00:00:08:PartyzanFilm|presents
00:01:04:THE BELARUSIAN RESISTANCE
00:01:10:Almost all the leaders of the Belarusian Resistance|were killed or have died, their memoirs still unwritten.
00:01:16:Most documents about the Resistance ended up|in the closed archives of foreign secret services.
00:01:22:Consequently, this film relies on rare articles,|as well as the personal recollections…
00:01:28:and archives of the remaining|living participants of the events.
00:01:31:However, for various reasons, many of them|still refuse to give their names.
00:01:40:THE BELARUSIAN POST-WAR|ANTI-SOVIET RESISTANCE|1944 - 1957
00:01:57:Based on the book “Belarusian Resistance”|by Siarhiej Jorsh & Siarzhuk Horbik.
00:02:08:Dedicated to those who fought|for Belarusian independence…
00:02:19:THE BELARUSIAN RESISTANCE
00:02:21:The Belarusian Liberation Movement’s|fight during and after World War II…
00:02:26:was a continuation of the armed struggle|for independence begun in 1918-25.
00:02:34:Back then, the Polish-Soviet war acted as a catalyst|for a mass Belarusian armed movement.
00:02:39:The result was the Belarusian|Democratic Republic (BNR)…
00:02:42:which was occupied|by its stronger neighbours.
00:02:46:After Eastern Belarus was occupied by|Soviet Russia and Western Belarus by Poland…
00:02:50:many Belarusians dreamed of|reinstating their country’s sovereignty.
00:02:53:Their forms of struggle were varied, but the objective|was the same – a free and independent Belarus.
00:03:00:Repression by occupying forces|did not stifle the freedom movement.
00:03:03:Fallen heroes were replaced|by young patriots.
00:03:07:Belarusian patriots (both nationalists and|socialists) took up arms in September 1939.
00:03:14:They started an uprising in the|Palessie region, and tried to set up…
00:03:17:a Western Belarusian Republic,|with Pinsk as its capital.
00:03:21:But the advance of the Red Army into|Western Belarus ruined their plans.
00:03:25:This was the beginning of the|anti-Soviet partisan struggle.
00:03:28:Over 1000 Belarusian partisans|were active in Western Belarus…
00:03:32:up until the start of|the German-Soviet war.
00:03:34:The most famous was|ataman Jakub Khareuski.
00:03:37:Nationalist Belarusian partisan|and underground movements…
00:03:40:also existed during the German|occupation of 1941-44.
00:03:45:They were mustering for an armed|assault on the occupying forces…
00:03:49:in order to re-establish|the independent BNR.
00:03:53:Members of the Belarusian Resistance|died at the hands of…
00:03:55:the Nazis, the Bolsheviks|and the Polish Home Army (AK).
00:03:57:In December 1942, the Gestapo killed|Father Vincent Hadleuski…
00:04:02:the ideologist behind the Resistance.
00:04:09:Meanwhile, a turning point was reached|on the Eastern front in 1943.
00:04:13:Germany was suffering defeat after defeat,|which allowed the Bolsheviks to return.
00:04:18:In this situation, Belarusian nationalist|leaders made a difficult decision.
00:04:23:The Belarusian Resistance had no|resources to begin a struggle…
00:04:27:for liberation on 2 fronts, and attempts|to contact the Allies were unsuccessful.
00:04:32:They lacked weapons and|experienced commanders.
00:04:35:So when the Germans invited Belarusian|Central Council and Home Army leaders…
00:04:41:to join a clandestine anti-Soviet resistance|network in Spring 1944, they agreed.
00:04:48:The German secret services planned|to prepare and install a large…
00:04:52:“diversion and sabotage front” behind Bolshevik|lines, from the Baltic down to the Black Sea.
00:04:55:A secret plan was drawn up, codenamed|“Lieben Katzchen” (“Dear Cat”).
00:05:00:People were provided with all the|necessary training and equipment.
00:05:03:In Latvia, this clandestine network|was called the “Forest Cats”…
00:05:07:or “Steppe Cat” in Ukraine, “Wildcat” in|the Smolensk and Bryansk areas…
00:05:11:but in Belarus, it was|known as “Black Cat”.
00:05:13:To lead it, Belarusian nationalist leaders|proposed that the Germans appoint…
00:05:17:a gifted Belarusian soldier,|major Mikhal Vitushka.
00:05:19:MIKHAL VITUSHKA.|Son of Apanas. Born in 1907.
00:05:25:Studied at a Belarusian secondary|school in Vilna. Trained as an engineer.
00:05:30:In August 1941, together with|ataman Khareuski and Usievalad Rodzka…
00:05:35:he commanded Belarusian armed|detachments in Palessie.
00:05:38:Helped clear out the Soviet and|NKVD troops from Eastern Palessie…
00:05:41:with the help of Ukrainian|ataman Taras Bulba’s forces.
00:05:45:Created collaborationist and military groups|in the Bryansk, Smolensk and Mahilou areas.
00:05:49:Participated in the|Second Belarusian Congress.
00:05:53:After the Minsk Congress, Vitushka|met the general secretary…
00:05:58:of the BNR Council –|the poetess Larysa Hienijush.
00:06:02:In her memoirs, she quoted Mikhal Vitushka:|“I hate the Germans…”
00:06:07:“I am Belarusian through and through, but|we must get our land back for the people…”
00:06:12:“and for that we must use|every possible means.”
00:06:20:The anti-Soviet resistance in Belarus|was divided into 3 zones:
00:06:25:Northern, Central and Southern Belarus,|each with its own leader.
00:06:30:In turn, these were commanded by Belarusian|Partisan Movement Headquarters…
00:06:35:which was located in|a bunker in Warsaw.
00:06:37:Mikhal Vitushka was in charge of the HQ during|all the years of partisan and guerilla warfare.
00:06:46:The Germans trained around|3000 partisans and agents.
00:06:51:Many of them stayed in Belarus in summer 1944,|awaiting orders from Mikhal Vitushka.
00:06:57:Several detachments were trained in Germany,|and only came to Belarus and Poland later.
00:07:02:In spring and summer 1944, 15 bunkers were|built for guerilla warfare in Belarus.
00:07:09:A man involved in building the bunker|network in Western Belarus recalled:
00:07:14:“The bunkers were built by prisoners-of-war,|supervised by German engineers.”
00:07:18:“They were made of concrete, and|placed 2 - 2.5 metres underground.”
00:07:24:“Ventilation shafts extended 20-25|metres away from the bunker.”
00:07:29:“There were usually several rooms inside,|plus storerooms for weapons and food.”
00:07:34:According to the “Lieben Katzchen” plan, all|detachments left in Belarus were equipped with…
00:07:38:radio communications, numerous hideouts,|weapons, ammunition…
00:07:42:documents (headed notepaper and seals of|Soviet military and civil institutions)…
00:07:46:money, and medical supplies. The supplies were|intended to last for 5-10 years of activity.
00:07:52:According to one Resistance member,|they lasted right up until 1951.
00:07:59:Thanks to these bunkers, a lot of|partisans managed to survive…
00:08:03:the toughest period up until|summer 1945 with minimal losses.
00:08:08:That was when the state security bodies broke up|the Polish underground and partisan movements.
00:08:14:According to KGB archives, only 7 of these|bunkers were discovered between 1944 and 1955.
00:08:26:Another organiser of the|Belarusian Resistance was…
00:08:30:the Belarusian Independence Party (BIP),|led by Usievalad Rodzka.
00:08:33:Some of the BIP’s secret groups and partisan|detachments were left in Belarus in summer 1944…
00:08:39:and the rest were sent to an intelligence and|sabotage school run by the German Abwehr.
00:08:44:But Rodzka wanted to|play his own game.
00:08:46:After getting assistance from the Germans|and training for his men, he planned…
00:08:51:to move them from Germany to Belarus, and then|organise resistance independently of “Black Cat”.
00:08:59:The “Dallwitz” sabotage battalion was created|in Eastern Prussia in summer 1944…
00:09:05:comprising soldiers and officers from Belarusian|military and collaborationist groups…
00:09:10:that were members of the|Belarusian Youth Union (BYU).
00:09:12:Many of them were also members of the|secret Belarusian Independence Party.
00:09:16:The Dallwitz intelligence-sabotage school was|under the overall command of major Gerulis.
00:09:20:His deputy and political leader was captain Rodzka,|and in charge of studies was captain Barys Rahula.
00:09:28:On the Belarusian side, the commander of the|Dallwitz battalion was captain Jan Hielda…
00:09:32:an ex-officer from the army of|general Stanislaw Bulak-Balachowicz.
00:09:35:Each group was to receive 4 months’ training|in Dallwitz, 20km from Isternburg, East Prussia.
00:09:43:The course consisted of guerilla warfare tactics,|sabotage, topography, and drill training.
00:09:49:Trainees were also given lectures|on culture and Belarusian history.
00:09:55:Radio operators were trained|at a special school near Danzig.
00:09:59:After the course, the groups were given|ammunition, documents, radios, and codes…
00:10:04:then sent off (usually by air)|into selected areas of Belarus.
00:10:08:In September 1944, BIP member Andrej Vajtovich’s group|was parachuted in near Dziatlava, Smarhon and Vilna.
00:10:16:In November, a detachment led by a former|Red Army officer named Mikalaj Vitushka…
00:10:19:was dropped from a German aircraft|between Naliboki and Rudnik forests.
00:10:24:He was killed in January 1945, but the Soviets|thought that major MIKHAL Vitushka was dead.
00:10:29:Small Dallwitz groups and individual paratroops|continued to be dropped into Belarus…
00:10:34:under German orders to sabotage|communications and gather intelligence.
00:10:39:The Belarusian leadership (Rodzka and Hielda)|ordered them to disobey their German instructions…
00:10:43:and to organise an underground|partisan movement instead…
00:10:47:as part of the|Belarusian Military Organisation.
00:10:49:It was planned that a special Dallwitz|battalion would include 800-1000 men…
00:10:55:and training went on right up until|the time Germany capitulated.
00:10:59:Once the battalion had been disarmed by|Czech partisans, it ceased to exist…
00:11:03:and its soldiers either tried to escape|to the West, or to Belarus and Poland.
00:11:08:Some of them were still fighting|in the early 1950s.
00:11:11:Others, like Rodzka, were arrested|by the Soviet secret services.
00:11:15:The plan to organise an independent|Belarusian Resistance…
00:11:18:failed due to Rodzka’s|arrest in June 1945.
00:11:22:The most efficient BIP units either joined|“Black Cat” (e.g. Anton Bandyk’s detachment)…
00:11:28:or were killed in battles|with NKVD troops.
00:11:31:Civilian partisan detachments continued|to be active in Belarusian Palessie.
00:11:35:They were independent from|the BIP and “Black Cat”.
00:11:38:One of the better-known Belarusian Resistance|Figures, who fought the Germans and Bolsheviks…
00:11:44:to regain Belarusian independence,|was ataman Jakub Khareuski.
00:11:48:JAKUB KHAREUSKI. Commander of an anti-Polish|Belarusian partisan detachment in 1921-25.
00:11:55:Born in 1900 in Kharova village near|Pruzhany. Of noble descent.
00:12:00:One of the leaders of the anti-Polish|uprising in Palessie in September 1939.
00:12:06:Active in setting up the Belarusian Partisan|Movement HQ in Northern Belarus in 1942.
00:12:18:After 1943, Jakub Khareuski and|Ivan Pierahud’s detachments…
00:12:22:were active in Valyn near|Ratna and Lubiashou.
00:12:26:After the Germans retreated, they seized|large weapons reserves from those towns –
00:12:28:submachine and machine guns,|mortars, grenades, and ammunition.
00:12:33:Once the Soviets had returned, Khareuski’s|detachment launched a partisan campaign…
00:12:37:killing Cheka members,|militiamen and communists.
00:12:40:Ataman Khareuski only came into contact|with Vitushka’s organisation in February 1946.
00:12:45:However, the detachment continued|to act independently…
00:12:48:and Khareuski took his partisans|out of Belarus into Poland.
00:12:51:Ivan Pierahud and Jakub Khareuski’s|detachments continued…
00:12:53:to operate autonomously in the|Bialystok and Podlasie regions.
00:12:56:They aimed to protect the local Belarusian population|from gangs of Polish nationalist criminals…
00:13:01:and from detachments formed to|“resettle” them into the USSR.
00:13:05:Armed skirmishes with Poles and Soviet soldiers on|“resettlement missions” occurred in these places.
00:13:10:Khareuski’s detachment probably escaped|to the West in late 1949 or early 1950.
00:13:17:Later on, Khareuski wrote: “We disbanded|our depleted detachment in the 1950s…”
00:13:23:“and most of its members went first|to Poland, then to the West.”
00:13:26:In about 1947, Ivan Pierahud’s detachment|also went to the West in several small groups.
00:13:36:Apart from the aforementioned organisational|centres of the Belarusian Resistance…
00:13:39:a spontaneous partisan movement was|also active all around the country…
00:13:43:with tens of thousands of|members in 1944-45.
00:13:47:They were reinforced by villagers who|were unhappy with collectivisation…
00:13:50:refugees of Soviet repression,|and people repatriated from Europe.
00:13:54:This armed movement existed in parallel to|“Black Cat”, was partly influenced by it…
00:13:58:and even survived until the late|1950s / early 1960s in some areas.
00:14:07:Why didn’t the commanders of the anti-Soviet|Belarusian Resistance declare a general uprising…
00:14:13:or launch an active military|campaign like the one in Ukraine?
00:14:17:Mikhal Vitushka answered this question himself at|a conference of Belarusian partisan commanders…
00:14:21:that was held in Bielaviezha|forest in September 1945.
00:14:26:Vitushka’s position was as follows: “The Belarusian|situation is radically different to that in Ukraine.”
00:14:33:“Firstly, there is no mass nationalist movement.|The war has utterly devastated Belarus.”
00:14:38:“People have suffered heavy losses|and could not stand another war.”
00:14:42:“The villages would be simply unable to|feed the number of soldiers required.”
00:14:46:“At most, our forces number 20-30 000 people.|We do not have enough ammunition.”
00:14:52:“Belarusian units won’t last long without outside|assistance with weapons, medicines and ammunition.”
00:14:59:“No-one is able to give us|that kind of assistance today.”
00:15:02:Consequently, there was only|one option open to them –
00:15:04:to create a large clandestine network|and await international developments.
00:15:08:Vitushka believed the issue of nations enslaved|by Moscow would come up sooner or later…
00:15:13:and that preparations should be made to|seize power quickly at the right moment…
00:15:16:in case another war broke out.
00:15:18:The conference also discussed the issue of|the partisan movement’s political leadership.
00:15:23:Mikhal Vitushka emphasised that:|“We are fighting for Belarus…”
00:15:26:“not for the Belarusian Democratic Republic|or Belarusian Central Council!”
00:15:29:The conference also deliberated|the issue of cooperation…
00:15:32:between the Belarusian Resistance|and nationalist movements abroad.
00:15:36:They only failed to come to an agreement|with Stepan Bandera’s Organisation…
00:15:39:of Ukrainian Nationalists, and|its Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA).
00:15:43:The Bandera faction wanted the leading|role in the anti-Soviet struggle…
00:15:46:and also laid territorial claims|to Belarusian Palessie.
00:15:49:Vitushka gave the order not to|start any fighting with the UPA…
00:15:53:but to defend Belarusian interests|in the event of Bandera faction attacks.
00:15:56:However, the Resistance did cooperate successfully|with Taras Bulba’s Ukrainian detachment.
00:16:00:Relations with the Polish Resistance|were also strained…
00:16:03:but they did manage to come to a compromise|due to their common enemy – the Soviet Union.
00:16:09:Contacts were also made with|the Latvian Resistance…
00:16:12:which gave the Belarusian partisans a|sea corridor to escape to the West.
00:16:16:By the end of the Bielaviezha conference,|the commanders had renounced…
00:16:20:any large-scale diversion campaigns|in order to spare Belarusian civilians.
00:16:25:The Bielaviezha conference is|considered to be the official start…
00:16:28:of all organised anti-Soviet|Belarusian Resistance activity…
00:16:31:that was not connected to German|or any other secret services.
00:16:42:The Belarusian partisan movement had no|fixed title, and went by various names:
00:16:47:“Belarusian Liberation Troops”
00:16:49:“Belarusian Liberation Front”
00:16:51:“Belarusian Liberation Army”|“Free Belarus”, etc.
00:16:54:Or they simply referred to themselves|as “Belarusian Insurgents”.
00:16:57:Belarusian emigrants mostly referred to|Vitushka’s detachment as “Black Cat”.
00:17:05:In 1945, “Black Cat” numbered up to 3500|members, with even more in its reserve…
00:17:15:but it was diminished by Soviet repression|and conscription into the Red Army.
00:17:19:In 1944 alone, about 8000 reservists|were sent to the Soviet frontlines.
00:17:27:In such conditions, a well-planned|underground was necessary…
00:17:31:to make sure the struggle|would be successful.
00:17:34:For this, the German secret services|applied methods unknown…
00:17:36:to the Soviet Ministry of State Security (MSS)|and SMERSH, such as “mirrored leadership”:
00:17:40:All Belarusian Resistance leaders|were supposed to have a “mirror”…
00:17:45:someone who under certain circumstances|would contact couriers…
00:17:48:and pretend to be the|“mirrored” leader.
00:17:51:“Fixed nickname” tactics|were also employed…
00:17:54:whereby a nickname was attached|not to one specific person…
00:17:56:but to a position in the|clandestine network.
00:18:00:It was also difficult to identify Belarusian|insurgents due to a lack of special uniforms…
00:18:06:because neither the time nor|the resources were available.
00:18:09:Combatants fought in Belarusian Home Army|uniforms, or others they had worn before…
00:18:15:as well as German or Soviet uniforms|bearing Belarusian national symbols:
00:18:20:White/red/white flag badges|or the St.George emblem.
00:18:23:Each detachment had its own|white/red/white flag…
00:18:26:and the partisans’ anthem|was “Pahonia” (“The Hunt”).
00:18:32:Apart from sabotage and military action,|the Belarusian partisans also strove…
00:18:37:to educate, and for this they|published newspapers.
00:18:41:The newspapers were printed at|secret locations in Belarus.
00:18:44:Print-works were also captured|from the Soviet authorities.
00:18:47:The MSS stated: “Between summer 1945|and 1950, 810 printed publications…”
00:18:56:“of an anti-Soviet nature|were discovered in Belarus.”
00:19:01:“Out of those, 693 were in Belarusian,|79 in Ukrainian, and the rest in Russian.”
00:19:09:“In November 1947, unknown persons attacked|a print works in Kalinkavichy (Palessie).”
00:19:15:“The guard was killed, and some of|the printing machinery was stolen.”
00:19:21:“Notably, the attackers only|stole the Belarusian type-cases.”
00:19:26:Belarusian partisans also published|posters, brochures, and flyers…
00:19:31:although the majority of|posters were hand-written.
00:19:34:For example, posters appeared on roadside|trees and poles in the Lepel area in 1946…
00:19:40:with slogans like “Down With Red Fascism!”,|“Long Live Our Free Homeland!”
00:19:45:and “Death To Bolshevik Torturers!”
00:19:50:Despite official propaganda, most Belarusians|didn’t join the Red Army voluntarily…
00:19:55:because they knew they would be almost|sure to end up in penal battalions.
00:20:00:During World War II, there were several|mobilisations in Western Belarus:
00:20:04:For the Polish Army in 1939,|the Belarusian Home Army in 1944…
00:20:11:and for a wide variety of|partisan detachments.
00:20:14:Belarusian Communist Party secretary|Ponomarenko was informed that:
00:20:17:“Many of the men called up in these areas have|refused to mobilise and are hiding in forests.”
00:20:22:“In some cases, local Soviet leaders dealing with|conscription have been threatened or murdered.”
00:20:28:“There have been blatant acts of|mass sabotage and armed resistance.”
00:20:33:“In the Voranava area, out of the 2220 conscripts|called up, only 69 came to register.”
00:20:41:“The head of the local NKVD was seriously|injured in the Juracishki area.”
00:20:47:“Soviet authority was not restored due to the|presence of violent gangs in 3 nearby villages.”
00:20:52:There were also some real tragedies.
00:20:54:An archive document reports: “On July 15, 1944|while 159 mobilised men were being transferred…”
00:21:03:“from Sola to Vilejka, the conscripts|started running off into the forest.”
00:21:07:“As a result, the escorts used their|weapons, leaving 18 dead…”
00:21:11:“and 20 wounded, and only 3 men|actually arrived in Vilejka.”
00:21:17:In early 1945, over 117 000 men of call-up age|didn’t want to fight, which made them outlaws.
00:21:27:All these people hiding out in forests,|swamps and villages during 1944-45…
00:21:35:diverted considerable resources|from the Soviet security forces…
00:21:39:which allowed the organised Resistance|to regroup and carry on with great success.
00:21:49:The Belarusian partisan movement|commanded by Mikhal Vitushka…
00:21:54:began its armed struggle|in autumn 1945.
00:21:57:One of its main aims was to free convicts|from concentration camps and prisons.
00:22:03:There were many such operations,|so we will mention just a few:
00:22:07:The most successful was the freeing of political|prisoners from Pinsk jail in February 1946.
00:22:14:The MSS had organised a|“cleansing campaign” in Pinsk…
00:22:17:which resulted in|over 250 arrests…
00:22:20:mostly BYU members and ordinary|collaborationist workers.
00:22:24:After interrogation, detainees were|transported to Minsk in trucks.
00:22:28:The convoy was ambushed 38km|away from Pinsk on the Minsk road…
00:22:32:by some partisans under|the command of “Sych”.
00:22:36:Following a brief battle, 6 MSS|officers and 73 soldiers were killed…
00:22:41:and most of the prisoners|were released.
00:22:45:In spring/summer 1946, several|dozen partisans in MSS uniform…
00:22:51:successfully attacked a|filtration camp near Mahilou…
00:22:55:where 17 young Belarusians|were being held…
00:22:58:for assisting the Luftwaffe|at the end of the war.
00:23:01:As a result, 60 people were freed –|everyone who wanted to leave the camp.
00:23:05:In the same year, near Warsaw, Bandyk’s|detachment liberated some Belarusians…
00:23:09:that the Bolsheviks were taking|out of Germany by train.
00:23:12:After the war, these Belarusians had|ended up in the British-occupied zone…
00:23:15:but the English handed|them over to the Soviets.
00:23:18:The train full of 350 Belarusians halted|for nearly 24hrs to the East of Warsaw.
00:23:23:The Polish underground informed|the Belarusian partisans about this.
00:23:33:Bandyk’s detachment was sent in,|and they blew up the railway lines…
00:23:36:behind and in front of the train, disarmed|the guards, and freed the people.
00:23:40:Some of the ex-prisoners then|joined up with the partisans.
00:23:44:In June 1949, some Belarusian|villagers were in a convoy…
00:23:47:on the Maladechna-Minsk road.|They had been arrested for…
00:23:50:resisting the creation of|Soviet collective farms.
00:23:53:An attack force of 43 partisans|successfully managed to kill…
00:23:55:the whole convoy, and|freed over 100 people.
00:24:01:Most of these villagers also|joined up with the partisans.
00:24:06:Vitushka’s partisans were often successful|in capturing Belarusian villages and towns…
00:24:11:thanks to their excellent mastery|of street warfare tactics.
00:24:15:But these victories were only symbolic,|as the partisans didn’t have enough…
00:24:20:resources, weapons, or ammunition|to actually keep hold of them.
00:24:23:These are some of their most|successful operations:
00:24:26:In autumn 1948, the MSS made|arrests in the Kobryn district…
00:24:31:to expose people sympathetic to|Belarusian and Ukrainian partisans.
00:24:35:Since the local prison was full,|those arrested were held…
00:24:38:in an army barracks on|the outskirts of Kobryn.
00:24:42:They were soon to be|moved into camps, but…
00:24:44:a united group of Belarusian|and Ukrainian partisans…
00:24:47:attacked the barracks and|freed some of the prisoners.
00:24:51:A similar attack was carried out|in Hajnowka in spring 1949.
00:24:56:This one was more demonstrative,|and aimed to force the Poles…
00:24:59:to end their repression of the local|Belarusian Orthodox population.
00:25:04:In March 1948, several “Black Cat”|detachments attacked Navahradak…
00:25:10:together with a group of Taras|Bulba’s soldiers, to free…
00:25:13:an arrested Belarusian Resistance|member from the local MSS prison.
00:25:16:This operation was led by a|Belarusian partisan commander…
00:25:18:nicknamed “Sciapan”, who had|once been a Red Army officer.
00:25:21:At that time, Navahradak was a base|for a special branch of the MSS…
00:25:25:created to destroy the anti-Soviet partisan|movement in the Naliboki forest area.
00:25:30:The garrison numbered about 500|soldiers, and the MSS prison there…
00:25:35:was full of anti-Soviet resistance members|and people dissatisfied with Soviet rule.
00:25:41:The Soviets did not expect the “forest|brotherhood” to attack Navahradak.
00:25:46:Between 130 and 170 partisans|approached the town unnoticed.
00:25:51:They took the guards out silently|and attacked specific buildings.
00:25:56:They held part of the town until|the prisoners had been freed…
00:26:02:then quickly left Navahradak and|disappeared into the forest.
00:26:08:About 300 Soviets, mostly MSS troops,|were killed during the battle.
00:26:15:Following the Navahradak operation,|several retaliatory raids…
00:26:19:were carried out in order to|“clean up” Naliboki forest.
00:26:22:Aircraft bombarded any|suspicious areas and smoke…
00:26:26:but the MSS did no major|damage to the partisans.
00:26:30:All the Soviets accomplished|was a temporary suspension…
00:26:34:of “Black Cat” operations|in that area.
00:26:43:How Soviet soldiers felt in garrisons|in post-war occupied Belarus…
00:26:49:can be seen in these excerpts from letters|to families and friends in July 1945:
00:26:55:“We’re doing fine, but the gangs are|still around, and killings are frequent…”
00:27:00:“Someone might walk off towards|the West and never come back.”
00:27:03:“It’s really dangerous round here now,|as a very large gang has appeared…”
00:27:07:“They kill 4 or 5 officers a day,|but don’t touch the cadets…”
00:27:11:“Some days, they even fire cannons out of|nowhere and damage the railway lines.”
00:27:16:“Even though the war is over,|a lot of young people are dying…”
00:27:21:“because Belarus was under German occupation|and there were lots of collaborationists…”
00:27:25:“and entire gangs have formed. 170 of|us went out, but only 90 came back…”
00:27:31:“All the rest were killed.|My life is in danger now.”
00:27:40:One of “Black Cat’s” main targets|for attacks was the railways.
00:27:43:Sabotage was used against military trains,|and partisans were particularly active…
00:27:47:in attacking trains full|of Soviet security forces.
00:27:50:Attack groups were usually|made up of 3-5 partisans.
00:27:53:The Minsk-Brest-Warsaw line|was attacked most frequently.
00:27:57:In June 1950, 5 Soviet military|trains were blown up…
00:28:02:along the Brest-Bialystok|railway line.
00:28:05:Also in June, several bridges|were damaged on the same line…
00:28:09:and it took about a week|to restore rail services.
00:28:12:In late April 1947, “Sych’s”|detachment attacked…
00:28:16:a military column on the Belarusian-|Ukrainian administrative border.
00:28:25:The vehicles were transporting|ammunition, small-calibre shells…
00:28:29:and several hundred|summer uniforms.
00:28:31:“Sych’s” partisans stole part of|the load, and destroyed the rest.
00:28:35:In 1949, a partisan sabotage group|derailed a train near Hrodna.
00:28:40:It was carrying ammunition,|shells and bombs.
00:28:44:The partisans were unable to take these|trophies with them, so they destroyed the lot.
00:28:52:It is a little-known fact that|the first vice-president of the…
00:28:55:Belarusian Central Council,|Mikola Shkialonak…
00:28:58:led a partisan detachment|at the end of the war.
00:29:01:Some reports say he escaped to the West,|while others say he went to Belarus.
00:29:04:Few people knew that Mikola Shkialonak|was a member of “Black Cat”…
00:29:08:and had to return to Belarus to rejoin|Vitushka’s partisan movement.
00:29:11:Once Germany had capitulated,|Shkialonak’s detachment (“Shklany”)…
00:29:15:was sent into the|Barysau area.
00:29:19:They were ambushed by the MSS|special branch near Haradzieja.
00:29:24:After a pitched battle, only 7 out of the 32|men from Shkialonak’s detachment survived.
00:29:29:Shkialonak was critically injured,|and what became of him is unknown.
00:29:33:There are several versions, but|Mikola Shkialonak is most likely…
00:29:37:to have died in the MSS|prison hospital in Minsk.
00:29:39:There was also mention of the|“Shklany” detachment in 1946.
00:29:42:According to MSS documents, it|carried out 8 sabotage raids…
00:29:46:on the Baranavichy-Minsk|railway line…
00:29:48:and also killed several dozen Party|activists and Soviet law-enforcers.
00:29:53:The detachment was finally liquidated|by the MSS in January 1947.
00:30:06:The Belarusian Resistance|started to fade out in 1948.
00:30:10:January saw the death of the commander|of the “Viciebsk” detachment…
00:30:13:and leader of the Northern Zone –|Piatro Hajevich.
00:30:16:Sometime towards the end|of 1947, his partisans…
00:30:19:attacked a Soviet military|column near Lepel.
00:30:22:After this operation, regular Soviet Army|units were sent in to fight “Viciebsk”.
00:30:27:Surrounded, Hajevich’s partisans|fought a long battle…
00:30:30:then made a break for it, during|which most of them died…
00:30:33:along with their commander.
00:30:37:The leaders of the Southern Zone|were killed in late 1948.
00:30:42:In November 1948, “Sych’s”|communications with Headquarters…
00:30:44:were severed after a sabotage operation|on the Belarusian-Ukrainian border.
00:30:49:The partisans didn’t manage|to retreat to safety…
00:30:51:and an MSS special branch|company came after them.
00:30:55:The MSS caught up with|them on the road to Rivna…
00:30:57:47km from the border|on the Ukrainian side.
00:31:01:Outnumbered, the partisans were|forced into an uneven battle…
00:31:04:after taking refuge in a village house.|When they refused to surrender…
00:31:08:the MSS troops set fire to the|house, burning them all alive.
00:31:11:Before that, “Sych’s”|partisans raised their…
00:31:13:Belarusian white/red/white and|Ukrainian yellow/blue flags.
00:31:15:It is unclear whether “Sych” died in the|battle, because no-one could be identified.
00:31:18:In late 1948, the “Lesaviki”|detachment was also broken up.
00:31:24:It had been based in the Barysau area,|and only a few members were saved…
00:31:26:when they managed to reach the|“Black Cat” detachments in Palessie.
00:31:35:November 1948 saw the|death of Mikola Khviasko…
00:31:39:the partisan commander|for the Bycien region.
00:31:42:The MSS had infiltrated his|partisan group with 2 agents…
00:31:46:who seized their opportunity to|kill Khviasko and his assistants.
00:31:55:The partisan movement’s|losses were heavy in 1948.
00:32:00:This was because the MSS had|understood just how serious…
00:32:02:the Belarusian Resistance|was as an opponent.
00:32:05:The MSS began to fight more systematically,|bringing in professionals from Moscow.
00:32:09:The MSS was given units of Soviet troops|to comb the terrain for insurgents.
00:32:16:It also organised a network|of informers and agents.
00:32:19:Between July 1, 1944 and|January 1945 alone…
00:32:23:the Belarusian MSS recruited|4385 people, including…
00:32:28:724 agents, 141 spies|and 3517 informers.
00:32:33:Another MSS tactic for|fighting the partisans…
00:32:37:was to create|fake detachments.
00:32:39:MSS troops dressed as insurgents|began to attack innocent civilians…
00:32:44:so as to compromise|the real partisans.
00:32:46:They also assembled people who|were unhappy with Soviet rule…
00:32:50:into a pseudo-detachment,|and later arrested them.
00:32:53:Meanwhile, the network of agents,|informers and spies was growing:
00:32:56:By March 1, 1947, Belarusian Internal Affairs|had already recruited about 20 000 of them.
00:33:03:MSS agents in post-war Belarus|caused the break-up of…
00:33:07:patriotic youth organisations,|the Belarusian Patriots’ Union…
00:33:11:the Belarus Liberation Union,|“Chayka”, and…
00:33:13:the Belarusian Liberation|Movement's Centre.
00:33:17:The main reasons the youth|underground collapsed were…
00:33:19:its weak security precautions, and|lack of underground fighting skills.
00:33:28:On June 14, 1944, the Belarusian|Communist Party passed a resolution…
00:33:35:to create 185 “destruction battalions”|with 16 640 soldiers in their ranks.
00:33:43:Additionally, there were 7000 so-called|“destruction battalion assistance groups”…
00:33:49:containing a total|of 42 730 men.
00:33:52:Along with the “destruction battalions”,|the Soviet authorities also used…
00:33:56:NKVD troops and army units to|fight the partisan movement.
00:34:00:At the end of 1944, Soviet secret|police chief Lavrenti Beria…
00:34:06:sent 13 NKVD regiments into|Belarus – a total of 6020 men.
00:34:10:Just 2 weeks later, Beria reported to|Stalin that 288 anti-Soviet Polish…
00:34:17:and Belarusian organisations had|been liquidated in Western Belarus.
00:34:22:5096 of their members were|arrested and 800 killed.
00:34:27:The Party Central Committee’s|report for June 1946 stated:
00:34:33:“In the first year after the Germans were|driven out, the bandit groups were large…”
00:34:38:“well-armed, well-equipped military units put|together and coordinated by foreign emissaries…”
00:34:44:“and commanded by experienced|conspirators and officers.”
00:34:49:“During their break-up, 3035 anti-Soviet|bandits were killed and 17 872 arrested…”
00:34:58:“A total of 814 underground terrorist|cells and armed gangs were liquidated…”
00:35:04:“including 667 Polish,|97 Belarusian, 23 Ukrainian…”
00:35:08:“and 27 other fascist/nationalist|organisations and gangs.”
00:35:13:“The following were seized while liquidating|underground gangs and organisations:”
00:35:17:“211 mortars, 193 anti-tank guns, 3587 machine|guns, 68 377 submachine guns and rifles…”
00:35:27:“2979 pistols, 36 078 grenades and mines,|5 tonnes of TNT, about 4 million rounds…”
00:35:37:“40 duplicating machines,|and 47 radio transmitters.”
00:35:40:“Our side has also sustained serious|losses. The total body count was 924…”
00:35:47:“including 320 Party and Soviet workers|from cities and rural areas…”
00:35:53:“and 362 Internal Affairs and|MSS soldiers and officers.”
00:35:58:According to incomplete USSR state security|statistics, between 1945 and 1953…
00:36:06:38 178 people were arrested for|anti-Soviet activities in Belarus.
00:36:11:Over 2000 of them were members of “bourgeois|nationalist” parties, groups and organisations.
00:36:22:In order to improve the state of the|underground in early autumn 1948…
00:36:27:Mikhal Vitushka ordered a reorganisation|of the Belarusian Resistance.
00:36:31:As a result, partisan and clandestine|groups were merged…
00:36:35:into a separate branch|of the Resistance.
00:36:37:Its leader was a “Black Cat” HQ|member nicknamed “Chachot”.
00:36:42:He began acting as a buffer between|partisan liaisons and Vitushka.
00:36:47:The second branch contained particularly|valuable intelligence agents…
00:36:51:and was led by another HQ|member, Vaclau Kharzheuski.
00:36:56:The third branch dealt with political issues and|information, and was headed by “Kastus”.
00:37:00:But membership of the Belarusian Resistance|led by Mikhal Vitushka had begun to decline.
00:37:04:In 1950, between 250 and|300 people were left.
00:37:09:In 1952, Vitushka began a large-scale operation|to move his men deeper underground…
00:37:15:and wind up the active|partisan struggle.
00:37:18:In 1953, Vitushka sent the last “Black Cat”|detachments from Belarus to Poland…
00:37:23:leaving only Zhykhar’s|detachment behind.
00:37:28:However, the clandestine network|was still operational in Belarus.
00:37:31:Separate detachments not connected with|the Belarusian partisan movement’s HQ…
00:37:34:also continued with|their activities.
00:37:38:Some of these even lasted|up until the early 1960s.
00:37:42:They were active near Babrujsk, in Belarusian|Western Palessie, and the Eastern Bialystok area.
00:37:51:When Europe was divided by the Iron Curtain,|Western agents were sent in illegally…
00:37:56:on foot, by sea|or by parachute.
00:37:59:The main tasks for paratroops|dropped into Belarus were…
00:38:01:to gather intelligence and perform|diversion and partisan activities.
00:38:05:Only 2 air-drops are mentioned|by official and Cheka sources:
00:38:08:One by Jan Filistovich|in September 1951…
00:38:11:the other by Kasciuk and Vostrykau’s|group in August 1952.
00:38:16:There is no mention of any other drops|that were not captured by the MSS.
00:38:20:Some reports indicate that Western|secret services organised…
00:38:25:5 “Black Cat” drops into Belarus and|Poland between 1949 and 1952.
00:38:35:The air-drops had varying|degrees of success…
00:38:37:due to the efficient work of|the Soviet secret services.
00:38:40:In summer 1950, one Piatro Dziemidovich|pretended to be a Belarusian partisan…
00:38:46:and asked Western secret services|to drop troops into Palessie…
00:38:49:to reinforce the anti-Soviet|organisation there.
00:38:52:In order to investigate this, paratroops|led by Symon Mikhalchuk…
00:38:55:were dropped into|Belarus in May 1952.
00:39:00:Mikhalchuk's group was ambushed by the|MSS at Dziemidovich's requested landing site.
00:39:06:This confirmed what some|Belarusian emigrants had guessed –
00:39:09:that Dziemidovich|was an MSS agent.
00:39:11:But the air-drop the “pseudo-partisans”|were expecting did happen after all…
00:39:14:but instead of paratroops, they dropped|dummies packed with timed explosives.
00:39:21:So several MSS officers died|while “arresting the paratroops”.
00:39:28:Once this MSS provocation|had been exposed…
00:39:31:Dziemidovich was questioned|by Western secret services…
00:39:35:and they later sent him to|Canada with new documents.
00:39:38:Mikhalchuk stayed in Belarus to form a|detachment of men from the Kobryn area…
00:39:42:who were on the run from|Soviet security forces.
00:39:45:SYMON MIKHALCHUK. Belarusian partisan|detachment commander in 1952-53.
00:39:52:Born in 1915 in the Brest region.|Leader of the Belarusian Committee…
00:39:57:in the Pruzhany area during|German occupation.
00:40:00:Member of the Belarusian Liberation Movement|military organisation after 1950.
00:40:07:Mikhalchuk’s detachment carried|out sabotage operations.
00:40:10:The MSS started to hunt it|down after a military column…
00:40:14:was attacked on the|Kobryn-Baranavichy road.
00:40:18:The detachment had|a chance to escape…
00:40:21:into Bielaviezha forest,|but preferred to stay.
00:40:23:The MSS started pursuing the|detachment on March 28, 1953.
00:40:28:Around 600 soldiers surrounded|the several dozen partisans…
00:40:34:And the battle near the village of|Zaprudy lasted for 5 hours.
00:40:38:Mikhalchuk ordered his men|to break the siege…
00:40:39:telling the wounded to stay behind to|divert the attention of the MSS.
00:40:43:Mikhalchuk himself was|among the wounded…
00:40:46:when his ammunition ran out, he blew|himself up together with the MSS.
00:40:54:Only a few of the partisans|managed to break free.
00:40:57:After 1953, Zhykhar’s detachment was the last|“Black Cat” unit left inside Soviet Belarus.
00:41:05:AUHEN ZHYKHAR. Born in 1925 in|Navasiolki in the Miadziel area.
00:41:11:Qualified as a teacher|in Pastavy in 1944.
00:41:16:Joined the BIP and BYU.
00:41:19:Ended up in Dallwitz in summer 1944,|and did the full training course.
00:41:25:Joined the Red Army in 1945 in|Germany under his own name.
00:41:30:Returned to Belarus after demobilisation|and worked as a teacher.
00:41:34:After an attempted arrest in 1946,|Zhykhar escaped into the forest…
00:41:38:and set up a partisan detachment|in the Pastavy area.
00:41:42:Initially, Zhykhar’s detachment|was mostly engaged in…
00:41:45:terrorism against Soviet|institutions and workers.
00:41:48:Zhykhar only made contact with Mikhal|Vitushka’s partisans late in 1948…
00:41:54:when his detachment was made|into a separate military unit.
00:41:57:In autumn 1954, Headquarters ordered|Zhykhar to wind up his activities…
00:42:03:and escape to the West|via the Baltic states…
00:42:05:but the MSS started monitoring the|detachment’s activities very closely.
00:42:08:Consequently, Zhykhar divided|his detachment into 3 groups.
00:42:11:The first evacuated|successfully to the Baltics…
00:42:14:but the other two were killed while|covering the escape of the first…
00:42:17:by diverting the attention|of the MSS special branch.
00:42:20:Zhykhar himself died in|combat in January 1955.
00:42:23:According to several reports,|it was impossible to identify him…
00:42:27:as he was shot in the face|and seriously disfigured.
00:42:30:For members of the anti-Soviet resistance,|Auhen Zhykhar’s death marked the end…
00:42:36:of organised partisan|activities in Belarus.
00:42:39:But the Belarusian Resistance’s last|armed action took place in 1957.
00:42:45:Headquarters planned to assassinate|Nikita Khrushchev and other Soviet figures.
00:42:49:This was to happen at the recently-built|Viskuli residence in Bielaviezha forest…
00:42:54:where Khrushchev was|intending to go hunting.
00:42:57:However, due to the|high security there…
00:42:59:their plan to break into the|residence was changed.
00:43:02:They decided to mine the road Khrushchev’s|motorcade would drive along.
00:43:06:A car full of top Moscow officials|exploded on the partisans' mines…
00:43:12:but Khrushchev was luckier.
00:43:20:Clandestine network operations were|finally suspended in late 1959.
00:43:26:Several hundred Belarusian Resistance|members were sent to the West.
00:43:30:According to some sources, the last member|of the underground left in the USSR…
00:43:34:that Vitushka was still in contact|with, died in 1989, aged 79.
00:43:41:That date can be considered as the|end of “Black Cat’s” active service.
00:43:45:Vitushka finally “left the job”|at some point in the 1970s.
00:43:51:In early 2006, the Belarusian KGB initiated|a series of publications that alleged…
00:43:58:that Vitushka died in 1945, so couldn’t|have been in charge of “Black Cat”.
00:44:04:They even implied that no such|organisation ever existed.
00:44:07:There were several people named|Vitushka in the nationalist movement.
00:44:10:One of them did indeed lead|a group of paratroops…
00:44:13:and was killed on the night|of November 17/18, 1945.
00:44:19:But his name was|MIKALAJ Vitushka…
00:44:21:and the Belarusian Resistance leader|was major MIKHAL Vitushka.
00:44:28:We know that Mikhal Vitushka entered|Belarus 3 times using false documents.
00:44:32:His last visit was in 1974,|with German documents.
00:44:39:The leader of the Belarusian|Resistance of 1945-1959…
00:44:43:died in Germany on|April 27, 2006, aged 99.
00:44:52:They dreamed of a free Homeland,|and that is what they fought for.
00:44:56:They lived and breathed for the idea that at|least something could be done for Belarus.
00:45:00:We dedicate this film to all members of|the Belarusian Resistance, living or dead…
00:45:08:DIRECTED BY:|Antos Cialezhnikau
00:45:10:CAMERAMAN:|Alaksandr Pieralyhin
00:45:13:EDITING AND EFFECTS:|PartyzanFilm
00:45:17:SCRIPTWRITER:|Siarhiej Jorsh
00:45:20:SCRIPT EDITOR:|Eva Viezhnaviec
00:45:23:NARRATION:|Siarhiej Akhramovich|Aleh Milevich|Siarzhuk Shlonski
00:45:29:NARRATION SOUND ENGINEERS:|Paval Starynski|Siarzhuk Shlonski
00:45:35:MUSIC BY:|Reinhold Heil & John Klimek|Gabriel Yared & Stefan Mucha|John Murphy|Ennio Morricone|John Clifford White|Jose Miguel Tobar|Andrzej Petras
00:45:41:TECHNICAL COORDINATOR:|Vital Locmanau
00:45:43:CONSULTANT:|Mariusz Komacki
00:45:46:Taking part in the film were students of the Kastus Kalinouski Programme, as well as others whose names cannot be mentioned for objective reasons.
00:45:52:Thanks to everyone involved voluntarily in the making of this film:
00:45:56:Belarusian National Memorial|www.b-n-p.org
00:45:58:Belarusian European Union|www.bielarus.eu
00:46:00:Warsaw Railway Museum
00:46:02:The Warsaw Uprising Museum
00:46:05:HISTORICAL RECONSTRUCTION GROUP:|“Kalina Krasnaya”
00:46:08:Radek Vogel
00:46:10:This film was made with the support of the|Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands|(Matra-CAP Programme).
00:46:20:© PartyzanFilm 2008
00:46:24:TRANSLATION & SUBTITLES:|© MB/AG 2008