The New Year's celebration "Partisan Christmas Tree" was held in Vitebsk
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«Partisan Christmas Tree»» - a holiday with this name has been held by the Vitebsk Museum of Minay Shmyrev for 5 years in a row on the eve of the New Year.It all started with veterans of the partisan movement gathering at the museum, talking about their combat days. They recalled how holidays were celebrated on the front lines. Including New Year's. How Christmas trees in partisan detachments were decorated with shell casings and cartridge belts.
Today, unfortunately, there are fewer and fewer veterans. However, the tradition of holding a
«partisan Christmas tree» has taken root. Every year, new original pages appear in it. For example, in 2014, during the holiday, the exhibition «The First World War - 100 Years» opened at the museum. It featured posters and caricatures from a century ago. Photographs of soldiers and officers who heroically defended Smorgon. Uniforms and personal belongings of soldiers of the Russian Imperial Army, the armies of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Japan.In addition, according to Denis Yakovlev, the chief curator of the museum's collections, the theme of the First World War is connected both with the Shmyrev Museum and with interesting New Year's stories:
- During the First World War, there was an incident when soldiers from France and England on one side, and Germany on the other, agreed to a truce to celebrate Christmas in peace, quiet, and tranquility. A film has even been made about this. Besides, the legendary partisan commander Minay Filippovich Shmyrev also fought on the fronts of the First World War.
All museum guests on this day were introduced to the history of the New Year tree. They recalled what kind of toys it was decorated with: from the 16th century to the present day. And the toys for
“New Year Tree of the Future” visitors could craft with their own hands. For them, Ded Moroz held interesting contests and quizzes. With surprises and gifts. And the guys from the military-historical reconstruction club “Comrades in Arms” showed an excellent staged battle - exactly like in the Great Patriotic War times. Spectators, chilled by the frost, could warm up with hot tea or a portion of soldier's porridge.Sergey GOLESNIK, photos by the author