Unique exhibition opened in Presidential Library on National Unity Day in Minsk
Unique archival documents, books and eyewitness memoirs are on show at the exhibition which has been solemnly opened today at the Presidential Library in the Belarusian capital, Minsk-Novosti reports
About 400 different publications have been presented, including books and periodicals from the 1920s and 1930s. They describe the policy of polonisation and various forms of the national liberation movement in Western Belarus. The participants of the event also had the opportunity to get acquainted with the works of modern Belarusian scientists, politicians and political scientists.
“We tried to make our exposition rich, diverse and interesting for everyone and also to report the previously unknown facts,” the Director of the Presidential Library, Sergei Kvachan, noted. He added that an article about the Bereza-Kartuzskaya concentration camp – which was among the most terrible ones in the 20th century and existed from 1934 to 1939 – deserves special attention. The publication reflects the policy pursued on the territory of Western Belarus, and it also enumerates the facts of inhuman treatment of political prisoners. Cruel and exhausting punishments were used for that purpose.
“On command, it was necessary to fall in mud or water and get up several dozen times, to crawl on the belly, to walk like a duck, to jump like a frog, to run for hours and to fall down to the ground without bending knees,” Mr. Kvachan said. “A lot depended on which policeman was on duty. Many of them did not give rest on weekends either.”
A number of publications mention the facts of oppression not only of political prisoners, but also of the ordinary population. There were strange rules that were subject to fines and penalties: i.e. a person could be punished for laughing loudly. The attitude towards Belarusians who lived in that territory was biased.
“By Decree No. 216 of the President of the Republic of Belarus as of June 7th, 2021, a state holiday was established in the country: National Unity Day. However, the significance of today's date is so great for Belarusians that it was celebrated earlier, as evidenced by numerous facts presented at the exhibition,” Mr. Kvachan clarified.
He added that the library continues to perform an ideological function, takes a leading position in promoting public policy, organises numerous forums, press conferences, round tables, dialogue platforms and also acts as their participant. “It is necessary for those who live now so that this does not happen again, so that the younger generation could value our independence and know how easily it can be lost and how difficult and important it is to defend it,” Mr. Kvachan said.
