Press releases

Exhibition about Trostenets death camp opens in Gomel

Trostenets. Photo from the archive

MINSK, 3 April (BelTA) - The Belarus-German traveling exhibition "Trostenets Death Camp. History and Memory" dedicated to the history of one of Europe’s  largest death camps opens in the Francysk Skaryna Gomel State University on 3 April, BelTA learned.

The exposition located in the exhibition hall of the university, presents the archival documents, personal stories and recollections of the prisoners of the Trostenets death camp set up by the Nazis in Belarus in 1942. “The camp existed until July 1944. The name ‘Trostenets’ unites several places of mass extermination of people. It includes Blagovshchina forest, a place of mass executions, the camp near the village Maly Trostenets, and Shashkovka forest, a cremation ground. "Trostenets is the fourth largest death camp in Europe following Auschwitz, Majdanek and Treblinka," said the organizers.

Along with historical facts, the exhibition raises the theme of the development of a culture of memory about the tragedy and Nazi terror in Belarus and the countries of Europe during the Second World War.

The opening ceremony will be attended by representatives of the authorities, teachers, historians, students. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Germany to Belarus Peter Dettmar will deliver welcoming remarks.

The event has been organized by the Dortmund International Educational Center, the German Embassy in Belarus, the Johannes Rau International Center for Education and Exchange (IBB Minsk), Francysk Skaryna Gomel State University, Leonid Levin history workshop, Foundation Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe.

The traveling exhibition “Trostenets Death Camp. History and Memory” has already seen by residents of the cities of Belarus and Germany. The exhibition is the result of an international dialogue between historians of Germany, Belarus and the Czech Republic.

print version

make home page

add to bookmarks