Introdution

It’s obvious that the history of Trostenets, Blagovshchina, and Shashkovka represents one of the darkest and most tragic chapters in the history of Belarus during the Nazi occupation in World War II. These places are the unforgotten symbols of the horrors and atrocities committed during the Holocaust, they can be regarded as a grim reminder of human cruelty and the devastating impact of genocide.

I should mention that Trostenets was one of the largest extermination camps in the Nazi-occupied Soviet Union. It was located near Minsk (at present it is a part of the city). The camp appeared in autumn in 1941, and very soon it became a site of mass executions and unimaginable suffering. The camp was a central point in the Nazi plan for the «Final Solution», where tens of thousands of Jews, Soviet POWs, partisans, and other «undesirable» individuals were systematically murdered. Trostenets is a symbol of the ruthless efficiency of the Nazi and it is a symbol of the immense human loss it caused.

We should mention Blagovshchina and Shashkovka, as well. They were execution sites associated with Trostenets, where mass shootings and other forms of executions took place. These areas witnessed the humanless killing of thousands, their bodies buried in mass graves, often without any identification or proper burial rites. The violence and dehumanization that happened there are typical of the widespread atrocities committed by the Nazi regime all over occupied territories.

The theme of Trostenets and its associated sites, Blagovshchina and Shashkovka, remains highly relevant today for several reasons:

1. Preservation of Memory: Understanding and remembering the atrocities committed at these sites is crucial for honoring the victims and ensuring that such events are not forgotten. This helps to foster a culture of remembrance and respect for human rights.
2. Educational Value: Studying these sites provides valuable lessons on the dangers of hatred, prejudice, and intolerance. It serves as a powerful reminder of the consequences of xenophobia, which can still be found in our society.
3. Preventing Future Atrocities: If people are aware about the history of Trostenets and similar sites, they can better understand the mechanisms of genocide and work towards preventing future atrocities. This knowledge is essential for promoting peace, tolerance, and human dignity.
4. Historical Context: The history of Trostenets is part of the broader narrative of World War II and the Holocaust. Understanding this context helps to comprehend the complexities of the war and the impact it had on various communities.
5. Moral Responsibility: There is a moral obligation to remember and educate future generations about the horrors of the Holocaust. This responsibility extends to ensuring that the lessons learned are applied to contemporary issues and conflicts.
6. Global Relevance: The Holocaust was not an isolated event; it had global implications. Studying Trostenets and similar sites helps to understand the interconnections of historical events and their impact on the world today.

In essence, the study of Trostenets, Blagovshchina, and Shashkovka is not just about the past; it is about understanding the present and shaping a better future

The goal : to investigate the historical importance of Trostenets, its role during Nazi occupation and its impact on contemporary memory and commemoration practices.

The aims :

— to study the reasons behind the creation of Trostenets, its strategic importance, and the timeline of its development.

— to collect data on the various groups of people who were deported to and perished at Trostenets, including Jews, Soviet POWs, partisans, and others.

— to study the efforts to memorialize Trostenets immediately after the war, including the erection of monuments and the establishment of memorial sites.

— to analyze the current state of the Trostenets memorial complex, its design, and its role in public memory.

— to conduct a survey among my classmates to assess their awareness about the place where we live

— to create educational materials to enhance knowledge about this significant place and support teaching about Trostenets

The Object of the Research is the Trostenets extermination camp located near Minsk, and its contemporary memorial complex.

The Subject of the Research includes the historical events related to the operation of the Trostenets camp, the process of its memorialization, and its role in preserving historical memory about the tragedies of World War II and the Holocaust.

Expected Results : we sincerely hope that this work — the research on Trostenets — is not only academically valuable but also contributes to the ongoing efforts to remember and educate. We believe that today it’s vital to highlight the significance of preserving the memory of the victims of Trostenets and emphasize the importance of memorial sites and educational programs in ensuring that future generations remember and learn from these tragic events

The Trostenets Memorial Complex is important for preserving the memory of Holocaust victims, studying history, and educating future generations. It is part of Belarus cultural heritage and it encourages reflection on peace and tolerance. Understanding the events that took place at Trostenets provides insight into the impact of World War II on Belarus and the intertwined histories of various ethnic and national groups. The site serves as a somber reminder of the necessity of protecting human rights and fighting against hate. It emphasizes the importance of vigilance in preventing similar atrocities in the future.

Overall, Trostenets symbolizes the need to confront and remember the dark chapters of history in order to foster a more inclusive and compassionate society.

Part I: Interpreting the past

The history of Trostenets, Blagovshchina and Shashkovka represents one of the darkest and most tragic chapters in the history of Belarus during the Nazi occupation in World War II. These sites collectively embody the horrors and atrocities committed during the Holocaust, serving as a grim reminder of human cruelty and the devastating impact of genocide.

«Trostenets» is a Nazi death camp in the vicinity of the former village of Maly Trostenets, now the city of Minsk, the largest place of mass extermination of civilians in the territory of occupied Belarus, as well as participants in the anti-fascist underground struggle and partisan movement, prisoners of the Minsk ghetto, Soviet prisoners of war and the Jewish population deported from Austria, Germany, and the Czech Republic in the period from 1941 to 1944.

This camp is one of the largest «death factories» in the occupied territory of Europe. In terms of the number of victims, the Minsk «Trostenets» is among the eight most famous places of mass extermination of people during World War II. The official figure of people killed was made public by the State Extraordinary Commission for the Investigation of Nazi Atrocities in Belarus on August 14, 1944 — it was 206,500 people. In 2021, the Prosecutor General's Office of the Republic of Belarus opened a criminal case on the fact of genocide of the population of Belarus during the Great Patriotic War, as a result of which, based on archival data, it was established that more than 546 thousand people died in the Trostenets death camp.

We live in such a tragically famous place and it’s quite obvious we should know its historical significance and we should realize the necessity to remember these somber events. I decided to conduct a survey to know if my peers realize where they live and if they understand historical and cultural importance of this place. My classmates were offered to answer ten questions (Supplement 1).

The result was a bit surprising. I was sure that the students know about the fact that Trostenets was home to one of the largest death camps during World War II (95 %) and that Trostenets hosts annual commemorative events in honor of the victims of the Holocaust (91 %).

About half of the students have visited at least two memorial complexes. And about half of them believe that events in Blagovshchina are often forgotten in everyday history.

47 % of the students are sure that memorial complexes should be visited by young people. At the same time the youth don’t know much about famous personalities associated with the memorial in Trostenets and young people don’t associate the memorial complexes in Blagovshchina and Trostenets with specific historical events — these places are not so well-known as Trostenets. And almost half of them often or sometimes have participated in events dedicated to the memory of the victims of the war. (Supplement 2)

Taking into account these results I have come to conclusion — it’s vital to highlight the significance of preserving the memory of the victims of Trostenets and emphasize the importance of memorial sites and educational programs in ensuring that future generations remember and learn from these tragic events. So I have decided to work out a guide with all necessary information about this tragic place and with the help of guide to hold an excursion or even a tour “Memorial complexes: Trostenets, Blagovschina, Shashkovka” (Supplement 3).

Part II. From an unknown settlement to a tragically world-famous place

The tragic events near Trostenets began in 1941, when the Blagovshchina tract, located on the 11th km of the Mogilev highway, one and a half kilometers from the village of Maly Trostenets, was chosen by the Nazis as a place for the extermination of people. Beginning on November 10, 1941, trains with citizens of Jewish nationality from Germany, the Czech Republic and Austria began arriving in Minsk. By the end of November, only 7 trains with a total of about 7 thousand people had been accepted. Since the spring of 1942, the tract became the central place of mass executions. Transports from Europe resumed.

To filter the arrivals, a «reception point» was organized at the 9th kilometer of the Mogilev highway. The deportees' valuables were registered and copies of receipts for their storage were issued. From here, people were transported to Blagovshchina, methodically shot, the corpses were rammed into pits and buried. The largest number of those killed simultaneously during the 4-day operation in July 1942 was 18 thousand Belarusian and foreign Jews.

In the fall of 1943, half a kilometer from the village of Maly Trostenets, work began on the construction of a furnace for burning the bodies of executed people. It was a hole dug in the ground with a sloping approach to it. At the bottom of the pit, six rails 10 meters long were laid parallel, and an iron grate was placed on top of the rails. The place where the stove was located was surrounded by barbed wire and guarded. A special descent for cars was made to the furnace. Victims were delivered either in covered trucks specially equipped for killing people with gas, or in open cars with trailers. The furnace operated daily.

The oven was working daily. Local residents saw cars going towards the furnace. These were covered trucks specially equipped for killing people with gas, the so-called «slaughterhouses». Sometimes people were delivered in open cars with trailers.

In August 1942, trains with European Jews approached Trostenets at a distance of 1.5–2 kilometers: a small station was specially built for this purpose. Until the end of autumn 1942, transports arrived twice a week, each with about a thousand people. 20–80 people were selected to work in the SS estate in Trostenets and the Minsk ghetto, the rest were methodically exterminated.

The pogroms in the Minsk ghetto continued until the autumn of 1943 until the complete extermination of all prisoners. With the beginning of the offensive operation of the Red Army in the period from October 1943 to March 1944, the Nazis carried out work to systematically destroy traces of crimes: the forces of the created team "1005" from among the SD employees, as well as police officers, excavated and burned about 125 thousand corpses of people.

At the beginning of 1944, a major operation of mass extermination of people was carried out in Blagovshchina: in March, the remains of 15 thousand civilians from some regions of Russia, driven away by the occupiers during their retreat from previously occupied territories of the USSR, were buried here.

The scale of the tragedy in Blagovshchina was announced in August 1944 after the liberation of Minsk from the Nazis: in 34 pit graves up to 50 meters long and up to 3 meters deep, the charred remains and ashes of about 150 thousand people were discovered.

The actual labor camp for the needs of the subsidiary farm of the Minsk Security Police in the vicinity of the village of Maly Trostenets was created in early 1942 on the right bank of the mill pond on the Trostyanka River on the lands of the former Karl Marx state farm. Previously, this place was occupied by the manor house of the landowner Yurlov with a garden and a mill. The manor house housed a warehouse and a bomb shelter for the camp administration. The house for the commandant was built by prisoners of war, as was the alley of poplars from the Mogilev highway.

In 2014–2015, during the construction of the first stage of the memorial complex, archaeologists excavated numerous camp buildings from the occupation era — the foundations of barracks, warehouses, a sawmill, a flower greenhouse, a water tower that was used as a medical facility, and others.

After the shootings in Blagovshchina ceased and work began on exhuming corpses in the fall of 1943, a primitive cremation oven was built half a kilometer from the village in the Shashkovka tract. It was a fenced-in 3-meter pit with six 10-meter rails and a grate at the bottom. The ashes were taken to nearby fields as fertilizer.

By May 1942, the Nazis had created a large food production facility and a network of workshops on the estate. The camp also cleaned the gas vans (the exhaust pipes of the vans were routed into a sealed cargo compartment where people were located, the exhaust gases entered the back and people died from suffocation) and sorted the property of the murdered victims. The number of prisoners in the period 1942–1944 ranged from 200 to 900 people.

Trostenets

Trostenets was one of the largest extermination camps in the Nazi-occupied Soviet Union, located near Minsk. Established in 1941, it became a site of mass executions and unimaginable suffering. The camp was a central point in the Nazi plan for the «Final Solution», where tens of thousands of Jews, Soviet POWs, partisans, and other «undesirable» individuals were systematically murdered. Trostenets is a symbol of the ruthless efficiency of the Nazi extermination machine and the immense human loss it caused [2, с. 11].

Trostenets became the largest place of mass destruction of people in Belarus during the Great Patriotic War. In terms of the number of victims, it ranks fourth after such infamous Nazi death camps in Europe as Auschwitz, Majdanek and Treblinka. Soviet prisoners of war, Jews of Belarus and Western European states, underground workers and partisans, residents of Minsk who were arrested as hostages died here. According to official data, 206.5 thousand people died here. Sometimes another figure is voiced — 546 thousand...

The name «Trostenets» unites several places of mass destruction of people: Blagoveshchyna tract — a place of mass shootings; camp — near the village of Maly Trostenets, 10 km from Minsk along the Mogilev highway; Shashkovka tract — a place of mass burning of people. The total territory of the complex is 112 hectares: a death camp near the village of Maly Trostenets and the Shashkovka tract (60ha), a place of executions and burial of prisoners in the forest in the Blagoveshchyna tract (52ha)

«The Road of Memory», an alley along which the memory of those who died during the Great Patriotic War in death camps on the territory of Belarus is immortalized on granite slabs. The granite strata really resemble the raised layers of the earth — the Belarusian land, where every square meter of it was watered with the blood of victims of Nazism. The road is paved with gray tiles interspersed with black. The architects put a characteristic meaning into this: the black tile symbolizes the traces of prisoners.

The memory Lane leads to the main square of the memorial complex, where an impressive 10-meter sculpture in bronze «Gates of Memory» stands, symbolizing all the horror that the prisoners of the camp had to experience. In the first part of the complex «Camp Trostenets», directly on the territory of the death camp itself, on the basis of archaeological surveys, the places of the main structures are marked, memorial signs are installed. In 2015, the memorial composition «Gates of Memory» was inaugurated here.

Of the thousands of people who passed through the camp only a few managed to escape. Nowadays we know the names of Begun Georgy Zakharovich, Cantor Grigory (Girsh) Mendelevich, Savinskaya Stepanida Ivanovna. From the memoirs of Stepanida Savinskaya: «We got out of the car on command from the Germans and also climbed on top of the laid corpses, and they started shooting us. I fell and was slightly wounded in the head. I continued to lie on the corpses until late in the evening. That day, the German katys brought two more cars with women to the barn, who were shot before my eyes. There were also children from 3 to 10 years old. In the evening, having doused the wood with gasoline, the Germans set fire to the barn on the side where the shot women and children were lying, and they themselves retreated. I decided — why should I burn alive and began to get out... " [1]

From the memoirs of a former prisoner of the Trostenets concentration camp, Czech Jew Hanush Muntz: «We were led to a table 40 meters from the wagon. The SS men asked everyone about our profession. I said I was a mechanic, although I wasn't one. Then they took everything we had: gold, jewelry, watches, pens, even wedding rings. Then the people were ordered to get into covered vans»... [1, с. 13]

Munts was left on the platform. He and about 20 other people. The rest — about 980 people — were taken away somewhere in covered cars. According to his recollections, these cars were very cramped. People were forced to squat and take others on their knees.

People had receipts in their hands that their luggage left on the platform would be brought later. Then the vans were closed and the cars drove away... And the luggage was taken to the camp. It was then sorted, sorted and guarded by prisoners.

«I couldn't see when a new train arrived. We noticed when trucks full of suitcases arrived at the barn and we had to open them and sort the contents»...

From the testimony of former prisoner of the Trostenets camp, witness I. Grunberg, January 4, 1962, recorded in Vienna.

«The luggage arrived at the barracks and the things were sorted. The jewelry was immediately taken by Obersturmführer Madecker, and the rest of the things were sent to the warehouse. Every Friday there was a market: peasants came and brought food. They were exchanged for the clothes of the liquidated. Of course, only the SD received the food. Gruppenführer Eiche was in charge of this matter.

Meanwhile, the owners of these things were shot in the thousands in the Blagovshchina tract. This is a forest several kilometers from the village on the other side of the Mogilev highway. Trains arrived once or even twice a week. That is why the reports of German officers about the work in Blagovshchina sound mundane: they dug ditches, transport arrived, dug again, brought in more Jews…

In the memoirs of Alfred Seiler, deported along with his parents and sister on the first transport from Vienna (the whole family managed to survive and escape at the end of June 1944):

As you see, Trostenets goes beyond the borders of Belarus. The complex occupies an important place in the international memory of the Holocaust, attracting the attention of both local citizens and foreigners interested in the history of this tragedy. Educational programs and events aimed at raising awareness about the Holocaust and its consequences are held here. These initiatives help the younger generation to understand how important it is to protect peace and to resist all forms of hatred and intolerance. The Trostenets Memorial Complex is a place that reminds us how important it is to preserve the memory of tragic events of the past. This is not just a monument, but a living history lesson for all of us.

The chronology of the development of the Trostenets Memorial Complex

23.09.1956. Resolution No. 720 of the Council of Ministers of the BSSR «On approval of design assignments for the construction in the Minsk region of monuments to soldiers of the Soviet Army, partisans and civilians who died during the Great Patriotic War» was adopted (Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Byelorussian SSR N. Avkhimovich, the monument was designed by Belgosproekt, author architect Kadjar). As a result, a number of memorial monuments and signs were created in practice: in the 1960s, at a distance from the actual places of destruction and the camp itself, an obelisk with an eternal flame was erected in the village of Bolshoy Trostenets in memory of the victims of the death camp.

On May 22, 2002, the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus adopted a Resolution on the creation of the Trostenets Memorial Complex.

In 2014 on the instructions of the President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, in accordance with the approved concept, the construction of the Trostenets Memorial Complex began. The first step was the Ceremony of laying a memorial capsule with an appeal to descendants at the construction site of the Trostenets Memorial Complex.

June 22, 2015 — opening of the first launch complex (project manager, architect of the Minskproekt UP A. A. Aksenova) and the memorial sculpture “Gates of Memory” (sculptor K. Kostyuchenko).

June 25, 2018 The remains of the murdered prisoners of the death camp, which were found during construction work near 34 pits, were buried in the burial ditch. The remains of 41 people were identified: 24 adults, 5 teenagers and 12 children. The youngest of them was about 4–5 years old.

June 29, 2018 The opening of the second stage of the Trostenets Memorial, located in the Blagovshchina tract, took place with the participation of the Presidents of the Republic of Belarus, Austria, and Germany (the idea for its creation belongs to the architect L. M. Levin).

March 28, 2019 With the participation of the Federal Chancellor of the Republic of Austria Sebastian Kurz, a monument was unveiled in memory of the Austrian citizens who died in Trostenets — the «Array of Names». [3, с. 15]

Blagovshchina

Blagovshchina and Shashkovka were execution sites associated with Trostenets, where mass shootings and other forms of executions took place. These areas witnessed the brutal killing of thousands, their bodies buried in mass graves, often without any identification or proper burial rites. The violence and dehumanization that occurred in Blagovshchina and Shashkovka are representative of the widespread atrocities committed by the Nazi regime across occupied territories.

The Blagovshchina Memorial Complex was opened on June 29, 2018 at the place where mass shootings of peaceful Soviet citizens, as well as Jews deported from various Eastern European countries, took place during World War II. In 2002, a memorial stone was erected here.

Blagovshchina has become a place of death not only for the deported Western European population. Everyone who fell under suspicion of resistance was killed here, everyone who could not get out of prisons on Volodarsky and Kuibyshev streets. The State Emergency Commission has determined the number of possible victims of the tract at 150,000 people.

About 50 thousand people passed through the furnace in Shashkovka: underground fighters, partisans, civilians from Minsk and nearby settlements, captured as hostages during retaliatory operations, and others.

A creative group led by Leonid Levin and Minskproekt worked together on the appearance of the Blagovshchina memorial complex. Slabs of polished stone mark the places where the bodies of the executed were found. The composition also includes columns resembling a burnt pillar. They mark the boundaries of the area where the massacres were carried out.

Laid with concrete slabs, the «last way» begins with a platform with benches under the sun, symbolizing the peaceful expectation of a new life for prisoners brought from Europe. The road leads to the field where the dead were buried, through the Square of Life (white circle), concrete structures resembling wagons — the personification of those in which prisoners were transported for many kilometers to their deaths, the zigzag square of Paradox and the Square of Death (black circle).

Next to the cemetery itself, yellow plaques with the names of the dead are tied on tree trunks. This is how their relatives, who came here from Europe at different times, perpetuated their memory. Now, a granite stele with information about Blagovshchina is installed at the entrance, and mass graves are marked with granite slabs and a crushed stone.

Nowadays the Blagovshchina memorial complex serves as a place for studying the history of the Second World War, conducting sightseeing events, lectures and discussions that contribute not only to the preservation of memory, but also to the development of public consciousness. [4, с. 16]

Shashkovka

In the fall of 1943, half a kilometer from the village of Maly Trostenets, work began on the construction of a furnace for burning the bodies of executed people. It was a hole dug in the ground with a sloping approach to it. At the bottom of the pit, six rails 10 meters long were laid parallel, and an iron grate was placed on top of the rails. The place where the stove was located was surrounded by barbed wire and guarded. A special descent for cars was made to the furnace. Victims were delivered either in covered trucks specially equipped for killing people with gas, or in open cars with trailers. The furnace operated daily.

The oven was working daily. Local residents saw cars going towards the furnace. These were covered trucks specially equipped for killing people with gas, the so-called «slaughterhouses». Sometimes people were delivered in open cars with trailers. (Supplement 3)

Conclusion

Trostenets goes beyond the borders of Belarus. The complex occupies an important place in the international memory of the Holocaust, attracting the attention of both local citizens and foreigners interested in the history of this tragedy. Educational programs and events aimed at raising awareness about the Holocaust and its consequences are held here. These initiatives help the younger generation to understand how important it is to protect peace and to resist all forms of hatred and intolerance. The Trostenets Memorial Complex is a place that reminds us how important it is to preserve the memory of tragic events of the past. This is not just a monument, but a living history lesson for all of us.

The Trostenets Memorial Complex is part of Belarusian cultural heritage and it encourages reflection on peace and tolerance. Understanding the events that took place at Trostenets provides insight into impact of World War II on Belarus and the intertwined histories of various ethnic and national groups. The site serves as a somber reminder of the necessity of protecting human rights against hatred. It emphasizes the importance of vigilance in preventing similar antrocities in the future.

Overall, Trostenets symbolizes the need to confront and remember the dark chapters of history in order to foster a more inclusive and compassionate society in future.

Supplement 1

Questionnaire

1. Did you know that Trostenets was home to one of the largest death camps during World War II?

a) Yes

b) No

c) I didn't think about it

2. Did you know that Trostenets hosts annual commemorative events in honor of the victims of the Holocaust?

a) Yes

b) No

3. Have you heard that Shashkovka has become a place of mass graves of victims of repression?

a) Yes

b) No

4. Have you visited the Trostenets, Blagovshchyna or Shashkovka memorial complexes?

a) All of them

b) Two of them are

c) One of them is

d) None of them

5. Do you agree that events in Blagovshchyna are often forgotten in everyday history?

a) Yes

b) Rather yes than no

c) Rather no than yes

d) No

6. Do you think that memorial complexes should be visited by young people?

a) Yes

b) Rather yes than no

c) Rather no than yes

d) No

7. Did local residents participate in the creation of the memorial in Blagovshchyna?

a) Yes

b) Rather yes than no

c) Rather no than yes

d) No

8. Did you know about any famous personalities associated with the memorial in Trostenets?

a) Yes

b) No

c) I didn't think about it

9. Do you associate the memorial complexes in Blagovshchyna and Trostenets with specific historical events?

a) Yes

b) Rather yes than no

c) Rather no than yes

d) No

10. Have you participated in events dedicated to the memory of the victims of the war?

a) Always

b) Often

c) Sometimes

d) Never

Supplement 2

Results of Questionnaire

Supplement 3

The Guide:

The Memorial Complex of Trostenets, Blagovshchina and Shashkovka

References:

1. Геноцид белорусского народа = Genocide of the Belarusian people: информационно-аналитические материалы и документы / Генеральная прокуратура Республики Беларусь; под общей редакцией А. И. Шведа. — Минск: Беларусь, 2022. — 175 с.: ил.
2. Яцкевіч Н. А. Трасцянец. Трагедыя народаў Еўропы / Белорусская энциклопедия имени Петруся Бровки. — Минск: Беларусь, 2018. — 128 с.
3. Final Solution. — Текст: электронный // Wikipedia: [сайт]. — URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Final_Solutiion.
4. Maly Trostenets. — Текст: электронный // Wikipedia: [сайт]. — URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maly_Trostenets.