Belarusian resistance during World War II: Difference between revisions - Wikipedia


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{{Short description|Belarusian combatant organisations opposed to Nazi Germany}}

{{More citations needed|date=December 2022}}

{{See also|Occupation of Belarus by Nazi Germany}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2018}}

{{See also|Occupation of Belarus by Nazi Germany}}

{{Infobox War Faction

{{Battle

|name = Belarusian resistance

| conflict = Belarusian resistance

|war = the [[Second World War]]

| place = German occupied [[Belarus]]

|image = [[File:Soviet guerilla-colored.jpg|250px|border]]

| image = Soviet guerilla-colored.jpg

|caption = Soviet partisans in Belarus, 1943.

| caption = Soviet partisans in Belarus, 1943

|active = 1941–1945

| image_size = 250px

|ideology = ''Various:''<br />[[Anti-fascism]]<br />Primary:

| partof = [[Eastern Front (World War II)]]

* [[Marxism-Leninism]]

| date = [[1941]]—[[1944]]

* [[Stalinism]]

| result = Soviet victory

Secondary:

* Germans retreated from Belarus

*[[Labour Zionism]]

| combatant1 = {{flagdeco|USSR|1936}} [[Soviet Union]]<br>([[Soviet partisans|partisans]])

*[[Bundism]]

-----------------

*[[Belarusian nationalism]]

'''Nationalist underground in [[Western Belarus]]''' {{small|(mostly before 1943)}}:<br>{{flagicon image|Flaga_PPP.svg}} [[Polish Underground State]]<br>{{*}} [[Union of Armed Struggle|UAS]] {{small|(1941—1942)}}<br>{{*}} [[Home Army|Armia Krajowa]] {{small|(1942—1944)}}<br>{{*}} [[National Armed Forces|NAF]] {{small|(1942—1944)}}<br>{{*}} {{flagicon image|Banner of the Farmer Battalions (Stronnictwo Ludowe Roch).svg}} [[Peasant Battalions|Bataliony Chłopskie]]

*[[Polish nationalism]]

---------------------------------------

|leaders =

{{flagicon image|OUN-M-04.svg}} [[Ukrainian People's Revolutionary Army|Polessye Sich]] {{small|(1942—1943)}}<br>{{flagicon image|Flag of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army.svg}} [[Ukrainian Insurgent Army|UPA]] {{small|1942—1943)}}

<small>[[Soviet partisans]]:</small>

--------------------------------------------

* [[Panteleimon Ponomarenko]]

{{flagdeco|Belarus|1991}} [[Belarusian nationalism|Belarusian nationalists]]<br>{{*}} {{Interlanguage link|Belarusian SD|ru|Белорусская самооборона}} {{small|(1941)}}<br>{{*}} {{Interlanguage link|BPPM|ru|Белорусское народное партизанское движение}} {{small|1941—1944}}}

* [[Kirill Mazurov]]

--------------------------------------------

* [[Vasily Korzh]]

* [[PyotrJewish Masherovpartisans]]

<small>[[Bielski partisans]]:</small>

{{*}}[[Bielski partisans]] {{small|(1942-1944)}}<br>{{*}}[[Fareynikte Partizaner Organizatsye]] {{small|(1942-1944)}}

* [[Tuvia Bielski]]

| combatant2 = {{flagdeco|Nazi Germany}} [[Nazi Germany]]<br>'''[[Collaboration with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy|Collaborationist organisations and formations]]:'''<br>{{flagdeco|Belarus|1991}} [[Byelorussian collaboration with Nazi Germany|Belarusian]]<br>{{*}} {{Interlanguage link|Belarusian Council of confidences|ru|Белорусская рада доверия}} {{small|(1943)}}<br>{{*}} [[File:Seal of Belarusian Central Council.svg|13px]] [[Belarusian Central Council]] {{small|(1943—1944)}}<br>{{*}} [[Byelorussian collaboration with Nazi Germany|Belarusian Polizei]]<br>{{*}} {{Interlanguage link|Belarusian People's self-help|ru|Белорусская народная самопомощь}}<br>{{*}} {{Interlanguage link|Belarusian corps of self-defence|ru|Белорусский корпус самообороны}} {{small|(1942—1943)}}<br>{{*}} {{Interlanguage link|Novogrudsk escadron|ru|Новогрудский эскадрон}} {{small|(1943—1944)}}<br> {{*}}[[File:Dirlewanger_Crossed_Grenades_symbol.svg|13px]] [[Dirlewanger Brigade]]<br> {{*}} [[Belarusian Home Defence]] {{small|(1944)}}<br>{{flagdeco|Poland|1928}} [[Collaboration in German-occupied Poland|Polish]]<br>{{*}} [[Blue Police|Polish Polizei]]<br>{{flagdeco|Ukraine}} [[Ukrainian collaboration with Nazi Germany|Ukrainian]]<br>{{*}} [[Ukrainian Auxiliary Police|Ukrainian Polizei]]<br>{{flagdeco|Lithuania}}{{flagdeco|Latvia}}{{flagdeco|Estonia}} {{Interlanguage link|Baltic Collaborations|ru|Прибалтийский коллаборационизм во Второй мировой войне}}<br>{{*}} [[Lithuanian Auxiliary Police|Lithuanian Polizei]]<br>{{*}} [[Latvian Auxiliary Police|Latvian Polizei]]<br>{{*}} [[File:Латиський добровольчий легіон СС.svg|13px]] [[15th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Latvian)]]<br>{{*}} [[Estonian Auxiliary Police|Estonian Polizei]]<br>{{*}} [[File:20th SS Division Logo.svg|13px]] [[3rd Estonian SS Volunteer Brigade]] {{small|(1943—1944)}}<br>{{flagdeco|Russia}} {{Interlanguage link|Russian Collaborants|ru|Русский коллаборационизм во Второй мировой войне}}<br>{{*}} [[Zuyev Republic]]<br>{{*}} {{Interlanguage link|1st Russian National Brigade SS "Druzhina"|ru|1-я русская национальная бригада СС "Дружина"}} {{small|(1941—1943)}}<br>{{*}} [[File:RNNA_emblem.png|13px]] [[Russian National People's Army|RNNA]] {{small|(1942—1943)}}<br>{{*}} [[File:RONA 2 versions.svg|13px]] [[Kaminski Brigade]] {{small|(1943—1944)}}<br>{{*}} {{Interlanguage link|Cossack Stan|ru|Казачий стан}} {{small|(1943—1944)}}<br>{{*}} {{Interlanguage link|Muravyov's Battalion|ru|Батальон Муравьёва}} {{small|(1943—1944)}}

* [[Asael Bielski]]

----------------------------

<small>[[Fareynikte Partizaner Organizatsye]]:</small>

'''Nationalist underground in [[Western Belarus]]''' {{small|(mostly from 1943):}}<br>{{flagicon image|Flaga_PPP.svg}} [[Polish Underground State]]<br>{{*}} [[Home Army|Armia Krajowa]] {{small|(after 1943)}}<br>{{*}} [[National Armed Forces|NAF]] {{small|(after 1943)}}

* [[Abba Kovner]]

--------------

|clans =

{{flagicon image|OUN-M-04.svg}} [[Ukrainian People's Revolutionary Army|Polessye Sich]] {{small|(1941—1942, 1943)}}<br>{{flagicon image|Flag of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army.svg}} [[Ukrainian Insurgent Army|UPA]] {{small|1943—1944)}}

|headquarters =

---------------

|area =

{{flagdeco|Belarus|1991}} [[Belarusian nationalism|Belarusian nationalists]]<br>{{*}} {{Interlanguage link|Belarusian SD|ru|Белорусская самооборона}} {{small|(1941)}}<br>{{*}} {{Interlanguage link|BPPM|ru|Белорусское народное партизанское движение}} {{small|(1941—1944)}}

|size =

| commander1 = {{plainlist|

|partof =

* {{flagdeco|USSR|1936}} [[Kiril Mazurov]]

|predecessor =

* {{flagdeco|USSR|1936}} [[Vasily Kozlov (politician)]]

|successor =

* {{flagdeco|USSR|1936}} {{Interlanguage link|Roman Machulsky|ru|Мачульский, Роман Наумович}}

|allies =

* {{flagdeco|USSR|1936}} {{Interlanguage link|Joseph Belsky|ru|Бельский, Иосиф Александрович}}

[[Allies of World War II|Allies]]

* {{flagdeco|USSR|1936}} [[Kirill Orlovsky]]

* [[Soviet Union]]

* {{flagdeco|USSR|1936}} {{Interlanguage link|Vladimir Lobanok|ru|Лобанок, Владимир Елисеевич}}

|opponents =

* {{flagdeco|USSR|1936}} [[Konstantin Zaslonov]]{{KIA}}

[[Nazi Germany]]

* {{flagdeco|USSR|1936}} {{Interlanguage link|Stanislovas Vaupšas|ru|Ваупшасов, Станислав Алексеевич}}

* [[Reichskommissariat Ostland]]

* {{flagdeco|USSR|1936}} [[Minay Shmyryov]]

* [[Belarusian Central Rada]]

* {{flagdeco|USSR|1936}} {{Interlanguage link|Alexander Dalidovich|ru|Далидович, Александр Иванович}}

|battles =

* {{flagdeco|USSR|1936}} {{Interlanguage link|Fyodor Pavlovsky|ru|Павловский, Фёдор Иллиарионович}}

|status=

* {{flagdeco|USSR|1936}} [[Vasily Korzh]]

* {{flagdeco|USSR|1936}} [[Aleksey Kleshchev]]

* {{flagdeco|USSR|1936}} [[Pyotr Masherov]]

* {{flagdeco|USSR|1936}} {{Interlanguage link|Andreii Volynets|ru|Волынец, Андрей Иванович}}

* {{flagdeco|USSR|1936}} {{Interlanguage link|Boris Bulat|ru|Булат, Борис Адамович}}

* {{flagdeco|USSR|1936}} {{Interlanguage link|Ilya Kozhar|ru|Кожар, Илья Павлович}}

* {{flagdeco|USSR|1936}} [[Sydir Kovpak]]

* {{flagdeco|USSR|1936}} [[Pyotr Vershigora]]

* {{flagdeco|USSR|1936}} [[Alexander Saburov]]

* {{flagdeco|USSR|1936}} [[Oleksiy Fedorov]]

* {{flagdeco|USSR|1936}} [[Vladimir Gil]]{{KIA}} {{small|(from 1943)}}}}

| commander2 = {{plainlist|

* {{flagdeco|Nazi Germany}} [[Wilhelm Kube]]{{KIA}}

* {{flagdeco|Nazi Germany}} [[Curt von Gottberg]]

* {{flagdeco|Nazi Germany}} [[Walter Schimana]]

* {{flagdeco|Nazi Germany}} [[Erich Ehrlinger]]

* {{flagdeco|Nazi Germany}} [[Erich Koch]]

* {{flagdeco|Nazi Germany}} [[Erich von dem Bach-Zelewski]]

* {{flagdeco|Nazi Germany}} [[Hans-Adolf Prützmann]]

* {{flagdeco|Nazi Germany}} [[Oskar Dirlewanger]]

* {{flagdeco|Belarus|1991}} [[Vacłaŭ Ivanoŭski]]{{KIA}}

* {{flagdeco|Belarus|1991}} [[Radasłaŭ Astroŭski]]

* {{flagdeco|Belarus|1991}} {{Interlanguage link|Jury Sobołeŭski|ru|Соболевский, Юрий Александрович}}

* {{flagdeco|Belarus|1991}} [[Ivan Yermachenka]]

* {{flagdeco|Belarus|1991}} [[Francišak Kušal]]

* {{flagdeco|Belarus|1991}} [[Barys Rahula]]

* {{flagicon image|OUN-M-04.svg}} [[Yevhen Pobihushchyi-Ren]]

* {{flagicon image|Flag of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army.svg}} [[Roman Shukhevych]]

* {{flagdeco|Russia}} [[Vladimir Gil]] {{small|(before 1943)}}

* {{flagdeco|Russia}} [[Vladimir Boyarsky]]

* {{flagdeco|Poland|1928}}{{flagdeco|Russia}} [[Bronislav Kaminski]]

* {{flagdeco|Russia}} {{Interlanguage link|Sergey Pavlov (general)|ru|Павлов, Сергей Васильевич}}{{KIA}}

* {{flagdeco|Russia}} {{Interlanguage link|Timofeii Domanov|ru|Доманов, Тимофей Николаевич}}}}

| strength1 = {{flagdeco|USSR|1936}}: 12,000 {{small|(end of 1941)}}<br>374,000 {{small|(1944)}}

| strength2 = ''unknown''

| casualties1 = {{flagdeco|USSR|1936}}: 45,000

| casualties2 = {{flagdeco|Nazi Germany}}: 125,000 servicemen of the occupation troops, collaborators,officials of the occupation administration, armed colonists and collaborators have ben killed <ref name="автоссылка1">{{cite web|url=http://www.mod.mil.by/51partizany.html|title=Министерство обороны РБ - Партизанское движение в Белоруссии}}</ref>

}}

[[Image:Belorussian SSR in 1940 after annexation of eastern Poland.jpg|300px|thumb|Soviet map of the [[Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic|Byelorussian SSR]] made in 1940 after the 1939 [[Soviet invasion of Poland]] (marked in yellow). The size of the map nearly doubled. Soviet historiography states that this map constitutes Belarus during World War II, not [[Kresy|eastern Poland]]. ]]

The '''Belarusian resistance''' during World War II opposed [[Nazi Germany]] from 1941 until 1944. Belarus was one of the Soviet republics occupied during [[Operation Barbarossa]]. The term '''Belarusian partisans''' may refer to Soviet-formed [[irregular military]] groups fighting Germany, but has also been used to refer to the disparate independent groups who also fought as guerrillas at the time, including Jewish groups (such as the [[Bielski partisans]] and [[Fareynikte Partizaner Organizatsye|Fareynikte Partizaner Organisatsye]]), Polish groups (such as the [[Home Army]]), and nationalist Belarusian forces opposed to Germany.

Line 115 ⟶ 150:

The partisan movement was so strong that by 1943–44 there were entire regions in occupied Belarus, where Soviet authority was re-established deep inside the German held territories. There were even partisan [[kolkhoz]]es that were raising crops and livestock to produce food for the partisans.<ref name="belarusguide.com"/> During the battles for liberation of Belarus, partisans were considered the fourth [[Soviet Fronts in World War II|Belarusian front]]. As early as the spring of 1942 the Soviet partisans were able to effectively harass German troops and significantly hamper their operations in the region.

[[File:Партизаны отряда им. Фрунзе слушают по радио сводку Совинформбюро.jpg|thumb|Partisans of the Frunze detachment listening to [[Sovinformburo]] reports on the radio]]

The build-up of the Soviet partisan force in the West Belarus was ordered and implemented during 1943, with nine brigades, 10 detachments and 15 operational groups transferred from the Eastern to Western lands, effectively tripling the Partisan force there (to 36,000 in December 1943). It is estimated that ''c.'' 10,000–12,000 personnel were transferred, and about same number came from the local volunteers. The build-up of the military force was complemented by the ensuing reconstruction of underground Communist Party structures and propaganda activity.<ref name="auto6"/>

The Soviet victory in the [[Battle of Stalingrad]], certain curbing of the terror campaign (actually since December 1942, formally in February 1943) and [[amnesty]] promised to repenting collaborators were a significant factors in the 1943 growth of the Soviet partisan forces. Desertions from the ranks of the German-controlled police and military formations strengthened, with sometimes whole units coming over to Soviet partisan side, including the [[Volga Tatars]] battalion (900 personnel, February 1943), and the Gil-Rodionov's 1st Russian People's brigade of the SS (2,500 personnel, August 1943). Summarily, about 7,000 people of miscellaneous anti-Soviet formations joined the Soviet partisan force, while about 1,900 specialists and commanders were inserted in the Belarusian lands in 1943. However, the local people comprised the core of the personnel influx in the Soviet partisan force.

[[Yitzhak Arad]] was active in the [[Vilna Ghetto]] underground movement from 1942 to 1944. In February 1943, he joined the Belarusian partisans in the Vilna Battalion of the Markov Brigade, a primarily non-Jewish unit in which he had to contend with [[anti-Semitism|antisemitism]].{{citation needed|date=February 2013}} Apart from a foray infiltrating the Vilna Ghetto in April 1943 to meet with underground leader [[Abba Kovner]], he stayed with the partisans until the end of the war, fighting the Germans and their collaborators near [[Lake Narach]].

In the Fall 1943, the partisan force in BSSR totalled about 153,000, and by the end 1943 about 122,000, with about 30,000 put behind the front line in the course of liberation of eastern parts of BSSR (end 1943). The partisan movement was so strong that by 1943–1944 there were entire regions in occupied Belarus, where Soviet authority was re-established deep inside the German held territories. There were even partisan kolkhozes that were raising crops and livestock to produce food for the partisans.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.belarusguide.com/history1/WWII_partisan_resistance_in_Belarus.htm |title=Partisan Resistance in Belarus during World War II |publisher=Belarusguide.com |access-date=September 3, 2012}}</ref>

The [[Bielski partisans]]' activities were aimed at the Nazis and their [[Collaborationism|collaborator]]s, such as Belarusian volunteer policemen or local inhabitants who had betrayed or killed Jews. They also conducted [[sabotage]] missions. The Nazi regime offered a [[Bounty (reward)|reward]] of 100,000 [[Reichsmark]]s for assistance in the capture of Tuvia Bielski, and in 1943, led major clearing operations against all partisan groups in the area. Some of these groups suffered major casualties, but the Bielski partisans fled safely to a more remote part of the forest, and continued to offer protection to the non-combatants among their band.

Line 158 ⟶ 189:

*Raid of [[Sydir Kovpak|Sydor Kowpak]], October 26 – November 29, 1942. Raid in Briańsk forests and Eastern Ukraine.

*[[Battle of Briańsk forests]], May–June 1943. Partisan battle in the Briańsk forests with German punitive expeditions.

*[[Operation Rails War]], August 3 – September 15, 1943. A major operation of partisan formations against the railroad transportation and communications intended to disrupt the German reinforcements and supplies for the [[Battle of Kursk]] and later the [[Battle of Smolensk (1943)|Battle of Smolensk]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Аллея Славы |trans-title=Operation Concert |url=https://glory.rin.ru/cgi-bin/event.pl?act=more&id=32&place=&name=&word=&ids=&start=1&page=3 |titleurl-status=Аллеяlive |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231207182212/https://glory.rin.ru/cgi-bin/event.pl?act=more&id=32&place=&name=&word=&ids=&start=1&page=3 |archive-date=2023-12-07 Славы|website=glory.rin.ru |language=ru}}</ref><ref>http://slonimtown.nm.ru/rels.htm{{Dead link|date=June 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}<nowiki/>{{Dead link|date=July 2024 |fix-attempted=yes |url=}}</ref> It involved concentrated actions by more than 100,000 partisan fighters from Belarus, the [[Leningrad Oblast]], the [[Tver Oblast|Kalinin Oblast]], the [[Smolensk Oblast]], the [[Oryol Oblast]] and Ukraine within an area 1000&nbsp;km along the front and 750&nbsp;km wide. Reportedly, more than 230,000 rails were destroyed, along with many bridges, trains and other railroad infrastructure. The operation seriously incapacitated German logistics and was instrumental in the Soviet victory in Kursk battle.

*[[Soviet Operation Concert|Operation Concert]], September 19 – November 1, 1943. "Concerto"<ref>{{cite web |title=Аллея Славы |trans-title=Operation Concert |url=https://glory.rin.ru/cgi-bin/event.pl?act=more&id=33&place=&name=&word=&ids=&start=1&page=3 |titleurl-status=Аллеяlive |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231207191047/https://glory.rin.ru/cgi-bin/event.pl?act=more&id=33&place=&name=&word=&ids=&start=1&page=3 |archive-date=2023-12-07 Славы|website=glory.rin.ru |language=ru}}</ref><ref>http://slonimtown.nm.ru/konc.htm{{Dead link|date=June 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}<nowiki/>{{Dead link|date=July 2024 |fix-attempted=yes |url=}}</ref> was a major operation of partisan formations against the railroad communications intended to disrupt the German reinforcements and supplies for the [[Battle of the Dnieper]] and on the direction of the Soviet offensive in the Smolensk and [[Homel]] directions. Partisans from Belarus, Karelia, the [[Tver Oblast|Kalinin Oblast]], Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and the [[Crimean Peninsula|Crimea]] participated in the operations. The area of the operation was 900&nbsp;km along the front (excluding Karelia and Crimea) and 400&nbsp;km wide. Despite bad weather that only permitted the airlift of less than a half of the planned supplies, the operation lead to a 35–40% decrease in the railroad capacity in the area of operations. This was critical for the success of Soviet military operations in the autumn of 1943. In Belarus alone the partisans claimed the destruction of more than 90,000 rails along with 1,061 trains, 72 railroad bridges and 58 Axis garrisons. According to the [[Soviet historiography]], Axis losses totaled more than 53,000 soldiers.

*[[Battle of Połock-Lepel]], April 1944. Major battle between Belarusian partisans and German punitive expeditions.

*[[Battle of Borysów-Begoml]], April 22 – May 15, 1944. Major battle between Belarusian partisans and German punitive expeditions.

Line 172 ⟶ 203:

== Jewish forces ==

During the same period, Jewish residents of Belarus also took part in partisan activities. The units, based on family camps, was devised by [[Bielski partisans|Tuvia Bielski]] with his brothers in Western Belarus. Based from the forests near the [[Neman River]], the family units was home to mostly women, children and elderly. The men who were able to carry weapons either guarded the camps or took part in partisan activities. While the main purpose of the camps was to shelter Belarusian Jews and create villages to survive, there were some camps that were set up to militarily combat the occupation government. One group, from 1941 until 1944, attacked or destroyed bridges, factories, railroad tracks and killed police and Nazi officials. The family camps also prevented the deportation of residents to either labour or [[concentration camp]]s.<ref>{{cite web |title=Holocaust in Belorussia [Page 119] |url=https://www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/belarus/bel119.html |titleurl-status=Holocaustlive in|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231110110042/https://www.jewishgen.org/Yizkor/belarus/bel119.html Belorussia|archive-date=2023-11-10 [Page 119]|website=www.jewishgen.org}}</ref>

== Polish forces ==

The [[Polish resistance in World War II|Polish underground]] operated over the whole pre-war territory of Poland, including the [[Polish territories annexed by the Soviet Union]]. As non-communist Poles tended to consider the Soviets as occupiers even after the German invasion of the Soviet Union there was some conflict between Polish and Soviet partisans.{{citation needed|date=December 2012}}

June 22, 1943, Central Committee of the Belarusian Communist Party received orders in Moscow to destroy the Home Army in Belarus. From then, the number of conflicts between Soviet and non-communist Polish partisans intensified. One Polish unit was arrested December 1, 1943, some Polish officers were executed, the commander major Wacław Pełka transported to Moscow.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Zgrupowanie Stołpecko — Nalibockie AK |trans-title=Stołpecko-Nalibockie Home Army Group |url=http://www.iwieniec.plewako.pleu/AK/Iwieniecka%20AK.pdf {{Bare|url-status=live URL|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220328205946/http://www.iwieniec.eu/AK/Iwieniecka%20AK.pdf PDF|archive-date=March 2022-03-28 |website=www.iwieniec.plewako.pl |language=pl}}</ref>

== Resistance fighters ==