▁life ▁ ▁Mar inen ko ▁was ▁born ▁on ▁ 2 5 ▁January ▁ 1 9 2 0 ▁to ▁a ▁Bel or uss ian ▁pe asant ▁family ▁in ▁the ▁small ▁village ▁of ▁Su k ho i ▁Bor ▁in ▁what ▁is ▁now ▁Pol ot sk ▁district , ▁present - day ▁Bel arus . ▁After ▁comple ting ▁secondary ▁school ▁she ▁entered ▁the ▁Pol ot sk ▁Ped agog ical ▁School ▁where ▁she ▁graduated ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 9 , ▁not ▁long ▁before ▁the ▁German ▁invasion ▁of ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union . ▁She ▁worked ▁as ▁a ▁teacher ▁in ▁a ▁secondary ▁school ▁in ▁the ▁village ▁of ▁Z elen ka ▁in ▁Pol ot sk ▁and ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁K oms om ol . ▁ ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁ ▁The ▁school te acher ▁began ▁working ▁as ▁a ▁part isan ▁reconna issance ▁sc out ▁for ▁the ▁NK VD ▁when ▁the ▁Germ ans ▁inv aded ▁and ▁occupied ▁Pol ot sk . ▁Under ▁the ▁pseud onym ▁" В а си лё к " ▁( English : ▁Corn flow er ) ▁she ▁relay ed ▁information ▁about ▁the ▁locations ▁of ▁A xis ▁g arr isons ▁and ▁troops ▁to ▁the ▁Red ▁Army ▁until ▁a ▁tra itor ▁in ▁her ▁unit ▁informed ▁the ▁Germ ans ▁of ▁their ▁activities . ▁Mar inen ko ▁and ▁her ▁ 1 4 - year - old ▁brother , ▁who ▁was ▁also ▁a ▁part isan , ▁were ▁shot ▁by ▁the ▁A xis ▁after ▁three ▁days ▁of ▁inter rog ation ▁and ▁tort ure ▁along ▁with ▁ 2 8 ▁other ▁vill agers ▁who ▁were ▁part