During the years of the Great Patriotic War, 12,000 people were mobilized from the Ulytau and Zhezdy military commissariats. Of these, 3,071 did not return: 1,466 soldiers were killed in action, and 1,605 were reported missing.
Of the 12 Heroes of the Soviet Union from the former Zhezkazgan Region, four were conscripted from the territory of the Zhezkazgan area: Anatoly Pavlovich Zhivov, Arkady Ivanovich Zenkovsky, Fyodor Yakovlevich Ivanishko, and Nikolai Illarionovich Kolbasov.
From the territory of the former Zhezkazgan Region, six individuals were awarded the title of Full Cavalier of the Order of Glory. Of these, two were mobilized from the Zhezkazgan area: Viktor Konstantinovich Kuryatov and Zhaksynbek Tleuovich Unchibaev.
Home-front workers ensured the uninterrupted supply of food to the army and civilian population, and of raw materials to industry. At the very beginning of the war, the Zhezkazgan mine was assigned the task of doubling copper production. The conversion of industry to wartime conditions enabled the Karsakpay Copper Smelting Plant to significantly increase the output of blister copper.
Every fourth bullet delivered to the front was cast from Zhezkazgan copper. Women and children took up positions at factories and plants. Within a year of the outbreak of the war, they accounted for approximately one third of the workforce at the Karsakpay Copper Smelting Plant. Together with adolescents, they mastered complex equipment, contributing to increased production. During the war years, Zhezkazgan miners were awarded the Red Banner of the State Defense Committee 16 consecutive times.
In just two years of war, the workers of Zhezkazgan collected more than 21 million rubles for the Defense Fund. The collectives of the Karsakpay Copper Smelting Plant and the Zhezkazgan Mine appealed to all workers of the republic’s non-ferrous metallurgy industry to finance the construction of the tank column «Metallurgist of Kazakhstan» from their own resources.
Workers of the Zhezkazgan district also raised substantial funds for the construction of aircraft named «Miner of Zhezkazgan» and «Chekist of Zhezkazgan», as well as tank columns «Komsomolets of the Zhezkazgan Combine» and «Pioneer of Kazakhstan». Money, clothing, footwear, and food were transferred to relief funds for the families of фронt-line soldiers and disabled veterans, as well as for gifts to fellow countrymen serving at the front.
The museum’s collections contain 164 sets of personal materials belonging to participants of the Great Patriotic War from our region, assembled since the founding of the museum.
1. Kappas Ismagulovich Aliakparov (1918–2001)
Holder of the Order of the Patriotic War, 1st Class, the Order of Zhukov, the Order of the Partisan of the Great Patriotic War, as well as several combat medals.
2. Yesimseit Beisembayev (1909-1984)
Veteran of the Great Patriotic War, holder of the Order of Alexander Nevsky.
3. Baubek Bulkyshev (1916-1944)
Veteran of the Great Patriotic War. Participated in the defense of Moscow and the liberation of Ukraine. In 1939, he worked as a literary contributor at the newspaper Leninshil Zhas (now Zhas Alash) and as head of a department at Kazakhstan Pioneri (now Ulan).
4. Bektay Ashirbekovich Absattarov (1923-2002)
Holder of the Orders of the Patriotic War, 1st and 2nd Class; the Order of Glory, 3rd Class; twice awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor; and the medals «For the Capture of Warsaw», «For the Victory over Germany», and «For the Capture of Berlin».
5. Mukan Temirgalievich Balapanov (1924-2020)
Holder of the Order of the Patriotic War, 1st Class; the medals «For Courage» and «For the Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945», as well as numerous jubilee medals.
6. Mukhamediya Mazbekov (1910-1998)
Holder of the Order of Glory, 3rd Class; the medal «For the Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945», and several jubilee medals.
7. Tusip Ershmanov (1909-1991)
Holder of the Order of Glory, 3rd Class; the medals «For the Defense of the Caucasus», «For the Capture of Vienna», «For the Liberation of Budapest», and «For the Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945».
8. Kozganbay Kiyakbaevich Abiev (1922-1999)
Twice awarded the Order of the Red Star; holder of the Orders of the Patriotic War, 1st and 2nd Class, the Order of the Badge of Honor, and the Order of Parasat; as well as the medals «For the Victory over Germany», «For the Victory over Japan», and «For the Capture of Königsberg».
9. Myrzaghali Baibosynov (1916-2005)
Holder of the Order of the Patriotic War, 1st Class; the Order of Zhukov; the medal «For the Capture of Vienna», and several jubilee medals.
10. Shakhmurat Ashirbekov (1922-2018)
Holder of the Orders of the Patriotic War and the Red Star; the medals «For Courage», «For the Liberation of Warsaw», and jubilee medals.
11. Kerimbay Kopbayev (1922-1979)
Holder of the Order of Glory, 3rd Class; the medals «For the Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945», «For the Capture of Königsberg», as well as several jubilee medals and letters of gratitude.
12. Nurym Zhakybekov (1915-1995)
Holder of the Order of Glory and the Order of the Patriotic War, 2nd Class; the medals «For the Liberation of Warsaw», «For the Capture of Berlin», «For the Victory over Germany», and «For Courage».
13. Mukatay Zhetpisbayev (1898-1982)
Veteran of the Great Patriotic War; holder of the medal «For the Defense of Leningrad» and several jubilee medals.
14. Seitkali Tokebaev (1916-1989)
Holder of the Orders of the Red Star, the Red Banner, and the Order of the Patriotic War, 1st Class; the medals «For the Capture of Königsberg», «For the Patriotic War», and several jubilee medals.
15. Auezkhan Musabayev (1924-2001)
Holder of the medals «For the Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War of 1941 -1945», «30 Years of the Soviet Army and Navy», as well as several jubilee medals and letters of gratitude.
16. Kalken Makenbayuly Makenbayev (1924-2010)
Recipient of the Order of the Patriotic War, 1st Class, the «Otan» Order of the Republic of Kazakhstan, as well as several combat and commemorative medals.
17. Iskak Anarkulov
Stakhanovite, head of Mine No. 11.
18. Ormanbek Aitenov
Miner.
19. Zeinulla Bibolatov
Miner.
20. Kaden Imanbayeva
Mine shotfirer.
