Events dedicated to the 78th anniversary of the liberation of the region from Nazi invaders were held in Liozno
On October 10, 1943, the valiant troops of the 3rd Belorussian Front, having defeated an elite group of Hitlerites, liberated the first district center of the Vitebsk region – the urban settlement of Liozno. Today, on the eve of the liberation day, festive and commemorative events were held in the Liozno district, which recalled the events of the Great Patriotic War and the heroes who gave their lives for our freedom. One of the most significant events was the solemn reburial of the remains of six Red Army soldiers, discovered by the 52nd Separate Specialized Search Battalion near the village of Rublevo. Unfortunately, it was not possible to establish the surnames of the fallen.
The remains of six unknown heroes now rest at the military burial site in the village of Star, next to other defenders of the Liozno land.
– Over a thousand soldiers who died during the liberation of the district during the Great Patriotic War are buried here. Among those who rest in this cemetery is the full Cavalier of the Order of Glory, Petenin Mitrofan Trafimovich, – noted Olga Samushchenko, director of the Liozno Military History Museum.
The solemn reburial was attended by Vladimir Terentyev, Chairman of the Regional Council of Deputies, district leadership, public organizations, representatives of law enforcement agencies, a military unit, and residents of the Liozno region.
– The 78th anniversary of the liberation of the Liozno district from the Nazi invaders is a date that is both festive and sorrowful. On the one hand, we rejoice in the victory and thank the war veterans for our freedom and independence; on the other hand, this event is overshadowed by the price paid by the Red Army soldiers for the peaceful sky above our heads, as thousands died defending Liozno region. Unfortunately, we do not know the names of six Soviet soldiers, but we can assume that among them may be representatives of different peoples of a multinational country. Today they will find peace in this beautiful and quiet place, – said Vladimir Terentyev. – It is important for us and for the youth that thanks to the work of search parties and the actions of the 52nd Separate Specialized Search Battalion, unknown soldiers are found and their names are identified and inscribed on plaques and obelisks, as many families have been waiting for news from their fathers, grandfathers, and great-grandfathers for decades to pay them tribute and know that their loved ones have found peace.
And although the events of the Great Patriotic War are receding further and further into the past, such events remind us again of what our land and the people who gave their lives for our peaceful future had to endure.
– Every second resident of the Liozno region did not return from the war; to date, the names of more than 32,000 fallen in 1943-1944 have been identified. However, I am sure that we are not gathered here for the last time, as many soldiers have yet to find their final resting place. – noted the Chairman of the Liozno District Executive Committee, Sergey Zemchenok. – Search operations will continue in the Liozno district, because the war will not end until the last soldier is buried.
Participants of the event honored the memory of the fallen with a moment of silence. Before the burial of six Soviet soldiers, the dean of the Liozno deanery, Father Vyacheslav, conducted a memorial service. After that, wreaths and flowers were laid on the soldiers' graves.
Another significant event of the day was a rally and a ceremony of laying wreaths and flowers at the Central military burial site in Liozno, where over one and a half thousand soldiers are buried. Schoolchildren with portraits of heroes, local organizations, authorities, representatives of law enforcement agencies, a military unit, and residents of the urban settlement came to honor the memory of the fallen.
On behalf of the regional Council of Deputies and the Executive Committee, Gennady Egorov, Deputy Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Organization of the RPO "Belaya Rus", member of the presidium of the regional council of the PO "Belarusian Union of Officers", congratulated those present on the 78th anniversary of the liberation of the Liozno district from the Nazi invaders.
– The pain of war will remain with us forever. There is no family that the war has not touched. My family is from Liozno, my mother buried five brothers during the war, and my father liberated his native land and fought with the help of the BM-13, better known as the "Katyusha," – Gennady Mikhailovich told his fellow countrymen. – Today I walked through my native places and rejoiced that traditions continue to live on, and the Liozno region is being renewed.
In honor of the significant event, a celebration unfolded on the Central Square in Liozno. Everyone could taste field kitchen dishes, enjoy the festive concerts "Belarus is Us!" and "Let's Sing, Friends!", purchase goods at exhibitions and sales, and participate in educational entertainment at thematic sites of the Liozno Regional Department for Emergency Situations, State Automobile Inspectorate, Belarusian Republican Youth Union, local trade union association, and much more.
On October 10, festive and commemorative events will also be held at the Liozno Central District Library, rural organizations, clubs, and houses of culture.