chose tiles.
In the process of renovation, under layers of wallpaper, the couple found a drawing of a butterfly — "a symbol of rebirth." Such finds instantly became signs that motivated them even more.
Years had turned the layers of wallpaper into cardboard, hiding yellowish walls underneath.
— I walked around hardware stores with a piece of the wall, looking for the same shade, — Vika laughs. The girl wanted to give full freedom to the cracks that had been hidden for many years on the ceiling under drywall. Such requests greatly surprised the construction team. — They almost made me sign a disclaimer, saying that there would be no claims later. In addition, we had a master who was known for his perfectionism in working with walls. I, however, asked him for the opposite, even for cracks. He was under such stress: he didn't sleep, constantly re-asked me if I was sure, insisted on leveling. After some time, I got what I wanted. I recorded a voice message that started with the words: 'Andrei, the cracks have appeared.' He stopped the recording after that and couldn't listen to it for several days. He was worried that everything would have to be redone, but I was praising his work there. Every time I see a new crack, I walk around satisfied, because the apartment is alive.
The second room was designated as a bedroom. Wall panels with a wood pattern give the space a solid feel. The family doesn't live here, but Vika occasionally stays overnight.
Furniture and decor filled the rooms over time. Authentic items and, of course, books were sought for here. Previously, every apartment in this house had its own library. Authors competed kindly among themselves. Viktoria dedicated an entire wall in the living room to bookshelves. It turned out that in the past, they were in the same place. Works were brought here by guests, family friends, but Vika calls the books donated by Natalya Ivanovna the most valuable copies. One of them is a collection by her husband. The book had remained in the apartment the whole time. The woman wanted it to stay there. The former owner was in the apartment only once after the sale, but hasn't yet seen the results of the redesign. Vika is still shy to invite her, worried if she will like it. They agreed that our interview would be the starting point.
Opposite the library stood an old piano — a gift from pianist Alexander Orlovich.
— There are also things from my family here. For example, my grandmother's tea set. It stood behind glass all its life, waiting for a holiday that would never come. A couple of months before my grandmother's death, I asked her to take it out. We finally drank tea from it. Now I constantly return to her when I use it.
The Story of How Vika Brought Literature Back to This Apartment
— One day, I came across an article by a journalist who wrote that literature in this house had fallen by the wayside. Her words deeply touched me, because over the years, there truly were fewer writers here. Even during my first acquaintance with this apartment, I had ideas about holding thematic meetings and book club gatherings here. We immediately prepared it for it to someday become a living museum of this house.
Vika approached the naming seriously, but couldn't find anything better than the already existing name of the house — "MonaLIT." Its meaning fits perfectly: the former residents of this Stalinka truly laid a strong foundation for Belarusian literature.
Within the walls of her apartment, Vika not only nurtured a community project but also transformed a 16-page short story into a full-fledged novel. Her work won the "LitUP" competition, after which the "Mastatskaya Litaratura" (Art Literature) publishing house offered to publish the complete novel.
— When I came to the publishing house to sign the contract, I learned that Natalya Ivanovna used to work there. At that moment, I even sat at her former workplace. I considered this also a peculiar sign of fate.
Vika was passionate about literature since childhood. Her mother had to send her daughter outside so she wouldn't ruin her eyesight. As a teenager, she wrote daily notes about her life, kept diaries, and, like many, dreamed of creating something of her own. She linked her profession to language studies, and then completely immersed herself in family, motherhood, and her first business. Everything changed drastically just before buying the Stalinka. Vika wrote a few pages of a story that circulated among friends and acquaintances. Their support helped her believe in herself and motivated her to enroll in the Gorky Literary Institute, where Karatkevich and Adamchik studied. This year, the girl is submitting her diploma, and around the same time, her third child is due to be born.
— My teacher once said: "the harder a writer's life is, the better their texts." And it's true. As adults, we look at our childhood differently. Mine wasn't bad. No, it was classic, with parents divorcing and reconciling. Adult problems were obvious, no matter how hard they tried to hide them. In difficult situations, people behave differently: some are mobilized, some are paralyzed. I always retreated into my own world, where I created a safe reality. Fantasy came to the rescue. I tried to express my feelings and emotions in drawing, knitting, but it worked best in text.
The theme of the novel "Vyray" is connected to a great loss in Vika's family — the loss of grandmothers. They were the threads that connected all relatives.
— In one year, I stopped being a granddaughter. At that moment, I came face to face with the terrible fact that only my parents stood between me and the edge. And who will tell the stories that our loved ones take with them? The main characters of my novel are composite images: there's something of me and my parents. My work brought my mother to tears. My father kept his lips pressed together at the presentation, — Vika recalls her parents' reaction. — My sister was also shocked, but she said something funny then: "I thought you were normal, but look how you see everything."
Not long ago, Vika managed to find and buy the village house where her mother and grandmother grew up.
— "Never again" — that's a very powerful flavor enhancer. Loved ones are gone, but what they touched still exists. If it weren't for this house, we wouldn't have a reason to go to the village, somewhere to gather as a large family. It is the foundation of traditions. Essentially, my family's "monolith."
Last year, Vika's novel was presented in a staged reading format at the Kupala National Academic Theatre, which is a significant event in itself. Her "Vyray" is also being adapted into a full-fledged play, on which she is actively working with the director.
Readers are picking up the last copies of the third edition of her novel. Soon, the young writer plans to release another manuscript about intergenerational relationships among women in a family.
Our conversation was listened to by nine Belarusian classics. Their portraits on yellowed paper were found in a secondhand bookstore. Tank, Bykau, Shamyakin, Melezh, Kuzma Chorny with painted horns. It's interesting what they would say about "Vyray"?
— Oh, it's hard to say. I think Ivan Melezh would understand me. His works also have many deep monologues. Karatkevich, perhaps, wouldn't appreciate it, although he was a romantic. I don't know, I hope they would be happy.
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