Ho Duc Viet, the pride of his hometown.
Born and raised in a family with a strong tradition of scholarship, patriotism, and revolution, Comrade Ho Duc Viet – former member of the Politburo and former Head of the Central Party Organization Department – was deeply imbued with the fine traditions of his family, homeland, and lineage from a young age. Not only was he renowned for his academic excellence, a fact that the Nghe An Provincial Department of Education and Training once launched in a campaign to "compete in learning, catch up with, and surpass Ho Duc Viet," but he also contributed to bringing glory to his homeland of Nghe An, a land of scholarly achievements for generations.
(Baonghean)Born and raised in a family with a strong tradition of scholarship, patriotism, and revolution, Comrade Ho Duc Viet – former member of the Politburo and former Head of the Central Party Organization Department – was deeply imbued with the fine traditions of his family, homeland, and lineage from a young age. Not only was he renowned for his academic excellence, a fact that the Nghe An Provincial Department of Education and Training once launched in a campaign to "compete in learning, catch up with, and surpass Ho Duc Viet," but he also contributed to bringing glory to his homeland of Nghe An, a land of scholarly achievements for generations.
Comrade Ho Duc Viet was born on August 13, 1947, into a family of three brothers known for their studiousness and patriotism in his hometown of Quynh Doi village (Quynh Luu district). His family has had four consecutive generations of members who bravely sacrificed themselves for the Fatherland and their homeland.
First, there was Mr. Ho Ba On – formerly the Chief Justice of Nam Dinh Citadel. When the French attacked and occupied the North for the second time, he bravely commanded the soldiers to defend the citadel and was severely wounded. After recovering in his hometown for a short time, he passed away in 1883. Later, Mr. Ho Ba Kien – Mr. Ho Ba On's eldest son – while engaged in revolutionary activities, founded the Duy Tan Society and the Quang Phuc Society. He was also arrested by the French colonialists and exiled to many prisons, but remained steadfast and unwavering, leading his fellow prisoners to rise up in rebellion against the prison guards. As a result, in 1915, he also sacrificed his life while fighting against the French colonialists.
For the third consecutive generation in the family, a member sacrificed their life for the Fatherland: Mr. Ho Tung Mau – the son of Mr. Ho Ba Kien. He was a patriotic intellectual who participated in revolutionary activities alongside Nguyen Ai Quoc (Ho Chi Minh), and was considered a close friend and comrade of President Ho Chi Minh. After years of immense dedication to the nation, in 1951, while traveling from the Viet Bac War Zone to Vinh City, he was killed by enemy bombs and bullets.
Following in the tradition of his ancestors, Mr. Ho My Xuyen – the only son of Mr. Ho Tung Mau and the father of Comrade Ho Duc Viet – actively participated in revolutionary activities from the age of 16. In 1948, during a mission in Yen Bai, he bravely sacrificed his life when his youngest son, Ho Duc Viet, was only one year old. Speaking about Comrade Ho Duc Viet, Mr. Phan Huu Thinh - a senior specialist at the Central Propaganda Department - commented: “Ho Duc Viet was born into a very rare family in our country with four generations continuously sacrificing for the Fatherland. He is the fifth-generation descendant of this family. Growing up in such a family, Ho Duc Viet continued the tradition of his family and hometown, Quynh village – a culturally rich village in Nghe An province and famous throughout the country. With his intelligence, Ho Duc Viet possessed all the qualities and fine traditions of his family and lineage, becoming a very good student with extensive knowledge in many fields!”
The scholarly tradition and the sacrifices for the Fatherland of previous generations were the cradle that nurtured the soul, character, and determination to create Ho Duc Viet, a source of pride for his hometown of Nghe An. In his childhood, Comrade Ho Duc Viet was told stories of his ancestors by his grandmother and mother, which contributed to shaping his character, his drive, and his spirit of sacrifice.
Having spent his primary and secondary school years in his village, Ho Duc Viet was among the first students of the former Quynh Luu High School, now Quynh Luu 1 High School. During his time at the school, he diligently studied and trained, achieving high academic results.
In particular, during that period, the Department of Education and Training of Nghe An province launched the emulation movement "Learning, catching up with, and surpassing Ho Duc Viet" among all students at all levels throughout the province. This movement created a vibrant emulation movement in learning and training, and instilled a sense of pride in the people of Quynh village, especially the generations of students who followed Comrade Ho Duc Viet.
Comrade Ho Duc Viet presents a savings passbook to war invalid Ho Xuan Hoa, Quynh Hoa commune, Quynh Luu district. Photo: Sy Minh
Ms. Ho Thi Thuy, former principal of Ho Tung Mau Secondary School, was two years younger than Mr. Ho Duc Viet. According to her, from the moment she entered the school, she saw slogans encouraging learning, like those of Ho Duc Viet, displayed in all the classrooms. Ms. Thuy said: “That slogan made us students, who were also from Quynh village at the time, feel very proud. We always strived to study hard to follow his example. Because Mr. Ho Duc Viet was a good student, eager to learn, persistent in his studies, always creative, and always willing to help his friends, he was loved by his teachers and classmates!”
Later, after participating in social activities and being entrusted with many important responsibilities by the Party and the State, Comrade Ho Duc Viet always strived to excellently fulfill his duties, earning the trust and admiration of the people and his comrades. Regardless of his position, he always upheld the qualities of a son raised in his homeland, upholding the revolutionary traditions of his family and lineage, and always paying special attention to his hometown, especially to developing and building the local education promotion movement. Every year, during holidays or when visiting his hometown, he always takes the time to chat with and meet the teachers and students of Ho Tung Mau Primary and Secondary School to reminisce with the students about the traditions of their homeland, thereby launching a learning emulation movement among them...
A lifetime dedicated to the nation and its people, tirelessly striving and bringing honor to his family and homeland – these are the most beautiful words that every citizen of Nghe An province cherishes for Comrade Ho Duc Viet!
Le Nhung (Quynh Luu Radio Station)
