Germany provides financial assistance to participants of the Great Patriotic War from the Vitebsk region

– The world community, including the German side, is unaware of such a category of victims of Nazism as residents of burned Belarusian villages. People who miraculously survived the destruction of their small homeland suffered from Nazism just like other war participants, – said Natalia Kirillova, coordinator of the project of the Public Association "Belarusian Peace Foundation".

The large-scale work on social support for this category of victims of Nazism was launched in October last year. The Belarusian Peace Foundation, together with the National Archives of the Republic of Belarus, as part of the "Meeting Point: Dialogue" program, organized in our country by the international public association "Mutual Understanding", and funded by the German foundation "Remembrance, Responsibility and Future", holds meetings of residents of burned villages with youth, schoolchildren and students, records their memories, organizes round tables and conferences on this topic, as well as visits to memorable places such as the "Khatyn" memorial complex, the Mound of Glory, and others.

– The humanitarian aspect of the project is important – showing attention to the elderly and their needs. We appeal to local authorities for help in solving their everyday problems, and none of the requests have been left unanswered, – emphasized Natalia Viktorovna.

She said that among the first abroad to become interested in the fate of the residents of burned villages were representatives of the organization "KONTAKTE–КОНТАКТЫ", who learned about the project to improve the status of this category of war victims at a conference in Moscow.

The tragedy of Belarusian villages destroyed by fire became a terrible revelation for many; now they consider it their duty to provide moral and material assistance to their surviving residents. In addition to a financial compensation of 300 euros, the surviving villagers received a letter in recognition of responsibility for the crimes of the Nazis during the Great Patriotic War.

Here is an excerpt from a letter signed by Mr. Eberhard Radzuwait, head of the charitable association "KONTAKTE – KONTAKTY": "You have still not heard official words of apology from the German parliament and the government of the FRG for the suffering inflicted upon you during the war years. In the years of occupation, your village met a terrible fate. It was destroyed by the Hitlerites and their accomplices. This was barbaric terror directed against the weak and defenseless civilians: women, the elderly, and children... We bow our heads in memory of your relatives, loved ones, and neighbors who fell victim to this crime. On behalf of many progressive Germans, we ask for your forgiveness..."

Approximately 1400 citizens have already received messages and material assistance, including 900 from Verkhnedvinsk, 79 from Sharkovshchyna, and 436 from Vitebsk districts.

Tatyana Tumanova, Chairperson of the Board of the regional branch of the Belarusian Peace Foundation NGO, noted that compiling lists of surviving residents of burned Belarusian villages, which is being carried out by regional and district branches, is one of the most effective ways to preserve the memory of the tragic events of the Great Patriotic War in society. She thanked the rural executive committees and the Vitebsk district executive committee for this difficult and painstaking work.

– Due to its geographical location, the territory of the Vitebsk district was at the epicenter of terrible military events. Over 6,000 people died in our region, and more than 50 villages were burned down, most of which were never rebuilt. We gladly supported the project of the Belarusian Peace Foundation, – said Ksenia Korobach, Deputy Chairperson of the district executive committee.

The project presentation took place within the framework of the round table "Meeting of Generations," which was held at the Mazolovo House of Culture. Survivors who shared their memories of those terrible events participated in the event. BRSM activists and creative groups of the district presented a musical program.

IMPORTANT

The Department for Archives and Records Management of the Ministry of Justice, the National Archives of the Republic of Belarus, with the support of the Russian Foundation for the Promotion of Actual Historical Research "Historical Memory" within the framework of an internet project, has created an electronic database "Belarusian villages destroyed during the Great Patriotic War 1941-1944".

It contains information about 9093 settlements, burned down completely or partially, with or without inhabitants.

Natalia Kamleva, "Vitebskiye Vesti". Photos from open sources.