Fiction — The Book Roads

Red Crosses

Sasha Filipenko

Red Crosses tells the story of two people whose lives are shaped by tragedy, memory, and the lasting consequences of political repression. Alexander, a young man devastated by personal loss, moves to Minsk hoping to withdraw from the world. His plans change when he meets his elderly neighbour, Tatiana Alexeyevna, a woman in her nineties whose memory is gradually disappearing because of Alzheimer’s disease. To help herself navigate their apartment building, she marks doors with red crosses. Despite her fading memory, Tatiana vividly recalls the horrors of twentieth-century Soviet history. She tells Alexander about her work during the Second World War, her husband’s capture by enemy forces, and her subsequent arrest and imprisonment in a labour camp under Stalin’s regime. As her story unfolds, Alexander becomes increasingly invested in preserving her memories before they disappear. Through their unlikely friendship, Filipenko explores the relationship between personal grief and collective history. The novel examines political persecution, historical amnesia, and the importance of bearing witness to the past, suggesting that remembering those who suffered is an essential act of resistance.

Belarus 2021