Minsk during the Great Patriotic War vs today (40 photos)

Invite you once again to go on a virtual tour in the terrible years of the Great Patriotic War, which claimed so many innocent lives. This time we go to the city of Minsk. During the war, its battered no less other cities martyrs. The city center was later built up the post-war Stalinist architecture. So sit back and get ready for the full atmospheric immersion.

See also: Brest Fortress during the Great Patriotic War and now the picture Valentine Volkov "Minsk July 3, 1944". Lenin Street. Only the tower of the Catholic Cathedral of Our Lady allow bind this place. The ruins of the picture completely correspond to old photographs. Valentin Volkov, who survived the occupation in Minsk, began to paint in 1945 and finished it in 1955.





Eighth day of the war. German troops enter the city on the street Bogdanovich. At the same time, far to the west continues to fight Brest Fortress. Due to errors in the management of the main forces of the Western Front were surrounded and were cut off from Minsk. Cover the remaining four infantry divisions Minsk held out against the Army Group "Center" for three days.



The Germans enter the city.



German infantry goes on Lenin Square (now pl.Nezavisimosti) by the Government House, built in 1934 by architect Langbard. Despite the fact that the city was largely destroyed by bombing, the building was able to resist. During the retreat in 1944, the Germans had mined the building, but in time came to the rescue units of Soviet sappers managed to prevent the erosion.



German T-3 on Lenin Square (now. Independence). The State Emblem veiled cloth with symbols SS.



Officers House, built in 1939. The building was badly damaged during the war, but was rebuilt.



Anti-aircraft gun Nazis on Lenin Square (now. Independence).



German soldiers on Lenin Street. The street was completely destroyed, leaving only the Cathedral of the Virgin Mary (or rather, restored) tower which allow to snap some photos of the area.



Heinrich Himmler at the Opera and Ballet Theatre. On the same day the animal to participate in other fun activities - visit the POW camp and the execution of 200 prisoners of the Minsk ghetto.



Academy of Sciences.



Destruction at Freedom Square.



The unfinished building of the Communist Party of Belarus Nazis took under his Generalkomissariat. Now here is the residence of the President.



SvyatoDuhov Cathedral



Independence Square. At the site of the State Emblem of the Nazis during the occupation established their swastika. Monument to Lenin dropped from the pedestal.



Liberty Square. Left Gauleiter Wilhelm Kube, a boar in the center - Brigadenfuhrer SS Carl Zenner. For each number of thousands of civilians killed. September 22, 1943 guerrillas led to the execution of the death sentence - Cuba was blown up in his own bed. Well Zenner ended his days in prison in 1969.



Lenin Square (pl. Of Independence). Dropped from the pedestal monument to Lenin was cut and taken to the smelter in Germany. Pedestal remained intact. After the liberation of Minsk in Leningrad was cast a replica of the monument and hoisted into place on May 1, 1945.



Liberty Square. The boys have dropped from the pedestal of Lenin.



Yanka Kupala theater, which in 1943-1944 was about Belarusian Central Rada, the body is completely controlled by the German administration.



Palace of Pioneers.



Karl Marx street, 37



Collaborators at the House of officers. Preparation motion collaborators for Belarus gilerovskaya Germany is still before the war, when there was created the so-called Belarusian government. Together with the German troops in Minsk was involved and "fifth column" of immigrants and captured soldiers of the Polish Army of Belarusian origin. Later, the formation of collaborators used to fight the guerrillas.



Kolaboratsionistov rally at Freedom Square.



Kolaboratsionistov rally. White-red-white flag after the collapse of the Soviet Union, some time was the national flag of the Republic of Belarus. However, the Belarusian people did not accept this flag because of its connection with the servants of the Nazi occupiers, and as a result of the referendum flag was replaced. Now this flag is used by the opposition.



Liberty Square. Kolaboratsionistov rally. The sign reads "Gitler Asvabadzitel»



Parade collaborators at the Independence Square. At the same time on the territory of Minsk true patriots created the underground groups that perform different tasks of rescue prisoners from camps and communication with the guerrillas, to collect intelligence and carry out sabotage against the Nazis. Many underground were captured executioners.



Alexander Square in front of the House Officers. Executed by the Nazis woman. During the occupation killed 70 thousand residents of Minsk.



Independence Square. German parade before the new Gauleiter Kurt Gottberg appointed instead executed by partisans in Cuba. This, too, will end badly - samoubetsya in British captivity.



Area Myasnikov.



Destruction Street Lenin. Only the curve of the street and landscape of the photo can be imposed - the whole post-war buildings.



German graves at the Academy of Sciences.



Academy of Sciences.



T-34 on Lenin Square (pl.Nezavisimosti). On the morning of July 3, 1944 during "Operation Bagration" Soviet troops quickly broke into the city in the evening completely freeing him from the Nazis.



T-34 at the crossroads of Kuibyshev Street and Yanka Kupala. Because of the foliage is almost invisible theater building.



National Academic Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theatre of the Republic of Belarus.



Crossroads of Independence Avenue and Lenin Street.



Independence Avenue, 39. I'm still not entirely sure that this is the house. The building was not finished before the war.



House officers. Lamprey administrative buildings of Minsk were mined by the Germans retreating.



Lenin Square (Independence). T-34 fighters on the armor at the Government House.



Lenin Square (Independence). Girls-partisan Government House. The partisan movement in Belarus was of national character. More than 440 thousand people fought as a partisan in the territory of Belarus. July 16, 1944 in liberated Minsk the partisan parade, which was attended by more than 30 thousand people. The parade was held at the racecourse Defused away from the main streets of the city, so the surviving photographs to tie this place is not possible.



Victory. When I made this series of photographs at the Government House to me (after the second frame) guards approached and asked why and I rented here. I explained and showed that as a result I get. In response, the head of the guard shook my hand: "Take off, the guy doing the right thing." Our people.



Source: sergey-larenkov.livejournal.com