Vasily Nikolaevich Zaitsev
To be fair, it should be noted that among the first officials in the district-city administration were also some energetic administrators, widely knowledgeable, with diverse interests, such as Russian officers M.E. Ionov, B.L. Grombchevsky, and V.N. Zaitsev. To a reasonable extent and within their capabilities, they showed concern for the improvement of the city, especially its new part. And what is extremely important, they worked to maintain a stable situation in Pamir-Alai, to protect the Kyrgyz and Tajik populations from the intrigues of the English agency, and to eliminate external threats from the Kashgar and Afghan authorities and their soldiers.
Such was Vasily Nikolaevich Zaitsev (1851-1931), a native of Perm. Since the 1870s, the life of this military man has been directly linked to Central Asia and Kyrgyzstan: first with the 2nd, and then with the 4th Turkestan linear battalion, of which he was the author of its history in 1882. In the same year, he was also tasked with "the management and improvement of the city of Osh."
As a district chief, well acquainted with the nature and population of the mountainous region, V.N. Zaitsev actively assisted numerous expeditions and campaigns in Pamir-Alai. In 1893, while being the head of the Pamir detachment, he published a historical and geographical essay titled "The Pamir Country - the Center of Turkestan." He then returned to Osh as the district chief. He spent another twelve years establishing a system of governance, communication, transportation, as well as school education and medical services for the residents of the city and district. In 1906, upon retiring, he engaged in scientific and public activities. V.N. Zaitsev returned to service after October 1917, and in 1924, he retired from the ranks of the Red Army at the age of 73. He left a good memory of himself among the local population of our region. He had many friends here who invited him to visit in 1928, promising to set up a yurt on the jailoo, transport it as desired, and provide food and drink, just to get him to come!..
Military-People's Administration in Osh