Partisans’ breakthrough of fascist blockade in Ushachi area in 1944 is special victory

15 апреля 2015

By Olga Maslovskaya:

At the time of the breakthrough of fascist blockade in Ushachi area in 1944 the partisans were no older than twenty years of age. They undermined German communications, continually smashed garrisons, derailed trains. The partisans were headed by future Hero of the Soviet Union Vladimir Lobanok.

Marina Drozd, director of the Ushachi Museum of People’s Glory named after the Hero of the Soviet Union V.E. Lobanok: "Polotsk-Lepel partisan zone is a vast territory with 1,200 settlements and about 80 thousand people. Schools, hospitals, handicraft workshops worked here."

At the end of 1943 the front neared to the borders of Polotsk-Lepel partisan zone, and these heroic people became a bone in the throat of Germans. An army of 60,000 German soldiers, armed with hundreds of tanks, planes and guns was thrown against 17,000 partisans.

The breakthrough took place in the night from May, 4, to May, 5. How many people died then is still unknown.

In memory of the heroism of the partisans a memorial complex "Breakthrough" was erected.