На русском языке:
Выборочная память. Как в Беларуси разрушаются памятники жертвам войны
На беларускай мове:
Выбарачная памяць. Як у Беларусі руйнуюцца помнікі ахвярам вайны
Speaking on March 22, 2021 in Khatyn, Lukashenka said: «We will never forgive the cruelty, inhumanity and excesses of the enemy on our land. We remember that, and that’s our strength. […] As soon as we forget these paths, these roads to these holy places, we will perish as a people and as a nation».
It is worth saying that Belarus cares for places of memory for the victims of the Great Patriotic War, but not for all.
For example, this is how the bells look in the already mentioned Khatyn Memorial Complex, which are not on the main alley. Everything is overgrown with grass, and the memorial structure itself is not in the best condition.
In the Minsk Masyukoushchyna district, where the German concentration camp for prisoners of war Waldlager Stalag 352 was located, they have been going to build a new microdistrict for a long time. About the care of the territory, where more than 80,000 people were killed, it goes without saying.
Here you will not find gravestones, but you will see a lot of different garbage. On the territory of the concentration camp, only part of the buildings has been preserved. Among them is an infirmary with broken windows and entrances laid down in blocks. There’s also serious garbage inside the building.
On the territory there is also a stone-paved road, which was paved by prisoners of war in 1942. It, unlike the buildings, has been preserved quite well, most of the stones are under asphalt now.
Another example: the Trostenets Memorial Complex, where there was a concentration camp Maly Trostenets during the war. A total of 200,000 to 250,000 people were killed here, most of them were Jews from Western Europe.
The remains of bonfires, coals from barbecues and garbage — do the prisoners killed by the Nazis deserve such a memory?
The Monument to Soldiers and Partisans in the village of Mostishche, Novogrudok region, is also in a deplorable state. Tiles fly off the monument, and the steps at the foot are broken.
And in the village of Morozy, Verkhnedvinski district, the tiles at the Monument to the local residents who died during the Great Patriotic War simply disappeared.
And this is only part of a large number of small crumbling monuments to the victims of the Second World War. It turns out to be some kind of selective memory: they say that they won’t forget the trails, but in fact they don’t forget only the trails to large memorials.
P.S. If you have a photo of collapsing and/or ungroomed monuments to the victims of the Second World War period in Belarus — please send to @Motolko_bot
