Press releases

Partisan Chronicles: Parade of Liberators

MINSK, 2 July (BelTA) - On 3 July 1944 the troops of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Byelorussian Fronts burst into Minsk. By the end of the day, the capital of the BSSR was completely liberated from the German invaders. With the liberation of Minsk, the first phase of the Operation Bagration was over. Half-ruined but free, the city was in for great demining effort…

Retreating German troops mined buildings, streets, and houses. Minsk racecourse was among the strategic assets that needed to be demined as soon as possible. The racecourse hosted the first victorious event - a parade of Belarusian partisans featuring more than 30,000 national avengers.

The final page in the joint project of BelTA and the Belarusian State Museum of the Great Patriotic War History is dedicated to the parade of liberators, the first one during the Great Patriotic War, and to the overall and complete victory over the enemy which back in 1944 was yet to come.

The project is based on a unique collection of handwritten partisan journals provided by the Belarusian State Museum of the Great Patriotic War History. The collection was assigned the status of historical and cultural value of international importance (Class 1).

Every week BelTA brought these chronicles to light and posted their digital copies. Each of them shed light on various aspects of partisans’ life, gave a glimpse into thoughts and feelings of people who risked their lives to fight a battle behind enemy lines.

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