Barys Kit, a member of the International Academy of Astronautics, matematician, chemist, physicist, researcher of liquid hydrogen and developer of a rocket fuel formula, is one of the most famous Belarusians in the world. The scientist, who has been living in exile since 1944 and has US citizenship, has always been proud of his origins.
“I’ve always dreamt of returning home and working for the sake of free Belarus. I belong here: my father is Belarusian; I grew up there. One can progress on condition of being free otherwise one just does something without any progress,” Barys Kit told Belsat TV.
For many years, Barys Kit, a patriot devoted to his homeland, fought for the independence of Belarus. Kit was engaged in teaching activities: he worked at Vilnius Belarusian Lyceum. In 1939 Kit returned to Belarus and became Principal of Navahradak Belarusian High School there and later a superintendent of a large school system district. Hundreds of elementary schools and dozens of high schools were opened in the region within a year due to Kit’s direct participation.
The scientist repeatedly stressed that he had always worked ‘for the people’s sake’ and saved lives during the Nazi occupation.
After the Second World War he moved to the USA. In 1950 he settled in Los Angeles and worked there as a chemist in various companies. In the mid-1950s Kit began his scientific activities in the field of astronautics. For 25 years he worked in the American space research program.
Being in the USA Kit distinguished himself by his philanthropy and active engagement in affairs of the Belarusian diaspora.
Kit has always remained a conscious Belarusian. “He prefers the Belarusian language to all other languages,” German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine writes about the reputed Belarusian researcher.
For the recent years Barys Kit has been living in a senior home in Frankfurt-am-Main. The time capsule of the best space scientists which was immured in the wall of Capitol in Washington, D.C. has his name.
