April 4 in room art database “Vitebsk4Me” held a meeting with the candidate of historical sciences Anatoly Trahimchikom, author of the book "1939 and Belarus: The Forgotten War", which was published last year, just as sad 75th anniversary of the outbreak of World War.
The first book introduced the publisher Andrew Yanushkevich, who called her "documentary intellectual bestseller last year."
It happens that the official historiography according to ideological assumptions considered the beginning of the war in 1941 and called it the Great Patriotic War. As a result of these beliefs 39th year disappears from our historical discourse. According Yanushkevich, Mr. Anatoly took the honorable mission of restoring genuine bitter events of autumn 1939. And the fact that the book was a success, evidenced by the fact that according to the polls, "Radio Liberty" at the end of last year, she was recognized as the best nonfiction books in 2014. And in February, the author received the prestigious award named Frantisek Bogushevich, which is given for the best historical and documentary work.
Passing the word Anatol Trahimchik, Mr. Andrew made an important point: "To talk about the events of 1939 there is a good reason to ideological: soon will celebrate the seventieth anniversary of the victory, and therefore it should now recall the beginning of the road to victory, remember how the war began."
Next, set the tone Anatol Trohimchik. In particular, he said that in the near future can not be expected deactualization interest in such a significant event, as the Second World War, and not only by historians, but also by the state and society. You can, of course, lunging toward the States interested only in the so-called Great Patriotic War, but, nevertheless, the degree of attention to this war at the state level is insufficient. According to his own observations of the researcher, not only the older generation, but young people do not distinguish from the Second World World. Even part-time students are aware of this little difference.
By itself, the last war raises many questions for the descendants of many nations of Europe, but as far as Belarus, the situation is complicated even more. Therefore, the Second World seen in the book from its beginning September 1, 1939, and in fact from the First World War, as our nation is its roots lie in the results of this war. This geopolitical situation becomes the background against which the local unfolding events, to which attention is narrowed, focuses on relevant topics, aspects that affect Belarus and Belarusians.
Developments in the book presented at several levels: against Belarus as a state as possible and the real country and its people with respect, that is, as people reflected on specific historical events, witnesses and participants in which they have become. Of course, the state – it's worth, but we must be realistic: for us, our lives and the lives of our loved ones are more expensive than the life of the state.
We know that at the end of the First World War on the territory of Belarus claimed as the eastern and western neighbors, but as it turns out – they are not alone. As can be seen from the published maps in the book, on the territory of our country on the world Brest claimed Ukraine and Lithuania. The uncertainty ended in 1921 Riga Treaty, under which departed to Poland is not so big piece – compared with what has departed to Soviet Russia. Belarus also has formed in the entire six district. But, as it became known now in negotiations with the Poles gave the Bolsheviks even Minsk.
Finally unitary Poland received a large chunk of our land, but even deliberate assimilation of ethnic minorities before the war, the Poles were not able to solve the national problem and paid for it in the 39th year.
Many believe that the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact was established that boundary, which later became the German-Soviet demarcation line, but in fact it is not – almost to the border approached Warsaw. At first it was planned to give the Soviet Union more than 60% of pre-war Polish state. And when on September 1, Germany invaded Poland, its leaders believed that the Soviet Union would take surgery to acquire territory allocated to it, but the Council shall refrain from action. This position is due to the belief in the Kremlin permanent character of the socialist revolution, which should happen in the world. Therefore, Stalin thought that it is necessary to embroil the West and Germany, and once they begin to interfere, to deal with the very weak opponents. This position has been in use since the days of Lenin, who, incidentally, is the first to speak about the possibility of the Second World War, when the end of the First World War, the Bolsheviks could not ignite a world revolution.
According to the historian Gribovsky, at the beginning of the war, the Polish army had about 70 thousand Belarusians who, as General Anders showed a high degree of heroism, protecting the Polish state.
It should be the way to say that the first defense of the Brest Fortress considerable part of the garrison consisted of Belarusians, but in 1941 it was the single representative of our people. But not only military Belarusians were participants in the war, it was her party and the civilian population: by German bombing of West Belarusian towns were destroyed hundreds of civilians. But it should be borne in mind that the orientation on the bombing of West Belarusian cities were given from Minsk.
September 17 Tips finally entered the war, keeping his part of the agreement between Molotov and Ribbentrop. The war soon ended. And in 1945, on the Elbe, and in 1939 on the Bug met allies. The meeting, which for a long time it was not accepted to speak. However, in September the 39th it was. To be fair to say that between the Germans and the Bolsheviks were skirmishes: they happened near Lviv, Kamenetz district, Brest region. But these clashes between the military, despite the sacrifices were stopped by politicians.
By the way, Anatol Trohimchik offers considered the beginning of the Second World War is no longer on September 1, when the German-Polish war (because of the war were bilateral in 30 years and before), and on September 3 when Britain and France declared war on Germany. By the way, it should be said that by 1941, Stalin and thought. If you disagree with this date, since even after the declaration of war, no action by the British and French was not conducted, then a date is September 17, when the war entered a third party – the Soviet Union. Which then started the war with Finland and the Baltic countries.
It should be noted that the destruction of the old Soviet-Polish border, fixed on the set, it was only symbolic. Known to all staff were staged, no real destruction has occurred. Border saved. Moreover, it began to protect even stronger than it was in Poland that no Westerners or Easterners without permission could not see how any of them lives.
Says a lot about the fact that in 1941 the Germans have gone the distance to the boundary even faster than in 1939, did the Red Army, which at the time had met resistance from the Poles. And when the population of Western Belarus, which ran from the Germans in the 41 th year, reached the border, the border guards and NKVD troops did not let the people, especially the Jewish population, through the old border.
After the war ended in April Vilnius and the surrounding population is given to Lithuania. Moreover, there is a question about the transfer of Polesie to Ukraine. And, according to Ponomarenko, it was he who defended Polesie, but Lithuania passed another piece of the territory of Belarus.
In connection with the above one may wonder whether it is possible to consider September 17 day of joining the Western Belarus? By and large, the matter of accession was decided only at the Tehran Conference in late 1943, when the fate of Poland, and it assumes, among other lands, Bialystok. That is to say that the accession of Western Belarus to the BSSR in 1939 for the population of these territories bore a lot of uncertainty, which is geographically resolved much later.
After the capture by the Soviets in Western Belarus in the occupied territory flourished anti-Soviet. Of course, she had a Polish ideological basis, and pro-Polish sentiments were strong enough. They bowed and Belarusians, and even the Jews, who are often accused of pro-communist views. And joined the anti-Soviet movement they are because disillusioned with the Soviet authorities. Anti-Soviet manifestations were all sorts: it's military resistance, and this clandestine organization, this passive standoff, when in through the manifestation of his learned from the times of Poland, human qualities, a citizen, it appears, showing the anti-Soviet behavior. For example, a person asks a question: "Why do we have a choice of one man?" And the next day a person.
Many manifestations of Soviet reality perceived as something incredible: so, according to Soviet law to the 12-year-olds used the same laws as to adult citizen. According to conservative estimates, under the Soviets from the territory of Western Belarus were deported 125,000 people. Reprisals were as open plan, and hidden: the local population suffered from discrimination, including on ethnic grounds.
The book tells the dramatic events of the past that the deep past to the Belarusian people. And to this day remember these events. They continue to live in the minds of the people who have kept in mind the stories of their ancestors. Therefore, the book has a certain natural relevance. At this time, broke up about 400 copies, which is a good indicator for any history book.
After the meeting, visitors can buy not only by the author of the book, but also acquire other publications issued by the work of print publishing Andrew Yanushkevich.
S. Horki
